All language subtitles for Magic.Trip.2011.LIMITED.DOCU.DVDRip.XviD-PSYCHD-English

Man:
AND THERE WAS JUST...

[ IMITATING ELECTRICAL BEEPING ]

...OF ELECTRICAL IMPULSES.

IT WAS ALL
SLIGHTLY UNBELIEVABLE.

Narrator: [Reverberating]
CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ME A MIKE?

AND WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE
TURN OFF THE FUCKING REVERB?

[ CLICK ]

THANK YOU.

[ CLEARING THROAT ]

NARRATION -- TAKE ONE.

[ BEEPING ]

WHEN DID THE '60s BEGIN?

THAT MIGHT SEEM OBVIOUS.

EVERYONE REMEMBERS THEM
THIS WAY.

BUT REALLY THE EARLY '60s
LOOKED LIKE THIS --

A BLACK-AND-WHITE, PICKET-FENCE
WORLD STILL STUCK IN THE '50s.

BUT IN 1964,
THIS MAN, KEN KESEY,

TOOK AN LSD-FUELED BUS TRIP
ACROSS THE COUNTRY

THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

KESEY LIT THE FUSE
FOR THE EXPLOSION OF THE '60s.

WHO WAS KEN KESEY?

HE LOOKS INNOCENT ENOUGH,
DOESN'T HE?

NOT LIKE THE KIND OF GUY
TO TAKE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF LSD.

WHILE IN COLLEGE,
KESEY MARRIED

HIS JUNIOR-HIGH-SCHOOL
SWEETHEART, FAYE.

AS A COLLEGE ATHLETE,
KESEY SHOWED PROMISE

BOTH AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER
AND A WRESTLER.

KESEY ALSO LIKED PERFORMING
AS AN ACTOR AND A VENTRILOQUIST.

HE LOVED THE MAGIC TRICK

OF SPEAKING
THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE.

KEN, WHEN DID YOU DECIDE
TO BECOME A WRITER?

Kesey: I NEVER SAID
I WANTED TO BE A WRITER.

I'M A MAGICIAN.

WRITING IS JUST ONE
OF THE TRICKS THAT I DO.

AND QUITE A TRICK IT WAS.

BY 1964, AT THE AGE OF 29,

KESEY WAS ONE OF AMERICA'S
GREATEST WRITERS.

HIS FIRST TWO
PUBLISHED NOVELS WERE

"ONE FLEW OVER
THE CUCKOO'S NEST"

AND "SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION."

YET, AT THE HEIGHT
OF HIS SUCCESS,

KEN TRADED HIS TYPEWRITER
FOR A MOVIE CAMERA.

Kesey: IF SHAKESPEARE
WERE WRITING TODAY,

I DON'T THINK HE WOULD USE
A QUILL PEN.

SO I STARTED GOING OUT
AND TAPING WITH TAPE RECORDERS

AND FILMING TO SEE IF...

PEOPLE TALKED LIKE THEY DO
IN NOVELS, AND THEY DON'T.

Narrator:
WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS,

KESEY SET OUT
TO MAKE A ROAD MOVIE.

THEIR TRIP
WOULD BECOME A LEGEND,

BUT FEW EVER SAW THE FILM.

THERE WERE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS.

THEIR VOICES ARE ON AUDIO TAPE

BUT ALMOST NEVER IN SYNC
WITH THE PICTURE.

AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION
OF THE '27 BUICK

INTO SECOND GEAR

AROUND THE CORNER
AT 34th AND DEARBORN --

OR WAS IT CLARK?
IT WAS SOMEWHERE.

HERE'S A SCENE
WITH NEAL CASSADY,

THE FAMOUS SPEED-TAKING,
REAL-LIFE INSPIRATION

FOR JACK KEROUAC'S FAMOUS NOVEL
"ON THE ROAD."

BET HE -- UH-OH, SAY...

FOR 40 YEARS, KESEY
AND HIS FRIENDS EDITED THE FILM,

NEVER GETTING WHAT THEY WANTED.

THEN IT WAS BOXED AWAY,
FORGOTTEN, COLLECTING DUST.

NOW WE'RE GOING BACK
TO THE VAULTS,

USING THE RARE
FILM AND AUDIO INTERVIEWS

OF KEN AND HIS FRIENDS
TO BRING THE STORY BACK TO LIFE.

Men:
LET'S GO, PRANKSTERS!

UNNECESSARILY,
MR. CASSADY PROCEEDED NORTH.

HA HA HA!

* YEAH *

* YEAH *

Cassady: CAR WRECK.
CHILDREN, TO THE LEFT -- WRECK.

IT'S A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE,
YOU KNOW.

Narrator: WHEN DID THE IDEA FOR
THIS TRIP FIRST OCCUR TO YOU?

Kesey: 1963 CAME,
AND EVERYTHING CHANGED.

WE'D GONE BACK -- ME AND GEORGE
AND FAYE -- TO NEW YORK.

Man: NEW YORK CITY
EXTENDS ITS WELCOME.

THE SHOPS ON THE AVENUES.

THE NEW HOTELS.
RESTAURANTS.

THE SIDEWALK CAFES.

THE HIT SHOWS.
THE TINSEL OF BROADWAY.

Kesey: WE HAD GONE BACK

TO SEE THE OPENING OF
"CUCKOO'S NEST" ON BROADWAY,

WITH KIRK DOUGLAS
PLAYING McMURPHY,

AND HE WAS TERRIFIC.

Walker: AFTER THE PLAY,

PART OF OUR DAYTIME DIVERSION

AS WE WERE CRUISING
AROUND THE CITY,

WE TOOK A DRIVE OUT TO QUEENS,

WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION WAS
GOING ON FOR THE WORLD'S FAIR.

Man: HERE ON THIS VERY SITE
IS TO BE ERECTED --

THEY'RE DOING IT
AT THE MOMENT --

THE SYMBOL OF THE THEME
OF THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR.

THE UNISPHERE!

AND BY DIALING 1964,

I LAUNCH THE FINAL PHASE
OF THIS GREAT EFFORT.

Walker: WE LOOKED AT IT AND
SAID, "BOY, THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

WE'RE GONNA WANT
TO COME SEE THIS."

Kesey: WE VOWED NEXT YEAR
WE'D GO BACK TO NEW YORK

TO THE WORLD'S FAIR.

ON THE WAY BACK,
I WAS DRIVING ACROSS COUNTRY

IN A BIG OLD NICE STATION WAGON

WITH A COUPLE OF MY BUDDIES,
NIBBLING ON CACTUS.

Man: HERE IN THE ABC NEWSROOM
IN NEW YORK,

WE FIRST RECEIVED A FLASH --

Kesey: AS WE WERE DRIVING ALONG,
KENNEDY BEGAN TO BE KILLED.

Man #2: THREE SHOTS WERE FIRED
AT PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S MOTORCADE

IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.

THE FIRST REPORTS
SAY THAT PRESIDENT KENNEDY

HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED
BY THIS SHOOTING.

Man #4:
THE CROWD OUTSIDE IS QUIET

AND WAITING FOR SOME WORD

ON THE CONDITION
OF THE PRESIDENT.

Man #5: THE PRESIDENT'S DEATH
IS OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY
AND GOVERNOR JOHN CONNALLY

HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN
BY ASSASSIN'S BULLETS

IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.

Kesey: EVERYWHERE YOU WENT,
YOU LOOKED IN PEOPLE'S EYES,

AND THEY ALL FELT
THE SAME THING.

IT WASN'T JUST SADNESS.

IT WAS A LOSS OF AN INNOCENCE,

THE LOSS OF THE IDEA

THAT ALWAYS THE GOOD
IS GOING TO PREVAIL.

Man:
THE TRAGEDY OF THIS DAY

IS BEYOND
ANY INSTANT COMPREHENSION.

Kesey: THERE'S NO WAY
TO EVEN NEARLY DEPICT THE PAIN

AND THE FEELING OF CRISIS,

THE THING
THAT ALL OF US SORT OF FEEL

WHEN IT'S REAL DARK.

Man: THIS IS NOT
AN ORDINARY SATURDAY.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

Kesey: THIS WORLD THAT I WAS
PRESENTING WITH THESE WORDS,

I BEGAN TO SUSPECT
MIGHT NOT HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO DO

WITH THE WORLD OF THIS.

SO, WE DECIDED TO GO TRAVEL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY --

I LOVE TO DRIVE
ACROSS THE UNITED STATES --

GO TO THE WORLD'S FAIR,
AND COME BACK ACROSS,

JUST TO EXPERIENCE THE...

THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE
AND "HEARTSCAPE."

WE WERE GONNA TAKE THE SAME
STATION WAGON WE CAME BACK IN,

AND PRETTY SOON BABBS WAS HOME,
AND HE WANTED TO GO.

Babbs: I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS
FOR FIVE YEARS,

FLEW HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM,

AND CAME OUT IN MAY OF '64.

GOT OUT OF THE MARINE CORPS --
I HAD ENOUGH OF THAT.

Kesey:
BABBS WAS STALKING AROUND.

THIS IS JUST AFTER
HE GOT OUT OF THE MARINES.

HE BEGAN TO ASSIGN NAMES
TO THEM.

HE BECAME
"THE INTREPID TRAVELER,"

AND THESE WERE
HIS "MERRY BAND OF PRANKSTERS."

"SWASHBUCKLER"
BECAME MY NICKNAME.

GRETCH HAD COME DOWN
FROM OREGON. WE'D MET HER.

Fetchen: I WAS AN ART STUDENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON.

MY INTENTION WAS TO GET A RIDE.

I WAS GONNA WORK IN NEW YORK,

SWIMMING AT THE WORLD'S FAIR
IN WATER BALLET,

'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING
I KNEW HOW TO DO --

THE ROCKETTES IN WATER.

[ LAUGHING ]

Kesey: PRETTY SOON,
HAGEN WAS THERE,

WHO'S AN OLD FRIEND FROM OREGON,

FRATERNITY BROTHER --
HE HAD A CAMERA.

SANDY.
HE WAS A PHENOMENON.

HE WAS IN THE NUTHOUSE.

HE WAS LIKE THE ID
STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING ELSE.

HE WAS JUST THERE.

AT HIS WORST, HE WAS CRAZY.

AND AT HIS BEST,
HE WAS A GENIUS.

JANE BURTON WAS A PROFESSOR
IN PHILOSOPHY FROM STANFORD.

SHE WAS PREGNANT,
AND SHE WAS HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

SO, SHE SAYS,
"WELL, I'M GENERALLY FAMISHED."

AND SO SHE BECAME KNOWN AS
"GENERALLY FAMISHED."

Burton: IT GOT TO BE
KIND OF A PARTY.

IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE IT,

JUST A BUNCH OF LUNATICS
RUNNING AROUND ACTING IDIOTIC

TRYING TO GET TO THE EAST COAST
SOMEHOW.

Scott:
I MET KEN ON PERRY LANE.

Kesey: CHLOE WAS
THE GERTRUDE STEIN OF OUR SCENE.

Scott: I THOUGHT IT WAS
PRETTY INSANE, ACTUALLY.

I REALLY DUG EVERYBODY
FOR DOING IT.

Kesey:
ZONKER WAS JUST THERE.

WE WEREN'T PLANNING TO TAKE HIM.
WE BARELY KNEW HIM.

EVERY TIME SOMETHING
WOULD HAPPEN, HE'D FALL ASLEEP.

AND HE HAD THIS SNORE...

[ IMITATING LOUD SNORING ]

Zonker:
OKAY, HERE'S STARK NAKED.

NOW, I'M ATTRACTED TO HER.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

BUT SHE'S JUST SO STRANGE.

Stark: MICHAEL HAGEN INVITED ME
TO KEN'S HOUSE FOR A WEEKEND,

AND THAT'S HOW I MET EVERYBODY.

THERE WAS JUST A GREAT DEAL
OF GENERAL JOVIALITY

AND TALKING AND LAUGHING
AND DANCING.

AND EVEN THEN IT WAS LIKE
A TROUPE OF MINSTRELS AND MIMES.

THEIR PRESENCE
WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL.

Kesey: THE NOTION OF US BEING
WILD CRAZIES WASN'T TRUE.

WE WEREN'T LONG-HAIRED,
AND WE WEREN'T IRRESPONSIBLE.

THERE WAS AN AMERICAN SENSE.

THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS WORE
RED, WHITE, AND BLUE

AND FLEW THE FLAG.

IT WAS TO TRY TO COOL
THE PEOPLE OUT AND SAY,

"THIS MAY LOOK STRANGE TO YOU,
BUT GET USED TO IT.

IT'S AMERICAN, AND WITHOUT IT
WE'RE A DEAD NATION."

Walker: SINCE IT TURNED OUT
THAT THERE WERE SO MANY OF US,

FRIENDS AND EVERYTHING,

TOO MANY OF US
TO GO IN ONE OR TWO CARS,

WE DECIDED WE'D BUY A BUS
AND WE'D ALL TRAVEL TOGETHER.

* PUT ON YOUR RED DRESS, BABY *

* 'CAUSE WE GOING OUT TONIGHT *

Kesey: WE TOOK

A 1939 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER'S
SCHOOL BUS.

I GOT OUT THERE
WITH A BLINDFOLD.

IT WAS YOUR LEFT BRAIN WORKING

BEFORE IT EVEN KNEW
IT WAS THE LEFT BRAIN.

* I'M PRETTY SURE NOW, BABY *

* 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE GONNA KNOCK 'EM DEAD *

Walker: ROY WAS
THE REAL PAINTER AMONG US.

* YEAH *

Seburn: AT FIRST,
IT DIDN'T APPEAL TO ME AT ALL,

BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT LOOKED
REALLY GOOD THE WAY IT WAS,

ORANGE WITH BLACK STRIPES.

ONCE IT WAS OBVIOUS
THAT IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN,

I JUST WENT AHEAD.

THE CHALLENGE WAS
TO MIX IT UP THERE

SO IT WOULD BE
INTERESTING TO LOOK AT.

SOMEBODY JUST TOOK AN OLD BROOM
UP ON THE TOP

AND SPILLED SOME PAINT AROUND,

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALKED
AROUND WITH THEIR BARE FEET

ON THE BUS,
LEAVING FOOTPRINTS OF PAINT.

Stark:
FIRST IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE,

THEN A MILLION DIFFERENT
PSYCHEDELIC COLORS,

AND THEN IT
WOULD BE PAINTED OVER.

I THINK THEY MUST'VE
PAINTED IT OVER 5 OR 10 TIMES.

Walker:
AND WE DECIDED, "WELL, HEY,
IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS BUS TRIP,

LET'S FILM IT."

Kesey: WE BOUGHT
REAL COLOR FILM, 16 MILLIMETER,

AND WE'D GOTTEN SEVERAL
REAL 16-MILLIMETER CAMERAS

AND WE DECIDED WE'RE
GONNA MAKE A FILM.

Narrator: SO WHAT KIND OF FILM
WERE YOU MAKING?

A FEATURE LIKE
"GONE WITH THE WIND"?

Kesey: YEAH.

DID ANYONE ON BOARD KNOW
HOW TO USE THE CAMERAS?

NONE OF US KNEW HOW TO DO
ANYTHING THAT WE WERE DOING.

* I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE
GONNA KNOCK 'EM DEAD *

Man: I HEARD THE BUS WAS
CALLED "FURTHER."

RIGHT.

WHAT DOES
"FURTHER" MEAN?

OH, I GET THAT QUESTION
A LOT.

IT ALWAYS KIND OF
DISAPPOINTS ME.

WHAT, THAT PEOPLE ASK YOU
WHAT "FURTHER" MEANS?
UH-HUH.

WELL, I COULD LOOK IT UP
IN THE DICTIONARY

AND TELL YOU THAT IT MEANS
FARTHER ALONG THAN THIS, BUT --

NO, NO, NO, NO.
I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED
IN MYSELF.

"FARTHER"
IS A DISTANCE.

FURTHER IS A BUS.

ONE IS
A PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPT,

THE OTHER IS
A MEASUREMENT.

Man #2:
WHAT DO YOU THINK, KEN?

Kesey: WE NEEDED TO DO
SOME MODIFICATIONS.

WE WERE AT A WELDING SHOP
THAT WAS ALSO A JUNKYARD

AND WE SAW THIS BIG
COMMERCIAL CLOTHES DRYER

AND IT LOOKED LIKE
A TANK TURRET,

AND WE DECIDED
WE WANTED A TURRET ON THE TOP.

SO WE HAD THIS WELDER GUY

CUT A BIG HOLE
ON THE TOP OF THE BUS.

[ MOTOR WHIRS ]

I HAD A MOTORCYCLE
THAT WE TOOK ALONG,

SO WE HAD THE PLATFORM
WELDED ON THE BACK OF IT

THAT WE COULD CARRY THE
MOTORCYCLE AND A GENERATOR ON.

CHUCK HAD DONATED
A 5-K.W. GAS GENERATOR.

Narrator: KEN, WHY WAS THE IDEA
OF A ROAD TRIP SO APPEALING?

WE WEREN'T OLD ENOUGH
TO BE BEATNIKS,

AND WE WERE A LITTLE
TOO OLD TO BE HIPPIES.

BUT EVERYBODY I KNEW
HAD READ "ON THE ROAD,"

AND IT OPENED UP
THE DOORS TO US

JUST THE SAME WAY
DRUGS DID.

IT GAVE US A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT
AMERICA, AND IT STIRRED US UP.

"SO, IN AMERICA,
WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN

"AND I SIT ON THE OLD
BROKEN-DOWN RIVER PIER

"WATCHING THE LONG, LONG SKIES
OVER NEW JERSEY

"AND SENSE ALL THAT RAW LAND
THAT ROLLS

"IN ONE UNBELIEVABLE HUGE BULGE
OVER TO THE WEST COAST,

"AND ALL THAT ROAD GOING,

"I THINK OF DEAN MORIARTY,

I THINK OF DEAN MORIARTY."

* OH *

* WELL, I'M THE TYPE OF GUY
WHO WILL NEVER SETTLE DOWN *

* WHERE PRETTY GIRLS ARE, WELL,
YOU KNOW THAT I'M AROUND... *

Babbs: A TWO-TONE
PINK-AND-PURPLE DODGE

RIDING LOW ON TORTURED SHOCKS,

SPURTING SMOKE,
RACES ACROSS THE CURB,

OVER THE BRIDGE, AND SKIDS
TO THE PORCH, SLAMS,

AND KESEY STANDS, HANDS ON HIPS,
WATCHING THE ARRIVAL.

Zonker:
THE CAR MADE A RAPID APPROACH,
AND HE FIT INTO THIS PLACE.

Man: THERE WAS 8-5
ON YOU GETTING THROUGH THERE.

PEOPLE WERE HOLLERING,
"NOBODY COULD PARK THERE!

"YOU CAN'T FIT IT THROUGH!

NO, NO, COME ON, CASSADY,
COME ON, MAN."

* WITH MY TWO FISTS OF IRON,
BUT I'M GOING NOWHERE *

* OH, YEAH, I'M THE TYPE OF GUY
THAT LIKES TO ROAM AROUND *

* I'M NEVER IN ONE PLACE *

* I ROAM FROM TOWN TO TOWN *

Kesey:
BEFORE THE SMOKE HAD CLEARED,

THERE WAS THIS GUY WITH NO SHIRT
ON TALKING A MILE A MINUTE.

WE ALL KNEW WHO HE WAS.

THIS WAS DEAN MORIARTY --
WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT --

OUR FAMOUS DEAN MORIARTY.

* YEAH, I'M A WANDERER *

* YEAH, A WANDERER *

* I ROAM AROUND, AROUND... *

Burton:
I'D READ "ON THE ROAD,"

SO I KNEW HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
DEAN MORIARTY,

BUT I DIDN'T LIKE THAT
CHARACTER IN THE BOOK TOO MUCH,

AND I LIKED NEAL BETTER.

Stark: ALL OF A SUDDEN, OUT POPS
THIS MAN, ALMOST FROM NOWHERE.

HE REMINDED ME MORE
OF AN IRISH LEPRECHAUN AT FIRST.

WHEN HE OPENED HIS MOUTH,
HE SAID ABOUT 40 WORDS,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE WAS
AND IS ALL RIGHT

AND ALL BEAUTIFUL
AND ALL FUNNY AND MEANINGFUL,

ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

* YEAH, I'M THE TYPE OF GUY
THAT LIKES TO ROAM AROUND *

* I'M NEVER IN ONE PLACE... *

Fetchen: FOR ME, I'M WATCHING IT
ALL AND THINKING,

"WOW, HE KIND OF
LOOKS LIKE MY DAD,

AND MY DAD IS GONNA DRIVE
THE BUS!"

[ LAUGHING ]

* ...DRIVE AROUND THE WORLD *

* 'CAUSE I'M A WANDERER *

* YEAH, A WANDERER *

Walker: HE CAME ALONG
KIND OF AS A FATHER FIGURE.

SAYS, "I GOT TO TAKE CARE
OF YOU BOYS, UNDERSTAND,

"CHANGE YOUR TIRES.

HERE, I GOT THIS 8-TON JACK.
I GOT THIS LUG WRENCH."

HE GOES, "YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A
LUG WRENCH IN YOUR GODDAMN BUS."

"HERE, LOOK, I GOT US
A COUPLE OF SPARE INNER TUBES,

"THOSE BOOT THINGS --
YOU NEVER SAW A BOOT BEFORE,

"PROBABLY GOES
INSIDE THE SPARE TIRE,

AND A BIG TIRE,
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10..."

Scott:
WE STARTED OUT IN LA HONDA,

AND THERE WAS ALL THIS BIG DEAL,

AND WE HAD BEEN
GETTING READY FOR DAYS

AND PACKING AND FIXING,
AND FINALLY IT WAS THE MOMENT.

WE WERE LEAVING LA HONDA,

AND EVERYBODY GATHERED AROUND
AND WAVED US GOODBYE

AND WE CLIMBED ON THE BUS.

HONK THE HORN!

AND IT STARTED OFF
AND IT WENT OUT THE GATE

AND ACROSS THE BRIDGE
AND RAN OUT OF GAS!

[ LAUGHING ]

Walker: WELL, THE MOMENT
OF DEPARTURE WAS BEAUTIFUL.

WE RAN OUT OF GAS
ON KESEY'S BRIDGE.

WE FIGURED, AT THAT RATE,
YOU KNOW, 25 FEET AN HOUR --

WE HAD A WEEK
TO GET TO NEW YORK.

WE WEREN'T WORRIED.

Burton: THIS IS TAKING
DISORGANIZATION

TO SOME SORT OF PEAK.

Scott:
IT WAS JUST LUDICROUS.

AND IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER,
THAT WAS JUST, LIKE,

THE PERFECT OMEN
FOR THE START OF THIS TRIP.

Cassady: I USED TO THINK
I WAS NAPOLEON, TOO.

Kesey: WE SET OUT
JUST LIKE IN "EASY RIDER"

OR "TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY,"

WHERE STEINBECK SETS OUT
TO SEEK THE SOUL OF AMERICA.

Burton: IT LOOKED LIKE
A TRAVELING PLEASURE PALACE.

WE COULD RIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY
IN TOTAL COMFORT.

IT WAS BIG
AND ROOMY AND SPACIOUS --

UNTIL WE GOT
ALL THE PEOPLE IN IT.

THEN IT WAS CROWDED.

IT WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE
OF A PLEASURE PALACE.

[ INDISTINCT SPEAKING ]

Scott:
I WAS ON THE FIRST 24 HOURS

THAT IT TOOK US TO GET
FROM LA HONDA TO SAN JOSE.

I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT IS IT, 40 MILES?

IT TOOK US 24 HOURS
TO GET TO SAN JOSE.

Fetchen:
WE DIDN'T GET VERY FAR,

AND MECHANICAL SPASMS
STARTED HAPPENING ON THE BUS,

AND THE ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING,
SO WE PULLED INTO A GAS STATION.

Babbs: SOME OLD GAS STATION MAN
TOOK A LOOK AT THAT THING,

LOOKED AT THE ENGINE AND SAYS,

"YOU'LL NEVER GET THAT THING
PAST OKLAHOMA."

Zonker:
WELL, I'M SAYING TO MYSELF,

"JESUS CHRIST,
THIS THING IS FUCKED."

LOOK, IT'S PAINTED WEIRD,

THE MECHANICS BEHIND IT
ARE EQUALLY AS WEIRD.

Fetchen: WHILE EVERYBODY
WAS WORKING ON THE ENGINE,

I WAS MESSING AROUND WITH
THE HEADSET AND WAS GOING,

"WE'RE ON OUR WAY-AY-AY-AY...

TO SAN JOSE-E-E-E!"

HOW WAS YOUR STAY...

IN SAN JOSE?!

WHILE I WAS DOING THAT,
I HAPPENED TO TURN AROUND,

AND I NOTICED CHLOE
LOOKING REALLY GLUM.

I SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG?"

AND SHE SAYS, "IF IT TAKES US
THIS LONG TO GET TO SAN JOSE,"

SHE SAYS, "WE'LL NEVER
MAKE IT TO NEW YORK CITY!"

SHE SAYS, "I CAN'T TAKE THIS.
THIS IS TOO CHAOTIC."

AND THAT WAS AS FAR
AS SHE LASTED ON THE BUS.

Scott: YEAH, I WAS
PRETTY GLAD TO GET OFF.

I MEAN, THANK GOD I'M NOT
CROSSING THE COUNTRY IN IT.

Narrator: AND YOU GOT BACK
ACROSS THE COUNTRY

BY MORE CIVILIZED MEANS,
I IMAGINE?

T.W.A.
[ LAUGHING ]

* T.W.A.'s YOUR WAY *

Kesey: THERE'S BEEN
A ONE-STEP REMOVAL, I THINK,

FROM OUR CONNECTION TO LIFE.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHERE
YOU CAN SEE IT. GO TO L.A.

WE CAN'T SEE ANYMORE,
WE CAN BARELY HEAR ANYMORE.

WHEN WE LOOK,
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

I TELL YOU, HOLLYWOOD IS
AS SOULLESS AN IDEA

OF WHAT LIFE LOOKS LIKE.

* I'M GOING OUT WEST
WHERE I BELONG *

WHAT COLOR IS WORLD WAR II?

WORLD WAR I IS EVEN
A BETTER EXAMPLE.

WHAT COLOR IS WORLD WAR I?

IT'S BLACK AND WHITE,

WHEREAS THE CIVIL WAR
IS IN TECHNICOLOR.

* THEY WALK, AND I'LL WALK *

* THEY TWIST, AND I'LL TWIST *

WHAT HAPPENS IF ALL OF THIS
STUFF THAT'S BEING SOLD US

HAS DAMN NEAR CLOSED THE DOOR

ON ANY POSSIBILITY
OF OUR DOING ANYTHING NEW,

ON OUR DOING ANYTHING

EXCEPT TRAVELING
IN THE SAME LITTLE CIRCLE?

AND, IF THAT IS TRUE,
HOW DO WE BREAK OUT OF IT?

SO YOU DONATE BLOOD,
THEN THERE'S A SICK CAT,

NOT BEING APPROVED OF AND ALL,
AS THE SON, YOU SEE, WOULD BE,

SO YOU HAVE A MANIA...

ALL YOU CAN DO
IS EXPERIENCE THIS THING.

THIS, AS NEAR AS I CAN SEE,
IS WHAT'S GOING ON,

AS NEAR AS I CAN RECORD IT.

IT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE.

I'M JUST TRYING
TO OPEN UP LIKE A CAMERA

AND SEE IT CLEARLY FOR A MOMENT.

Zonker: I REMEMBER WHEN
WE FIRST HEADED OUT OF LA,

OUT OF KEN BABBS' PLACE,
WHERE WE SPENT A COUPLE DAYS

PAINTING HIS SWIMMING POOL
AND SO FORTH.

Kesey:
WHEN THE BUS HEADED OUT,

BABBS WAS LIVING
IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

WITH HIS WIFE, ANITA,
AND HIS KIDS.

AND WE WENT THROUGH CAPISTRANO,

AND HE REALIZED THIS IS HIS
MERRY BAND OF PRANKSTERS

AND HE BETTER CLIMB ABOARD.

THE ORIGINAL PRANKSTER CREDO

THAT STARTED
THE WHOLE PRANKSTER MOVEMENT

WAS ONE OF --

YOU START OFF BY SAYING,
"NEVER TRUST A PRANKSTER."

BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW I TRY,

I WILL EVENTUALLY...

LIE TO YOU, EVEN THOUGH
I MAY NOT WANT TO.

IF I SAY ONE THING TODAY...

[ FEEDBACK ]

Man: GO AHEAD. WOULD YOU
REPEAT THAT AGAIN?

"AWOOOOOOO."

[ LAUGHING ]

VERY FUNNY.

Kesey: WHEN WE STARTED OUT
WITH THE BUS,

I REALIZED I WASN'T GONNA BE
ABLE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T.
IT'S AN EXPERIENCE.

Kesey:
THIS WASN'T LITERATURE ANYMORE,

THIS JUMPED OFF THE PAGES
AND ONTO THE STREETS.

Fetchen: WE TOOK OFF,
WENT ACROSS THE DESERT,

AND HEADED FOR ARIZONA.

CASSADY TALKED A LOT.

[ LAUGHING ]

WE'D TAKE TURNS
RIDING SHOTGUN WITH HIM

SO HE'D HAVE SOMEBODY
TO TALK TO WHILE HE WAS DRIVING.

Burton:
HE WAS A RADIO.

HE JUST WENT ON AND ON AND ON.

IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
FOR HIM TO EVER SHUT OFF.

HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF.

IT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH SPEED.

MAJOR PORTION,
CRITICAL POINT...

[ SIRENS WAILING ]

All: Shh! Shh! Shh!

Cassady:
OKAY, SETTLE IN, SETTLE IN.

Fetchen: ATTRACTING THE COPS,
AND HOW TO DEAL WITH

CONCEALING THE DRUGS
THAT WE HAD,

THAT WAS ALWAYS
A CONSIDERATION

THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BUS TRIP,

BECAUSE THE COPS
WERE STOPPING US

BECAUSE THEY'D NEVER SEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT.

Cassady: I WASTED YOUR TIME,
THAT'S WHY I'M NOT --

Kesey: CASSADY WOULD ALWAYS BE
OUT THERE TALKING TO THEM,

AND HE'D SAY, "OH, YEAH,
OFFICERS," HE'D SAY.

"YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY'RE LIKE
BACK THERE," HE SAID,

"BUT I'M DOING MY BEST
TO KEEP THEM IN CONTROL."

Cassady: WE'RE HAVING
A BRIEF EQUIPMENT...

Fetchen:
OUR INSTANT COVER WAS ALWAYS TO
GET THE CAMERAS OUT AND RUN OUT

AND SAY WE WERE MAKING A MOVIE.

Cassady: WE DON'T HAVE
A CAMERA WITH ANY FILM.

Burton: PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK
WE WERE HIPPIES

OR THAT WE WERE DRUG FREAKS.

THAT WOULDN'T HAVE
OCCURRED TO ANYBODY

BECAUSE IT WASN'T
IN THE NEWS YET.

[ ALL CHEERING ]

Cassady: SHUT UP!

Narrator: HOW DID YOU GET MIXED
UP WITH LSD IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Kesey: I CAME OUT OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

THE PRETTIEST LITTLE BOY
YOU'VE EVER SEEN.

I DIDN'T SMOKE.
I DIDN'T DRINK.

I WENT TO STANFORD ON
A FORD FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP.

AND WHILE AT STANFORD,

I WAS...GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY

TO GO TO THE STANFORD HOSPITAL

AND TAKE PART
IN THE LSD EXPERIMENTS.

Woman: HOW DID YOU BECOME A
VOLUNTEER FOR THESE EXPERIMENTS?

Kesey: I, AT THE TIME,
WAS TRAINING FOR

THE OLYMPICS TEAM
AND WAS --

AS A WRESTLER?
YEAH, AS A WRESTLER.

I'D NEVER BEEN DRUNK ON BEER,
LET ALONE DONE ANY DRUGS,

BUT THIS IS
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

THE STUDY OF LSD CONTINUES
IN LABORATORIES AND HOSPITALS

THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

THEY PAID US $25 A DAY
TO COME DOWN THERE

AND THEN
THEY GAVE US STUFF.

WHAT IS LSD?

HOW DOES IT WORK?
WHEN DID IT ALL BEGIN?

IT ALL BEGAN IN A LABORATORY
VERY MUCH LIKE THIS ONE.

IN 1938, DR. ALBERT HOFFMAN
IN SWITZERLAND

WAS LOOKING FOR NEW DRUGS

IN THE TREATMENT
OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

HE HAD BEEN STUDYING MOLD
THAT GROWS ON RYE PLANTS.

NOW, IT TURNED OUT THAT THESE
SUBSTANCES WERE OF NO USE

IN THE TREATMENT
OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THESE
SUBSTANCES COULD PRODUCE

A CHANGE IN MENTAL STATE

CLOSELY RESEMBLING
SOME FORMS OF INSANITY --

IN PARTICULAR, SCHIZOPHRENIA.

Kesey: WHEN I WAS ASKED TO DO
THESE DRUG EXPERIMENTS,

I THOUGHT THESE DRUGS
MIGHT GIVE US A WAY

TO CURE INSANITY,
TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION.

THAT WAS PART OF WHAT
WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING.

WHAT KIND OF PREPARATION
WERE YOU GIVEN FOR IT?

WERE YOU GIVEN ANY?
NONE AT ALL.

I'D READ A LITTLE PIECE
IN LIFE MAGAZINE

ABOUT HOW THEY'D
GIVEN IT TO CATS,

AND CATS WERE AFRAID OF MICE
ONCE THEY'D HAD LSD.

WHAT WAS THAT VERY FIRST
TRIP LIKE, THOUGH,

UNDER THE EXPERIMENTAL
CONDITIONS?

IT WAS ON A WARD,
ON A NUTHOUSE WARD.

YOU'D GO
IN A LITTLE ROOM.

THERE'D BE A BED AND A STAND
WITH SOME WATER ON IT

AND A TAPE RECORDER
AND NOTHING ELSE.

THERE WAS A LITTLE
WINDOW RIGHT HERE

WITH A WIRE THROUGH IT,

AND YOU COULD LOOK OUT
AND SEE THE PEOPLE

OUT IN THE OTHER ROOM.

[ CLOCK TICKING ]

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

Kesey:
AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF IT,

I FELT LIKE IT WAS LIKE
DISCOVERING A HOLE

THAT WENT INTO
THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

AND YOU COULD SEE
JEWELRY DOWN THERE

AND YOU WANTED YOUR PEOPLE
TO GO DOWN AND ENJOY IT.

* TRAILER FOR SALE OR RENT *

* ROOMS TO LET 50 CENTS *

* NO PHONE, NO POOL, NO PETS *

* AIN'T GOT NO CIGARETTES *

Fetchen:
CASSADY DROVE ALL NIGHT, AND
EVERYBODY SLEPT OR DIDN'T SLEEP,

DEPENDING
ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

Cassady: BUS SUPPOSED TO
HIT TO TUCSON, ARRIVED...

OH, THERE, YOU CAN'T --

JUST AS IT WERE --
POLICE, HOW YOU DOING?

* KING OF THE ROAD *

A BUNCH OF PREVIOUS PLANS '69 --
OH, ALL RIGHT, HONEST.

ESPECIALLY SOUTH.

Narrator: IN 1964,

THE ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE
BARRY GOLDWATER

WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF KESEY'S
GOLDWATER STUNT IN PHOENIX?

Fetchen: I WAS KIND OF PUZZLED
BY THE NEED TO GET INTO

THE POLITICS OF BARRY GOLDWATER.

I KIND OF THOUGHT THE WHOLE
THING WAS SORT OF RIDICULOUS.

A VOTE FOR BARRY
IS A VOTE FOR FUN.

Kesey: IT WAS
A TONGUE-IN-CHEEK THING.

WE WANTED TO WAVE THE FLAG,

BUT WAVING THE FLAG
IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX

KIND OF SEEMED LIKE
YOU'RE FOR GOLDWATER,

SO WE PAINTED "A VOTE
FOR BARRY IS A VOTE FOR FUN"

AND THEN DROVE DOWN
THE MAIN STREET OF PHOENIX.

BACKWARDS.

Narrator:
EVEN AS YOU WERE DRIVING THE BUS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

REVIEWS WERE COMING IN
FOR "SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION"

AND THEY WERE PECULIAR.

Kesey: YES. THEY DIDN'T KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT.

"CUCKOO'S NEST" WAS
A PHENOMENON.

IT RECEIVED NOTHING
BUT GOOD REVIEWS.

MOST PEOPLE ARE
SURPRISED TO LEARN

THAT YOU'D NEVER EVEN
SEEN THE MOVIE.

YOU EVEN THREATENED
TO SUE THE PRODUCERS.

I TOLD THESE LIARS,
"I'LL NEVER SEE THE MOVIE."

THEY EMPHASIZED
THE MELODRAMA.

WHO'S THE VILLAIN
IN "CUCKOO'S NEST"?

THE NURSE.
NO.

THE COMBINE
IS THE VILLAIN,

AND THE BIG NURSE
IS THE MINION OF THAT,

BUT SHE'S NOT
THE VILLAIN.

Kesey:
"I'M MOPPING NEAR THE WARD DOOR

"WHEN A KEY HITS IT
FROM THE OTHER SIDE

"AND I KNOW IT'S THE BIG NURSE.

"SHE'S CARRYING
HER WOVEN WICKER BAG,

"FULL OF A THOUSAND PARTS

"SHE AIMS TO USE
IN HER DUTIES TODAY --

"WHEELS AND GEARS AND TINY
PILLS THAT GLEAM LIKE PORCELAIN,

NEEDLES AND FORCEPS AND ROLLS
OF COPPER WIRE."

GOOD MORNING,
MISS RATCHED.
GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING,
MISS RATCHED.

Kesey: "THE BIG NURSE
TENDS TO GET REAL PUT OUT

"IF SOMETHING KEEPS HER OUTFIT

"FROM RUNNING
LIKE A PRECISION-MADE MACHINE,

WHAT SHE CALLS 'ADJUSTED.'"

Nurse Ratched:
MEDICATION TIME.

"SHE WORKS WITH AN EYE

"TO ADJUSTING
THE OUTSIDE WORLD, TOO.

"WORKING ALONGSIDE
OTHERS LIKE HER

WHO I CALL THE 'COMBINE.'"

Man: CHIEF?

WRITING THAT STORY FROM THE
POINT OF VIEW OF THAT INDIAN,

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THAT BOOK.

AND I DON'T KNOW ANY INDIANS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE
THAT INDIAN CAME FROM.

THOSE FIRST FEW PAGES
OF "CUCKOO'S NEST"

WERE WRITTEN ON PEYOTE.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT HUMBLED
BY THAT CHARACTER.

[ IMITATING WAR CRY ]

WITHOUT THE CHARACTER
OF THAT INDIAN,

THE BOOK IS A MELODRAMA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A STRAIGHT BATTLE

BETWEEN McMURPHY
AND THE BIG NURSE.

Narrator: ISN'T IT TRUE THAT
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE BOOK

CAME FROM YOUR
REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES?

Kesey:
I GOT A JOB AT THE NUTHOUSE

AND WORKED
FROM MIDNIGHT TO 8:00.

MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT.

BEING CRAZY IS PAINFUL.

LOOKING OUT THROUGH THE LITTLE
WINDOW, THROUGH MY CRAZED EYES,

I SAW THAT THESE PEOPLE
HAVE SOMETHING GOING,

AND THERE'S A TRUTH TO IT.

IT GAVE ME AN EMPATHY.

THIS WAS, TO ME, SUPPOSED TO BE
A REVOLUTIONARY NOVEL.

IT WASN'T FREUDIAN,
MAN AGAINST WOMAN.

IT WAS MAN AGAINST MACHINE.

"I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND
BENT OVER AND TOOK THE LEVERS.

"I HEAVED MY LEGS UNDER ME

"AND FELT THE GRIND
OF WEIGHT AT MY FEET

"AND HEARD THE WIRES
AND CONNECTIONS

"TEARING OUT OF THE FLOOR.

"I WAS ABLE
TO GET AN ARM AROUND IT

"AND MY OTHER HAND UNDER IT

"AND LET THE MOMENTUM
CARRY THE PANEL

"THROUGH THE SCREEN
AND WINDOW WITH A RIPPING CRASH.

"I PUT MY HAND ON THE SILL
AND VAULTED OVER THE PANE.

"I RAN ACROSS THE GROUNDS.

"I FELT LIKE I WAS FLYING.

FREE."

Walker: BOY, IT WAS JUST HOT
ACROSS THAT DESERT.

AND BEING HOT AND WHAT WE'D DO,

WE'D JUST GO LOOK
FOR A COOL PLACE.

Cassady: MERGING TRAFFIC,
MERGING TRAFFIC.

MERGING TRAFFIC.

YIELD, YIELD!

RIGHT OF WAY!

Burton: WE'D RIDDEN ALL NIGHT
THE NIGHT BEFORE,

AND I'D GONE TO SLEEP
IN ONE OF THE UPPER BUNKS,

AND MY PURSE HAD SLIPPED DOWN

BETWEEN THE BUNK
AND THE SIDE OF THE BUS

AND GONE OUT THE OPEN WINDOW.

IT HAD EVERYTHING IN IT.

HERE I WAS, PREGNANT, TRAVELING
WITH A BUNCH OF MAD MEN

AND I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A DIME.

Cassady:
WATERMELONS, WATERMELONS,
WATERMELONS, WATERMELONS!

Burton:
IF I'D HAD MY MONEY, IT WOULDN'T
HAVE BOTHERED ME AT ALL,

BECAUSE I COULD HAVE
WALKED OFF AT ANY STAGE.

I COULD HAVE GONE TO
THE NEAREST BUS AT ANY TIME.

NOW I WAS TRAPPED.

Fetchen: SUDDENLY, CASSADY
DROVE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD

AND STARTED DRIVING
TOWARDS THIS LITTLE POND

AND GOT STUCK RIGHT IN THE SAND.

HE DROVE IT -- "VROOM!"

AND THERE WE WERE,
SHOCKED AS CAN BE.

Walker:
AH, YES, STUCK.

STUCK IN THE MUD IN ARIZONA
DESERT IN THE SUMMERTIME.

Burton: CASSADY --
GOD, HE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME.

Walker: IT WAS HOT, BOY.
LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS HOT.

IT WAS BLAZING HOT --
THERE I AM.

THAT'S ME, AND THERE'S KESEY

RIGHT BEHIND ME
IN THE SUNGLASSES.

AND WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT IT,
AND WE'RE STUCK DEEP IN THE MUD.

Cassady: FOR NO OTHER REASON
THAN THE FACT THAT...

IF YOU DON'T GET OUT,
GET OUT.

HEY!

Fetchen: KESEY HAD SENT SOMEONE
OFF ON THE MOTORCYCLE

TO GO LOOK FOR HELP.

AND THEN KESEY HAD
THIS BRAINSTORM THAT,

SINCE WE WERE GONNA BE
STUCK FOR A WHILE,

WE SHOULD TAKE LSD.

Kesey:
SO I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME LSD.

I WANT BABBS
TO TAKE SOME.

CASSADY,
DO YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME?

Cassady: I WOULD.
YES, I WOULD.

Fetchen: THE RIDICULOUS THING
WAS THAT THE ACID

WAS JUST MIXED
INTO A JAR OF ORANGE JUICE

THAT WAS IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

NOBODY HAD ANY IDEA
WHAT THE DOSAGE WAS,

IT WAS THIS SORT OF DEAL
WHERE YOU SHOOK UP THE JAR

AND PASSED IT
AROUND AND TOOK A SWIG.

AS THE ACID CAME ON,
THE SETTING UP OF THE FILMING

WAS STARTING TO HAPPEN, TOO.

WHAT ELSE WE GOT UP THERE?
ANOTHER CAMERA, DON'T WE?

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE
THE ARRIFLEX, TWO MAGAZINES.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE
ONE MAGAZINE ON THE ARRIFLEX.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OTHER
CAMERA WITH THE ZOOM LENS

ALSO MOUNTED ON A TRIPOD.

WE'RE GONNA RUN THE ZOOM LENS
ON THE TRIPOD.

WAS HE FILMING THAT?

[ ALL VOCALIZING ]

THAT'D BE UNGODLY.

MY MERRY BAND
OF PRANKSTERS

WON'T BE WANDERING AROUND
IN THE DIRT.

COME ON, COME ON.

NO, NO,
NONE OF THIS MISERY STUFF.

COME ON, THIS IS
THE MERRY GANG.

KEEP IT MOVING.

THAT'S STRETCHIN' GRETCHEN,
SHE'S MIGHTY FETCHIN'!

ALWAYS SCRATCHING THE KITCHEN
MATCHES AND NEVER ITCHING!

THERE SHE IS OUT THERE.

* YOU KNOW
WHEN YOU HAVE A DREAM *

* WHERE WHALES
CARRY YOU OUT TO SEA *

Fetchen: ONCE I HIT THE POND,
I REALIZED I WAS REALLY HIGH.

* THE LITTLE CREATURES
HAD THEIR LITTLE WINGS *

THE WATER OPENED ITSELF UP TO ME
IN A NEW DIMENSION.

THERE WAS NO MURKINESS,

IT WAS SUPER CLEAR,
REAL CRYSTAL.

IT WAS JUST THERE,

FOR MYSELF AND ITSELF
TO GROOVE ON EACH OTHER.

* IF THE BIRDS
FLY IN THE OCEAN *

* AND THE WHALES SWIM
IN THE CLOUDS *

IT WAS A JOY.

Walker:
FAREWELL FOREVER, PAULA.

AS SHE SINKS BENEATH THE DEPTHS.

IN THE NEXT FEATURE, YOU SHALL
SEE EMERGE A SLIME QUEEN.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS
OF PRANKSTERS.

Fetchen:
THAT'S THE SLIME, THE ALGAE.

IT WAS TALKING TO ME,

IT WAS WELCOMING ME
INTO ITS REALM OF EXISTENCE.

* WHERE THE SUNRISE SETS *

* AND THE SUNSET RISES *

IT WAS LIKE THE NATURE SPIRITS,

THE STUFF IN THERE,
IT WAS SAYING,

"FINALLY WE'RE
IN CONTACT WITH A HUMAN BEING,

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THROUGH
TO YOU GUYS FOR A WHILE."

THEY WERE HAPPY,
AND I WAS HAPPY.

* WHALES WANT TO
LOVE YOUR FACE *

* WHALES WANT TO BE
YOUR FRIEND *

* WHALES WANT TO HUG YOU *

Walker:
THAT'S MISS SLIME OF 1964.

* CARRY OUR SOULS *

* THROUGH THE CLOUDS *

* IN THE SKY *

[ HORSES NEIGHING ]

THESE HORSES JUST SHOWED UP

AND ADDED SUCH A NICE
KIND OF BACKDROP EFFECT.

Stark:
OH, THERE ARE THE HORSES.

IT WAS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.

Burton: I DON'T REMEMBER
MUCH REACTION TO THESE HORSES.

TO ME, THEY LOOKED
KIND OF OLD AND FLEA-BITTEN.

[ DOG BARKING ]

Kesey: I WAS THINKING ABOUT
HOW NICE IT WOULD LOOK

TO POUR SOME OF THOSE PAINTS --
LET'S SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

Fetchen: AFTER WE TOOK THE ACID,
I THINK IT WAS KESEY'S IDEA,

WE TOOK BOTTLES OF DOPE PAINT,

WHICH ARE USED FOR
PAINTING MODEL AIRPLANES,

AND IT'S ENAMEL-BASED PAINT,

SO WHEN YOU PUT IT ON THE WATER,
IT FLOATS.

I'LL NEVER DRINK
DOWNSTREAM

FROM THE MERRY PRANKSTERS'
CAMPSITE.

SO, WE HAD LOTS OF COLORS,

SO WE WERE DIPPING
THE COLORS IN THERE

AND WATCHING IT ALL MARBLEIZE.

WE TOOK ZONKER'S WHITE T-SHIRT

AND PUT IT IN THE WATER WITH
THE PAINT AND INVENTED TIE-DYE.

Zonker:
GOD, I WAS PISSED.

THEY SAID, "OH,
IT'S WATER-SOLUBLE.

OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, MAN."

"WORRY ABOUT WHAT? THAT'S
ONE OF MY CLEAN T-SHIRTS."

"FUCK YOUR CLEAN T-SHIRTS,"
SOMEBODY SAID.

GEORGE SAID, "BACK UP,"
JUST LIKE I DO.

"SPIN AROUND."

FUCK YOU.

GOD, WATCH THIS THING.

ACTUALLY, I WAS
HAVING A GOOD TIME.

[ LAUGHS ]

Fetchen: STARK NAKED
REALLY STARTED WIGGING OUT.

Burton:
SHE'S DEFINITELY STONED ON ACID.

WE PUT ALL OUR ACID IN
ONE-QUART BALL JAR OF LEMONADE

AND I REMEMBER SEEING HER
RUN DOWN TO THE REFRIGERATOR

AND GET IT OUT AND UPEND IT.

Kesey: GET A PICTURE OF THAT
OVER HERE, MIKE, WITH THE...

GET THAT.

Walker:
KATHY WAS LOADED.

HAGEN SAYS, "I'M GONNA MAKE
A MOVIE STAR OUT OF HER

NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES."

YOU KNOW, IT'S THE PRETTY GIRL,
MOVIE-STAR TRIP.

THE GUY WITH THE CAMERA
COMES ALONG AND SAYS,

"HEY, PRETTY GIRL,
HOW'D YOU LIKE TO

STAND IN FRONT OF MY CAMERA?"

"SURE, WHY NOT?
YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME A STAR."

JUDY GARLAND IN THE DRUGSTORE,
WHATEVER THAT TRIP IS, YOU KNOW.

HEY,
HERE'S THE PAINT.

NO, NO,
TWO MORE OF THESE,

I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE
TO START USING FILM.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

Kesey: THE FIRST SIGNS OF STRAIN
WERE BEGINNING TO SHOW

ON SOME OF THE HEALTHY,
YOUNG FACES.

AND I WAS TRYING TO KEEP
THINGS TOGETHER THERE,

BECAUSE I COULD SUDDENLY SEE
EVERYTHING COMING TO PIECES.

THERE WAS THIS
MAD WOMAN ON MY HANDS.

WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?

Narrator:
THROUGHOUT THE BUS TRIP

YOU SEEMED TO ENJOY THE CHAOS

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME,
GENTLY GUIDE THE ACTION.

Kesey: PEOPLE FELT
THAT ENLIGHTENMENT

WAS GOING ENTIRELY
WITH THE FLOW.

BUT THAT'S LIKE BEING
THE BALL IN A FOOTBALL GAME.

I'D RATHER BE THE QUARTERBACK.

I WANT TO HANDLE THE BALL.

I DON'T WANT TO
JUST BE THROWN AROUND.

Burton:
KEN WAS TRYING TO RUN THIS WHOLE
THING AND BE ALL PHILOSOPHICAL,

AND HE WAS CAUGHT UP
IN A MILLION DIFFERENT TRIPS.

Stark: * AND HOW LONG
WILL IT GO ON? *

* HOW LONG CAN WE WAIT
FOR HELP? *

* WHEN NO HELP
IS COMING FOR... *

IT REMINDS ME OF MAD OPHELIA.

I DON'T REMEMBER THIS AT ALL.

I REMEMBER SWIMMING IN THE LAKE,
BUT NONE OF THIS.

[ SINGING INDISTINCTLY ]

Burton: FOR STARK, OBVIOUSLY,
IT WAS TOO MUCH TO BEAR.

FOR GRETCH AND BABBS,
THEY FELL IN LOVE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO
PLAY MY FEET?

Fetchen: STARTING THE BUS TRIP,
I WAS KESEY'S LOVER,

BUT AFTER I MET BABBS,

HE AND I BECAME LOVERS
AND STAYED SO.

I WISH
I COULD ALWAYS...

Cassady: OKAY!

THE CAMERA'S
FUCKED UP AGAIN.

HEY, HEY!

Walker:
THE TRACTOR HAS INDEED ARRIVED,

THEY'RE GOING TO PULL US OUT
OF THIS SWAMP.

SANDY'S THERE,
SCRATCHING HIS BALLS.

OKAY, LET'S GO!

COME ON!

COME ON, FASTER!

WHOA!

WAIT A MINUTE,
WAIT A MINUTE.

TRY TO REVERSE THAT.

I THINK YOU'RE PULLING
AGAINST EACH OTHER.

WE'RE GOING!
OHH!

KEEP HER MOVING,
KEEP HER MOVING!

KEEP HER MOVING,
KEEP HER MOVING!

Kesey: SHE AND BABBS HAD
DEVELOPED A GREAT AFFAIR

SINCE ROMEO AND JULIET.

* I GOT MY MOJO WORKING, BABE *

* AND I'M GOING TO
TRY IT ON YOU *

Walker:
THE LOVE RELATIONSHIPS WAS ONE
OF THE VERY OBVIOUS THINGS

THAT WAS GOING ON.

I MEAN, NOTHING WAS HIDDEN,
YOU KNOW?

* AND I'M GONNA
TRY IT OUT ON YOU *

Fetchen:
BABBS WAS REALLY WORRIED

THAT KESEY
WOULD BE REALLY PISSED OFF,

BECAUSE KESEY WAS SINGLE,
BECAUSE HIS WIFE WASN'T THERE,

SO HE WAS UNATTACHED,
SEXUALLY.

* NOW I'M GONNA TRY IT ON YOU *

* OH YEAH *

HE DID SULK FOR A WHILE,

BUT HE KIND OF
WOKE UP OUT OF HIS STUPOR

AND LOOKED OVER AND SAID,
"NOTHING LASTS."

SO THAT BECAME ONE OF
THE PRANKSTER MOTTOS, TOO --

"NOTHING LASTS."

Walker: ALL THIS STUFF
THAT WE WENT THROUGH,

ALL THESE "INTERTANGLEMENTS"
OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS,

OUR MARRIAGES,
AND OUR LOVES AND LOVERS,

I THINK ALL OF THIS
IS SOAP OPERA 101.

IT'S LIKE WE'RE ALL
IN THIS CLASS TOGETHER

AND WE WENT THROUGH IT
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ON THE BUS.

Fetchen: STARK NAKED NEVER
QUITE RECOVERED FROM WIKIEUP.

ALL HER MOLECULES,
I DON'T THINK,

CAME BACK TOGETHER.

THEN SHE CLIMBS OUT ONTO
THE PLATFORM IN THE BACK

AND PRETTY SOON ALL THE TRUCKERS
WERE HONKING BEHIND US --

HONK, HONK, HONK, HONK.

AND CASSADY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
WHAT WAS GOING ON,

SO SOMEBODY
LOOKED OUT THE BACK WINDOW,

AND THERE SHE HAD TAKEN
THE BLANKET OFF HER

AND SHE WAS JUST
STANDING OUT ON THE BACK DECK

JUST FLAUNTING HERSELF.

SHE HAD ALL THE SEMIS HEADING
FOR HOUSTON BACKED UP BEHIND US.

NOBODY WANTED TO PASS US BECAUSE
THEY WERE ALL WATCHING HER.

Stark: THAT KIND OF MADNESS IS
ONLY TERRIFYING AND MISERABLE

TO THE PEOPLE
WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF IT.

TO SOMEONE WHO'S INSIDE OF IT,
IT'S REALLY NOT.

I JUST WANTED TO GO
INTO THE DARKNESS

AND BE ALONE
WITH MY OWN THOUGHTS.

[ FLUTE PLAYING DISCORDANTLY ]

I THINK MY PSYCHIC VISION
IN RELATIONSHIP TO MYSELF

WAS THAT I WAS GETTING
A LITTLE BIT HOMESICK.

Fetchen:
THEN, NOT LONG AFTER THAT, WE
PULLED INTO LARRY McMURTRY'S,

WHICH WAS KIND OF A NICE,
MIDDLE-CLASS,

VERY TIDY NEIGHBORHOOD.

Babbs: LARRY LIVES IN THIS
UPPER-UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS

COLLEGIATE SECTION OF TOWN,

AND THIS ELECTRIC, MULTICOLORED
CIRCUS BUS SHOWS UP.

Stark: LARRY APPEARED AT THE BUS
WITH A LITTLE CHILD,

AND IT REMINDED ME
OF MY DAUGHTER.

I JUMPED OFF THE BUS

AND, I GUESS, MUCH TO HIS
AMAZEMENT, GRABBED THE BABY.

Fetchen:
AND SHE OPENS HER ARMS WIDE,

AND THE BLANKET THAT SHE HAD
WRAPPED AROUND HER DROPPED.

Walker: AND SHE'S
STANDING THERE STARK NAKED.

I THOUGHT SHE LOOKED JUST FINE,
AS A MATTER OF FACT.

I THINK IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM
FOR LARRY McMURTRY,

AS FAR AS HIS NEIGHBORS
WERE CONCERNED.

Fetchen:
THINGS JUST KIND OF CONTINUED
TO GO DOWNHILL FROM THEN ON.

Stark:
I GUESS I WAS GOING THROUGH
A THING WITH MICHAEL HAGEN.

AND IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN
HIS ATTENTION

THAT HE PAID TO OTHER WOMEN
THAT DISTURBED ME.

IT MUST'VE BEEN ABOUT 2:00
OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING.

I COULDN'T SLEEP,

AND I JUST FELT LIKE
KIND OF WALKING IT OFF.

I WAS IN A BAD MOOD, ACTUALLY,

AND I WENT OUT IN MY BARE FEET.

WHERE ARE YOU TAKING ME?
WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS?

DO MY FRIENDS KNOW I'M HERE?

THEY HELD ME IN A CELL
FOR A LITTLE WHILE,

THEN THEY HAD SOMEONE
COME TO TALK TO ME.

BY THIS TIME,
I WAS JUST A COMPLETE WRECK.

WHERE AM I?

Man:
YOU'RE IN A HOSPITAL.

PEOPLE WERE ASKING ME
A LOT OF STRANGE QUESTIONS,

AND I JUST DIDN'T
ANSWER ANY OF THEM --

EXCEPT I THINK I GAVE THEM
MY NAME, AND THAT WAS ALL.

NAME, RANK AND SERIAL NUMBER,
SO TO SPEAK.

RIGHT AROUND HERE
TO THE DESK.

YOU'RE IN A HOSPITAL.

HELLO, I'M A NURSE.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

Narrator:
WHAT HAPPENED TO STARK NAKED?

Fetchen: ONE OF HER FRIENDS
IN SAN FRANCISCO CAME OUT

AND GOT HER, AND SHE ENDED UP
GOING BACK HOME WITH HIM,

AND THAT WAS AS FAR
AS SHE GOT ON THE TRIP.

Cassady:
HURRY UP, HURRY UP, WE'LL GET
THERE IN THE NICK OF TIME.

HURRY UP, HURRY UP,
HURRY UP,

WE'LL GET THERE
IN THE NICK OF TIME.

Walker:
WE SORT OF ABANDONED HER.

WE FIGURED ANYBODY THAT COULDN'T
HOLD THEIR SHIT TOGETHER

JUST WASN'T
GONNA BE ABLE TO MAKE IT.

YOU KNOW, WE HAD A TRIP TO DO,
WE HAD TO KEEP MOVING.

Fetchen: AND IT ALSO
MADE ME NERVOUS, THINKING,

"WHO'S GONNA BE
LEFT BEHIND NEXT?

IS IT GONNA BE ME?"

Narrator:
WEREN'T YOU CONCERNED THAT THIS
TRIP WAS BEGINNING TO UNRAVEL?

Kesey: I'LL TELL YOU
A THING THAT I LEARNED

WHILE I WAS WORKING
IN THE ASYLUM

THAT I THINK
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING

I'VE EVER LEARNED.

EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE,
ALL THE POWER,

THE ATTENTION THAT YOU HAVE

COMES TO BEAR ON
EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING

AND DOESN'T DECIDE
WHETHER IT'S GOOD OR BAD,

JUST DECIDES THAT IT IS,

AND THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO
IS ENJOY THE RIDE.

Cassady: * HE'S COMING IN
TO NEW ORLEANS *

* WHEN THE SAINTS
GO MARCHING... *

* IN *

[ UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYS ]

Fetchen: WELL, CASSADY
WANTED TO SHOW US NEW ORLEANS

BECAUSE HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH IT,

AND HE WAS SO EXCITED
TO BE IN NEW ORLEANS.

IT WAS A BIG, BIG DEAL.

HE HAD HIS FAVORITE HAUNTS.
HE WAS KIND OF A TOUR GUIDE.

WE WENT DOWN TO THE HEART
OF THE JAZZ DISTRICT.

CASSADY WAS
A BIG JAZZ AFICIONADO.

HE LOVED JAZZ.

Kesey:
AH, THE OLD ABSINTHE BAR.

THE OLD ABSINTHE BAR.

I REMEMBER THAT
I WAS THERE ONCE.

I WAS THERE ONCE.

...WARM, 11:00 IN THE MORNING
ON CANAL STREET

IN NEW ORLEANS.

IT'S THIS FEELING OF EVERYTHING
MOVING SLOWER AND SLOWER...

SLOWER AND SLOWER,

CAUGHT IN SOME KIND OF
MOLASSES MIND WARP, WE WERE.

Zonker: THAT WAS WHERE
WE STARTED TO DRINK MINT JULEPS.

I THINK WE WENT
DOWN IN A BASEMENT, TOO.

Kesey: WE SAW -- SOMEBODY HAD
JUST MOVED INTO THE OTHER ROOM.

THERE WAS A PIANO.

AND HE WENT IN THERE AND SAT
DOWN, AND HE STARTED TO PLAY.

[ PIANO PLAYING ]

* MY BABY LEFT ME *

[ FLUTE PLAYING ]

* MY BABY LEFT ME
A LONG TIME AGO *

Zonker: I KNOW KESEY
WAS JUST CRAZY ABOUT HIM.

GOD, HE'D COME OVER
AND HE'D SAY,

"WOW, THIS GUY IS GREAT!"

HE WANTED TO TAKE HIM WITH US
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

* ...WALKED OUT THE DOOR *

Kesey: AIR'S STILL THICK
WITH DUST MOTES

SWIRLING AND FOLLOWING US
OUT THE DOOR

AND UP AND INTO --
ONTO THE BUS, AND THERE WE WENT,

"MOONLIGHT SINATRA"
BOARDING WITH US.

AND WE REALIZED WE GOT TO
DIP THIS SUCKER IN THE WATER

BEFORE HE GOES OFF.

SO WE SAID, "WE'RE GONNA FIND
SOME WATER," AND HE SAYS,

"GO TO LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN."

HE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS.
HE'D JUST HEARD ABOUT IT.

* LEAD *

* LEAD *

* LEAD ME ON *

* TO THE LIGHT *

Kesey: YOU REALLY LOOK AT THE
'60s AND WHAT STARTED THERE.

MUSIC WAS CHANGED FOREVER.

THE FEMINIST MOVEMENT
STARTED THERE,

THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.

WHILE WE WERE DRIVING THAT BUS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

MARTIN LUTHER KING WAS IN SELMA.

EITHER YOU GIVE THE NEGRO
HIS GOD-GIVEN RIGHT

AND HIS FREEDOM,

OR YOU FACE THE FACT

OF CONTINUAL SOCIAL DISRUPTION
AND SOCIAL CHAOS.

Fetchen: YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER,
THIS IS 1964,

AND IT'S RIGHT WHEN
THE CIVIL RIGHTS THING

WAS IN A VERY EARLY INFANCY,

SO WHITE-ONLY,
BLACK-ONLY CONSCIOUSNESS

WAS STILL REALLY PREVALENT
IN THE SOUTH.

AND THE STORY ABOUT
LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN WAS THAT

WE'D PULLED INTO
A BLACK-ONLY AREA, THE LAKE.

OF COURSE, THE PRANKSTERS
DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

THEY JUST PULLED UP TO THIS LAKE

BECAUSE THEY SAW IT
AND WANTED TO GO SWIMMING.

Walker: WE GOT OUT --
I'M LOADED ON ACID, RIGHT?

OKAY, AND ALL THESE OTHER GUYS
ARE LOADED ON ACID.

OKAY, HERE WE ARE.

I THINK I DON'T NOTICE
THAT ANYTHING IS ODD,

EVEN AT THIS POINT.

Walker: AS WE'RE SWIMMING AROUND
ON THIS HOT, HOT, HUMID

FIRST-DAY-OF-SUMMER
LOUISIANA DAY,

I REMEMBER LOOKING AROUND
THE SWIMMING HOLE

THAT WE'D ALL JUST
PRACTICALLY RAN AND JUMPED INTO.

I THOUGHT, "GOD, THERE'S A LOT
OF COLORED PEOPLE HERE,

"AND THERE'S NOT
VERY MANY WHITE PEOPLE.

WELL, THERE'S ONE AND THERE'S
ONE AND THERE'S ONE..."

AND I LOOKED AROUND,

AND I HAD THIS
SUDDEN REALIZATION

THAT I KNEW EVERY SINGLE ONE
OF THE WHITE PEOPLE

IN THAT SWIMMING HOLE.

AND THEN IT DAWNED ON ME.

"SHIT, WE JUST
INTEGRATED THIS PLACE."

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THIS WAVE OF PARANOIA
WENT THROUGH US ALL.

Burton: TALK ABOUT BEING IN THE
WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME.

THAT'S THE KIND OF THING THAT
COULD HAVE STARTED A RACE RIOT.

[ ENGINE TURNS OVER ]

Kesey:
I DON'T BELIEVE A WORD WAS SAID.

WE ALL JUST GRABBED EVERYTHING,
JUMPED ON THE BUS, AND LEFT.

Walker: BABBS JUST FELL DOWN IN
THE YARD IN PENSACOLA, FLORIDA.

WE WENT TO THIS PLACE
WHERE HIS OLD ROOMMATES

STILL LIVED IN PENSACOLA,

WHERE THEY'D BEEN
MARINES TOGETHER.

Fetchen: WE ARRIVED, AND BABBS'
MARINE BUDDY WAS STILL AT WORK,

AND SO KESEY HAD
THE IDEA OF MAKING

A LITTLE THEATRICAL THING
TO FILM.

THE SLIME QUEEN
WILL LEAD THE WAY!

[ ALL SHOUTING ]

Burton:
OH, THIS IS FUNNY.

I REMEMBER THIS REALLY WELL.

I CONSIDER THIS TO BE ONE
OF THE MOST FUCKED-UP DAYS

ON THE WHOLE TRIP.

BEING PREGNANT, I WAS MISERABLE.

IT WAS JUST REALLY HOT,

AND THERE WAS NO REASON
TO BE THERE,

AND THERE'S NOTHING TO DO,
SO WE DID THIS.

I WAS TRYING TO BE COOPERATIVE,

BUT I CAN TELL YOU THAT IT
REALLY HAD NOTHING GOING FOR ME.

Zonker: THIS IS SOME KIND
OF ABSURD DANCE, AS I RECALL.

I ENJOYED IT.

I JUST WISH I COULD'VE PLAYED
THE TROMBONE BETTER.

Burton:
PLAYING THOSE INSTRUMENTS.

GOD DAMN IT.

SOMEBODY STARTS PLAYING THE
SAXOPHONE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

WELL, THEY WANT IT TO SOUND
LIKE JOHN COLTRANE.

WELL, THEY'RE NOT GONNA
SOUND LIKE JOHN COLTRANE.

THAT'S WHAT MADE ME SO MAD.

THEY THOUGHT THEY WOULD
JUST BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO.

BUT YOU DON'T.
IT TAKES PRACTICE.

Kesey: HERE'S BABBS' FRIEND
FROM VIETNAM WHO ROLLS IN.

AH, PLEASED
TO MEET YOU, SIR.

YES, INDEED,
IT'S BEEN QUITE SOME TIME.

YES, IT'S A LITTLE
STRANGE SINCE THE CORPS,

DON'T YOU THINK?
UH-HUH.

I'VE CHANGED MY UNIFORM
SLIGHTLY.

AND THIS IS
MY NEW BATTALION.

YES, QUITE.

YEAH, WE'VE GIVEN UP
HELICOPTERS.

MOST OF THESE GUYS
CAN ONLY FLY AT NIGHT.

SO WE'VE GIVEN UP HELICOPTERS
AND WE NOW TRAVEL BY BUS.

IT'S SLOWER
BUT MORE DELIBERATE.

Cassady: WE MUST PRESS ONWARD
AT ALL FORWARD SPEED, FAST.

AHEAD FAST LAKE.

TENNIS ANYONE?
TENNIS?

OHH!

WHERE IN THE HELL
ARE WE?

Kesey: WELL, NOW,
JOHN, JOHN BABBS.

JOHN BABBS BECAME KIND OF
THE SEMI-QUASI NAVIGATOR,

AND BECAME KNOWN
AS "SOMETIMES MISSING,"

BECAUSE ONE TIME WHEN HE WAS
MAPPING US THROUGH ONE TOWN,

WE WENT THROUGH ANOTHER,

AND WHEN EVERYBODY GOT OFF
THE BUS TO TAKE A LEAK

AND WENT ON AGAIN,
HE WASN'T THERE,

AND NOBODY NOTICED IT
TILL ABOUT 100 MILES LATER.

BUT THEN, AS WE TURNED AROUND
TO GO PICK HIM UP,

HERE CAME A CAR
AND HE JUMPED OUT.

HE HAD HITCHHIKED
AND CAUGHT UP WITH US.

Fetchen:
JOHN BABBS WAS IN THE BACKSEAT
WAVING HIS ARMS LIKE THIS

AND TRYING TO GET OUR ATTENTION.

SO WE PULLED OVER
AND PICKED HIM UP.

THAT'S HOW HE GOT THE NAME
"SOMETIMES MISSING."

* WELL *

* YOU KNOW YOU TOOK MY HEART *

Cassady:
WELCOME TO NEW JERSEY.

SPEED 50.

NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE.

* YEAH, YEAH *

Burton:
IN A WAY, CASSADY SAW HIMSELF

AS A GUARDIAN OF THAT TRIP,
AND HE WAS.

HE WAS DRIVING, BUT HE WAS NOT
MASTERMINDING THE SITUATION.

THAT WAS KESEY'S TRIP.

[ SIREN WAILS ]

Walker: PEOPLE FOLLOWING HIM
ALL THE TIME,

EGGING HIM ON TO GREATER
HEIGHTS OF SELF-INDULGENCE.

AND HE ALWAYS DID IT,

HE ALWAYS TRIED TO BE
MORE OF THIS HERO

THAT WAS THIS SELF-INDULGENT,
"ON THE ROAD," EPIC LEGEND.

[ HORN HONKING ]

YES, SIR.

LICENSE
AND REGISTRATION.

OF COURSE!

WHERE YOU HEADING?

I THINK IT'S
MADISON AVENUE.

Kesey: WE ALL LEARNED
A GREAT DEAL FROM NEAL CASSADY.

THIS IS A GUY
THAT KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING,

AND THIS IS HIS MEDIUM.

IT'S WORDS, IT'S CARS,
AND IT'S DRUGS.

YES, SIR,
AND THAT'S WHY --
BACK ON THE BUS.

EVERYBODY
GET BACK ON THE BUS!

I DON'T WANT TO SEE
ANYBODY OUT HERE.

WE COULD ALL DO MAKING NOISE,
HITTING STICKS TOGETHER,

BUT TO BE ABLE TO USE THE MOST
ADVANCED OF INSTRUMENTS,

WHICH IS OUR MIND AND OUR VOICE.

CASSADY COULD DO IT BETTER
THAN ANYBODY, USING WORDS.

* LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 *

Walker:
HE WAS LIKE A BUS DRIVER
COMING INTO HIS LAND.

YOU KNOW, HE'D SPENT A LOT
OF TIME IN THE EAST.

HE WASN'T FROM NEW YORK.
HE WAS FROM DENVER.

BUT HE'D SPENT A LOT OF TIME
BACK THERE,

YOU KNOW, BACK IN THE DAYS,
WITH KEROUAC AND GINSBERG

AND THOSE GUYS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK
HE FIRST LEARNED TO DRIVE

AS A PARKING-LOT ATTENDANT IN
NEW YORK, AS A MATTER OF FACT.

* I HELD MY NOSE,
I CLOSED MY EYES *

* I TOOK A DRINK *

* I DIDN'T KNOW
IF IT WAS DAY OR NIGHT... *

[ WHISTLE BLOWING,
INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

* ...BUT WHEN I KISSED A COP
DOWN AT 34th AND VINE... *

EXIT 9, EXIT 9.

* LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 *

LOVE POTION NUMBER 9.

I LOST LOVE POTION NUMBER 9.

LOOK, THERE'S THE EMPIRE
STATE BUILDING, DEAD AHEAD.

SEVEN MILES, FIVE MILES --

SEVEN -- POSSIBILITY --
SEVEN MILES, EMPIRE.

MANHATTAN ON YOUR RIGHT.

Fetchen: WELL, COMING
INTO NEW YORK WAS EXCITING

BECAUSE THAT WAS
OUR DESTINATION.

Cassady:
WELCOME TO THE BRONX.

Fetchen:
I WAS THERE, THIS WAS IT.

I'D MADE IT TO NEW YORK.

Zonker:
WHAT AN UNNATURAL ENVIRONMENT
WHEN YOU LOOK AT NEW YORK,

WITH THE STREETS AND THE CARS.

[ COUGHS ]

* LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 *

* LOVE POTION NUMBER 9 *

Woman: WE ARE THE MERRY BAND
OF PRANKSTERS.

Fetchen:
WHEN WE WENT INTO NEW YORK CITY,
WE WERE ALL ON TOP OF THE BUS

PLAYING INSTRUMENTS AND
TOOTLING AROUND TO EVERYBODY.

IT WAS A LOT OF FUN
INTERACTING WITH THE PEOPLE.

* YOU WOMEN HAVE
HEARD OF JALOPIES *

* YOU'VE HEARD THE NOISE
THEY MAKE *

* BUT LET ME
INTRODUCE MY NEW ROCKET 88 *

* YES, IT'S GREAT,
JUST WON'T WAIT *

* EVERYBODY LIKES MY ROCKET 88 *

* BABY, WE'LL RIDE IN STYLE *

* MOVIN' ALL ALONG *

Stone:
YOU KNOW, I GOT ON THE BUS
WHEN IT PULLED UP IN NEW YORK,

AND WE'D DRIVE
ALL OVER NEW YORK.

IT SURE FELT LIKE
YOU WERE IN AN AQUARIUM

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLASS.

Kesey: THE PUBLIC ALWAYS GRINNED
WHEN THEY SAW THAT BUS.

IT'S LIKE KIDS
WHEN THEY SEE AN EASTER EGG.

IT'S SIMPLE.

THERE IT IS.
IT'S COLORED. IT'S AN EGG.

NOBODY FELT THE SLIGHTEST BIT
THREATENED BY IT.

Stone: KEN REALLY BELIEVED
THAT THINGS COULD BE CHANGED,

THAT CONSCIOUSNESS
COULD BE CHANGED.

HE SAW HIMSELF AS A KIND OF
LIBERATOR FOR THE GENERATION,

AND HE SAW THE BUS TRIP
AS A KIND OF GOING TO NEW YORK,

A KIND OF, YOU KNOW,
NAPOLEON GOES TO PARIS.

Kesey:
THE BEST THE BUS EVER WAS WAS
WHEN WE DROVE THROUGH HARLEM.

HAD ALL THESE PEOPLE

RUNNING OUT AND FOLLOWING US
ALONG IN HARLEM,

ALL THESE KIDS.

Narrator: SOME TWO WEEKS LATER,
THE BUS HAS SOMEHOW MANAGED

TO GET ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

AND, ONCE AGAIN,
YOU ENCOUNTERED THE BUS.

Scott:
YES, 1239 MADISON AVENUE

WAS WHERE THIS APARTMENT WAS
THAT I KNEW ABOUT.

THE NEXT MORNING,
THE PRANKSTERS SHOWED UP.

AND THEY ALL CAME IN

WITH ABOUT 500 POUNDS
OF EQUIPMENT.

I MEAN, THEY JUST HAD WIRES
AND CAMERAS AND LIGHTS,

AND IT WAS INSTANTLY STREWN

FROM ONE END OF THE APARTMENT
TO THE OTHER.

IT LOOKED LIKE THE BUS!

IT LOOKED LIKE
THE INSIDE OF THE BUS.

AND SO, THAT NIGHT,
THERE WAS THIS FANTASTIC PARTY

THAT GOT SORT OF OUT OF HAND,

AND THE POOR DOORMAN
KEPT COMING UP

AND SAYING
EVERYBODY WAS COMPLAINING,

AND IT WENT ON
AND ON AND ON AND ON.

[ INDISTINCT SINGING ]

AND EVERYONE WAS VERY EXCITED
THAT KEROUAC WAS THERE,

AND HE WAS GETTING REALLY
DRUNK, AND GINSBERG CAME.

Ginsberg: "I SAW THE BEST MINDS
OF MY GENERATION

"DESTROYED BY MADNESS,
STARVING, HYSTERICAL, NAKED,

"DRAGGING THEMSELVES THROUGH
THE NEGRO STREETS AT DAWN

LOOKING FOR AN ANGRY FIX..."

Kesey:
GINSBERG IS LIKE A SPONGE.

HE CAN SOP UP ALL OUR POISONS.

I BOUGHT THE RECORD "HOWL,"

AND HE WAS KIND OF LIKE
A FOLK SINGER, TO ME,

MORE THAN A POET.

I KNEW THE SOUND OF HIM READING

BEFORE I READ ANY OF HIS STUFF.

Ginsberg: "...SAT UP SMOKING
IN THE SUPERNATURAL DARKNESS

"OF COLD WATER FLATS

FLOATING ACROSS THE TOPS OF
CITIES, CONTEMPLATING JAZZ..."

Kesey: AND WHEN WE
HEADED OFF ON THE BUS,

IT WAS ONLY NATURAL
THAT WE SHOULD HEAD TO NEW YORK

AND TRY TO FIND
GINSBERG AND KEROUAC.

Fetchen: UNFORTUNATELY, IT
WASN'T LIKE MEETING THE AUTHOR.

IT WAS MORE LIKE,

SEE IF WE CAN GET HIM
TO RESPOND TO OUR ANTICS.

WHICH DIDN'T HAPPEN.

HE WAS NOT ENTHUSED
WITH OUR CRAZINESS.

Burton: THE THING YOU GOT TO
REALIZE ABOUT KEROUAC,

IT WAS LIKE HE WAS
ALREADY SORT OF AN OLD GUY

AND KIND OF OUT OF IT.

HE WAS ALREADY CRYSTALLIZED.

HE WAS KIND OF A SAD CHARACTER.

Kesey: WE HAD BEEN ACCEPTED
BY THE OLD GUNFIGHTERS.

YOU KNOW, THIS WAS THE REAL
HEAVIES IN OUR MYTHOLOGIES --

KEROUAC, CASSADY, GINSBERG.

Burton: NEAL WAS MORE
ON THE RIGHT TRACK

WHEN HE GOT STARTED
WITH THE BEAT MOVEMENT.

Kesey: KEROUAC AND I MET HIM
IN '45, SO HE WAS ONLY 20 THEN,

AND WITHIN THAT YEAR,

HE AND I HAD A ROMANCE THAT
LASTED...ON AND OFF, FOR...

WELL, TILL -- AT LEAST,
I THINK THE LAST TIME

WE WERE IN BED TOGETHER
WAS '66,

SO THAT'S 21 YEARS.

Burton: I GOT A WHOLE THEORY
ABOUT THIS MAN.

WHAT HE WAS
WAS THE REAL SMART CATHOLIC BOY

WHO GOT SUCKED UP BY KEROUAC.

BUT HE WAS REAL POETIC, LIKE
ALL THESE IRISH CATHOLICS ARE,

AND HE GOT IN WITH SOME POETS
AND HE GOT ASPIRATIONS.

AND SOMEBODY PLANTS A LITTLE
SEED OF HOW GREAT YOU COULD BE

BECAUSE YOU'RE SO GREAT,
SO -- SO SEXY, SO POETIC.

HE FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT IDEA,

WHICH WAS SOMETHING
HE COULDN'T POSSIBLY ACHIEVE.

SO THEN HE WAS
SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO WORLDS.

HE COULDN'T CREATE ANYTHING
FOR HIMSELF.

HE COULDN'T GET IT TOGETHER WITH
A LADY AND HAVE A GOOD FAMILY.

HE COULDN'T GO OFF AND BE
A FAGGOT WITH GINSBERG.

HE COULDN'T BE ANYTHING.

IT'S AN EXACT MIMICRY
OF GINSBERG 20 YEARS AGO.

GINSBERG
USED TO BE WILD.

GINSBERG'S
SO COOL NOW.

HE USED TO RUN OVER
COLUMBIAN ROOFTOPS

WAVING GENITALS
AND MANUSCRIPTS.

Scott: THE WHOLE POINT
OF THE TRIP, SUPPOSEDLY --

AT LEAST IN THE BEGINNING --

WAS THAT EVERYONE WAS
GONNA GO TO THE FAIR.

ALL THE PRANKSTERS
WERE SO EXCITED.

THIS DAY, WE DROVE TO THE FAIR,

AND IT WAS LIKE THE HOTTEST
29th OF JUNE THAT EVER HAD BEEN.

Man: PRACTICALLY EVERYBODY IN
THE WORLD IS COMING TO THE FAIR.

* I MADE MY RESERVATION *

* I'M LEAVING TOWN TOMORROW *

* I'LL FIND SOMEBODY NEW AND *

* THERE'LL BE NO MORE SORROW *

* THAT'S WHAT I DO EACH TIME *

* BUT I CAN'T FOLLOW THROUGH *

* I CAN'T BREAK AWAY *

* THOUGH YOU MAKE ME CRY *

* I CAN'T BREAK AWAY... *

WELCOME TO THE WORLD
OF TOMORROW.

Scott: WELL, SEE,
THE WHOLE IDEA --

THIS IS WHAT DROVE ME
UP THE WALL --

WAS IT WAS GOING TO
BE MADE INTO A MOVIE

OF EVERYBODY RUNNING ABOUT
AT THE FAIR.

WELL, NOBODY KEPT TOGETHER.
THERE WAS NOTHING TO FILM.

IT WAS ALL JUST SO DISPERSED.

Kesey:
WE LOST SOMETIMES MISSING AGAIN.
THAT'S WHAT ALWAYS HAPPENS.

Scott: KEN AND BABBS
WERE SO MANIC AND SO HIGH.

THEY DRANK THIS
VILE YELLOW CONCOCTION.

SWASHBUCKLER,
I'LL PULL OUT MY SWORD.

Fetchen: WELL, OF COURSE,
THE ONE THING I WANTED TO SEE

WAS WHERE THE WATER BALLET
WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN.

MY WHOLE REASON
FOR GOING TO NEW YORK

WAS TO TRY TO LOCATE
A JOB POSSIBILITY.

BABBS AND I SEARCHED

AND FINALLY FOUND
THIS BEAUTIFUL POOL

AND FOUND OUT THEY HAD CANCELED
THE WHOLE WATER BALLET.

Man:
AND THESE SAME PEOPLE PROBABLY
ALSO TAKE IN THE EXHIBIT

WHERE THE WIZARDRY
OF MODERN CHEMISTRY

IS PRESENTED
WITH ENTERTAINING SHOWMANSHIP.

* BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER
LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY *

* FOR THE FINER WORLD WE WANT *

* BETTER THINGS FOR BETTER
LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY *

* THAT'S THE PROMISE OF DuPont *

Fetchen:
THE FAIR WAS TRIPPY AND GREAT.

WHEN YOU'RE HIGH,
THE MORE VARIETY, THE BETTER.

Man: YOU ARE ABOUT TO TAKE
A JOURNEY OUT OF THIS WORLD

INTO THE WORLD OF THE FUTURE.

FORGET THE WORLD AROUND YOU.
FORGET THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.

YOU ARE ENTERING FUTURAMA,

ALONE WITH YOUR OWN THOUGHTS.

Stone: THE WORLD'S FAIR WAS ON,
WHICH WAS A GREAT THING.

IT WAS A VISION
OF THE FUTURE OF AMERICA,

AND I -- KEN SAW IT THAT WAY.

THE IRONY IS
THAT CURVED, FINNED,

CORPORATE AMERICA
"TOMORROWLAND,"

AS PRESENTED
AT THE 1964 WORLD'S FAIR,

WAS OVER BEFORE IT BEGAN.

'64 -- THINGS WERE CHANGING.

WE DIDN'T KNOW
THAT WORLD'S FAIRS

WERE A THING OF THE PAST.

* I CAN'T BREAK AWAY *

* THOUGH YOU MAKE ME CRY *

* I CAN'T BREAK AWAY... *

Kesey: BY THEN,

THE TRIP BECAME MORE IMPORTANT
THAN THE DESTINATION.

NEVER MIND WHERE WE'RE GOING,

IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE
WHERE YOU'RE GOING.

THE WHOLE NOTION OF THE TRIP,

TAKING ACID TRIP,
CAME OUT OF THAT SUMMER.

Man: THE EFFECT IS SOMEWHAT LIKE
LOOKING THROUGH A MICROSCOPE.

SUDDENLY, WHEN YOU LOOK
THROUGH A MICROSCOPE,

YOU DISCOVER THAT THERE'S
AN INVISIBLE WORLD AROUND YOU

THAT YOU HADN'T KNOWN ABOUT
BEFORE YOU DID IT.

THE SAME THING IS TRUE
OF THE PSYCHEDELIC DRUG.

* TIMOTHY LEARY'S DEAD *

Narrator:
AFTER THE DISAPPOINTMENT
OF THE WORLD'S FAIR,

YOU HEADED TO
TIMOTHY LEARY'S COMPOUND,

THE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
FOR INTERNAL FREEDOM.

WAS IT CALLED "IFIF"?

Fetchen:
IFIF.

IT WAS LIKE A 4,000-ACRE
FARM OUTSIDE OF POUGHKEEPSIE

IN MILLBROOK, NEW YORK.

Leary:
WE TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO TURN ON,

OR HOW TO GO OUT OF THEIR MINDS.

BY "TURN ON,"
WE MEAN TUNE IN,

TO GET BEYOND
YOUR ROUTINE WAYS OF THINKING

AND ACTING AND EXPERIENCING.

* TIMOTHY LEARY'S DEAD *

Fetchen: GINSBERG IS THE ONE
THAT SET IT ALL UP

BECAUSE HE KNEW
THOSE GUYS AT IFIF

AND HE THOUGHT IT
WOULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY

FOR US TO MEET EACH OTHER.

IT WAS LIKE
THE WEST COAST ACIDHEADS

MEETING THE EAST COAST
ACIDHEADS

AND HAVING A POWWOW.

Kesey:
WE PULLED INTO THEIR SCENE,
MAKING A LOT OF NOISE.

WE SET OFF THESE SMOKE GRENADES.

Cassady:
SMOKE-BOMB DELIGHT.

Man:
SMOKE-BOMB DELIGHT.

PRANKSTERS
AT THE VERY CASTLE.

[ FANFARE PLAYS ]

AND I HAVE TO INFORM YOU,
JUST WHAT'S EXACTLY GOING ON?

Kesey: WE'RE HIGH AND THEY'RE
COMING DOWN, IS WHAT'S GOING ON.

* TIMOTHY LEARY *

Alpert: YOU KNOW,
THAT QUIET TIME AFTER A TRIP

WHEN YOU JUST WANT TO BE
VERY MELLOW,

AND UP DRIVES THE BUS
WITH THESE SPEED FREAKS,

AND THEY COME TO HAVE FUN
AND PLAY WITH FLUTES AND --

EVERYBODY IN THE HOUSE
TOOK ONE LOOK AND FLED,

LEAVING ME TO WELCOME THEM.

[ CHUCKLES ]

* SO RAISE YOUR GLASS,
WE'LL DRINK A TOAST *

* TO THE LITTLE MAN WHO SELLS
YOU THRILLS ALONG THE PIER *

Kesey:
THE WHOLE MILLBROOK SCENE,

IT WAS JUST THE OTHER END
OF THE SAME STICK, I THINK.

WE WERE "SCUFFY"
AND DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY

AND PULLED INTO THIS MANSION,
WHICH WAS UPPER CRUST.

WE FELT A KINSHIP TO THEM,

BUT WE COULD ALSO TELL THAT THEY
WERE WISHING THAT WE'D LEAVE.

Fetchen: WHAT EVERYBODY
ANTICIPATED DIDN'T TURN OUT,

IT KIND OF FIZZLED.

WE WAITED ALL DAY FOR LEARY TO
SHOW UP, AND HE JUST AVOIDED US.

AND THEN HE SORT OF DISAPPEARED
WITH CASSADY,

AND CASSADY WENT UPSTAIRS
AND HUNG OUT WITH --

THEY DIDN'T WANT US
TO GO UPSTAIRS.

ALPERT WAS VERY FRIENDLY.
HE WAS THERE.

Zonker: JUST LISTENING
TO ALPERT TALK, MAN,

IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS
A FUCKING CRAZY MAN.

ALL OF MY GAMES WERE, LIKE,
GOING OFF INTO THE DISTANCE.

I GOT THIS TERRIBLE PANIC

BECAUSE, INDEED,
I WAS GONNA CEASE TO EXIST.

AND I GOT THE PANIC,
WHICH IS THE PANIC

THAT PRECEDES
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DEATH,

BECAUSE, INDEED,
RICHARD ALPERT WAS DYING.

Zonker: THESE PEOPLE SCARED
THE SHIT OUT OF ME, MAN.

Fetchen: THEY WERE VERY CLINICAL
AND CONTROLLED,

AND WE WERE REALLY FREE-FORM.

WE WERE THE EXPLORERS,
AND THEY WERE THE SCIENTISTS.

AND SO WE JUST ENTERTAINED
OURSELVES AT THIS WATERFALL.

* SHAKE IT UP, BABY, NOW *

* SHAKE IT UP, BABY *

* TWIST AND SHOUT *

* COME ON
AND TWIST AND SHOUT *

* COME ON, BABY, NOW *

* COME ON, BABY *

AND THAT'S WHERE
KATHY VAN LEEUWEN

GOT HER NICKNAME,
"SENSUOUS EXPERIENCE."

Babbs: SENSUOUS X,
YES, I REMEMBER HER WELL.

HER NAME WAS IMPLIED
IN HER VERY BEARING --

THAT IS TO SAY,
HER BODILY EXAMPLE.

Fetchen: KATHY WAS ZONKER'S
GIRLFRIEND IN COLLEGE,

AND THAT'S WHY
ZONKER WENT ON THE TRIP.

* SHAKE IT UP, BABY, NOW *

Zonker: SENSUOUS.
OH, MY GOD, LOOK AT HER.

OH, SHE'S SO MUCH LIKE
MARILYN MONROE, RIGHT?

* COME ON, COME ON,
COME ON, BABY, NOW *

* COME ON, BABY *

Zonker: NOW, I'M WONDERING,
AT THIS POINT,

WHETHER MY GIRLFRIEND HAS BEEN

HAVING SEX WITH THESE PEOPLE
OR NOT.

Fetchen:
AND THAT'S THE POINT AT WHICH
KESEY STARTED FLIRTING WITH HER,

TRYING TO GET HER ATTENTION,

AND HE DID GET HER ATTENTION.

* HAVE YOU *

* EVER HEARD THE STORY ABOUT *

* PEGGY THE PISTOL? *

Zonker:
HE SAYS, "ALL MY DOPE IS YOURS,"
AS HE'S FUCKING MY GIRLFRIEND.

THANKS, KESEY.

I WANTED TO GET OUT OF NEW YORK
AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE,

AND I WAS BASICALLY TELLING HER
THAT SHE COULD GET ON THE BUS,

BUT I WAS GONE.

BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT
I REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO

LEAVE HER
WITH ALL THESE FUCKERS.

Fetchen:
WHEN THEY WERE GETTING READY TO
LEAVE TOWN, I HAD TO DECIDE,

YOU KNOW, WAS I GONNA STAY,
OR WAS I GONNA GO?

AT THAT POINT, I WAS STILL
PLANNING ON STAYING TO WORK.

[ Laughing ]
IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THAT WAY.

I GOT SUCKED INTO THE PRANKSTER
SCENE TOO MUCH, TOO HEAVILY.

SO I STAYED ON THE BUS.

Burton:
I WASN'T THERE ON THE WAY BACK.

I WAS SO HAPPY TO BE OFF OF IT.

Fetchen: COMING BACK'S
A WHOLE 'NOTHER TRIP.

CASSADY --
HE DIDN'T COME BACK WITH US.

Zonker:
THE TRIP ACROSS WAS BASICALLY

LENGTHS OF NEAL'S
DRIVING CONSCIOUSNESS,

AND THEN, ON THE WAY BACK,

SUDDENLY THE DRIVING DUTIES
WERE THRUST UPON THE REST OF US.

Fetchen: EVERYBODY TOOK TURNS --
THE GUYS, ANYWAY.

THAT WAS ON THE WAY BACK.

WE JUST STARTED DRIVING THE BUS
DOWN THIS ABANDONED DIRT ROAD

AND ENDED UP
AT THIS INCREDIBLE LAKE,

AND THERE WAS NOBODY THERE
BUT US.

WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO
FIND A SPOT TO TAKE I.T.-290.

Kesey:
WELL, I.T.-290 WAS FAMOUS.

THAT'S THE ROLLS-ROYCE
OF PSYCHEDELICS.

Fetchen:
KESEY HAD STOLEN A JAR.

HE CLAIMED IT WAS THE LAST JAR
OF I.T.-290 ON THE PLANET.

AND SO HE WANTED
A VERY SPECIAL PLACE

FOR EVERYBODY TO TAKE IT.

SO WE BUILT A LITTLE FIRE
AND MADE A LITTLE CAMPGROUND

AND POPPED THE I.T.-290
AND HAD THE TRIP.

OH, IT WAS WONDERFUL,
IT WAS EVEN BETTER THAN ACID.

IT'S A HALLUCINOGEN,
BUT VERY CALM.

ACID CAN HAVE A HARD EDGE
TO IT SOMETIMES,

BUT THIS IS VERY CALMING.

COLORS VERY VIVID.

IT WAS VERY COMMUNAL,

IN THAT YOU FELT
CONNECTED TO EVERYBODY.

Kesey: I THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS
AS AMERICAN AS YOU COULD GET,

BECAUSE WE WERE
EXPLORING A NEW TERRITORY,

JUST THE SAME WAY
WE WENT TO THE MOON

OR SENT LEWIS AND CLARK
EXPEDITION HERE TO OREGON.

IT WAS PART
OF OUR AMERICAN PERSONALITY.

YOU FIND A CAVE,

NOBODY'S BEEN IN IT,
YOU GO IN IT.

YOU TRY TO GO DOWN
DEEPER INTO THE OCEAN

AND UP HIGHER IN THE SKY,

AND THESE DRUGS WERE OPENING
A DOOR TO NEW LANDSCAPES.

ONCE YOU'RE THROUGH THAT DOOR

AND YOU LOOK OUT INTO
THIS VAST ROOM

WITH ALL THESE
WINDOWS ONTO NEW VISTAS,

YOU BECOME TREMENDOUSLY EXCITED

AND WANT TO DO WHAT YOU CAN
TO EXPLORE IT,

BECAUSE YOU COULD LOOK AROUND
AND YOU SAW

THAT THERE WEREN'T
HUMAN FOOTPRINTS

ALL OVER THIS LANDSCAPE.

* I SAW HER
STANDING ON THE CORNER *

Narrator: HOW DID THE DYNAMICS
ON THE BUS CHANGE

WHEN SOME OF THE WIVES
JOINED THE TRIP BACK?

Walker: AT ONE POINT,
IT GOT ALL COUPLES.

AT ONE POINT, THERE WERE
14 OF US ON THE BUS,

7 MEN AND 7 WOMEN.

LOTS OF THEM WERE MARRIED,

BUT NOT TO THE PERSON
THAT THEY WERE COUPLING WITH.

I REMEMBER ONE MORNING, WE WOKE
UP, AND EVERYBODY WAS FUCKING.

THE WHOLE BUS WAS SHAKING.

* YOU'RE THE ONE *

* YOU'RE THE ONE *

* YOU'RE THE ONE *

* YOUNG GIRL *

Zonker: IT GOT A LOT HEAVIER
ON THE WAY BACK.

THAT WAS FERVOR-PITCH STUFF.

I THINK I TALKED WITH KESEY

ABOUT OUR
FUCKING STRANGE SITUATION.

THE THING WAS WEIRD, MAN,

BUT YOU COULDN'T BE MAD AT HIM.

HE WAS REALLY COMPASSIONATE.

I LIKED SENSUOUS,

AND THAT WAS
THE MOST DIFFICULT PART IS,

HAVING BEEN LOVERS,

NOT BEING LOVERS ANYMORE
AND CONTINUING TO BE FRIENDS.

* I CAN'T GET YOU
OUT OF MY MIND *

Walker:
THE THING THAT CREATES PROBLEMS

IN ALL THOSE HUSBAND-AND-WIFE
TRIANGLE SITUATIONS

IS EVERYBODY'S HANG-UP
WITH THEIR OWN ATTACHMENT

TO SOME KIND OF BELIEF
OF THE WAY IT OUGHT TO BE.

Kesey: WHEN I CAME THROUGH
YELLOWSTONE PARK WITH THIS BUS,

I SAW A SIGN THAT SAID,
"BEWARE OF THE BEAR,"

AND SOMETHING CLICKED
WHEN I SAW THIS,

AND I THOUGHT,
"THERE'S THE PROBLEM.

"THERE'S THE WHOLE HANG-UP
THAT STOPS ME FROM WRITING,

"STOPS PEOPLE FROM SINGING,
STOPS PEOPLE FROM LIVING.

"'BEWARE OF THE BEAR.'
WHAT DID THAT USED TO MEAN?

"IT USED TO MEAN
BE AWARE OF THE BEAR.

NOW IT MEANS BE SCARED OF HIM."

THIS LITTLE PIECE OF KNOWLEDGE,

YOU CAN PLUG IT INTO ANY PERSON

WHO IS NOW BEING HASSLED WITH
THE WAY THE WORLD IS CHANGING.

GOLDWATER AND HIS BUNCH
ARE SCARED.

THAT EXTREMISM...

IN THE DEFENSE OF LIBERTY...

IS NO VICE.

Kesey:
THERE'S SOMETHING HAPPENING

THAT IS SCARING THESE PEOPLE.

WHICH MEANS THAT SOMETHING
IS HAPPENING THAT'S SO NEW,

THEY'RE SCARED BEYOND
ANY POWERS OF REASONING.

8, 9...

Man:
10, 9, 8, 7...

6, 5, 4, 3...

2, 1, ZERO!

THESE ARE THE STAKES --

TO MAKE A WORLD IN WHICH
ALL OF GOD'S CHILDREN CAN LIVE

OR TO GO INTO THE DARK.

WE MUST EITHER
LOVE EACH OTHER...

OR WE MUST DIE.

Announcer:
VOTE FOR PRESIDENT JOHNSON
ON NOVEMBER 3rd.

THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH
FOR YOU TO STAY HOME.

Kesey:
ALL THE THEMES OF MY WORK
HAVE TO DO WITH AMERICA --

TRAVELING ACROSS THIS LAND,

COMING TO THIS EDGE,
AND THEN WHAT?

Man: MY MEMBRANES HAVE PASSED
INTO AN OXYGENATION STATE.

Kesey: AFTER WE GOT BACK TO
LA HONDA, AFTER THE BUS TRIP,

WE HAD A VERY PURPOSEFUL RITUAL

TO GET OUT
FROM UNDER THIS BUS THING.

WE TOOK ALL OF OUR BUS CLOTHES

AND PUT THEM IN A PILE
AND SET FIRE TO THEM,

'CAUSE I WANTED
TO BE DONE WITH IT.

I WANTED TO GET BACK
TO BUSINESS.

I HAD BOOKS TO WRITE
AND KIDS TO RAISE.

BUT IT WOULDN'T DIE.

PEOPLE JUST KEPT COMING AROUND.

Man: LIKE LITTLE JACKRABBITS
GAILY CROSSING THE PASTURE

THAT MORNING, SO...

Babbs: WHAT HAPPENED WITH US,
WE WERE MAKING THAT MOVIE

AND PRETTY SOON, ON SATURDAYS,
WHEN WE SHOWED IT,

PEOPLE WERE COMING
TO SEE WHAT IT WAS.

Man: ...AND THE RED BARN
AND THE KIDS ON THE BEACH

IN THE STREAM SAYING...

Fetchen:
WE REALLY DIDN'T PROJECT IT
UNTIL I'D FINISHED EDITING IT,

REEL TO REEL,
IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.

AND WE SHOWED IT FROM BEGINNING
TO END WITHOUT STOPPING,

SO 30 HOURS STRAIGHT.

AND SO, FOR PART OF IT,

EVERYBODY SLEPT THROUGH IT,
OF COURSE.

CASSADY, OF COURSE --
HE TOOK SPEED --

WAS AWAKE AND WAS THE ONE WHO
ENDED UP RUNNING THE PROJECTOR

AND TALKING VERY SOFTLY --

"AND NOW WE'RE COMING
TO NEW YORK."

ENJOYING EVERY SECOND OF IT.

BUT HE WAS THE ONLY ONE AWAKE.

ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY WAS ASLEEP.

Man:
HE'S OUT OF HIS NUT!

Kesey: EVERY SATURDAY, THEY'D
COME AROUND MORE AND MORE,

BECAUSE WE WOULD DO
THESE SATURDAY-NIGHT TRIPS.

AND FINALLY, THERE WERE
JUST TOO MANY COMING AROUND.

I REALIZED, "I GOT TO
GET THIS OUT OF MY HOUSE

"BECAUSE OTHERWISE, THEN I'LL
BE CLEANING UP ALL WEEK LONG

FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE."

SO WE JUST SAID,
"OKAY, NEXT TIME,

WE'RE GONNA DO THIS IN
SANTA CRUZ AT BABBS' HOUSE."

WHICH IS REALLY THE BEGINNING
OF THE ACID TESTS.

* EVERYWHERE
AND ALL OF THE TIME *

* IT'S BENDING MY MIND *

AND THEN, AFTER THAT, HE SAID,
"I DON'T WANT IT AT MY PLACE."

HE SAID, "OKAY, NEXT TIME,
WE'LL DO IT IN SAN JOSE."

SO, EACH TIME, WE JUST SAID,

"NEXT WEEK, ON SATURDAY,
IT'LL BE HAPPENING THERE."

* I'M FLYING DOWN
DESERTED STREETS *

* WRAPPED IN MOTHER'S
WINDING SHEETS *

* ASBESTOS BOOTS
ON FLAMING FEET *

* DREAMING OF FORBIDDEN TREATS *

* WHEN UNIFORMS
ON NIGHTTIME BEATS ASK ME *

WHEN WE STARTED
DOING THE ACID TEST,

WE TOOK ON THE DEAD
AS SORT OF OUR BACKUP BAND.

* I CAN'T COME DOWN *

* IT'S PLAIN TO SEE *

Garcia: WE'D HEARD ABOUT
KESEY AND THE BUS,

THEY'D BEEN DOING OUTRAGEOUS
THINGS FOR QUITE A WHILE

AND HAD A REPUTATION FOR IT.

AND -- AND FOR US, IT SEEMED
LIKE A REAL INTERESTING THING

TO GO AND CHECK OUT.

* WELL, SOMEONE'S TRYING
TO TELL ME WHERE IT'S AT *

AND THEY WERE OUR FIRST
AND BEST AUDIENCE,

THE PRANKSTERS WERE, YOU KNOW.

THEY WERE THE FIRST ONES
TO GET OFF ON US.

* LITTLE WINGS
LIKE A VAMPIRE BAT *

* I FLY AWAY TO MY
COLD-WATER FLAT *

* AND EAT MY WAY... *

Kesey: THEY WEREN'T JUST PLAYING
WHAT WAS ON THE MUSIC SHEETS.

THEY WERE PLAYING
WHAT WAS IN THE AIR.

* I CAN'T COME DOWN *

* IT'S PLAIN TO SEE *

* I CAN'T COME DOWN *

WHEN THE DEAD ARE AT THEIR BEST,

THE VIBRATIONS THAT ARE
STIRRED UP BY THE AUDIENCE

IS THE MUSIC THAT THEY PLAY.

THAT MEANS THAT THE BAND
HAS TO BE SUPPLE ENOUGH

TO REALLY READ THE NOTES
WRITTEN ON THE WALL.

* THEY SAY I'VE BEGUN
TO LOSE MY GRIP *

* MY HOLD ON REALITY'S
STARTING TO SLIP *

* TELL ME TO GET OFF
OF THIS TRIP *

* THEY SAY THAT IT'S
LIKE A SINKING SHIP *

IT MOVED ON FROM THAT,
EXPONENTIALLY,

FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER PLACE.

* I CAN'T COME DOWN *

* IT'S PLAIN TO SEE *

* I CAN'T COME DOWN *

* I'VE BEEN SET FREE *

LSD IS A REALLY GROOVY WAY
TO FIND OUT MORE

ABOUT THE THINGS AROUND YOU.

LSD HELPS ME UNDERSTAND
THE WHOLE WORLD BETTER.

LSD HELPS YOU TO UNDERSTAND
YOUR OWN MIND.

Kesey:
ONCE PANDORA'S BOX IS OPEN,

YOU CAN'T REGULATE
WHO GETS TO USE

THE STUFF THAT FLIES OUT OF IT.

Pres. Reagan:
WELL, I'M TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED
BY THE PROBLEM OF LSD.

I THINK THERE'S BEEN
A GREAT DEAL OF MISINFORMATION

BY THOSE WHO SEEM
TO SEE NO HARM IN IT.

BUT AS A PARENT AND AS A CITIZEN

AND CERTAINLY
NOW IN THIS POSITION,

I AM GREATLY CONCERNED.

Man:
A POWERFUL NEW DRUG

CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WEIRD
AND DANGEROUS HALLUCINATIONS

HAD FOUND ITS WAY
ONTO THE STREETS.

WE HAD TO TRY AND STOP IT.

Kesey: THE GOVERNMENT SAID,
"STOP THAT EXPERIMENT.

"ALL THESE GUINEA PIGS
THAT WE'VE SENT UP THERE

"INTO OUTER SPACE,
BRING 'EM BACK DOWN,

"AND DON'T EVER LET 'EM
GO BACK UP THERE AGAIN,

BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE
THE LOOK IN THEIR EYES."

HE'S CLEAN, JOE,
EXCEPT FOR THESE.

SUGAR CUBES.

I'LL MAKE YOU BOOK HE'S
BEEN DROPPING THAT ACID
WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT.

EVIL! EVIL, EVIL!

ALL RIGHT, COME ON, SON.
SETTLE DOWN.

OH, NO, NO...

Man: HOSPITAL PEOPLE,
WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT,

ARE BECOMING EXPERT
IN THE HANDLING

OF LSD USERS IN TROUBLE.

YOU'RE GONNA BE
ALL RIGHT.

Man #2: SOME PEOPLE
HAVE A BAD EXPERIENCE

THE FIRST TIME
THEY TAKE THE DRUG.

OTHERS TAKE IT 30, 60,
OR EVEN 100 TIMES

BEFORE THEIR BAD TRIP.

AND THE BAD TRIP --
INSTANT INSANITY.

OFTEN, A NEVER NEVER LAND
OF NO RETURN.

NO, NO, GET AWAY!

Man #1:
SOME OTHERS WHO TAKE LSD

WILL HAVE EVEN MORE TRAGIC
FREAK-OUTS.

MANY LOSE
ALL CONTACT WITH REALITY.

SOME FORGET WHAT HEIGHT MEANS

AND, IN A TURNED-ON
OR EUPHORIC STATE,

STEP OR ATTEMPT TO FLY
FROM CLIFFS AND HIGH WINDOWS,

WITH REAL-LIFE,

PERMANENT,
NON-PSYCHEDELIC RESULTS.

OTHER TRIPPERS ATTEMPT
TO MERGE THEIR BEINGS

WITH LARGE, FAST AUTOMOBILES.

AAAAH!

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

Narrator:
WITH ALL THE HYPE ABOUT LSD,

YOU WERE BUSTED
WITH MARIJUANA?

Kesey:
IT WASN'T EVEN GRASS CHARGES,

IT WAS BEING IN A PLACE
WHERE MARIJUANA WAS.

Man: MR. KESEY, DO YOU FEEL
YOU DID SOMETHING WRONG?

I FEEL LIKE YOU ONLY COME
TO THIS MOVIE ONCE,

AND IF YOU DON'T
GET SOMETHING REWARDING

OUT OF EVERY MINUTE
YOU'RE SITTING THERE,

THEN YOU'RE BLOWING YOUR TICKET.

LET'S ASSUME THE WORST.

SUPPOSING THEY DO COME BACK
WITH A CONVICTION,

WOULD YOU APPEAL?

WELL, IF I COULD
JUST CONCEDE IN SOME WAY

AND LET THEM STICK ME IN JAIL
AND DO MY TIME,

I WOULD DO IT
AND SAVE THE TAXPAYERS

AND EVERYBODY ELSE
A LOT OF TROUBLE.

Man: THE AIM OF THE SHERIFF
AND THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT

HAS BEEN TO REHABILITATE
MR. KESEY,

TO GET HIM
BACK INTO WRITING,

BACK INTO THE CAREER WHERE HE
SEEMS TO HAVE THE MOST TALENT.

* WALK ME OUT IN THE
MORNING DEW, MY HONEY *

Kesey: IN SIX MONTHS,
YOUR KIDS GROW A LOT.

THAT'S WHAT THEY TAKE AWAY
FROM YOU IN JAIL.

IT'S A DRAG.
I DON'T WANT TO EVER GO TO JAIL.

* YOU DIDN'T HEAR NO BABY
CRY TODAY *

Reporter: ONE FLEW OUT
OF A CUCKOO'S NEST TODAY --

THAT IS, IF YOU CONSIDER JAIL
A CUCKOO'S NEST.

FEDERAL CHARGES WERE DROPPED,
AND THE LAST OBSTACLE,

SAN FRANCISCO BAIL, WAS SET
AT $3,500 PLUS PENALTIES.

KESEY WILL BE BACK IN COURT
NOVEMBER 9th, HOPEFULLY.

IN THE MEANTIME,
HE WILL TELL THE TEENAGE WORLD

OF THE EVILS OF DRUGS

AND PROBABLY DESCRIBE
A LONG TRIP.

ARE YOU REPUDIATING LSD
AND OTHER HALLUCINATORY DRUGS?

THERE'S ENOUGH LSD
AROUND NOW

AND ENOUGH
YOUNG KIDS AROUND

WHO ARE ABLE
TO MANUFACTURE THIS

THAT IT'S IMPOSSIBLE

FOR THE POLICE
TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

YOU THINK THIS NEW LAW
IS TURNING THEM OFF, THEN?

I DON'T KNOW THAT
YOU CAN TURN THEM OFF,

BUT I THINK YOU MAY BE ABLE
TO MOVE THEM ON.

DO YOU CONSIDER
YOURSELF

BECOMING ONE OF US SQUARES,
PERHAPS?

GOD, I HOPE NOT.
[ LAUGHS ]

Reporter: THE COMMENCEMENT
EXERCISES FOR LSDU

WILL BE HELD
ON MONDAY NIGHT.

THAT'S HALLOWEEN.

AND, OF COURSE,
THE MAN WHO IS GOING TO BE

PASSING OUT THE DIPLOMAS
IS KEN KESEY.

KEN, WHAT'S THE THEME
OF THIS COMMENCEMENT EXERCISE?

TRIP OR TREAT.

WHEN I FIRST PROPOSED THE IDEA
TO JERRY GARCIA,

THE LEADER
OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD,

WHO'S PLAYING
UP THERE NOW,

THAT IT'S TIME
TO GRADUATE FROM ACID,

HE SAYS, "HALLELUJAH."

Kesey: IT WAS A TEST, AND THERE
WERE PEOPLE THAT PASSED,

AND THERE WERE PEOPLE
THAT DIDN'T PASS.

AND WE GAVE OUT DIPLOMAS
FOR PEOPLE

THAT WE FELT LIKE
REALLY HAD PASSED IT.

Reporter: ARE YOU A MEMBER
OF THE GRADUATING CLASS TONIGHT?

NO, I FLUNKED
THE ACID TEST.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT
DOING THAT?

WELL, THE STIPULATIONS
THAT KEN PUT UP, I DIDN'T PASS.

WE WENT WILD FOR A WHILE.

WE WENT WILD BECAUSE WE'D BEEN
CAGED UP FOR 50,000 YEARS.

WE WENT WILD AND FOUND OUT

THERE WAS MORE THAN WE
HAD BEEN LED TO BELIEVE.

AND NOW, UNLESS WE START
FINDING THE LITTLE PIECE OF IT

THAT WE CALL THE REINS,

IT'S GONNA GET AWAY FROM US.

THIS DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN
YOU STOP TAKING ACID,

BUT YOU STOP
REPEATING THE TRIPS.

EVERY HEAD KNOWS
THAT HE TAKES A DRUG

TO EVENTUALLY STOP TAKING IT,

AND I THINK THAT IT'S TIME FOR
A GREAT NUMBER OF THEM TO STOP.

I BELIEVE THAT DRUGS HAVE NOW
BECOME A FASHION.

Reporter: THE HAIGHT SCENE
HAS CHANGED, ALL RIGHT.

THE FLOWER NOT ONLY HAS WILTED,
IT'S DEAD.

* GOING TO LEAVE *

* THIS BROKEDOWN PALACE *

* ON MY HANDS AND MY KNEES *

* I WILL ROLL, ROLL, ROLL *

Man: THE HIPPIES IS OFTEN
A STRANGE WORLD

IN WHICH THEY LIVE IN.

THEY TAKE MANY TRIPS.

AND THE TRIP OF A HIPPIE
IS GENERALLY AN UNUSUAL ONE.

AND MARIJUANA, OF COURSE,
WITH LSD,

IS BEING USED.

Kesey:
ALL OF THESE DRUGS WERE BEING
FED INTO THE CULTURE BY THE CIA.

THE LSD WAS NOT
THE WHOLE STORY.

I DIDN'T BELIEVE IT FOR A LONG
TIME WHILE ALLEN GINSBERG SAYS,

"YOU KNOW WHO WAS PAYING
FOR THAT WAS THE CIA."

I SAID, "OH NO, ALLEN,
YOU'RE JUST PARANOID."

BUT HE FINALLY GOT
ALL THE RECORDS,

AND IT DID TURN OUT THE CIA
WAS DOING THIS,

AND IT WASN'T BEING DONE
TO TRY TO CURE INSANE PEOPLE,

WHICH IS WHAT WE THOUGHT.

IT WAS BEING DONE
TO WEAKEN PEOPLE

AND TO BE ABLE TO PUT THEM UNDER
THE CONTROL OF INTERROGATORS.

I WAS SO NAIVE.

I BELIEVED THESE DOCTORS KNEW
WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS
THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

HOW COULD THEY MAKE A MISTAKE?

* FARE YOU WELL *

* FARE YOU WELL *

* I LOVE YOU MORE
THAN WORDS CAN TELL *

* LISTEN TO THE RIVER *

* SING SWEET SONGS
TO ROCK MY SOUL *

* DOO-DOO-DOO *

* DOO-DOO-DOO-DOO *

WE FINALLY GOT OUT OF JAIL.

WE WERE PERFECTLY WILLING
TO LEAVE

THAT WHOLE AREA DOWN THERE,

WHICH OFFERED EXCITEMENT
BUT NO STABILITY.

[ DOGS BARKING ]

Woman: IT'S FUNNY --
IN YOUR PRANKSTER DAYS,

YOU WERE SEEN AS BEING
PART OF A GROUP

THAT HAD MADE SUCH
A BREAK WITH THE PAST,

AND YET HERE YOU ARE LIVING
ON A FAMILY FARM,

YOU'RE, I BELIEVE,
STILL MARRIED TO THE WOMAN

WHO YOU'VE BEEN MARRIED TO
SINCE -- WHAT IS IT, 1956?

Kesey:
LONG TIME, YEAH.

YEAH, SO, I MEAN,
THERE'S BEEN THIS

INCREDIBLE CONTINUITY
IN YOUR LIFE

BETWEEN PAST AND PRESENT,
IN A LOT OF WAYS.

YEAH.

Kesey: MY WIFE AND I
MET IN JUNIOR HIGH,

AND ALL OF OUR FAMILIES
ARE STILL VERY CLOSE.

THIS SCHISM BETWEEN
THIS ONE CONSCIOUSNESS

AND THIS CONSCIOUSNESS,

I BELIEVE, HAS BEEN
ARBITRARILY FORCED ON US.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
A FAIRLY RELIABLE,

"STRAIGHT UP THE MIDDLE
OF THE ROAD" CITIZEN

THAT JUST HAPPENS
TO BE AN ACIDHEAD.

[ SEA GULLS CRYING ]

Burton:
KEN'S A BORN LEADER.

I MEAN, HE'S GOT JUST CHARISMA
COMING OUT OF HIS EARS.

CASSADY WAS NOT
THAT KIND OF PERSON.

HE REALLY WASN'T.

ONCE HE DIDN'T
HAVE THE BUS TO DRIVE,

OR A FUNCTION, HE WAS --

HE WAS REALLY LIKE A LIABILITY.

YOU'VE HEARD THE STORIES
ABOUT HIM AND ANNE MURPHY.

OH, DON'T YOU KNOW THIS?
OH, GOD.

THEY WERE ON A HEAVY,
SADO-MASOCHIST TRIP.

I'M REALLY OLD-FASHIONED WHEN
IT COMES TO STUFF LIKE THAT.

I DON'T THINK A RELATIONSHIP
IS WORTH JACK SHIT

IF YOU'RE NOT MAKING THINGS
GOOD AND HAPPY.

COMPARE THIS WITH KEN AND FAYE.

THEY'VE BEEN GOOD
FOR EACH OTHER.

SEE, THEY --
THEY TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER.

THEY DON'T LET EACH OTHER
JUST GO DOWNHILL

AND GET MORE AND MORE FUCKED UP.

ON THE CONTRARY, THEY TAKE
GOOD CARE OF EACH OTHER.

Narrator:
WERE YOU SURPRISED TO LEARN
THAT CASSADY WAS FOUND DEAD

BESIDE THE RAILROAD TRACKS
IN MEXICO?

Burton: WHEN HE DIED,
I FELT LIKE

THAT HE'D ACCIDENTALLY
KILLED HIMSELF ON PURPOSE.

I CAN PICTURE MYSELF
IN HIS SHOES EXACTLY,

AND THERE'S NO PLACE ELSE
TO GO, REALLY.

MIGHT AS WELL MEET THE ANGELS.

AT WHAT POINT DID YOU
DECIDE TO GIVE UP

THE KIND OF
PRANKSTERS LIFE?

THE STORY
THAT I'VE HEARD

IS THE PRANKSTERS
WENT TO WOODSTOCK.

YOU DIDN'T WANT TO GO.

AND WHEN
THEY CAME BACK,

THEY CAME BACK TO A SIGN
HUNG IN YOUR DRIVEWAY

THAT JUST SAID, "NO."

WELL, THERE WAS 61 PEOPLE WHEN
THEY HEADED OUT TO WOODSTOCK,

AND AFTER
THEY WERE GONE,

I WENT UPSTAIRS --
AND WE LIVE IN A BARN.

AT THAT TIME THERE WAS STILL
HAY IN THE LOFT OF THE BARN,

AND I FOUND ONE OF THESE
LITTLE HIPPIE WARRENS,

WHERE THEY DUG IN WITH THEIR
RATTY OLD SLEEPING BAGS

AND THEIR COPY
OF ZAP MAGAZINE.

AND STUCK RIGHT DOWN
IN THE HAY BALE

WAS A CANDLE WHICH HAD BURNED
RIGHT DOWN TO THE HAY

BEFORE IT'D GONE OFF,

AND I THOUGHT,
"THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS

THAT TAKE PRECEDENT
OVER ENLIGHTENMENT."

AND THAT'S WHEN YOU SENT
EVERYBODY HOME, BASICALLY.

YEAH.

HOW MUCH WRITING HAVE
YOU BEEN DOING OVER
THE PAST FEW YEARS?

OH, QUITE A LOT.
I WRITE ALL THE TIME.

I JUST DON'T PUBLISH
THAT MUCH.

Kesey:
I'VE GOT FOUR KIDS

AND THERE'S A LOT
OF THE SAME ENERGY

THAT GOES INTO RAISING A FAMILY

THAT GOES INTO PUTTING A BOOK
TOGETHER LIKE "NOTION."

[ GUNSHOT ]

WHICH, ONCE YOU GET
A LOT OF STUFF IN THE AIR,

YOU CAN'T STOP
BECAUSE YOU'LL FORGET IT.

AND THAT KIND OF CONSCIOUSNESS
I HAVE NOT HAD,

AND I THINK IT'S BECAUSE...

YOU KNOW,
I'M RUNNING A BIG FARM.

THAT'S WHAT OCCUPIES MY MIND.

EITHER THAT
OR I FRIED MY MARBLES,

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY THINKS.

WHEN PEOPLE ASK ME
WHAT I THINK MY BEST WORK IS,

I ALWAYS SAY THE BUS.

NOVELS ARE A DIME A DOZEN,

BUT THERE'S ONLY ONE BUS
FURTHER.

WHAT IT MEANT

WAS THAT EVERYBODY
HAD TO CONSIDER

A NEW WAY FOR THINGS TO BE.

DON'T YOU KNOW
THAT WE'RE ALL ONE?

THE DEEPER I GOT INTO IT,

THE MORE I REALIZED IT WAS
A DIFFERENT FORCE WORKING.

THE ONLY BIG MISTAKE
WE EVER MADE, AS A FORCE,

WAS THINKING FOR A WHILE
THAT WE WERE GOING TO WIN.

WE DEVELOPED VESTED INTERESTS
IN THE VICTORY TO COME.

WE BEGIN TO PARCEL OFF
INTO LITTLE GROUPS,

WHETHER IT'S FEMINISM
OR POLITICS,

FOR MONEY, RELIGION.

WHATEVER IT IS,

EVERYBODY IS JUMPING UP AND DOWN
IN FRONT OF IT

UNTIL NOBODY
CAN SEE IT CLEAR ANYMORE.

NOW, IF WE'D NEVER
MADE THAT MISTAKE,

WE'D BEEN WAY AHEAD,

AND THIS IS KIND OF WHY
I'M RETIRING FROM THE RANKS.

SOMETHING ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING
IS THAT WE'RE MEANT TO LOSE...

EVERY TIME.

YOU MAKE THESE FORAYS,
YOU WRITE THESE BOOKS,

AND YOU PERFORM THIS MUSIC,

BUT THE BIG JUGGERNAUT
OF CIVILIZATION CONTINUES,

AND YOU GET
KIND OF BRUSHED TO THE SIDE.

BUT I THINK,
ALL THROUGH HISTORY,

THERE'S BEEN
THESE KIND OF DIVINE LOSERS

THAT JUST TAKE A DEEP BREATH
AND GO AHEAD,

KNOWING THAT SOCIETY'S
NOT GONNA UNDERSTAND IT,

NOT EVEN CARING, 'CAUSE
THEY'RE HAVING A GOOD TIME.

* SOMETIMES THE LIGHT'S
ALL SHININ' ON ME *

[ CROWD CHEERS ]

* OTHER TIMES
I CAN BARELY SEE *

* LATELY IT OCCURS TO ME *

* WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP
IT'S BEEN *

* TRUCKIN',
GOT MY CHIPS CASHED IN *

* KEEP TRUCKIN',
LIKE THE DOO-DAH MAN *

* TOGETHER,
MORE OR LESS IN LINE *

* JUST KEEP TRUCKIN' ON *

* ARROWS OF NEON AND FLASHING
MARQUEES OUT ON MAIN STREET *

* CHICAGO, NEW YORK, DETROIT *

* AND IT'S ALL
ON THE SAME STREET *

* YOUR TYPICAL CITY
INVOLVED IN A TYPICAL DAYDREAM *

* HANG IT UP AND SEE
WHAT TOMORROW BRINGS *

* DALLAS, GOT A SOFT MACHINE *

* HOUSTON,
TOO CLOSE TO NEW ORLEANS *

* NEW YORK,
GOT THE WAYS AND MEANS *

* THAT JUST WON'T LET YOU BE *

* MOST OF THE CATS
THAT YOU MEET ON THE STREETS *

* SPEAK OF TRUE LOVE *

* MOST OF THE TIME THEY'RE
SITTIN' AND CRYIN' AT HOME *

* ONE OF THESE DAYS
THEY KNOW THEY GOTTA GET GOIN' *

* OUT OF THE DOOR AND DOWN
ON THE STREET ALL ALONE *

* TRUCKIN',
LIKE THE DOO-DAH MAN *

* ONCE TOLD ME
YOU GOT TO PLAY YOUR HAND *

* SOMETIMES
THE CARDS AIN'T WORTH A DIME *

* IF YOU DON'T LAY 'EM DOWN *

* SOMETIMES THE LIGHT'S
ALL SHININ' ON ME *

* OTHER TIMES I CAN BARELY SEE *

* LATELY IT OCCURS TO ME *

* WHAT A LONG, STRANGE TRIP
IT'S BEEN *

* TRUCKIN', I'M A-GOIN' HOME *

* WHOA, WHOA, BABY,
BACK WHERE I BELONG *

* BACK HOME,
SIT DOWN AND PATCH MY BONES *