Zachariah (1971) Online

Siddhartha done as a Rock and Roll Comedy Western by two of the members of the Firesign Theatre - What's there not to love.

Even if you don't recognize the themes of self discovery based on Herman Hesse's classic story of the Buddha's early journey, this is still a fun movie featuring the classic American western outlaw story done as a send-up.

It's like a light hearted version of El Topo only it made me laugh where the other made me squirm - in a good way. This is not to say that the story is the same as either. It merely shares the same themes.

Particularly amusing are the scenes with Country Joe and the Fish as the bungling highwaymen. Louisiana Man Doug Kershaw as the lone fiddler in black and the James Gang's opening scene are breathtaking and funny at the same time. It reminds me of Hesse's line in Steppenwolf when Mozart laughs at the hero in his dream because he can't hear the music through the static on the radio. This music celebrates the joy of life that epitomized the counterculture rebellion against the darkness of the times.

Max Frisch, the Swiss author, defended an attack on the silence of the Swiss writers during the horrors of Nazi Germany by saying he wanted to set up against that all the other things that still can be called life. This movie was part of that movement -- forget superficial commercial ventures like Hair or JC Superstar or the Tommy movie -- this was the musical of the rock and roll generation as much as Rocky Horror was the musical of the Glam Rock generation. Only back then young people were just grateful to be alive and have any dreams at all. It's no wonder that the votes on this one has old farts like me rating it much higher than anyone else. I guess you had to be there back when these musicians couldn't even get radio airplay. I haven't seen this in nearly twenty years when it last played at one of the revival houses but it's one of the few movies whose scenes I can replay in my mind an laugh out loud. This is how we celebrated all those other things that we still called life.

Although I would no longer condone such practices, this film appears to have been made to also be enjoyable under the influence of the popular psychoactive alkaloids of the era.

Oh, how I love late 60s/early 70s Hollywood! When the studios figured to capture the turned on youth market, but had NO CLUE what was really going on! Great era when almost anything could be passed off as psychedelic, and weirdos like the Firesign Theatre could co-write a movie and GET IT MADE. Grooovy!

'Zachariah' is a unique, rock'n'roll western, which is so lame brained and misguided it turns out to be one of the most entertaining movies of the period. Just check out the cast! Pretty boy Don Johnson, TVs John Rubenstein, Country Joe and The Fish, and DICK VAN PATTEN! Add to that a Who-inspired James Gang (with a young, clean shaven Joe Walsh) and Coltrane's legendary drummer Elvin Jones, and you've got a truly, er, UNIQUE proposition!

Make a great double-bill with 'Tommy'!

Still dont remember why I bought this DVD, or why it sat for 3 years before watching it. Anyway, this movie is a real hoot. From Don Johnson's premiere as an 18 yr old Prom Queen lookalike with a sidearm to Country Joe's surreal insertion into an old west shoot-em-up saloon. The whole thing is just twisted as hell, and fun.

A recommended rental with a 6 pack. 7 tokes.

I saw this movie when it first came out and occasionally think about it. It was called the 'first electric western', if I remember right. It was fun and funny and I'd like to see it again. I remember little after over thirty years, but I believe it was low budget with mostly outdoor scenes, desert at that. The 'outlaw' gang, 'The Crackers', had their own theme song, which they sang. I think Zacharia and his friend were marijuana farmers in the desert. I believe it was even called a 'cult' film, or something similar. It's hard to remember, after so many years, but I recommend this movie and I'm looking forward to seeing it again myself.

I saw this movie when it first came out, and I must say that it never tried to appeal to everybody's taste, perhaps not even mine.

However, one thing that has stuck with me for more than a third of a century is that someone in the group of about a dozen people that I was with suggested that this was in large part a remake of Siddhartha, just transposed into an off-beat western. Ultimately, the whole group concurred in this assessment, including myself (I had just finished reading the work by Hess -- the year being 1971). I got the feeling it was an effort to concoct a cult classic that just didn't hit the mark. Still, the cast is very representative of a group that would make such an effort, while not taking itself too seriously. Not great art, but a great page from the scrapbook of a counterculture.

Firesign Theatre has distanced themselves from the film, having spoken of a script they wrote for a comic western "that was never made." But this is a quirky little coming-of-age tale some years BEFORE "Blazing Saddles" that has a lot of fun trying to cram rock and roll, dope and westerns into the same screen. Uneven, certainly, but with a number of rewards. Sort of like a Firesign Theatre album.

If you have a chance, watch this movie on DVD with an open mind. Know that it is unique in all filmdom, a musical, and every music scene is memorable, especially if you like drums. I saw it in 1972 in a double feature midnight show when everyone else was there for Billy Jack. There's so many ways to praise this movie, especially the cinematography, clever set-design. I always thought Rubenstein was going to be a big star, who knew it would be Sonny Crocket.

Here is something a friend recently emailed, for the true connoisseur.

"I engineered the sound track for the James Gang and some others. Went down to effin calinete, south of El Centro.... for the shoot. People were fainting from the heat and we lived on a very watered diet... soups, salads, soups, fruits, and water. Wow... very hot and liquid. If you watch the film, notice the refractions off the acrylic guitars and the liquid backdrop landscape of the heat, coming up from the ground.

We had problems with way off background... a truck in the distance that they did not want in the frames... The mountains seemed to be within walking distance but they were miles away. Many people got very sick from the heat.

Good film... I was only there for a small portion of the shoot... George Englund (married at that time to Cloris Leachman) having an affair with a woman named Sydney. Marlon Brando was living at George's house because he was involved with someone (?)...

Sad to see the poverty there and within the hotel compound, $$$$...."

When I first saw this film in 1971 I was blown away by the cast, the dialogue (which is almost embarrasing, but fun to listen to now), and the music. Don Johnson and John Rubenstein did an incredible job as wannabe gunslingers and comic moments from the likes of Country Joe were classic. Musically, performances by The James Gang, Elvin Bishop, The New York Rock n Roll Ensemble, etc..., rounded off this film nicely. The plot was predictable, as most are, but the ride was a memorable one. I throw this in the VHS player every once in a while and I'm never sorry I did...

I saw this movie in it's first run with a date. She was totally confused, I was excited to see anything with the music I knew, and two Firesign Theater members involved. I was most impressed with Doug Kershaw's music. The James Gang also had one song that rocks more than just about anything else they ever did. I recently found it on Itunes, but was never able to find the music Kershaw played in the film. I wish the soundtrack were available, I'd buy it in a minute. I did buy the LP right after I saw the film and still play it. The rock version of the William Tell Overture is also a riot. Once you hear it, you'll never listen to the classical version the same. The DVD was released a few years ago, and I have it. It's a strange film, but there's certainly nothing remotely like it. A classic.

I've never seen this movie, but I had to jump in to the defense of the Firesign Theatre, and the popular misconception that they wrote this movie. In reading interviews with various members of the comedy team, the Firesign Theatre wrote *the first draft* of this movie which was meant to be a comedic adaptation of Sidhartha, set in the old west. Then what seems to have happened was that the studio executives assigned another writer to do a re-write (and probably tinkered a bit with the script themselves) and the final product bore only a passing similarity to the original script.

I do not think that the Firesign Theatre are in any way proud of this movie and don't mention it on their web-site.

"Zachariah" seems to be some sort of experiment, crossing the classic Western with the rock musical. Today it just seems absurd. (Electric guitars in the Old West? Who knew?) Today's audiences will recognize Don Johnson co-starring as Matthew, and Dick Van Patten's cameo as the Dude. Another noticeable performance is by Country Joe McDonald and the Fish, as an outlaw rock band, the Crackers. In its day "Zachariah" may have been popular with hippies and rock fans, and perhaps a few Western fans. Today, it seems like the thing for people who just want a good laugh. There is some good music, though, from White Lightnin' and the James Gang (not Jesse and Frank!). It's worth a look and a listen, even if you find you'd have to see "Zachariah" to believe such a movie was made!

If you like esoteric and dream-like 60's movies, this is an awesome flick! The James Gang rides again in this one and there is a surreal, 60's flavored feeling that features some sweet folks from that era, musician having fun acting!!!. Think of Easy rider turned into a Spagehetti Western that was made in the USA for trippers and folks that love a flower power trip back to the old west, with a Grateful Dead feel, they do not appear, but their spirit is there and you will love this soul searching -find- yourself film that hearkens to a more innocent time when imagination and music was all that was necessary.. find it and rent it! Take a trip down on Haight St. in a Western dream!GROOOOOVY! Peace!

I first saw this film on its first run back in '71 or '72. Saw it on a date with a nurse from the hospital where I worked in Plantation, Florida. Had known very little about it beforehand. Was blown away. Spent the rest of the date (at restaurant) explaining Hesse's Siddhartha and all the points of congruency. Also recognized names of Firesign Theater. Was convinced they'd retold Siddhartha, which is Hesse's retelling of the Buddha story of spiritual enlightenment, mixing American West gunfighter myth and rock and roll--two key archetypes/myths of our generation: ingenious premise, well-executed. My conviction was confirmed absolutely when I saw it again later and recognized Zach's response to Belle as verbatim Siddhartha's response to the courtesan in Hesse--trying to avoid spoiler here.

Of course the movie is somewhat dated now, 30 years later. But it was clever and even profound in its day and still worth seeing. I'd recommend reading the book first in order to fully appreciate what they were doing.

One other comment: I see a parallel between Zachariah's pairing of Old West gunfighters and rock and roll and the Eagles' Desperado song story--especially apparent in the song "Certain Kind of Fool:"

"I saw it in a window, the mark of a new kind of man; I kinda liked the feeling, so shiny and smooth in my hand; I took it to the country and practiced for days without rest; And then one day I felt it: I knew I could stand with the best."

Is "it" a six-gun or a six-string? Yes. Whenever I heard this song I pictured Zachariah out in the desert practicing his shooting.

See the film if you can. Enjoy the music. Follow the story. It's worth it.

Surprisingly I found myself enjoying this movie in a twisted way. The characters are so funny that you realize this movie doesn't take it self seriously. Don Johnson is great in his role as "the bad guy." Although one really annoying part of the plot got me. The main catalyst for the rift between them is the scene when they realize that there can be only one of them in the group. Well why???? They never say and it really doesn't make any sense. But what can you say about a rock n' roll western?

A previous reviewer called this a real hoot. I agree. You have to remember that this movie (and I haven't seen it in probably 30 years) was basically written by the Firesign Theatre guys. It was billed as an "electric western" and it was a staple on the old Midnight Movie circuit. For the uninformed ... in the days before personal video, unique movies like this one would play in venues billed as "midnight movies" ... which were a cheap alternatives to clubs and such for Saturday night entertainment. Midnight movies were generally enjoyed in a somewhat enhanced-state-of-mind. Whew.

Since I've never seen this movie on TV and don't think it was ever in wide distribution ... it may well have gone "straight to midnight movies" in much the same way that some movies go straight to video. Heh.

Remember Easy Rider? Remember Beyond the Valley of the Dolls? Remember Fistful of Dollars? Now, put all those movies in a blender, hit frappe, and you'll get Zachariah. Once you get past the fact that they're playing electric guitars in 1880's, it's an enjoyable film.

Coming of age story set in a surreal version of the "old west" where the bands play thru Marshall stacks and the gunslingers play virtuoso drum solos... A young Don Johnson (of Miami Vice fame) seems slightly out of place here, and the film descends into gloopy melodrama in it's latter stages - but the involvement of the Firesign Theater crew at least ensures a fair helping of the bizarre. Well worth a watch for anyone with an affection for Seventies rock and the attendant culture - some great moments, including the opening scene.....

The ads referred to this as "an electric Western." You'd have to be pretty stoned, then or now, to get much enjoyment out of this confused mishmash. I can't believe the members of the Firesign Theatre had anything to do with writing this comedy or whatever it is. The only reason for watching would be to see Elvin Jones (and how did HE get mixed up in this?) He does a typically awesome drum solo, the movie's only highlight, unless you like the James Gang (Joe Walsh), featured in the opening.

This is easily Don Johnson's best work ever. This is a hilarious western musical with a mind blowing rock and roll soundtrack. The drum solo by Elvin Jones will kill you. IF you can find it you MUST rent it.

I've read the comments of the other viewers posted here, and I agree that the film is fun (if a bit silly) and the music is great. The Siddartha angle is interesting, and I think the script by Firesign Theater is very entertaining. But I ask you: Am I the only viewer to notice the sexual tension between Rubenstein and Johnson, and to pick up on the gay sub-text? Yes, Zachariah tries to renounce violence, but could it be he's really just denying his attachment to Matthew?