How The Monkees' Movie 'Head' Funded 'Easy Rider' and Launched Indie Hollywood

The Genesis of 'Head'

• 💡 The Monkees' movie "Head" was conceived as a departure from the expected 90-minute episode format, aiming for something different and innovative.
• 🧠 Jack Nicholson was introduced to the set and quickly became a key collaborator, co-writing the script with Bob Rafelson.
• ✍️ The core ideas for "Head" were developed during a weekend retreat in Ojai, California, with the four Monkees, Rafelson, and Nicholson, capturing discussions on a tape recorder.

Deconstructing Hollywood Norms

• 🎬 "Head" is described as a deconstruction of The Monkees themselves and the traditional Hollywood system.
• 🎭 The film incorporated Hollywood clichés from old movies, using them as a basis for its narrative and satirical elements.
• 💥 A key scene where Micky Dolenz breaks through a set piece symbolizes the movie's theme of bursting through the old Hollywood structure.

The Birth of Independent Film

• 🚀 The funds generated from "Head" were instrumental in financing "Easy Rider", marking a pivotal moment in film history.
• 🌟 Figures like Bob Rafelson, Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda, and Dennis Hopper, along with Scorsese, are credited with creating the Hollywood independent film industry.
• 🔑 "Head" is seen as the first film to deconstruct not only The Monkees but also the old Hollywood studio system, paving the way for future independent productions.
• 📈 The film's success and the subsequent rise of these filmmakers demonstrated that it was possible to make films outside the traditional major studio system.