by John Walters
The Day The Sixties Died
Altamont. A dusty vacant lot of a speedway that the Rolling Stones got use of on the cheap (as in, for free) for a hastily arranged free concert, the real purpose of which to lay down concert footage for an up close-and-personal film of their latest conquest of the U.S. (it’s eerie how similar, minus the murder, U2’s Rattle and Hum would be 20 years later).
The concert involved less planning than a Friendsgiving meal at your buddy’s apartment in Bushwick. There were no water stations, few latrines, no dedicated medical staff and, of course, the Hell’s Angels were paid in $500 of beer to provide security. The scene was so disorganized and brewing with hostility that local favorites The Grateful Dead, who had been booked to play, refused to take the stage.
This is a fascinating article about what went down that day and why….
What would happen is that 18 year-old Meredith Hunter, a black student who’d shown up at the show with his white girlfriend, would be stabbed to death by a Hell’s Angel as the Stones were performing. There’s a chance that Hunter would’ve survived, but the one chopper that was on site had been reserved for the Stones’ getaway back to San Francisco and the pilot never got the authorization from the band’s manager to use it.
Later that night at a San Francisco hotel, Mick hooked up with Michelle Phillips.
Coupled with the Manson family murders four months earlier, it’s safe to say that the Sixties’ counterculture movement ended, at least symbolically, on this night.
The band lineup that day, by the way, was epic and Bay Area-tinged: Santana, Jefferson Airplane, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, the Grateful Dead (canceled) and the Rolling Stones.
Five Films: 1969
It was the year of the buddy film, although none of the buddies seemed to fare two well for it in the long run.
- Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid: A Western buddy film that is funny and charming and, at the end, tragic while at the same time being oddly heroic. If there are two more handsome and at the same time likable buddies ever found than Newman and Redford, we’d like to see it. 2. Easy Rider: Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper embark on a cross-country motorcycle odyssey from L.A. to La. and along the way encounter an unforgettable Jack Nicholson. 3. True Grit: John Wayne as Rooster Cogburn in the role that at last won him his long overdue Oscar. With Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall and, again, Dennis Hopper. 4. On Her Majesty’s Secret Service: Some people will tell you that this, despite George Lazenby in the role of 007, is their favorite James Bond film. I may be one of them. Stick around ’til the final scene. You won’t forget it. 5. Midnight Cowboy: Yet another buddy film starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman on the loose in New York City. If I can’t make it there, I’ll be on a bus out of town.
Fondly remembered but not in the top five: The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Hello Dolly, A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
The only two movies I remember actually seeing in a theatre in 1969 were The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes with Disney cutie Kurt Russell & True Grit. 1969-74 were my “fallow” years of movie-going as I was either “too young” or self-designated as “too old” for many of the offerings . The only reason I got to see True Grit in the theatre was because it starred John Wayne & my aunt thought if he was in it, it would be “ok”. 🙂
I think I saw Hello, Dolly! in a theatre the next year & I found it disappointing. If I’d KNOWN at the time it was the LAST GASP OF MOVIE MUSICALS, I’d have paid more freakin attention & forced myself to like it better. I’ve seen it several times on TV since & I can’t quite pinpoint what I dislike exactly (um, Matthau & the COMPLETE lack of chemistry with Streisand maybe?), but compared to Oliver! (what was it back then with the exclamation marks in musical titles?!), just the year before, well, it was a crushing disappointment.
I eventually did get to see Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid in my university’s movie theater in the mid 70s & loved it. Still do. At least till the final scene. What can I say, I like freakin happy endings!
I also love Goodbye, Mr Chips – a musical remake with Peter O’Toole & Petula Clark & Support Your Local Sheriff – a comedy with James Garner, Walter Brennan & Joan Hackett.
And speaking of the last hurrah of musicals, I guess I can’t forget to mention a singing Lee Marvin & Clint Eastwood in Paint Your Wagon. Er. if only one could forget. The only memorable song is ‘They Call the Wind Maria’ (pronounced as “Mariah”) & it’s possible that THIS movie is what killed movie musicals!
Oh, and there was Sweet Charity. I didn’t see until several years later on TV & only really like the 2 classic songs – If My Friends Could See Me Now & ….
“The minute you walked in the joint
I could see you were a man of distinction
A real big spender
Good looking, so refined
Say wouldn’t you like to know what’s going on in my mind?
So let me get right to the point
I don’t pop my cork for every guy I see
Hey, BIG SPENDER!
spend a little time with meeee”
🙂
Almost forgot – I saw the ad for the new movie version of CATS last night on TV & I CAN’T BELIEVE I’M SAYING THIS, but I DIDN’T VOMIT! In fact, I sort of liked it! Which is possibly a sign that the Apocalypse is nigh, so prepare accordingly.
And finally, a CFB query (which was SOOOO successful last time, but I try again…). If LSU loses to GA, do they still get into the Playoff? What about if Ohio State or Clemson inexplicably lose? And who do YOU see as qualifying for that 4th spot?
Even though I have not watched an entire CFB game yet this year, I DO keep track of the W&L each week of the top 20 teams. Here’s what I think – if LSU trounces GA & OSU just squeaks past Wisconsin, they switch places & LSU becomes the #1 seed. If vice versa, the positions stay the same. Clemson stays as #3 unless the entire team gets food poisoning tonight. As for the 4th seed, I have no idea! I’m assuming GA will lose, but who moves up?
Susie B
I write for The Athletic. That is the place to ask me football questions. Thanks.