RUDE AWAKENING
US, 1989, 100 minutes, Colour.
Cheech Marin, Eric Roberts, Robert Carradine, Rae Dawn Chong, Cliff de Young, Julie Hagerty, Buck Henry, Tom Sizemore.
Directed by David Greenwalt, Aaron Russo.
Rude Awakening is hippies 20 years later. It is also a touch of nostalgia for the kinds of protest and freedom of the late 60s. Cheech Marin (of Cheech and Chong, the drug comedies like Up in Smoke) and’ Eric Roberts are two hippies who avoided the draft in 1969 and went to a Central American country where they lived in a commune for 20 years. Getting wind of a plot for the United States to attack this country and cause a revolution, they return to New York in 1989 with rude awakening results (thought not quite as dramatic as those, for instance, of Crocodile Dundee or E.T. or even King Ralph in London').
The film is obviously an in-movie, entertaining for those who remember the 60s, the drugs, the protests, Vietnam, CIA, dropping out, the causes of the period. It is also a spoof of the self-centredness and materialistic preoccupations of the late 80s. While it looks as though the film will end pessimistically: ex-hippies become yuppies and drop-out hippies becoming irrelevant, the film does end on an optimistic note of concern about the saving of the planet. The film is dedicated to those who care for the planet and has its final message: be good. There is a strong supporting cast including Robert Caradine, Julie Haggerty, Cindy Williams and Buck Henry.
1. Entertaining look at the late 80s? In comparison with the 60s?
2. Memories of the hippie era, hippies in their forties in 1989? The memories of freedom, protest, freedom of expression, sexuality, drugs? The war? The scenes of 1969 in New York and Fred and Jesus with Ronnie, with Petra way of speaking, concerns, draft dodging? Art? The pursuit of the FBI and the CIA? The decision to drop out?
3. The New York locations, the 60s and the 80s? The atmosphere of Central America? Special effects? The musical score and songs of the period?
4. Fred and Jesus, friends, dodging the draft? Life style, clothes, speech, relationships? Jesus in the drug testing laboratory, the hope to transform draft dodgers minds into patriots - but blowing their minds with LSD? The friendship with Ronnie, Petra and Fred's relationship with her? Her insecurity? Friendship with Sam, his writing? The pursuit, the escape?
5. Central America for 20 years - the commune, isolated, on marijuana? The news of tourists? The desire to leave? Jesus and his hallucinations with the fish? Fred and his leadership, the gorillas and the pursuit of the CIA agent, the information about the attack? The return to New York?
6. The rude awakening - the difference of 20 years and all that they had missed, Petra's naming the issues and events? IN New York streets, Ronnie’s cafe and its being fashionable and her explanation? Their trying to give information about the attack? Under surveillance? Meeting and Petra and her high: fashioned expensive life? Sam and his yuppie wife, wanting to buy a co-op, coming to the house, the intrusion, their behaviour and offending the guests, Jesus dancing with April? June and her horror? The young boy and his friendship with Jesus, taking the information to the papers? The decision to make a protest, take over the University House, the speech, nobody seeming to listen? Fred and his disillusionment, Jesus and his hallucinations, Sam and his reaction against June and joining them? Fred and his breaking down Petra's resistance? The young people gathering round him and their concern for the planet?
7. The characters of Fred and Jesus, of their times, idealists and therefore dangerous? Opting out, away for 20 years? The return, concern? Disciples?
8. Petra and her eccentricity, psychological language, art, fashions, petulant with her commercial wanting bells, eating out, angry, the reaction to Fred and Jesus, gradually coming round, going to Sam's and June's?
9. Sam, change of attitude after twenty years, June as the stereotype and caricature of the hippie? Lloyd and April wanting the co-op, April and her drinking and dancing, Lloyd and his fascist attitudes, the reaction of Fred? Their leaving and June's collapse?
10. Ronnie, keeping alive the ideals of the 60s, her restaurant, supporting Fred and Jesus?
11. The agent, his training session, traditional values, relentless pursuit of the two, the encounter with Ronnie? Writing his autobiography and its deviant insinuations? Pursuit of Fred and Jesus, the final confrontation? Trying to get the information - and being exposed?
12. The anti-authoritarian tone - anti-conservative American values, patriotic (in an ironic anthem singing way) in love of America? The basic optimism of the film and its idealism about world causes?
