|
 BERKELEY
IN THE SIXTIES (First
Run Features) 1990. Documentary. Approx 120 minutes. Not rated.
Intertwining archival protest footage, old news conferences, and old and
new interviews with those involved with the protests, Director Mark
Kitchell gives us a pretty intense one-sided look at various protests that
occurred in and around Berkeley, CA during the 1960s. Mainly detailing
only the protesters point of view, Berkeley in the Sixties covers
uprisings concerning free speech, civil rights, the Vietnam War, women’s
liberation, and The Black Panthers. Using new interviews, eyewitness
accounts are detailed by several people who either took part in the
protests or were instrumental in the protest’s formation.
Simply put, I had a ball
watching Berkeley in the Sixties, and I started this DVD off with a bad
taste in my mouth due to my general dislike of protesters and their
behavior. This DVD enraged me, annoyed me, got me thinking, and even had
me busting a gut laughing (in fact, one scene in the DVD’s extras had me
laughing the hardest I’ve laughed in a long time). Although I wasn’t
actually surprised, I was perplexed at how the protestors seemed to
believe that they were not expected to be held responsible for their
unlawful conduct while protesting. That trait has definitely been passed
down to the present protester generation. The only hints of counterpoint
to most of the protests are news/press conferences of then Governor Ronald
Reagan bitching (with rather ballsy statements) about the protesters’
gathering, the music, the atmosphere, etc. Duh, what did they expect? Of
course the older folks and authority figures were going to be against the
protesters and their way of life. What
“older” person jives with the doings of youngsters? Now a days, how
many people over 50 are into Rap or Hip Hop? Speaking of Hip Hop, my
Mother and Step Dad went to The Strand Theater (theater/concert hall
generally booked with black interests and entertainment) in Dorchester
expecting to see a Du-Wop concert, when in fact it was a Hip Hop concert.
Mommy Dearest wasn’t wearing her eyeglasses when she read the ad. Of
course, this has nothing to do with the DVD being reviewed here; I just
thought it was funny. Extras include: deleted scenes, archival “gems,”
photo gallery, and theatrical trailer. The deleted scenes and archival
gems are damn good. In the words of JJ from Good Times, this DVD is ‘DYNOMITE!!”
– Denis Sheehan
|
