Either you've already seen this film, or you really should. Briefly, Max Frost (portrayed by proto-
James Dean
lookalike
Christopher Jones
) is the most popular rock star in the land. Somehow, he gets involved in the presidential race, at first to support a candidate, and then to run for office himself. It's bizarre, surreal, awful, and fantastic -- all at the same time. As for the music, it probably looked better on paper in the planning stages. With two of the finest writers of the time under contract (
Barry Mann
and
Cynthia Weil
), they probably should have come up with something a little better. Most of the tunes reflect the revolutionary rhetoric of the times (a la
the Doors
'
"Five to One"
), with titles like
"Fifty Two Percent,"
"Fourteen or Fight,"
etc. It's just too bizarre. There is one promising cut, though,
"The Shape of Things to Come"
(not the
Yardbirds
song). This tune could have been a real hit for a decent pop/rock band like
the Grass Roots
. Under the weight of
Les Baxter
's heavy-handed arrangements, though, it hardly stands a chance. Much like the rest of the album. For the brave at heart. ~ Matthew Greenwald