MovieChat Forums > Head (1968) Discussion > Career suicide?

Career suicide?

posted 9 years ago by Dr Wily
2 replies | jump to latest

I understand that the Monkees were probably trying to make a stand for creative integrity. That they realized they were a manufactured pop culture cash maker. And I like the movie they made. I still have to wonder if it was career suicide.

I mean, did they intend to kill their careers with this movie?

Plus, how could the studio heads, excuse the pun, allow this film to be released? Did they not even see the film before it was sent out to theaters?

I find Head funny, creative, and even at times outright bizarre. Which isn't a bad thing in my book. Still, were the Monkess trying to purposefully shoot themselves in the foot? Get out of their contracts by killing their act?

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 7 years ago

I think the intent was to kill their image. The whole Monkees project had them representing a culture they really didnt want to be attached with.

When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.

[–] melissah1982 (883) 3 years ago

I don't think they were trying to shoot themselves in the foot purposefully. I just think they wanted to shed the teenybopper 'pre-fab four' image. By the time this movie was being made/was released, they had already made their own artistic albums like Headquarters and were being more respected in the 'real' music world. They gained their artistic independence and wanted something more. Sadly the fans weren't ready to grow with them. Head is a great movie for us older (I'm 38, i can't stand calling myself old, haha) people who have had time to reflect on the movie and the Monkees as a whole. But in 1968, when your fans are 13 and want to hear songs like Daydream Believer, I can see this movie completely destroying their view of the band.

There was more to the 'end' of the Monkees than just Head as well. their show was ending and without the weekly ad for their music (we are still pre-MTV here) they didn't have the access to the fans like they did. Then you had the fact that the Monkees didn't really know what their sound was going to be. We lost Peter shortly after this and everyone knows you start to loose appeal once you start losing members. The Monkees were never supposed to be a long running musical legacy. they were just supposed to be a TV for a few seasons. Luckily we got more than that in the end. :)