The Monkees (TV Series) Monkees Blow Their Minds (1968) User Reviews

Frank Zappa, The Penguin, and other noses

[kevinolzak · 8/10 · 8 January 2014]

Broadcast no. 57 (Mar 11 1968), "Monkees Blow Their Minds" was actually filmed a year earlier (Apr 18-20 1967), but featured a special introduction shot around Christmastime: Frank Zappa, riding high with his Mothers of Invention, posing as Nesmith (complete with wool hat and 8 buttoned Monkees shirt), and Mike, as Zappa, sporting a frizzy wig and false nose (which continuously falls off). The two debate about each other's music before Nesmith shows Zappa how to play a car, to the tune of Zappa's current "Mother People." The story proper features the second straight appearance of the prolific Monty Landis, delightfully hamming with great precision as Oraculo, 'World's Greatest Mentalist,' with a sidekick named Rudy Bayshore, played by the series' most frequent director, James Frawley, enjoying his largest on screen role (unbilled). Oraculo is visited by Peter, who wants to write a song for the group's upcoming audition for a ten week gig with club owner Latham (Milton Frome). The opportunity for fame and fortune is too much for the greedy Oraculo, who winds up hypnotizing all four Monkees into joining his act. When the mentalist asks Peter to look deeply into his eyes and tell him what he sees, the honest Tork answers truthfully: "dishonesty, cowardice, and a lack of scruple." Oraculo's response: 'too deep, try again!' Observing the climactic free-for-all is an unbilled Burgess Meredith (who never speaks, just quacks), in his unmistakable guise as BATMAN's Penguin, probably for the last time (even Zappa goes uncredited). The climax features the instrumental backing for Boyce and Hart's "Gonna Buy Me a Dog," and the whole thing ends with Nesmith's psychedelic masterpiece "Daily Nightly" (its second and last appearance), but the main song is the Dec 26 1967 remake of Boyce and Hart's "Valleri." Although credited to 'The Monkees' (like the rest of their 1968 output), it was actually produced by Boyce and Hart themselves, after their original Aug 6 1966 version had been getting much airplay across the nation by savvy DJs who taped it from one of the first season episodes. There were no Monkees present on this version, but Louie Shelton again displays his prowess on the tricky guitar licks (also distinguishable from "Last Train to Clarksville"). It would become the group's sixth single (released Mar 30 1968, backed with Nesmith's "Tapioca Tundra"), last top ten hit, and the only track from the fifth LP, THE BIRDS, THE BEES AND THE MONKEES (issued Apr 22), to receive promotion on the show.