Alex Gibney has directed some of the most acclaimed documentaries of the last decade - among them Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room, Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer, Casino Jack and the United States of Money, and Taxi to the Dark Side, which won him an Academy Award. An incredibly prolific documentarian, Gibney now turns his attention to Magic Trip, a collaboration with Alison Ellwood, his editor on Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Here Ellwood handles editing, producing and co-writing duties while Stanley Tucci provides his professional cadence as the narrator/interviewer. Magic Trip covers a 1964 roadtrip undertaken by Ken Kesey, best known as the author of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Joining Kesey are an group of recreational drug users (and much more) who would soon be called the Merry Pranksters. Neal Cassady, Kerouac's inspiration for Dean Moriarty, drove their mode of transportation, a 1939 school bus, destined to make it across the USA to the New York-based 1964 World's Fair.
Gibney and Ellwood take a decidedly unique approach to this documentary - they unearth 30 hours of neglected footage shot on the trip by the group - most of whom learned how to use a camera on the go - remaster it, sync sound as best they can and utilize both the recordings and interviews from most of the Pranksters to tell an engaging story of a transformative journey. The first half hour lays out a much-neglected opinion - that the early 60s were not so different from the 50s, white picket fences and suburbia flourishes while conservative attitudes ruled the day. As one of the Pranksters points out, when the police would stop the group, tipped off by the trippy bus lovingly adorned with psychedelic paintings, they wouldn't suspect the group of drug use - that simply wasn't the norm. The Pranksters were hippies before the term soured and came to represent a dysfunctional stereotype.
As Tucci "interviews" the various members, a story unfolds - of free love, disorganization, drug use, and a brief disconnect from everyday worries that seems unrealistic nowadays. Perhaps it is, as we see the bus near the end of the film, its shell rotting in the middle of a marsh, the colorful paintings splattered with grime. Given its 107 minute running time, the philosophical musings that abound from our "cast" do get a bit winded and you begin to hope that the film will wrap up long before it actually does. In the meantime though, it is fascinating to see idealists take on the road and whatever challenges that may bring. It's a portrait of early 60's America, JFK's assassination serving as a catalyst for national soul-searching. Kesey looms over the group, both as a leader in the footage and as a helpful co-narrator, breaking down certain ideas - he touches on the idea of a growing fear, of freedom shrinking as safeguards are put in place. Again, given the current climate, that bit seems to be notable.
Would I recommend Magic Trip? Certainly, it's a snapshot of how a single event helped to define the lives of a small group of people and a look at Kesey, an interesting character (his defense of why he never supported the One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest film adaptation certainly gave me some food for thought). Video and audio are excellent considering the crew were working with 16mm footage and sound reels that were over 40 years old. Modern-day interviews are loud and clear.
DVD Bonus Features:
Commentary from Gibney and Ellwood is appreciated, though it doesn't bring much new to the table, only underscoring the messages of the film. A selection of deleted scenes is included, untouched moments of the trip without any commentary. It's a nice addition, but without studious background info, the scenes aren't particularly effective. What is effective and more than a little curious is the uncut recording of Kesey's LSD test, one of the most engaging parts of the film presented in its entirety. There's no doubt you won't make through 50 minutes of it, but the fact that its there means someone just might. Rounding out the extras is a fluffy 5 minute BTS look at the film.
"Magic Trip" is on sale November 1, 2011 and is rated R. Documentary, Education. Directed by Alex Gibney, Alison Ellwood. Written by Screenplay by Alex Gibney and Alison Ellwood, Words and recordings by Ken Kesey. Starring Stanley Tucci, Ken Kesey.
