Two of the quirkiest actors of the last half century, Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern have roles in Psych-Out about a young deaf mute girl who goes to San Francisco searching for her brother and falls in with some hippies. Nicholson being one of the hippies and Dern being her brother.This film was produced by Dick Clark who was always known as the world's oldest teenager and Clark back in those days tried to stay as close to the youth scene as possible. Psych-Out was his attempt to break from the rock and roll scene that typified the Kennedy administration and get down with the hippie era. He was even behind the times here because in 1968 it was getting a lot edgier and the music reflected it. Imagine not a single reference to the war in Vietnam in this film.It was also supposed to be a message against the use of LSD by the young. I don't think Dick got the message through though. The testament of a lot of drugged out people ten years later was better received. Susan Strasberg is the deaf mute girl who is looking for her brother who has now become some kind of crazed religious zealot. Nicholson is part of a group that plays rock which also consists of Dean Stockwell. He and Stockwell both get ideas about Strasberg.In the meantime poor Dern has gotten the ire of some rednecks and why they have it in for him as opposed to others of the thousands of hippies moved into the Haight-Asbury district back then is never really made clear.Both Nicholson and Dern spend a lot of time working on the distinct mannerisms and speech patter that made them most imitatible in the future. Nicholson wrote the script, but all this film proved is that Jack may have found out he should stay in front of the camera.Psyched-Out is a glimpse of the Sixties as seen through the eyes of the Fifties.

Susan Strasberg plays Jenny Davis, a young woman who runs away from home, and lands in San Francisco. Jenny's looking for her brother, an eccentric artist with a host of problems. Jenny is deaf, and has to struggle to communicate with those around her. She meets a hippie named Stoney, who is the leader of a psychedelic rock band. Stoney is touched by the waifish Jenny's situation, and offers her a place to stay. He also wants to help Jenny locate her brother. But that's easier said than done, especially since violent thugs are after Jenny's brother.The stellar cast of this movie, makes it the classic that it is. Jack Nicholson as Stoney, is in rare form. Even back when this movie was made, Nicholson's unique brand of screen charisma, was already evident. It's no wonder that he went on to become an acting legend. Bruce Dern also gives a notable performance, as Jenny's brother, Dave. Bruce deftly conveys the manic, electric energy, that radiates from Dave. Susan Strasberg did a good job of portraying the frightened, yet determined urchin, Jenny. But she doesn't shine as brightly as her co-stars do.The plot of this film is beside the point. It's really a celebration of the 60s counterculture, and the wild lifestyles of it's participants in Haight Ashbury. The stoned hippies, love-ins, psychedelic art and music, etc., were all the main focus of this movie. I was a youngster back in late 60s. So I knew how it was then, and this movie gives an accurate account of that time-period. That era was wild and thrilling, to say the least. I recommend this film, to those that want to see how off-beat the 60s really were. Especially if you're a Jack Nicholson fan.

This cool, little movie (directed by Richard Rush of Stunt Man fame) stars Susan Strasberg (good actress; daughter of Lee); she hung out with all these cool nobodies (then) as a deaf chick on Haight_Ashbury streets looking for her older brother (Bruce Dern as the Seeker). This is a YEAR befor Easy Rider (a great movie) and the plot just rolls in a exploitive-psychelic Roger Corman way that's totally the perfect drive-in movie that is not a realistic hippie, 60's, whatever statement) for 1968. Dean Stockwell plays the cool, cynical head-band dude, Nicholson is Stoney, the level-headed pot-head guitar player, Max Julien as mr. intense, Henry Jaglom as the "artist" and The Strawberry Alarm Clock" first hit single (with a real plot) on location, and then Bruce Dern later in the film, while Strasberg carries the story (deaf); It's totally cool. I assume everybody hip as scene this Universal film by now, no matter what you're into.Check this flick (It blows away The Wild Angels and other cool exploitation films by the youth movement, even then);along with Hell's Angels on Wheels (Jack Nicholson and Sabrina Scharf - from Easy Rider) as one of the few films made on the Haight - realism would come later; like a year later because of Hopper, Fonda and, well ...you know.

This movie rocks for 2 reasons: The Seeds and Strawberry Alarm Clock This is pretty much the only time we ever get to see these two 60's bands in action. The plot is good too although the end is pretty far out. I definitly recommend this to anyone who likes to stimulate their mind and watch a good movie. Jack Nicolson is even in it, I mean how cool is that? And this takes place in Haight Ashbury back in the day! Most privately owned video stores still rent this. I have gotten really inspired by this movie because I'm in a psychedelic band.