1966-69
Reviewed By-Kit Gavin Directed by Conrad Rooks Starring Conrad Rooks, William S Burroughs, Jean-Louis Barrault, Moondog, Penny Brown Source: Fox Lorber Region 1 NTSC
Chappaqua is one of those weird, strange, experimental movies. For those curious enough to wonder, the title of the film is derived from a town in New York State, not unsurpisingly Cherokee in origin, where the hero, Russell Harwick, played by author and director of the film Rooks, spent his formative years growing up before his jaunt to Europe where the majority of the film takes place, mostly in France. The film in fact is a discourse into Rooks descent into alcoholism and much drug abuse and his recovery thereafter. Rooks himself was much a product of the sixties as the Rolling Stones, experimenting with LSD and consulting gurus for spiritual guidance.
Rooks made his money as part of a legacy from his father, having been born into new money, his father being the head of the Avon Corperation. Rather than blow this money on further drugs and excesses, Rooks decided to create this bizarre award winning film about his treatment for substance abuse, basing his story in France, having started in the Big Apple, as opposed to Switzerland where the real treatment took place. The films plot line is based for the most part upon Rooks recounting his drug and alcohol soaked experiences to his doctor. In order to recover from the excesses of his various addictions, Russell undergoes the peculiar therapy known as sleep treatment.
The film is competantly made, and though at times it may seem to err on the side of self indulgance and pretention, as Rooks is clearly no film maker, he none the less has created a wildly outlandish and quite incoherant interesting little indie film. On hand he had some real professionals behind the camera to allow his picture to have a polished look – with some scenes being shot in black and white and some of the wilder acid tinged hallucinations being in color. Although it is by no means a first to use both black and white, as well as color, such is used in films like IF… and in Coffin Joe’s AWAKENING OF THE BEAST, it is used to good effect here. The film is as much a time capsule to Sixties subculture as other films of a similar ilk such as THE TRIP. There is a unique style to the film which might well be mis-understood by the casual viewer, appearing shambolic, fragmentary and confused.
Rooks is, admittedly, a personality rather than an actor, and at times his performance can seem to grate for it’s sheer awfulness. His monologues and jibes and ramblings can annoy. At one point he screams at the camera, in a case of wild over acting "I’m addicted to drugs…. I’m addicted to drugs!!". He snorts coke on the plane and freaks out afterwards. Other than casting himself in the lead role, Rooks used a number of interesting cast choices for this film. Cast as the doctor is the acclaimed French actor of LES ENFANTS DU PARADIS, Jean-Louis Barrault. There is an appearance by Naked Lunch author William Burroughs, as the head of the institute where Russell resides. There is a cameo by Allan Ginsberg, who appears pre-credits, mumbling a uddhist mantra next to the Central Park reservoir. Even one of cinema and television’s most famous dwarves, Hervé Villechaize, pops up in a small (no pun intended) cameo appearance. And for fans of Eurocult cinema there is special treat in a first appearance on film by the young singer/actress Penny Brown. Brown would later don bizarre threads and a wild red afro wig for Lucio Fulci’s seminal giallo masterpiece, A LIZARD IN A WOMAN’S SKIN, where Fulci would cast Brown as an acid soaked hippie, opposite Los Bravos’ lead singer Mike Kennedy.
There are moments where the viewer will wonder whether it is he or she aren’t actually on something other than the hero of the piece. There are moments when the film and it’s content are almost too far out for the clear minded viewer to contemplate and understand. There are some moments which are truly dazzling, haunting and staggering to behold, and others where you will simply shake your head and think "WTF??!?". The film is a testament and a reflection upon a time which sadly has been and gone, reflecting upon a time of freedom and liberation. The film may not have been understood nor respected in it’s day, not least for it’s lack of clarity nor resonance, but it was sufficiently well received by the critics and jury at the Cannes film festival, so much as to win a Silver Lion.
Once again, DVD distribution house Fox Lorber, have taken the brave step of releasing an unusual film on DVD. Their release of the Fellini arthouse and oft neglected CITY OF WOMEN, is a superb DVD. Chappaqua is very self indulgent, and in order to ensure that the film looked it’s best (having been shot on 16 mm) Rooks, who owns the film, supervised the transfer on to DVD. Sadly, FL did not see this oppurtunity as being the ideal time to record an audio commentary with Rooks, who’s opinions on his film today might well have been interesting and as oddly fascinating as the film itself. Included with the DVD is a trailer, which seems to be for the films release on video cassette. Another missed oppurtunity is in the score, which is utilized the skills of Ravi Shankar and his sitar. It might have been fun to mix theme into stereo, and to include them as an isolated track. Truly an hallucinogenic and psychedelic experience, an interesting and bizarre descent into 60’s underground subculture. Decidedly not for everyone, for those brave enough to try, it’s worth acquiring as a timepiece to the unusual and extraordinary.
Story: 3 [If there is one!] Extras: 1
Picture/Audio: 3.5
Overall DVD: 3
