Alpha New Cinema (series)

Hootenanny A Go-Go

Starring: Joan Rivers, Curtis Taylor, Karen Thorsell, Oscar Brand, The Goldebriars & The Free Wheelers Director: Shepard Traube

Totally bizarre romantic beatnik farce filled with music performances by folk artists and guest appearance by "college girl" Joan Rivers. Bonus features include producer's commentary track.

This is one of the worst films I have ever seen and I like "Isthar". Obsolutely corn-ball, silly and a waste of time! I'll bet this is one that the actors didn't put on their resumes. You should probably buy it just to see for yourself.

HOOTENANNY A GO-GO is a rare treat, a long-lost regional musical melodrama capturing that most beloved cultural artifact - the folk music coffeehouse scene of the early 1960s. Kudos to Alpha New Cinema for lovingly restoring this regional obscurity for a new generation to enjoy. Filmed in Miami, Florida, HOOTENANNY chronicles the travails of a local coffeehouse owner, his girlfriend, and all his pals and cohorts who struggle to make the scene in the local music business. Tied to this is a curious subplot about a fine art theft. Most magical are the many musical numbers, including the Goldbrairs and Jim, Jake and Joan (with a young Joan Rivers!). The film captures the era perfectly, and considering that according to the producers, it was filmed for under $50,000 (!), the film is well-scrubbed and wholly professional-looking. Amongst the many joys of this little gem are an animated credits sequence with a gorgeous theme song, a swinging night-time beach party, bizarre comic relief segments, a surreal dream sequence featuring our hero dressed in a teddy bear suit (!?!), and even a detour into light fantasy via a diabolical expresso machine. Also look for a cameo by stunning young beauty Deanna Lund, soon to be a TV superstar. The special edition Alpha DVD features an audio commentary by the producers, as well as the original credits sequence (as ONCE UPON A COFFEEHOUSE). HOOTENANNY A GO-GO is a wonderful time capsule of an innocent era long gone, a must-have for folk music lovers, movie musical buffs and collectors of rare independent cinema.