Friday, September 14 – 7:30 PM

Double Feature:

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, 1968, Cerberus/Natoma Prod., 75 min. Dir. Barry Feinstein. This insanely-rare 60’s artifact is a stream-of-acidness portrait of Los Angeles and Haight Ashbury in the Summer of Love, featuring footage of Paul Butterfield, David Crosby, Tiny Tim, Peter Yarrow. With San Francisco icons Super Nun Sister, Immaculata Baby and legendary pot dealer Super Spade (who was murdered before the film was released). Amazing footage of The Teen Age Fair at the Hollywood Palladium, featuring go go dancers, Rodney Bingenheimer and other pop culture ephemera; body painting at chief freak Vito Paulekas’ sculpting studio Clay Vito (one of the bodies is painted by Von Dutch); Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention Freak Out in September of 1966 at the Shrine Auditorium; hot rods and rumbling V8 engines roaring down Sunset Strip at the height of its psychedelic Mod scene. Van Dyke Parks' song "Come To The Sunshine" as performed by Harpers' Bizarre soundtracks a montage of love-ins from both L.A. and San Francisco. With more music by Electric Flag and others. Please note that this, the only surviving 35 mm. print of the complete, uncut version of YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT, is faded. Because of its extreme rarity – and grooviness! – we’re including it in this special weekend event! Films preceded by a slide show. Discussion in between films with author Domenic Priore (Riot On Sunset Strip) and guests. NOT ON DVD

THE COOL ONES, 1967, Warner Bros., 96 min. Dir. Gene Nelson. Dig this, pussycats: the luscious Debbie Watson stars as a frustrated go-go dancer on the Whizbam! TV show who creates a new dance craze, "The Tantrum," when she grabs the microphone on-camera from singer Glen Campbell. Meanwhile, 23-year old pop idol Gil Peterson is desperate to get the attention of Phil Spector-ish record producer Roddy McDowall to revive his stalled career. Phenomenal Hollywood pop confection, with songs by the legendary Lee Hazelwood (of Nancy Sinatra fame) and performances by The Leaves and underage sensations The Bantams. Go, baby, go …! Discussion following with actress Debbie Watson. NOT ON DVD

Saturday, September 15 – 7:30 PM

Double Feature:

THE TRIP, 1967, MGM Repertory, 85 min. Dir. Roger Corman. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Bruce Dern and Susan Strasberg star in this Jack Nicholson-scripted story of a burned-out TV commercial director who takes the ultimate acid trip. LSD guru Bruce Dern guides TV commercial-director-in-crisis Peter Fonda on the ultimate, strobe-lit acid trip at the height of the Sunset Strip's lurid, frenzied, psychedelic glory. Hallucinations of sex, death, witches and dwarves abound. American-International Pictures changed the ending without Corman’s approval to suggest a more anti-drug stance.  Music by The Electric Flag. (Please note that this, the only available print of THE TRIP, is slightly faded).

MONDO HOLLYWOOD, 1967, 120 min. Robert Carl Cohen’s brain-frying stroll through the hedonistic wonderland of Los Angeles, specifically Hollywood, in its pop culture hippie heyday. We get glimpses inside Jay Sebring’s hair salon (a bit disturbing as we also get a brief flash of Manson follower Bobby Beausoleil elsewhere in the film), narration and art by body painter Sheryl Carson, and a live journey through mid-'60s Sunset Strip dance floors with trippy garage music by The Mugwump Establishment. There are also segments with surf filmmaker Dale Davis, an appearance by garage-rock protest singer Bobby Jameson (singing "Vietnam"), an interview with chief freak Vito Paulekas, and camp horror music performances by gay combo Teddy & Darrell (who cut the album "These Are The Hits You Silly Savage"). Hot rods appearing in the film include the Dragula and the Munster Koach (both of those were by George Barris, made for the Munsters TV show). Teddy & Darrel peel out in them in front of the Hollywood Palladium's Teen Age Fair). Plus appearances by Jayne Mansfield, Frank Zappa, fashion designer Rudi Gernreich and more! Discussion in between films with author Domenic Priore (Riot On Sunset Strip) and MONDO HOLLYWOOD director Robert Carl Cohen. NOT ON DVD

Sunday, September 16 – 7:30 PM

Double Feature:

YOU’RE GONNA MISS ME, 2005, Palm Pictures, 91 min. Dir. Keven McAlester. This is the story of Roky Erickson: manic frontman for the legendary band The 13^th Floor Elevators, creators of psychedelic music and muse to Janis Joplin. A disturbingly intimate portrait of an imploding family and the struggle between modern medicine and religion. Known for his colossal heroin & LSD binges, struggles with schizophrenia, and an unthinkable term at Rusk Hospital for the criminally insane, Roky went missing from the world. The documentary reveals the shocking and triumphant truth behind one of rock's great mysteries. As singer, songwriter, and guitar player for the legendary Austin, Texas sixties band The 13^th Floor Elevators, Roky Erickson had a profound impact on the pivotal evolution of the music scene when the group was formed. They were the first rock and roll band to describe their music as "psychedelic," and they spread this new concept to the West Coast. While later bands such as The Grateful Dead and The Jefferson Airplane were more rooted in traditional acoustic folk music, the Elevators’ unique brand of heavy, electric blues-drenched rock pointed to a new direction for the music of the first "hip" generation. The Elevators only had one major chart hit, the Roky-penned "You're Gonna Miss Me," but their influence reached far beyond the static world of Top 40. Also playing at the Aero Theatre.