Berkeley in the Sixties
by Mark Kitchell
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Actor: Jack Weinberg (II), Jackie Goldberg, John Searle (III), Nancy Davis, Susan Griffin (II)Director: Mark Kitchell
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 117 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-12-10
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: FIRST RUN FEATURES
DVD Reviews of Berkeley in the Sixties
DVD Review: California Dreamin'
Summary: 5 Stars
For those us of the Generation of '68 the political actions of the 1960's were essentially a youth-led effort. To the extent that anyone though about the situation as a separate political matter young students, mainly from the traditionally elite campuses, were the vanguard of those youth. And the vanguard of the vanguard? At least until 1969 a very strong case could be made, and is made in this documentary under review, that the University of California at Berkeley held that role. The whys and wherefores of that role are what makes this above-average documentary, complete with the inevitable `talking heads' that populate this kind of film, a very good source for what actually happened in the 1960's there for those who were around at the time and a primer on radical politics at the base of society for those who were not.
The disruption of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) meetings in San Francisco in 1960, various antiracial discrimination actions in support of the growing national civil right movement in the early 1960's, the historic and well-known Mario Salvo-led Free Speech Movement of 1964 along with its trials an tribulations, the early anti-Vietnam War and anti-draft actions of 1965 and 1966, the drift toward an apolitical counter-cultural experience in 1967, the romance with the next door neighbor Black Panthers and the Free Huey Movement in Oakland and ending with the militarily defeated People's Park efforts in 1969. They are all resurrected here. All these events are, moreover, discussed from various later viewpoints by participants, adversaries and flat out ill-wishers. If you want a two hour capsule commentary of the highs and lows of the political and counter-cultural struggles as they occurred at Berkeley and spread east this is a very good documentary to bring you up to speed.
Some of the rhetoric may seem odd to today's cyberspace-driven youth. Some of the costumes, especially during the height of the Haight -Ashbury era and the Summer of Love in 1967 may be perplexing to today's fashion conscious youth. Most of the politics may seem obscure. But know this- it may have not lasted long, we may have made every mistake in the political book, we certainly went off on more tangents that one could shake stick at but there was a fight going on then to change that nature of the way we do business in this society. Call us utopian, if you will, but we fought. A little of that spirit would come in very handy right about now. Many of the lessons of that time may be lost now. However, I sense a little of that same 1960's breeze starting to blow again in 2008 so look here.
I would not be a proper leftist politico if I did not mention that of all the scenes presented, all the discussions taped, all the `talking heads' giving their, seemingly sincere, takes on meaning of those times there was virtually no commentary on one very fundamental problem. Students, from elite universities or otherwise, cannot independently without joining up with some other social agency create the kind of just society that students were fighting for then. In no instant that I can recall during the course of this documentary did anyone attempt to draw the lesson that the working class, whatever its then current organization (or more correctly lack of it) and political consciousness came into play as a factor in history.
The closest anything came to understanding the need for an additional agency was the unequal, uncritical `alliance' with the Black Panthers. That is why, in the end, after the military defeat of the People's Park experiment Berkeley fell off the political map. But, my friends, the story did not end there for the 1960's. Some youth, although not nearly enough, drew that lesson about the lack of political power of students if left to their own devises and got serious about political theory and the working class. Some of us are still at that fight. From the later careers of the Berkeley interviewees described at the end of this film that did not include most of them. That tells the tale.
DVD Review: Show this to your family, and discuss it.
Summary: 5 Stars
As I graduated from high school in 1970, I was at the latter part of the "student movement" days. In my late 30s, I married a woman who's one of eleven kids, none of whom ever "rebelled," or were part of that era. My spouse now regrets it, envies what I may have experienced. (And I still describe her siblings as "1950s consumers.")
I have a little of a cynical view toward the whole era. I think people often either romanticize it, "The world just changed so much," or they despise it. "The world would be a better place if those kids had learned to respect authority more." While I lean more toward the former, I think both are inaccurate.
The University of California, Berkeley is seen at the beginning of that "era." In fact, the film begins with a guy who was at Harvard. When he saw what was going on in Berkeley, where students were protesting HUAC, he decided to head west.
An interesting little observation: the demonstrators were singing "God Bless America." That's a sample of what one of those interviewed commented on in the film, that they believed so much in the American system, it's that on which they were so passionate.
One of the interviewees referred to it as a "political awakening" that was taking place then.
There was some name calling in those days, a remnant of the McCarthyite 50s. Someone called activist Mario Savio a communist. Well, to this day such absurdities occur, if you note that Barack Obama has been called that by some right wing zealots!
Some of those interviewed in this portion of the film admitted that it was some of the most privledged of Americans who were among the "radicals" of that era. I often point that out to many who make too much out of the era. Anyway, Clark Kerr, the university president, at this point was doing his best to undermine the student movements. After his presentation for a major meeting, Savio attempted a rebuttal and was arrested. If nothing else, I suggest Clark Kerr was a political failure!
Then, of course, the Vietnam war became the issue of the day. The students attempted to close the induction center in Oakland, CA. One day they were encountered by the police, and the next day but the police and the Hell's Angels!
I find here that I'm following my notes, but that gets dry. So I'll cover more highlights.
Reagan was an issue in the film twice. During the 1968 GOP convention he "pandered" to those who didn't have any understanding of what was going on at Berkeley. He used the Berkeley situation to cater to those most turned off to, in the final analysis, submission to authority.
Next, after a "People's Park" incident at UC Berkeley, he confronted the university administration, some of which had at least become more sympathetic with the student movements.
Suffice it to day, at neither time was I any more impressed with Reagan that I ever was.
One interesting dichotomy occurred in the film too. There were several distinctions made between the student movement and the counterculture, the center of which was not far from Berkeley, just across the bay. Most, including myself, usually see the two as the same. But at least one person interviewed said that the counterculture thought of the others as more "establishment." Those of the counterculture really wanted little to do with politics.
Another interesting element, related to the civil rights movement which gave much of the student movement its original impetus, was the Black Panthers. Bobby Seale was one of the founders of the Panthers, and one interviewed for the film. I've always been skeptical of the Panthers. While I've never opposed them, in some ways I found them to be more akin to the mob than activists. As it turned out, there were conflicts between them and the movement, with some cross over, especially of "revolutionary" idealism. In any case, at one point, one person interviewed said that the Panthers came out looking even crazier than they were as they used their more extreme elements for their media appeal. And that both attracted and scared the media and the police.
A real highlight of Berkeley's student movement--or "low"light, if you like, occurred after the establishment of a "People's Park" to which I already referred. It seemed to be a "fusion" point between the counterculture and the student movement. But one of those interviewed said it was "cynical" in a way in that it was set up to evoke a reaction and it did. It was closed, then the students tried to reopen it. Reagan called in the National Guard and they occupied the city for a month or so. At one point, students were allowed onto a portion of the campus, then the Guard wouldn't let them leave. Eventually helicopters flew in and gassed the area of campus with a nausea gas. That was the straw that broke the camel's back for some of those interviewed--and is something all of us should know more about especially if "the media" lean as left as some right wing zealots would have us believe.
All in all, it's a good film. As I said, I tend to be a little skeptical of some of the "movement." So I'm glad the film ended with a frame of each of those interviewed on what they're doing now. Some, on either side of the political spectrum, seem to think that 60s activists are all now insurace co. executives. All but one of those interviewed are still activists. So the "movement" really is something that affected them.
I wish I had space to say more. The film is inspiring, truly. It brings back to me memories of an era where idealism prevailed, not jingoism and consumerism by which we're obsessed today. Watch it, and see if you can inspire anyone else to "get involved" again!
DVD Review: Raises documentary standards...
Summary: 4 Stars
This truly is an exceptionally well researched and presented documentary concerning the events at USC Berkeley in the 1960s.What comes across is that the collection of former students/activists interviewed are intelligent,erudite and committed to social causes:their social zeal did not die with the decade(as is revealed in the "where are they now" segment).However, the documentary is not a total celebration of their experiences;mistakes made and the success/impact of their actions is discussed,with a variety of conclusions being drawn.A small disappointment is the non-appearance of Mario Savio in the interviews:apparently he refused to participate and the documentary is poorer for this.The viewpoint of the "establishment"(university leaders,police,the conservative middle America)would have rounded the documentary out;but these are small quibbles.What remains is a superb piece of social history,with fantastic archival footage,both b/w and colour,accompanied by a soundtrack that complements the action nicely.I highly recommend this to anyone interested in the 1960s,social activism and the search for a better America.My review is dedicated to Michael Rossman,one of the FSM leaders who sadly passed away in May 2008:I applaud your efforts Michael.DVD Review: "do not go gentle..."
Summary: 5 Stars
Your review ("The Revolution Will be Dramatized") is replete with glaring errors and untruths. Where to begin. Yes--paragraph by paragraph quotes: 1. "after their periods of action subsided." In fact, not only did the action not subside, but in many ways it has abided or even increased. For example, the legacy of their courageous dissent and activism informs the Iraq war protest ethic today (which actually began before the fact, just as dissent and activism for the [pending] Iran debacle is a reality--albeit a nascent one). They--the activists of the sixties---were the vanguard of current (and future) protests. 2. "narcissistic... babyboomers." Protesting the war--a war, let us remember, that advocated the strategic use of, e.g., napalm on the South Vietnamese (q.v., thank Jack Kennedy for that one)--often entailed police beatings, prosecution, jail terms, disrupted lives, aborted careers, death (q.v., Kent State), etc. Buy a dictionary--that was not "narcissistic" behaviour. It comes closer to selfless caring, or, at 'worst', enlightened self-interest (and even at that, it's still not narcissism).
Second Paragraph. 1. "The sixties began the slow rise of emotion over reason which has corrupted America and eroded our core American values." You are referring, no doubt, to those "core values" which sanctioned the crucifixion of blacks in the Southland, the brutal, virtual eradication of the indigenous culture, the capitalist 'ethic' which countenanced five year old mill workers in New England, the slaughter of mineworkers, their wives and their children (Rockefeller-owned mines), in their tent colony in Ludlow, Colorado (company agents used an improvised armored car, mounted with a M1895 Colt-Browning machine gun for 'control'. Wilson was obliged to send in Federal troops to halt the carnage). Or, latterly, "core values" might refer to the support of East Timorese genocide (begun on Carter's watch--via UN Ambassador Moynihan, continued by Clinton...), or American arms supplied to Turkey for their 'approved' ethnic 'cleansing'...Need more "Core Value"?
You mention "The most hilarious moment in the film." A similar honor goes to your comment about Reagan, i.e., "when he was young, energetic, and full of fire" (I read this statement several times in the interest of locating latent irony--no such luck). I screened the film during the semester I taught a politicized writing course (four sections of students, at USF, Tampa)--i.e., I know it fairly well. And, if any metaphors apply to Reagan--particularly in the scene when he met with Berkeley faculty over the treatment of students--they are more like "dim bulb" or "B-movie hoodlum," (while listening to his enfeebled diatribe I came to doubt that he actually finished High School).
And, regarding which "rabble" the US is "cursed" by today, I am inclined to regard those who vote war in order to line their coffers with blood money (q.v., the CEO and major stockholders of EXXON-MOBIL, for example) as irresponsible "cursed rabble," and not the socially-aware students unwilling to be served up by the morally bankrupt State to the financiers and industrialists who 'coordinate' D.C. policy terms.
DVD Review: Berkeley in the 60's
Summary: 5 Stars
I lived in Berkeley during the 60's and knew some of the filmmakers; this documentary IS Berkeley during that time. Very accurate portrayal of a significant time in history.
Description of Berkeley in the Sixties
This outstanding documentary by Mark Kitchell, six years in the making, is a comprehensive and insightful story of campus and community activism as born at the University of California at Berkeley. Using extensive archival footage and bridging the distance between past and present with more recent interviews, Kitchell shows how a 1960 protest aimed at the House Un-American Activities Committee was the launching point for the Free Speech movement, which evolved into organized opposition against the Vietnam War, support for the Black Panther party, and the feminist movement. No simple valentine to student-demonstration days, the film brilliantly uses contemporary perspective to show how great legacies and inevitable failures were simultaneously born in a charged atmosphere. Not to be missed. --Tom KeoghGeneral DVDs
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