Mondo Hollywood (1967)

Long considered a cult classic, "Mondo Hollywood" captures the underside of Hollywood by documenting a moment in time (1965-67), when an inquisitive trust in the unknown was paramount, hope for the future was tangible and life was worth living on the fringe. An interior monologue narrative approach is used throughout the film, where each principal person shown not only decided on what they wanted to be filmed doing, but also narrated their own scenes. The film opens with Gypsy Boots (the original hippie vegan - desert hopping blender salesman), and stripper Jennie Lee, working out 'Watusi- style' beneath the 'Hollywood' sign -- leading into the 'sustainable community' insight of Lewis Beach Marvin III, the S&H Green Stamp heir, who lived in a $10 a month garage while owning a mountain The movie is also peppered with stock footage from Hollywood events and pretend to "star" these actors! Huh? What a rip off.The original segments are largely filmed silent and overdubbed with some creepy overacted voice over.This movie is so tedious, it's beyond belief. The "underbelly" of Hollywood isn't underbelly at all. Surfers? A guy who lives in a garage? Who cares? I suppose Beuasoleil is the only draw for this film. An somehow this cold blooded murderer who is now in prison for life, has a facebook and web-page selling his crap! Huh?I was also on the look out for Rodney Bingheimer, but never saw him, except in the credits. Guess I blinked.This movie is absolutely the lowest of the low in movie-making.

For Jayne Mansfield fans like me -- who shelled out big bucks for a bootleg copy of this extremely rare 60s doc, "Mondo Hollywood" -- be warned: YOU WILL BE ROBBED. There is no interview with Mansfield, nor anything more of Big Jayne than a four-second-flash in a stock-footage / montage sequence along with dozens of other stars of the mid-60s out & about in Tinseltown. That's it. So don't be fooled into thinking she participates in this film. She doesn't. Those who do appear, however, can occasionally be intriguing. Especially the Manson murder victim, Jay Sebring. Seeing him whirl about his Hollywood hair salon in his prime gives "Mondo Hollywood" is core quotient of Hollywood Babylonia, which is what I expected the rest of the doc to explore. Instead, its dippy, drifter subjects simply waft through the film on a blahs-ville high. In the end, the "underworld" hype that the film has accrued over the years was a big fat bust.

Mondo Hollywood is a magnificent display of Sixties self-indulgence. Timothy Leary wannabees, rootless rich kids, druggies and thrill-seekers join to make Hollywood seem like the center of the cultural universe. Too bad it's only in their addled minds.For those who want to see footage of Jay Sebring, Manson victim, and Bobby Beausoleil, Manson family member and killer, well, look quick or you'll miss them.There's some skin showing for fans of frumpy, dumpy, uninspiring women, and footage of Jayne Mansfield near the end of her troubled life.There's even footage of a Ronald Reagan speech, just to cover the entire spectrum.Oh, and if you love tedious untalented rock 'n roll, this is your flick.

This low-budget 60's hippy/peace/love exploitation fare features Mansfield at an all time low in her career. Of main interest here is Beausoleil, who is now in prison for a Manson Family related murder, Sebring, who was soon to be a Manson Family victim, and a musical score by Mike Curb, who would go on to become Attorney General for the sate of California!