The task; Bring fifty-year-old legends to life, reincarnate tales that formed our lives and our culture. Then bring it to the present; with two and a half months, 15,000 miles and countless unique and interesting personal encounters. All while describing what was indescribable, defining that which had no definition and bringing forth emotions only those who were there could have had, all in one movie. Given the pace today, do it all in less time than the four hour Woodstock documentary keeping that documentary as the gold standard. That is the challenge that Lotus Eaters took on the day I met them, the first day of the epic fifty-year anniversary Furthur voyage. I am happy to say they exceeded my already very high expectations, they nailed it! The story starts at the beginning, the genesis of our culture. The cosmic gathering of characters that rose out of the primal ooze to take the first psychedelic flowered powered steps to the future.
For those of us who know the story, like a minister knows the story of Adam and Eve, it is a trip back to heavenly times. For those younger or not familiar with the history, those with no idea why they go to festivals, wear Tie Dye or drive a VW bus, the documentary reads like Hippy 101. This story has to be told from the beginning and they do. The cast of hippy icons is complete; from Ken Keesey to the original Merry Pranksters to Wavy Gravy. Each one an apostle ladling us chalices of wisdom from the eternal psychedelic fountain.
Flash forward fifty years and the story flows unbroken. The players are new Merry Pranksters and the bus rebuilt but the bus is still "the bus". As in days of old, "the bus came by and I got on and that is where it all began". The movie covers the new Pranksters as they come and go, an intrinsically unique and bizarre group crossing all ages and walks of life. The movie captures this array of idiosyncratic souls completely. Watching it, I was back on the bus.
For the young, this movie is not a beginning and an end, it is a beginning and a beginning. Take it in, learn, free yourself and go on your own Furthur ride.
For us "old hippies" the movie will cast you back in time. Going Furthur is a portal to happy days when life was uncomplicated and we thrived on raw idealism and unbridled adventure. Somewhere in the fields of Hula Hoop twirling scantily clad glittered festival goers you will see your fist hippy love, the one whose memory gives your heart a glow to this day. That alone is worth the price of admission. More significantly it will show you all was not in vain, the spirit lives on in the young. Watching this movie will inspire you to go forth and connect with the young, dance with them, rap with them, even learn to Hula Hoop with them again. So watch Going Furthur, let it lift your heart and drink from the fountain! Capt. Brian Calvert
