Wonderwall

WonderwallI purchased Wonderwall and Rear Window on the same day. When I got them I realized they were both movies about looking, about interiority and desire. Rear Window is, of course, one of the greatest work of cinema art. On the other hand, Wonderwall (thankfully made available by Rhino video) is in an altogether different category. How to categorise it? Pulp, low art, pop, guilty-pleasure, who can say? For me it was a moving and beautiful film in its own way, a slice of the 60s zeitgiest, (so different form the mini-series versions of recent years) a chance to feel the real possibilties floating in the culture before nihilism, fundamentalism and greed became fashionable. George Harrison's music is terrific. There's even a poem by John Lennon on the DVD extras. The colors and art in the film are also period: they hearken to the psychedelic work of Peter Max, the posters for groups like Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. But, most of all, one can glimpse the 60s version of the beautiful in the form of Jane Birken, who plays a fashion model. Each age has its concept of beauty, as the film points out by movie posters of earlier screen sirens on the apartment walls, and Jane Birken really captured the original free spirit waif long before Kate Moss revived it. Birken really shares her perky charms in this movie, her cat like playfulness. True, she may not be a feminist ideal, you may not compare Nietzsche to Camus with her, but then would you want Ally McBeal for a lawyer? Movies from this period are hard to find so lets hope Rhino and Criterion continue there good work of porting this time to DVD. Don't miss Jane Birken's other nimble foray onto DVD in May Morning.

Very different film. Psychedelic overtones, cool music, and a very odd storyline. I love films that are in the "hippie genre". When I watch these films, it takes me back to the 60's era, with exciting art, clothes, music, styles, and much more. I enjoy finding flicks like this one.

To appreciate this film, a little perspective and a LOT of tolerance is needed.Much to the bemusement of any of us who either came of age or was in his or her Twenties at the time, this bauble from the 1960s is as dated as similar baubles from the 1920s or 30s. Yeah, we really did age, by gum! So viewing it very quickly breaks down into what "holds up" and what doesn't, and the latter category has the edge. The first positive quality is the gently comic performance of the late Jack MacGowran as the eccentric Professor Collins, who discovers the world of "Swinging London" through a peephole from his shabby apartment into the apartment next door. It's a stretch to call his role sheer comic brilliance, but MacGowran has a certain Chaplin/Buster Keaton-like quality as this weird nebbish mesmerized by his sexy, exotic neighbors, and that helps keep things on track. The second plus is George Harrison's score, a mishmash of traditional Indian classical music, psychedelic head music and traditional movie soundtrack bathos. This score was Apple Records' first release by a solo Beatle and on its own merits it still holds up as great late night listening that you don't have to addle your brain chemistry to like. Finally, the current HD transfer of this movie is superb and almost makes the movie look like it was shot at least in the late 80s. Rarely have transfers of older films worked so well as this does.The negatives are the standard-issue when looking at much of late-Sixties popular culture through today's lens. The women characters are there for decoration and nothing more, the hip dialogue is so dated you want to scream, and the story.......what story?? This is not deathless art, it's ancient art, and you expect more from it at your own peril. If you want to clear a room really quickly, try playing this in an all night festival with MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, THE TRIP and ZACHARIAH, all cosmic brethren from the same era that have the same sort of soap-bubble longevity.If none of that bothers you, enjoy, enjoy! But, kids, remember to use Sixties movies sensibly.

Wonderwall (1968) is a British psychedelic film directed by Joe Massot that stars Jane Birkin, Jack MacGowran, & Iain Quarrier. The soundtrack was composed by George Harrison of the Beatles. Here are the pros & cons of this film as I see it, I hope this helps you, and remember to check to make sure it is in a format & region that will work with your player.Pros:1. I personally enjoy the psychedelic feel of the film, use of colour, & costumes2. Interesting cinematography3. Music by George Harrison was enjoyable4. Nice that it has the cinema & directors versions both on the disc to choose fromCons:1. The story and script are lacking

Glad I watched it but very dated for the 21st century. Was Hoping it was going to be way more psychedelic than it was.

It is a movie. Great art work from the 1960's and 1970's. Not much of a story. Buy it or not, don't blame me. I had the music for years, didn't know it was a soundtrack to a move. The music is by George Harrison.

Having know the album "wonderwall" by George Harrison since if was first released I was surprised by the movies' content. I was hoping for the story to take place in India. It was close to being a typical 60's "trip" movie though it wasn't trippy enough to be a trip movie. The story was entertaining enough but not enough to make it as a movie I view but once in a blue moon when I wanted something a little different.

This is listed as a Multi-Format movie and it's actually only the Blu-ray. The movie is great and visually weird.

This is very much a film of its time. Made in and for an era meant to be laden with 'sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll', this shows its age. However, this doesn't matter really for this is an off the wall (or through the wall) movie and is as strange today as it was some 50 years ago. The music soundtrack (by George Harrison) has a heavily influenced Indian feel, with choice of instruments and melodies that follow the traditional paths of eastern culture. Two actors of note are Jack MacGowran and a very young Jane Birkin. But apart from cameo appearances from a few older 'stars', there is little star quality in this film. Great to see cigarettes from the 60's advertised (remember No.6)? I think you need to be high to fully appreciate this film, or drunk, or both. I bought it out of sheer sentimentality - but it wasn't as entertaining as the first time I saw it. Both the film and I have become older, neither of which unfortunately seem to have aged that well. 4 out of five for sentimentality and entertainment.

I got hold of a copy of George Harrison's soundtrack for the film a while ago. I was intrigued to see how the predominantly Indian music fitted into the film. I enjoy the surrealism of the late sixties in any case, so I was intrigued to see what this film offered. It's a watchable enough film for its genre and though the plot is thin, it works as a curiosity piece from a very particular period in British cinema. Maybe not a classic, but I'm happy enough to add it to my collection as an insight to a very distinctive decade in art, music and film.

I saw this film in the 60's and told friends about it, they did'nt believe that they could have missed anything so good. Of course the Oasis song is cited and perhaps Noel saw it or heard about it and, his respect for anything by the Beatles being well known, it inspired his song. The characterisation is excellent and it has survived transfer onto DVD well. We're well and truly taken back to the 60's with the next door flat scenes of Fashion photography and wild parties. The Prof, with his dependance on a stack of small cards that tell him what to do next, flounders upon contact with next door's bright young things . There is the hallucination scene in which giant everyday objects are used as duelling weapons, then the rescue of his love object from her suicide attempt charmingly caps everything.i hope you can get hold of a copy, its worth watching.Skakeys

Otto br6llah!

A great psychedelic pop 60s comedy