As many of you may already be aware, Monkee-friendly VH-1 has made a movie chronicling the life and times of our fab four.
Here’s the lowdown on the guys playing our guys…
My thoughts:
An okay match. I just don’t remember Davy’s hair being all that long, but that’s just me.
George as "Davy" quotes:
"It kinda reminds me of a lot of places back in Texas"- "Mike"
"Well, remind me not to visit Texas."- "Davy"
"Are you daft? I'm having a heartattack."
My thoughts:
Pretty good match. The hair is almost exactly the same.
Jeff as "Mike" quotes:
"What's the matter? You guys can't handle that? Huh!?!"
"Yea, we could sing the phone book and we'd still sell a million records."
L.B. as "Peter" quotes:
"The uniform. Do you know what kinda chick magnet this apron is?"
"Any of you guys have a girlfriend?"- "Micky"
"Just one? How traditional."- "Peter"
"Ben Franks has character. This places has...cockroaches."
"Get Davy a box so he can reach the microphone!"
"Negative energy just attracts more negative energy."
"The horses are shorter in England."
"Sleep is actually highly overrated."
"Request denied. You're a Monkee now. No time for sleep."
"You can't be happy being a puppet. You eventually have to cut the strings."
"Guess who's throwin' us a party?"- "Micky"
"The queen?"- "Peter"
Aaron is "Micky" quotes:
"If that's all we've gotta do, then we've got it made. Right Edger?"
"This sounds like every party I'm ever invited to. People always wantin' me to leave."- "Mike"
"And miss your warmth and charm?"- "Micky"
"And I'd what? Stand around 'n hit the tamborine the whole time?"- "Davy"
"And look cute."- "Micky"
"Bingo, Johnny! Give the man a prize!"
"We're the Monkees!"- "Davy"
"And what can we say, we're pretty popular with the ladies!"- "Micky"
"A movie...that's a building."
Misc. quotes:
"You're Corky, right? Corky the Circus Boy. I loved you, man!"- Red Boots Guy
"Don't go in there Corky, he's crazy!"- Red Boots Guy
"Look at his height. Do you know how many teen magazines he's gonna have to stand on to bee seen?"- Van
"Oh, you've grown into a lovely young woman, lad. Spittin' image of your mother."- "Davy"'s Dad.
"No problem, Ringo."- "Jack Nicholson"
Well, there they are.
By now most of us have had a chance to see the movie and have been able to develop our own opinion about it.
While we should be glad that the Monkees are getting attention and that someone bothered to try to make a movie about them, I was left with some thoughts that I'd like to call the "Oookaaaay?" section...
"Ooookaaaay?"
What's with this "Van" guy? He never even existed. I mean, couldn't they afford to hire to actors to play Bob and Bert? I mean, they've got that guy with the glasses, but who's he supposed to be anyway? Why didn't they just turn those to into Bob and Bert?
Was that curley haired guy (who by the way, looked too NOW to have been in the 60's) in the beginning with "Peter" in the kitchen of the diner supposed to be Steven Stills? I hope not, 'cause he looks NOTHING like him. Who is he supposed to be anyway? I mean, Steven called Peter and kinda referred him to the show, so what's the deal this guy?
Why do they make "Davy" seem so homesick? He might have been, but I think the creators fail to recognise that the real Davy had been on tour with "Oliver!" and other shows many years before the Monkees ever started. They make it seem like it's his first time away from home.
Why were the guys wearing the "Hillbilly Honeymoon" outfits on the set of "Don't Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth"?
Did anybody else find it weird to hear the Monkees voices coming out of somebody else's mouth?
Why in the world were the Monkees cheering and hugging Don Kirshner when he told them "Last Train" hit number one. I actually heard on of them going "Go Donnie!". Yea, sure babe. Yeah right.
The scene from "I've Got a Little Song Here"? In one word. Sad. But, kudos to L.B. for holding up that little drawing on that pad of paper like Peter really did.
Beatles party. Okay, is it just me, or does the guy playing John Lennon kinda look more like Sonny Bono? I don't know. All I know is that I think Davy would have been having fun. And where was Ringo???
"Circle Sky" outfits in the rainbow room during "Daydream Believer"???
Why couldn't they use "Long Title" for the showing of "Head"? They used all the other Monkee music.
One of the biggest mistakes in order to make it a happy ending was Phyliss' accident. Mike didn't even let her go to the hospital in the first place. Even if he did, I highly doubt Davy was there for support. It would have been nice if it were the truth, but it's not.
The ending. Nice, fun, happy, and totally cheesy. Once again, would have been nice if it ended that way, but it didn't.
I don't want to totally complain, so I'll list some scenes I did actually enjoy...and I did enjoy it.
Good scenes
The auditions:
Pretty funny. True to life. Really enjoyed the whole Red Boots thing.
The "performance" of "All of Your Toys":
(Dispite "Micky" nearly eating the mircophone and "Mike" not "singing" when he was supposed to) I really liked seeing one of my very favorite songs finally getting some airplay. It's a Monkee-gem and it deserves attention.
"Peter" and "Davy"'s fame discussion:
Peter and Davy, from what I've heard, got a long really well. Peter even mentions in real life that Davy got his heart. (awww). I think the discussion had a lot of heart.
The clothes:
The wardrobe people did their research, for most of the movie. They seem to have even gotten nearly the exact same outfits for the whole "Headquarters" sessions.
"Micky" stopping to smell the roses before the guys get chased in Cincinatti.
"Mike" using White Out during the "All of Your Toys" recording session.
The scene after the guys listen to "Sgt. Pepper". Seems to be pretty close to how they probably felt. L.B. did a great job portraying how Peter most likely felt after the whole "Headquarters" sessions were over.
The "Fairy Tale" filming scene. Funny!
The ending diner scene was pretty good too. Sad, but you knew what was going to happen. Or you thought you knew. But, I guess the writer had a different idea and decided to throw in a false, but happy ending.
