BEWARE -- SPOILERS (sort of)
The first thirty minutes of this psychadelic flower-child generation-gone wild paranoid fantasy percolates to its 60's beat. The set-up with Holbrook and Varsi as Jones' accomplices is close to ingenious. And Jones handles himself in a way that makes you believe his cohort accept him unflaggingly as their leader. But once he starts implementing his vision, things slide downhill all too fast. It is one-note, dumb, and predictable, as absolute power corrupts absolutely. But, it's a shame to tune out before the film's final scene, which is hysterical. The last line is just too good not to repeat as a classic, "We're going to put everybody over ten out of business!" And this was years before anybody could have predicted the Cambodian Khmer Rouge!
Overall, fun for film students, and fans of theatre d'absurd. People who want traditionally entertaining movies with characters whose actions actually make sense should look elsewhere.
The first thirty minutes of this psychadelic flower-child generation-gone wild paranoid fantasy percolates to its 60's beat. The set-up with Holbrook and Varsi as Jones' accomplices is close to ingenious. And Jones handles himself in a way that makes you believe his cohort accept him unflaggingly as their leader. But once he starts implementing his vision, things slide downhill all too fast. It is one-note, dumb, and predictable, as absolute power corrupts absolutely. But, it's a shame to tune out before the film's final scene, which is hysterical. The last line is just too good not to repeat as a classic, "We're going to put everybody over ten out of business!" And this was years before anybody could have predicted the Cambodian Khmer Rouge!
Overall, fun for film students, and fans of theatre d'absurd. People who want traditionally entertaining movies with characters whose actions actually make sense should look elsewhere.