Cheap The Monkees: 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (Video) (Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, Jon C. Andersen, Mike Elliot (III), James Frawley, Bruce Kessler, James Komack, Russ Mayberry, Sidney Miller, Richard Nunis) Price

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Customer Reviews of The Monkees: 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee

Bizarre, creative...unsuccessful
Was it a bold attempt to show that the group with no "roots" had evolved into an important musical entity? Or was it a final attempt to rescue and reconsider slipping careers? For me, it was, and is, a chance to watch Jerry Lee, Fats, and Richard do their thing - looking back, these *real* legends were in their prime. Fats (enjoying a brief but significant return to the charts that year) and Jerry Lee (back in business as a Country star; who on the Special did an incredible "Move On Down Line" aka "Go Go Go"!) got plenty of the spotlight, but strangely, the man who Producer Jack Good seemed to believe in so strongly in '63 and '64 (note the "It's Little Richard" TV Special in England; LR's appearance on the first *official* Shindig show; and Good's liner notes on Richard's second Vee Jay album), Little Richard, an international "Rock and Roll Revival" sensation in '68, got something like one minute of time. <
>The only other interesting (and entertaining) bit involved a classical piece actually performed live by a Monkee - ofcourse presumed by many to be typically lacking in true musical ability. <
>A fun collectible, nontheless.

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Maybe you had to be there...
I've read all the reviews posted for this video. I find the range interesting and wish I knew the ages of the reviewers. All I can say is, this is one cool show!!!!!!! I was very young when this first aired and no doubt would have been completely confused by it. I have been a fan since the 60s, though, and have always been fascinated by the group and their story. This was a legendary show that I wanted to see and boy! am I glad I did. The 60s were a turbulent time, and I believe the special captured that swirling, pulsating era beautifully. Confusion and disbelief seemed to be daily emotions as the Viet Nam war raged and the youth rebelled. NOWHERE on television was this portrayed as clearly as "33 1/3...". It's amazing to me that Raybert wasn't involved with this special since it is every bit as groundbreaking as the series was. I'm not even going to get into the plot as it is not as important as the music presented and the daring visuals. Maybe The Monkees themselves are not as proud of this special as they are of "Head", but I can and do find value in both efforts. Both challenge the viewer to think and examine ideas and beliefs that society had dictated as the norm. Both offer outstanding music (although I do agree that "33 1/3" did edit some songs that should have been left alone). I love the solo spots that highlight each Monkee and his musical roots. Both feature enormously talented guests. I had never heard of The Trinity until this special. Julie Driscoll is compelling in a haunting, other-worldly way. To borrow a 60s phrase, she blows my mind! A copy of this video should go in a time capsule. It is the perfect vehicle to let future generations experience what is was like to be alive in the 20th century as history was being made. If you didn't like this, maybe you had to be there to get it.

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Break Down The (Musical) Walls....
... seems to be the underlying theme of "33 1/3". In addition to the fine reviews above by C. Kwiecinski and R.L. Holly I'd like to submit the following: <
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>The Monkees had been labeled "Bubble Gum" by the self-appointed guardians of Rock purity (aka Rolling Stone Magazine); in this special they tried to say "Yeah... so what?" and the resulting mix of Pop, R&B, Soul, Gospel, Country, Classical and RockNRoll from roots to cutting edge has never been matched. As with "Head", the Monkees were trying to embrace the avant-garde and it seemed for a while it was responding to their suit; Peter's departure at the end of the filming shattered that dream and the Pre-Fab Four (now Three) were doomed. Interestingly, Peter's fine song in "33 1/3", Do Not Ask For Love (Prithee), includes the passage: <
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>Thou makest me free then soon thou makest demands on me <
>And I am not thy love, thou workest in me slavery. <
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>Perhaps that sums up how he felt about the Monkees by December 1968? <
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>A treat is the music by Julie Driscoll, Brian Auger and the Trinity, I had know of them but not much about them, now I'm shopping for a best of CD. <
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>The premise of the film is interesting but too much of it, as Dolenz points out, was rehashing themes already explored in "Head". Also, the whole Charles Darwin/Evolution Dance sequence could have been cut and the time better spent lengthening the songs; "Prithee" is missing the first verse, the wonderful Mickey Dolenz/Julie Driscoll duet on "I'm A Believer" could be longer and Davy's "String for My Kite" also seems cut down. "Listen to the Band" is fantastic, but the long "freakout" ending with the entire cast is badly edited both sound and picture-wise. (But hey, it IS 1960s TV!) <
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>All in all an enjoyable watch for Monkees fans or anyone interested in the Pop Culture of the late '60s.