Oddball Films and curator Kat Shuchter bring you Psychedelicatessen: A Feast For Your Eyes, a super fun, crazy night of our very favorite vintage eye-poppers, mind-benders, jaw-droppers and head-scratchers. From hallucinatory dental hygiene to swingin' promotional films to surreal cartoons, this is one night your eyes will thank you for, if they don't fall out of your head! The madness includes Match Your Mood (1968), a mind-bending advertisement for psychedelic 60's refrigerator covers; Le Monde Du Schizophrene (The World of the Schizophrenic, 1969) a super-surreal, Salvador Dali-like film produced by the Sandoz Pharmaceuticals (Makers of drugs as LSD); Toothache of the Clown (1971) a nitrous-induced trip to the dentist; The Car of Your Dreams (1984) a super quick cut montage of the most over-the-top car advertisements of the 60s and 70s; I am a Mime (1971), which is even more insane than it sounds and one of the most baffling films of the collection; Both Sides Now (1972), the first computer generated music film, featuring a Joni Mitchell soundtrack; Mandatory Edits (1950s-1960s) a reel of footage deemed inappropriate for television that will take you from ancient times to WWII and back with a cavalcade of stars, sex and violence; and Make a Wish (1972), with psychedelic animation and montage editing that make you feel like you stepped into the mind of madman. Plus! Early birds can freak out with the classic Sid Davis shocker LSD:Trip or Trap (1967). Everyone is advised to wear protective eyewear and chin guards, lest your eyeballs pop out of your heads and your mouths hang agape to dangerous levels! This is one trip you do not want to miss!
Date: Thursday August 22nd, 2013 at 8:00PM
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street San Francisco
Featuring:
Le Monde Du Schizophrene (The World of the Schizophrenic)
(Color, 1969) A surreal, Salvador Dali like film produced by the Sandoz Pharmaceutical Company (Makers of such drugs as LSD) in Switzerland. “The World of the Schizophrenic” portrays one afternoon in the life of a hunky schizophrenic as he wanders about his bedroom and strolls outside hallucinating to the sounds of a Harry Partch like avant garde sound score. Truly hallucinogenic in it’s depiction of the Schizophrenic state.
Match Your Mood (Color, 1968)
Wild, amazing promotional film by Westinghouse touts the latest fad: decorative pop art/psychedelic refrigerator covers. Transforms any kitchen into a swinging go-go party!
Toothache of The Clown (Color, 1971)
Made to assuage children’s fears of the dentist, this film manages to combine nothing but the creepiest elements into one terrifying mind-scratcher. Hallucinating from pain, or laughing gas, this clown has surreal nightmares of children dressed as dental technicians pulling arts and crafts out of the insides of other children dressed as decaying teeth. This is one “trip” to the dentist you won’t want to miss.
Make a Wish (1972, 8 mins, color)
A man with an acoustic guitar sings a song about making a wish as a very quick, cool montage of images begins which includes animals in slo-motion, rodeo clowns, glass blowing, astronauts in space, fireworks, and cool psychedelic animations. This film was made as one of a series of short films to broaden children's awareness of the world around them, but feels like you've stepped into the mind of a madman.
Mandatory Edits (Color+B+W, c.1950-1965)
This wacko reel of censored film clips will be presented as found. Marked “Mandatory Edits” and compiled presumably by the editor at the big Los Angeles TV station where this reel originated, these feature film clips were apparently deemed too violent, sexual, suggestive or shocking to be shown on TV. Jarring edits take you from the Civil War to WWII to the old West, to Ancient times and back, and from color to B &W. See flaming arrows in the chest, suggestive undergarments, bloody stumps, heaving breasts, and so much more! See Gary Cooper, Buddy Greco, Burt Lancaster, Charo, and a cast of thousands together in the boldest film that never was!
The Car of Your Dreams (Color and B+W, 1984)
Genius educational film about the car industry and their sales techniques utilizing solely mind-blowing historical footage that borders on the surreal. It’s no wonder Americans bought into the car mythology lock, stock and barrel. It's a fast-moving compilation of the most annoying, over-the-top, but effective marketing campaigns for American automobiles. Features a never-ending red carpet, 3D graphics from the 1970’s, driving down the highway in invisible cars, races with wild animals and used car salesman screaming sales pitches till they explode. Although produced in the 1980’s, the film’s content stretches through American automotive ad history. A total hoot!
I am a Mime (Color, 1971)
Catholics and Protestants. Blue states and red states. Muslims, Jews, and Communists. We all have our differences, but one thing we can all agree on is that we all hate mimes. Clowns are scary, carnies are disturbing, and actors in general are kind of sad, but mimes are just pathetic and rile up a unique kind of animosity. In this film, learn how mimes use facial expressions to get across stories and emotions that usually take spoken words and props to communicate. You'll never have a greater appreciation for the spoken word and props! The mime in question seems to float in space, in front of an Oskar Fischingeresque pop art background as your mind melts!
Both Sides Now (Color, 1972)
Pioneering computer animation from John Wilson, whose career started in the late 1940’s (winning Oscars for Gerald McBoing-Boing and Toot, Whistle, Plunk, Boom). This short was the first computer generated music film and was produced for and aired on the Sonny and Cher TV show. The song is Both Sides Now by the great Canadian chanteuse Joni Mitchell.
A Special Trip For the Early Birds:
LSD: Trip or Trap?(Color, 1967)
A Sid Davis classic that starts with a fatal crash, and then traces the tragic path that led a good boy to experiment with the latest thrill on the scene- LSD-25. Wild freak-out scenes and good kids pressured into drugs by misguided peers.
