Mondo Hollywood: Hollywood Laid Bare!

Just watched this rare documentary of Tinseltown during the late '60s on fancast.com. With scenes of surfing, political meetings, premieres, and other events common to Hollywood, this film seems to have it all for anyone interested in what it was like there during a time of turbulence. We also go to Universal Studios where Alfred Hitchcock is filming Torn Curtain with Paul Newman and Julie Andrews, go to a luncheon where retired cowboy musical star Gene Autry talks about the Watts riots while Carol Cole-an honoree of some kind who's the late Nat King Cole's daughter and therefore also future star Natalie's sister-listens on. There's also a musician named Bobby Jameson who performs a protest song in front of a rich, middle-aged audience that seems to not really listen to him as they're ignorant of the scathing lyrics. I could mention others but there's so many things going on that this review would just be too confusing to many of you reading this. So I'll just say that Mondo Hollywood was a fascinating time capsule to this writer who was born during this era.

This low-budget 60's hippy/peace/love exploitation fare features Mansfield at an all time low in her career. Of main interest here is Beausoleil, who is now in prison for a Manson Family related murder, Sebring, who was soon to be a Manson Family victim, and a musical score by Mike Curb, who would go on to become Attorney General for the sate of California!

Mondo Hollywood is a magnificent display of Sixties self-indulgence. Timothy Leary wannabees, rootless rich kids, druggies and thrill-seekers join to make Hollywood seem like the center of the cultural universe. Too bad it's only in their addled minds.

For those who want to see footage of Jay Sebring, Manson victim, and Bobby Beausoleil, Manson family member and killer, well, look quick or you'll miss them.

There's some skin showing for fans of frumpy, dumpy, uninspiring women, and footage of Jayne Mansfield near the end of her troubled life.

There's even footage of a Ronald Reagan speech, just to cover the entire spectrum.

Oh, and if you love tedious untalented rock 'n roll, this is your flick.

The Plot. Long considered a cult classic, "Mondo Hollywood" captures the underside of Hollywood by documenting a moment in time (1965- 67), when an inquisitive trust in the unknown was paramount, hope for the future was tangible and life was worth living on the fringe. An interior monologue narrative approach is used throughout the film, where each principal person shown not only decided on what they wanted to be filmed doing, but also narrated their own scenes.

The film opens with Gypsy Boots (the original hippie vegan - desert hopping blender salesman), and stripper Jennie Lee, working out 'Watusi-style' beneath the 'Hollywood' sign -- leading into the 'sustainable community' insight of Lewis Beach Marvin III, the S&H Green Stamp heir, who lived in a $10 a month garage while owning a mountain retreat in Malibu.

This movie is horrible.

Filled with phony nobodies to fill time.

I had really good hope for this movie, but boy is it horrible.

There is not one interesting frame. The people are boring beyond belief and the stories are idiotic. Don't waste your time

Artsy, wobbley, nostalgic, authentic, weird. Action and tension without violence. Interestin characters and thoughtful dialog.