The Big T.N.T. Show

Great performances to remind us that even Donovan, and Petula Clark, could send teenagers into hysterical screaming frenzies with their music. Nice sharp black-and-white photography by Larry Peerce. (And check out the knee-high white socks worn by Tina Turner's backup singers!)

Let me tell you, I flipped by this the other night on AMC and Ray Charles was on, so I thought I'd watch his song. I could NOT stop watching. You want to talk about eye candy, this is one for 60's music enthusiasts or just plain history buffs. I could have done without the dorky host and his band's musak covers of songs like "Satisfaction", but the crowd shots alone were worth watching. This was Lalapalooza before the Red Hot Chili Peppers were born! Where else would you be able to see Joan Baez, Bo Diddley, Petula Clark, The Byrds, and Roger Miller all in the same place. Are you kidding me!?! I'm having withdrawal... I need to see it again!!!!!

If, like myself, you're a nostalgic middle-ager who wants to remember what the best in mid-60's pop was like for a couple hours, or, if you're under forty or so and want to know why it was so great, Phil Spector's "Big T.N.T. Show" is the one to watch.

Taped in concert at the Hollywood Palace and hosted by then-TV teen idol David McCallum ("The Man from U.N.C.L.E."), this show is so crammed with highlights it's hard to know where to begin. There's Ray Charles rockin' the house with the ultimate "Wha'd I Say," dynamite extended sets from the Byrds and Roger Miller; Donovan at his most pseudo-psychodelic (Check out the all-but-incomprehensible intro he gives to Joan Baez), Petula Clark taking us downtown, Baez singing "There But for Fortune" and "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling," the latter with Phil Spector at the piano, Bo Diddley knockin' 'em out as only he could. The mind reels.

But this is a film better seen than described. Unfortunately, it's unavailable on video, so catch it the next time it's on AMC. You'll be glad you did. This film, along with "Woodstock" and "The T.A.M.I. Show," form the great film trilogy of 1960's pop/rock.

While this is filmed in black and white, and producer Samuel Zarkoff is better known for horror films, this followup to the TAMI show from the same company a year earlier holds it's own with any of these early music concert films. Filmed live over 2 days this one, like TAMI brings together a lot of great music.

One of the great electric music sequences is Pet Clark going into the audience singing her hit Downtown. It is one of many great music moments. Clark upstage Joan Baez here which is natural as she is more seasoned at this point. Baez seems nervous on stage and does one song that is totally wrong for her.

The pacing and production of the film is really good. I wish both TAMI and this one had been filmed in color. After all American International was doing films like Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine in color during this time period. I am guessing tight budgets or maybe the black and white success of the Beatles Hard Days Night or the Dave Clark 5 Having A Wild Week-end could be part of the reason?

For those of us fond of 1960's music, this film is a joy to watch.

Back in the 90s I set out to find a copy. It was explained to me copyright issues kept it being released. In early 00s I found a unauthorized DVD with both films by way of Japan. It's all performance here, very little of the stupid packaging that TV appearances cluttered the performers. And no lipsynching! I saw this at a large urban theater in 65 with girls screaming in the audience. Kinda cool memory. Now quality print on YouTube.