This film was meant to perform the same function in relation to the earlier and similar film The Trip (1967). Jack Nicholson had written a script that director Richard Rush thought was too "experimental" for mainstream cinema, so the concept of a 'youth" film based in San Francisco and dealing with flower power and drugs was taken over by other writers. Nicholson eventually did not receive any screen credit for his work, although he took what was essentially the male lead role in the film; however, he did get to write the part of Stoney into it for himself as part of the package.
Director Richard Rush's original version of the film ran for 101 minutes, but this was cut to 82 minutes by Dick Clark for unknown reasons. It was not restored to its uncut version until a DVD and Blu-ray release by Olive Films in 2015.
The group's vehicle in the film is a 1967 Chevrolet Sport van. The MSRP was $2,455 ($18,800 in 2019).
One of four theatrical feature film collaborations of Henry Jaglom and Jack Nicholson. The films are (in order of release): Psych-Out (1968), Easy Rider (1969), Drive, He Said (1971) and A Safe Place (1971).