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Reputations- Timothy Leary

Ellis

17:39 / 26.08.01

Sun 26 Aug, 22:35 - 23:25 50 mins

Timothy Leary - The Man Who Turned America On: Delving into the strange life of Leary, from Harvard to prison, from prison to Hollywood, exploring his motives, morals and influence. Widescreen.

And after it is Lawn Dogs, which looks quite interesting.

Kobol Strom

18:50 / 26.08.01

Thanks Ellis.

I couldn't believe that narrator...

quote:And in three weeks,Timothy Leary was dead.(The End)

I mean,after reading about him in Robert Anton Wilsons books,I just couldn't stomach that dummed down ITN style reportage.They could at least have aimed for a balanced overview of his life.They made him out to be just another crazed,useless propagandist.So its o.k. kids you can all go back out to play now that the ghost of LSD is well and truly vanquished,unless of course you have internet access,where his madness continues.
Was that documentary filmed in the early 70's?I can't believe how anti-liberal it was.
These documentary makers looked at Tim's life,and learned nothing.Fools.
I'm glad to have seen some more of the John and Yoko sleep-in footage,though,which was an event that I believe was incredibly successful.And also that fact that Tim always seemed to have a big grin on his face.

[ 27-08-2001: Message edited by: kobol strom ]

Jamieon

21:39 / 26.08.01

It was sensationalism. Cue weird music whenever words or phrases like "LSD", "mind expansion", "Merry Pranksters", etc. are mentioned. It didn't touch on his work at all, except to toss us a quick footnote re "set" and "setting". I don't idolize Leary or anything, but I'd like a "documentary" about him to include a little bit more about his philosophies, thoughts, etc. and a little less stuff about how he was a "real turned on head who, like, really freaked out the squares, maaaan....." There was hardly any depth to it. It's mission statement was to excite and tittilate. Actually, "Reputations" is rubbish. The other week, I saw some programme about Shirley Bassey (it was either "Reputations" or "The Real [insert name here]"), and all I really gleaned from it was what kind of sex she liked. Voyeuristic bollocks.

glassonion

11:39 / 27.08.01

yes it was telly for retards yes

Our Lady of The Two Towers

15:29 / 27.08.01

Only saw the second half. The last thirty years of his life seemed very glossed over, and did they do anything about his psychiatric work in the first half, because what I saw was basically "Leary kept telling people, take drugs!" And there was no attempt made to explain why he might have helped the FBI, just that his ex-wife decided to go on the run for 20 years (no question made of whether she actually needed to). Reputations has done some good shows in the past. Shame about this one.

tSuibhne

17:32 / 27.08.01

Speaking of all of this. Anyone reccomend a good biography of Leary? Like to get to know the legend a bit more. Thanks.

Ellis

17:49 / 27.08.01

Cosmic Trigger 1 by Robert Anson Wilson has a fair bit on Tomothy Leary in.

Ria

17:50 / 27.08.01

funnily I don't know of one other than his autobiography Flashbacks. a tribute anthology did come out after his death which contained essays and anecedotal remininsces called Outside Looking In ISTR.

I did read the autobiography and it spells out his collaborations with the feds. he did face a long time in jail.

I saw a "whatever happened to...?" feature on the US tv news show 20/20 years ago in his VR guru phase before his diagnosis with having cancer.

the co-hosts showed a mix of unconcealed bewilderment, fake pity and curled-lip disgust suitable for a show which broadcasts such things as features on the horrific dangers of Esctasy.

tSuibhne

12:34 / 28.08.01

quote:Originally posted by Ellis:
Cosmic Trigger 1 by Robert Anson Wilson has a fair bit on Tomothy Leary in.

I already read CTV1 (and spent the next month recovering) Acctually that's one of the reasons I'd like to get a biography of Leary. I've heard references about the jail time, and being on the run, and all that stuff. But, I want to get a better understanding of all of it.

How far does Flashbacks take you? When did Leary write it?

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