Customer Reviews

Flashing on the Sixties a Tribal Document

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Since I wasn't alive in the 1960s, I spent my youth being fascinated by that era. In the late 1980s, there were no shortage of radio stations playing music from that era, and enough TV stations airing programs from that era as well. In 1987, photographer Lisa Law published a book called Flashing on the Sixties. Three years later, a documentary came out based on that book. What I really enjoy about this documentary was it wasn't a college student project made by people who weren't there, but by the people who not only were old enough to participate in the 1960s, but helped define that era. People including David Crosby, Graham Nash, Michelle Phillips, Peter Fonda, Timothy Leary, Allen Ginsburg, Dennis Hopper, Peter Coyote, Wavy Gravy, a Vietnam War vet, Carolyn Garcia (wife of Jerry Garcia), and people I'm not so familiar with. What I'm also really glad is they avoid the stereotypes associated with the countercultural movement (none of that "Groovy, man" stuff here) and instead protray the hippies as a group of people that you are able to take seriously. The documentary points out that there was a generation of youth disenfranchised of their conservative, 1950s, suburban, Leave It To Beaver/Donna Reed upbringing and how they totally rebelled against that in the '60s as they reached adulthood, and how they felt they were being lied to by the "establishment". You get to see as the youth wanted to return back to the earth and start up communes, grow food and raise livestock, etc. Perhaps on the the most silly part of this documentary involved Wavy Gravy's hog farm where people painted his hogs and rode on them like they were a horse at a rodeo. The documentary isn't perfect. For one thing, I could live without what was then new footage of Crosby & Nash performing "Our House" and "Teach Your Children" (the latter with Carly Simon providing additional vocals) in New York during a benefit. The reason was the singing and performance was very sloppy, making you want to get your copy of CSNY's Déjà Vu and play that instead. Regardless, this is perhaps the best documentary I have ever seen regarding the 1960s hippie movement. If you were there in the '60s, or like me, who wasn't alive in the '60s but have a fascination for that era, this documentary is a must.

Flashing On The Sixties a Tribal Document

Remember the important events of the Sixties from the spirit of Woodstock to the rage of the protest movement? Lisa Law was there. She had access to the personalities that were inspirational in the Sixties from Bob Dylan to Wavy Gravy. Love Ins, Be Ins, communes, the Diggers, The Hog Farm, Drugs, spiritual leaders, and the music ... fortunately, Lisa and her friends recorded it all on film. In a compilation of present day interviews and archival footage, Lisa Law has created FLASHING ON THE SIXTIES, a compelling and moving film. Return to a time of innocence, a time of sharing, a time that created values that have become the burning issues of today, resulting in a plethora of environmentalists and politicians who are actively making a difference now. Experience those magical times again. Pacific Arts Video

Dennis Hopper: "I loved the film. FLASHING ON THE SIXTIES is the only film I've seen that conveys the spirituality and unity of the alternative lifestyles of the sixties as an extended family unit."

Peter Fonda: "It is a wonderful diary of the times" "It is sweat and powerful" . "A warm informing and historic diary of the moment...shows how those of us from that wondrous era have come through the many years with the philosophy of healing our planet. Our home."

Michelle Phillips: "It is a Work of Art."

Carl Gottlieb: " FLASHING ON THE SIXTIES marries nostalgia to contemporary events in a special and accessible way. Not only is it relevant, it's fun."

Peter Coyote: "Lisa was there. She had her eyes open. she never copped out and she got a real good piece of it on the film."

High Times Magazine: "....a cogent appraisal of a time we secretly miss"

Billboard Magazine: "This is one for the time capsule. Directed by Lisa Law, and based on her photographic book of the same name, "Flashing On The '60s" is an excellent, refreshing look back at the decade of love, peace, and social change......this program serves up fond memories to those who lived these events and provides a valuable history lesson to those too young to remember."

Wavy Gravy: "Those flashes in the Sixties have become the burning issues of the '90s. Flashing On The Sixties clearly shows the passing of the torch from the '60s generation to the children of the '90s in the struggle for world peace and saving the environment."

Dean Stockwell: "Lisa Law's look at the Sixties shines like sunbeams hitting a crystal. It is simply the best evocation of that magical time." Leonard Maltin on Video

A time trip back to the decade of peace and love--the Sixties. I'm Leonard Maltin on Video.

"The Sixties was a sharply-defined decade, and the fallout from that period is still being felt in this country. That's what makes Lisa Law's documentary FLASHING ON THE SIXTIES so relevant.

This time-trip to the era of peace and love is no mere nostalgia trip. Through interviews, home movies, photographs, and songs it traces the source of a movement--and the goals of a disaffected generation searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. Interviewees include well-known figures like Timothy Leary and Dennis Hopper, as well as lesser-known leaders and participants in this extraordinary period of American history.

FLASHING ON THE SIXTIES many not be the definitive statement on those times--but it's eloquent, entertaining, even moving. If you missed this hour-long show on cable TV, it's worth catching on video. I'm Leonard Maltin on Video.."

AWARDS: Chicago Int'l Film Festival '91 Worldfest Houston '92 Brooklyn Arts Council '92 Columbus Int'l Film & Video Festival '92

Flashing on the Sixties is a colorful video which brings back the fun and idealism of a magical time. Lisa Law does an excellent job of communicating the faces and the feelings behind the counterculture. The music and the words of the past help those who did not experience it have a taste of what life was like for many of us in the sixties. For those of us who have been there, this video makes it hard to grow up and move on.

I was so impressed with Flashing on the Sixties. There were so many old photographs and footage that were real interesting to see. The music used was wonderful and really set the tone for the piece. I loved the interview too, especially the ones with Peter Coyote, Johanara Romney, Wavy Gravy, Tony Price, the Vietnam Vet, Craig and Graham Nash. I already have the book with the same name which I consider the best photo book on the sixties and I recently bought the newest book of the series, Interviews with Icons Flashing on the Sixties. All of them together make great gifts. My kids loved the movie too and show it all the time to their friends. I have seen it many times as well and each time I get more information from it. I shall treasure it forever.

I absolutely love this video....has some profound insights into the origin of the movement of the 1960's. Many great clips of interviews with people who were there, as well as photos and videos from the 60's. Loved seeing what people looked like then and now!! Peter Coyote and Nash and Crosby interviews were my personal faves. Loved how it ended with such hope for the future and for future generations to carry on the message of caring for the earth!

Bought this as a gift. Recipient was quite pleased.

The DVD is very good quality and gives an amazing look at the 1960's. What's fun is the people in the '60's movie were on hand to give a personal view of them then and now. Very inciteful if you like the 1960's culture.

On occasion, conservative commentators utter negative comments about the sixties in America, at times they seem to think that it is the root of most of what is wrong with the United States at any given time. While there were some bad things, most notably the drug use, many good things came out of that decade. One of the most positive legacies of that and any other decade was the civil rights movement. Many of the elderly black people that voted for Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election were not allowed to vote before the sixties and faced daily discrimination and segregation.
The sixties were also the time when the environmental movement was born and the beginning of the movement for equal rights for women. It is difficult for the modern young woman to fathom the fact that in the sixties, a significant number of career paths were unavailable to women. Many if not most of the major universities did not allow women into most of their graduate programs and when a working woman got pregnant, she was routinely released from her job.
This tape is a look back at that decade, with interviews of celebrities such as Graham Nash, David Crosby, Peter Fonda, Michelle Phillips and Dennis Hopper. The background music is also out of the sixties and there is video of communes, bus races, concerts in Golden Gate Park and of course the highest point, the rock concert at Woodstock. This tape has received many awards and for good reason. For despite the obvious problems of the times, the sixties was a time when a lot of good things were done or at least begun.

I bought this dvd after reading about it years ago I think it was on the Ken Kesey Merry Pranksters site

But it was never available in the uk even through Amazon so I ended up biting the bullet and buying it from the states instead

The DVD seems to sum up the whole sixties attitude to things and is a great document of the time even down to the homemade feel of the dvd with its stuck on label and the coversleeve looks home printed aswell ..lol

Well worth watching and I think I will end up getting the book to go with it

Lisa Law's ethno-epistle is really rockin' good. I came back from India with other musicians who were 'seekers' and learned
somewhere along the way that the Hindu and Shinto ideas were not only good enough for Buddhism and Taoism and Confucius & Yoko; but that underneath it all, the Sanskrit and bean-sprouts, 60's-era people had so much energy, gave us so much of their times, ran trips on down to the big world culture...that it is as if INDIA were discovering COLUMBUS! We met the same folks coming and going over the years...and each made some inroad on the civilization, if ever so lightly. Olompali was there-Wheeler Ranch, and Morning Star. The diggers delivered homemade 'emergency bread' all the way North from the Straight Theater, and we listened to "Duck's Breath" and saw "Teatro Camposino' in North Beach. For Lisa to actually recount a YEARS WORTH..she'd need twelve shelves! And so would everyone else!
LOVE & PEACE to you ALL my RAINBOW FOLK