An American Hippie In Israel (1972)
Studio: Box Office Spectaculars
Distributed By: Grindhouse Releasing
Blu Ray Release: September 10, 2013
Director: Amos Sefer
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewed By James M. Dubs
Have you ever been told a joke but didn’t understand the punch line? How about a time when you were with friends and the group bursts out laughing at an off handed comment? You’re left scratching your head and one of your friends offers, “It’s an inside joke.” Watching Grindhouse Releasing’s An American Hippie in Israel can be very much like this if you’re not in on the gag.
When I first began watching American Hippie, I started the way I start every review. I have a set of personal rules and therefore, I avoid trailers, film synopses, and existing reviews. I even try to avoid looking at the poster or box art so I can go into the film completely unaware of what I’m about to watch. I do this to avoid developing any preconceived notions about the films. Of course, that can be difficult and let’s be honest. How many of you thought “WTF is this?!?!” upon gazing at the box art and title of this review?
In most cases my review methodology works to my advantage. However in the case of An American Hippie in Israel this tactic worked completely against me. I was unprepared for what I was about to experience. I soon discovered that An American Hippie in Israel is the exception to my rules and that there are two ways to experience it – the way I watched it and the way it should be watched…
Film [Rating: 2]
The film opens in a field of flowers and before long an unmanned construction road roller slowly crushes the flowers in its path. The sounds of machine gun fire, bombs, and additional echoes of war clashes against the musical accompaniment. It’s typical for anti-Vietnam war movies to administer images of symbolism, but rarely do they deliver the message with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face. The film then cuts to Mike (Asher Tzarfati), our American Hippie, who is waking from the flower/roller nightmare and is informed by the flight attendant…I mean stewardess…that they’ve arrived in Israel.
Shortly after leaving the airport, Mike hitches a ride with Elizabeth (Lily Avidan). As they are getting to know one another, they are suddenly cut off by a black sedan and two mysterious pale-faced “mimes” appear to confront Mike. Mike asks the “mimes” why they keep following him around the world, but mimes don’t speak, so Mike and Elizabeth drive off. Elizabeth takes Mike to her parent’s house where she informs him that she is an actress and Mike further explains that he is a Vietnam war veteran. After Mike gives a lengthy and unashamed anti-war diatribe about “men who push buttons,” the couple copulate. Free love!
Finally, at about 19 minutes into the film, Mike and Elizabeth come into contact with two additional hippies (Shmuel Wolf and Tzila Karney) who join Mike and Elizabeth on the rest of the adventure. Much of the film then grinds to a halt with long montages, music and a big old fashioned hippie “love-in” where Mike gives yet another rant about “living in an environment that strangles us” but finally makes clear what this movie might be about…Mike’s desire to organize a community outside of our culture, away from violence, without codes, governments, and without orders.
It is with this new mission that our quartet finally hit the road in search of their personal paradise. For the next 23 minutes we watch four hippies, drive, hug, kiss, drive, kiss some more, do some more hugging, drive, hug, and then kiss a little bit. We see some hippie breasts. We see some hippie butts. And Mike will have another very symbolic dream sequence that includes whipping, eating/gorging, men behind a barbed wire fence, a rape, a starving family in wreckage, men shooting each other, and Mike with an over-sized hammer, climbing a mountain to smash robots with tape recorder heads.
After all of this titillating action concludes [sarcasm intended], the quartet finds the most desolate, uninhabitable island you have ever seen but decides that this is the place they will live the rest of their lives. They row out to the island on an inflatable raft and after skinny dipping, more hugging, dancing, and kissing, Mike gives another speech […sigh]. The hippies fall asleep under the stars, but when they awake the next morning they discover that the raft has vanished, they are stuck on the island, and it doesn’t take long for them to turn against one another. So much for paradise and Mike’s plan for a perfect world…
So how did I watch An American Hippie in Israel? In a word: Alone. This isn’t so bizarre, and if we were all back in 1972 when Director/Writer/Producer Amos Sefer first released his anti-Vietnam film, I would have begun my public lambasting of the picture. It’s at times dull, stupid, preachy, gratuitous, nonsensical, and ultimately leads to nothing. And those mimes? Yes, they show up again and again in the film, but who they are and what their agenda is remains a complete mystery. There are times when I sympathize with soldier-turned-hippie, Mike, and I can relate to his anti-war message. However, the movie remains, simply put, stupid and tries too hard to deliver its heavy-handed message.
Then I discovered something rather spectacular that turned my opinion of this movie completely on its head. As early as 2007, this film reemerged and has been steadily growing cult status through monthly screenings in Tel Aviv. Like popular good/bad films such as Plan 9 from Outer Space and Troll 2, An American Hippie In Israel is gaining popularity in the growing “best worst” genre and is currently considered by many to be the “best worst Israeli movie of all time!”
I began replaying the movie in my head and like many other unintentionally, hilariously bad movies, An American Hippie in Israel really must be viewed in the company of others. The above scenes take on a completely different life when viewed through the perspective of the collective peanut gallery. Scenes that I perceived to be preachy suddenly become hilarious. And things that confused – mimes, robots – well who cares at this point? This movie has mimes and robots!
I certainly stand by my initial review assessment of two stars, but with new perspective comes new opportunity and in the spirit of second chances I give you my first ever film re-rating!
Film Re-[Rating: 3.5] (must be screened with friends)
Video [Rating: 4]
Grindhouse Releasing's 3-disc Limited Edition set (limited to 3000 copies) includes a blu-ray copy, DVD copy, and a DVD copy of the "unedited director's cut" of American Hippie under the original title The Hitchhiker.
Considering the movie's obscurity, the blu-ray and DVD-copy of the film looks remarkably good. I have not had the opportunity to dive into every single special feature, but I would be very curious to learn where Grindhouse Releasing dug up such a clean print. Now the image quality isn't perfect. Colors are a bit faded, there appears to be some image wobble from time to time, but print damage is minimal and a fine layer of natural grain is visible throughout. All in all, the image lends itself very well to the time period from which it came.
As for the DVD of The Hitchhiker, the image quality is very poor. This shouldn't really be a surprise as the inclusion of this version merely serves as a nice little bonus to anyone adding this title to their collection.
Audio [Rating: 4]
For some reason my player defaulted to the Beverly Cinema Experience. I thought it was a curious feature but didn't think anything beyond it when I made the switch back over to the mono track. Shows how dense I was. In regards to the mono track, there's nothing earth shattering, but the dialogue, sounds, and music are all clear and vibrant enough to get the viewer from point A to point B without distraction.
Grindhouse Releasing goes above and beyond with the supplements in their 3-disc Limited Edition collection (limited to 3000 copies) and they include the following:
And finally a bonus DVD of the "uncensored director's cut," The Hitchhiker, great for any completist but not completely necessary since the deleted scenes are available on the blu-ray/DVD combo.
Overall [Rating: 4]
Some of my favorite movies are terrible. The Pit, Troll 2, and Plan 9 from Outer Space are just three "best worst" movies that get repeat rotation at my house. With Grindhouse Releasing's incredible treatment and packaging of the "best worst Israeli movie of all time" I am more than happy to include An American Hippie in Israel to that rotation and my permanent collection. But for goodness sake, please make sure you share the experience with your friends.
Buy @ Amazon.com
Distributed By: Grindhouse Releasing
Blu Ray Release: September 10, 2013
Director: Amos Sefer
Rating: Not Rated
Reviewed By James M. Dubs
Have you ever been told a joke but didn’t understand the punch line? How about a time when you were with friends and the group bursts out laughing at an off handed comment? You’re left scratching your head and one of your friends offers, “It’s an inside joke.” Watching Grindhouse Releasing’s An American Hippie in Israel can be very much like this if you’re not in on the gag.
When I first began watching American Hippie, I started the way I start every review. I have a set of personal rules and therefore, I avoid trailers, film synopses, and existing reviews. I even try to avoid looking at the poster or box art so I can go into the film completely unaware of what I’m about to watch. I do this to avoid developing any preconceived notions about the films. Of course, that can be difficult and let’s be honest. How many of you thought “WTF is this?!?!” upon gazing at the box art and title of this review?
In most cases my review methodology works to my advantage. However in the case of An American Hippie in Israel this tactic worked completely against me. I was unprepared for what I was about to experience. I soon discovered that An American Hippie in Israel is the exception to my rules and that there are two ways to experience it – the way I watched it and the way it should be watched…
Film [Rating: 2]
The film opens in a field of flowers and before long an unmanned construction road roller slowly crushes the flowers in its path. The sounds of machine gun fire, bombs, and additional echoes of war clashes against the musical accompaniment. It’s typical for anti-Vietnam war movies to administer images of symbolism, but rarely do they deliver the message with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face. The film then cuts to Mike (Asher Tzarfati), our American Hippie, who is waking from the flower/roller nightmare and is informed by the flight attendant…I mean stewardess…that they’ve arrived in Israel.
Shortly after leaving the airport, Mike hitches a ride with Elizabeth (Lily Avidan). As they are getting to know one another, they are suddenly cut off by a black sedan and two mysterious pale-faced “mimes” appear to confront Mike. Mike asks the “mimes” why they keep following him around the world, but mimes don’t speak, so Mike and Elizabeth drive off. Elizabeth takes Mike to her parent’s house where she informs him that she is an actress and Mike further explains that he is a Vietnam war veteran. After Mike gives a lengthy and unashamed anti-war diatribe about “men who push buttons,” the couple copulate. Free love!
Finally, at about 19 minutes into the film, Mike and Elizabeth come into contact with two additional hippies (Shmuel Wolf and Tzila Karney) who join Mike and Elizabeth on the rest of the adventure. Much of the film then grinds to a halt with long montages, music and a big old fashioned hippie “love-in” where Mike gives yet another rant about “living in an environment that strangles us” but finally makes clear what this movie might be about…Mike’s desire to organize a community outside of our culture, away from violence, without codes, governments, and without orders.
It is with this new mission that our quartet finally hit the road in search of their personal paradise. For the next 23 minutes we watch four hippies, drive, hug, kiss, drive, kiss some more, do some more hugging, drive, hug, and then kiss a little bit. We see some hippie breasts. We see some hippie butts. And Mike will have another very symbolic dream sequence that includes whipping, eating/gorging, men behind a barbed wire fence, a rape, a starving family in wreckage, men shooting each other, and Mike with an over-sized hammer, climbing a mountain to smash robots with tape recorder heads.
After all of this titillating action concludes [sarcasm intended], the quartet finds the most desolate, uninhabitable island you have ever seen but decides that this is the place they will live the rest of their lives. They row out to the island on an inflatable raft and after skinny dipping, more hugging, dancing, and kissing, Mike gives another speech […sigh]. The hippies fall asleep under the stars, but when they awake the next morning they discover that the raft has vanished, they are stuck on the island, and it doesn’t take long for them to turn against one another. So much for paradise and Mike’s plan for a perfect world…
So how did I watch An American Hippie in Israel? In a word: Alone. This isn’t so bizarre, and if we were all back in 1972 when Director/Writer/Producer Amos Sefer first released his anti-Vietnam film, I would have begun my public lambasting of the picture. It’s at times dull, stupid, preachy, gratuitous, nonsensical, and ultimately leads to nothing. And those mimes? Yes, they show up again and again in the film, but who they are and what their agenda is remains a complete mystery. There are times when I sympathize with soldier-turned-hippie, Mike, and I can relate to his anti-war message. However, the movie remains, simply put, stupid and tries too hard to deliver its heavy-handed message.
Then I discovered something rather spectacular that turned my opinion of this movie completely on its head. As early as 2007, this film reemerged and has been steadily growing cult status through monthly screenings in Tel Aviv. Like popular good/bad films such as Plan 9 from Outer Space and Troll 2, An American Hippie In Israel is gaining popularity in the growing “best worst” genre and is currently considered by many to be the “best worst Israeli movie of all time!”
I began replaying the movie in my head and like many other unintentionally, hilariously bad movies, An American Hippie in Israel really must be viewed in the company of others. The above scenes take on a completely different life when viewed through the perspective of the collective peanut gallery. Scenes that I perceived to be preachy suddenly become hilarious. And things that confused – mimes, robots – well who cares at this point? This movie has mimes and robots!
I certainly stand by my initial review assessment of two stars, but with new perspective comes new opportunity and in the spirit of second chances I give you my first ever film re-rating!
Film Re-[Rating: 3.5] (must be screened with friends)
Video [Rating: 4]
Grindhouse Releasing's 3-disc Limited Edition set (limited to 3000 copies) includes a blu-ray copy, DVD copy, and a DVD copy of the "unedited director's cut" of American Hippie under the original title The Hitchhiker.
Considering the movie's obscurity, the blu-ray and DVD-copy of the film looks remarkably good. I have not had the opportunity to dive into every single special feature, but I would be very curious to learn where Grindhouse Releasing dug up such a clean print. Now the image quality isn't perfect. Colors are a bit faded, there appears to be some image wobble from time to time, but print damage is minimal and a fine layer of natural grain is visible throughout. All in all, the image lends itself very well to the time period from which it came.
As for the DVD of The Hitchhiker, the image quality is very poor. This shouldn't really be a surprise as the inclusion of this version merely serves as a nice little bonus to anyone adding this title to their collection.
Audio [Rating: 4]
When I first started watching American Hippie, the audio sounded hollow like it was coming from a wind tunnel. "Great! A half-assed English language dub track" was my immediate reaction. Then I heard another noise...laughter. Does this movie actually have a laugh track? What the hell is going on? I hit the menu button and discovered two audio options:
- a DTS Mono mix
- The Beverly Cinema Experience in 5.1 surround
For some reason my player defaulted to the Beverly Cinema Experience. I thought it was a curious feature but didn't think anything beyond it when I made the switch back over to the mono track. Shows how dense I was. In regards to the mono track, there's nothing earth shattering, but the dialogue, sounds, and music are all clear and vibrant enough to get the viewer from point A to point B without distraction.
Extras [Rating: 4]
Grindhouse Releasing goes above and beyond with the supplements in their 3-disc Limited Edition collection (limited to 3000 copies) and they include the following:
- Hebrew subtitle option on main feature
- The Beverly Cinema Experience 5.1 - a live reaction of a 2010 screening
- Deleted Scenes
- 16mm Screen Test
- Asher Tzarfati and Shmuel Wolf Q&A – Tel Aviv 2009
- Asher Tzarfati – An Israeli Actor in Israel
- Asher Tzarfati Filmography
- Amos Sefer Biography
- Be Careful Children… – Amos Sefer’s silent 16mm short film
- A Cult Is Born
- Channel 10 Segment
- Interview with Production Manager Moshe Berman
- Interview with Singer Susan Devore
- Shmuel’s Still Show
- Still Galleries
- Trailer
- Grindhouse Releasing Coming Attractions
And finally a bonus DVD of the "uncensored director's cut," The Hitchhiker, great for any completist but not completely necessary since the deleted scenes are available on the blu-ray/DVD combo.
Overall [Rating: 4]
Some of my favorite movies are terrible. The Pit, Troll 2, and Plan 9 from Outer Space are just three "best worst" movies that get repeat rotation at my house. With Grindhouse Releasing's incredible treatment and packaging of the "best worst Israeli movie of all time" I am more than happy to include An American Hippie in Israel to that rotation and my permanent collection. But for goodness sake, please make sure you share the experience with your friends.
Buy @ Amazon.com
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