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Still Feelin' Groovy After 40 Years: Top 10 TV DVDs to Remember Woodstock

Karen Murphy - August 15, 2009

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Whether you lived that Summer of '69 or it was way before your time, the impact and influences from the Hippie Movement, the Counter Culture Revolution, and a certain music festival hailed as "An Aquarian Exposition" are still far out and continue to get our collective consciousness stoked, jazzed, and feelin' groovy. In honor of the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, the psychedelic concert that rocked rural Bethel, NY, Aug. 15-18, 1969, here are ten of our small screen picks to satisfy your inner flower child and get your funky '60s fix. Read on and check out our recommended DVDs -- it's a gas, man!

   
   
   

The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour (CBS, 1967-70)


These two cats were cool and their variety/comedy show was so hip, fab, and cutting edge that it was cut after the third season for its polarizing political satire, anti-war stance, pop-culture vibe, and counter-culture references. Among their musical guests were Woodstock headliners: Joan Baez; Jefferson Airplane; and The Who, whose famous guitar-smashing, drum-exploding ending to My Generation is among TV's golden rock-n-roll moments. Check out the Season 3 DVD.

 

The Ed Sullivan Show (CBS, 1948-71)


Ed sounded and looked like "Big Brother" or part of "The Establishment" in his suit and tie, but he sure was in tune with the times. He made a point to have the latest, hippest, coolest acts from each era on his "really big" variety show during its historic run, including Woodstock icons Janis Joplin and The Band. There are various DVD sets for his show, but we recommend The Ed Sullivan Rock & Roll Classics Box Set.

 

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (NBC, 1968-73)


This number one television show of 1969 was like a polished, studio version of Woodstock, minus the mud and skinny dipping. You could "bet your sweet bippy" that each week Laugh-In would feature the latest fashions, colorful body paint, go-go-dancing bikini girls, and rockin' party scenes -- and would always "sock it to you" with the most current sexual and political innuendo of the time period. Even the show's title was a wink and a nod to the hippie tradition of sit-ins, love-ins, and anti-war protests. Pick up the Best of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.

 

The Mod Squad (ABC, 1968-73)


Racial politics, the drug culture, and the counter culture defined this hip crime-fighting show where three young hippies worked undercover for the Fuzz, but did it in their own rebellious way. Pete, Julie, and Linc wore the latest threads and hairstyles as they showed the attitude and "solid" coolness that marked the flower power era and the spirit and look of Woodstock. You'll want to view the DVD, The Mod Squad: Season 2, Vol. 1, that highlights the 1969 Fall season.

 

The Monkees (NBC, 1966-68)


They were canceled right before the Summer of '69, but the Monkees didn't "monkey around" -- they continued to rule the airwaves and the concert circuit that iconic year and for a few years after. They came back for the 1969 NBC TV Special 33-1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee, and they were "a steppin' stone" for the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi and his band got their first American concert experience as The Monkees' front band, and Jimi went on to perform Hey Joe, Purple Haze, and his iconic guitar version of The Star-Spangled Banner at Woodstock. Get your hands on this DVD, The Monkees -- Our Favorite Episodes.

 

American Bandstand (ABC, 1952-89)


Dick Clark was a master at showcasing the musical acts that topped the charts and symbolized each era of his long-running televised hits parade. In the late '60s, he featured many of the Woodstock acts such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, John Sebastian, and Ravi Shankar, who played his Woodstock set in the soaking rain amidst the muddy fields of Bethel's farm country. You'll want to check out Seasons 9-12 that cover the years 1964-70 in the DVD set, American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary Collection.

 

The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (NBC, 1962-92)


You knew you had made it if you were invited to appear with Johnny, another showman who had the knack for featuring the greatest entertainers from each period, such as the 1968 appearance of James Rado and Gerome Ragni from the popular '60s musical Hair. When Tiny Tim "tip-toed through the tulips" and married his beloved Miss Vicki on nation-wide television in 1969, the event had "flower power" and "feel the love" written all over it. There are a myriad of DVD collections from Johnny's years with the Tonight Show, but this one will give you the sense of the era: Johnny's Favorite Moments -- The Best of the '60s and 70s.

 

American Dreams (NBC, 2002-05)


This Emmy Award-winning series was canceled before the story line reached 1969, but it's still a show that offered a feel for what life was like in the '60s -- even if the writers played with some of the historical facts. The characters dealt with the racial, political, and cultural issues of their day -- with an infusion of the period's popular music and a running reference to American Bandstand and its historic musical guests. Currently, the only DVD available from the series is American Dreams: Season 1.

 

The '60s (NBC, 1999)


This miniseries was tagged "a movie experience that will blow your mind" and starred Julia Stiles as one of several teens and their families living during the 1960s. It featured archival video that was blended into the show's story line so viewers got a realistic peek at the fashions, the issues, the events, and the music of the period. It's mind-altering DVD.

 

Tour of Duty (CBS, 1987-90)


The Vietnam War and its anti-war movement were in full swing in 1969. "Make love not war." That slogan captured the Woodstock vibe and rang true for the entire American counterculture of the '60s. But what about that war? This series was the first to show American soldiers in combat during the Vietnam War, and it's often remembered for its vintage rock music, including the theme song, "Paint It Black." The entire series is available on DVD, but there's definitely one sour note -- all that groovy music is missing, replaced by standard library tracks.

 

Bonus Woodstock DVDs To Watch For: These aren't available on DVD -- yet -- but they will give you a feel for the '60s and the magic of Woodstock: VH1's Rock Doc Woodstock: Now & Then airing Aug. 17 at 8 pm on History; and Ang Lee's newest film, Taking Woodstock, opening Aug. 28 with Comedy Central's Demetri Martin starring as Elliot Tiber, the man who made it happen with his coveted Bethel concert permit.

 

Don't freak out if you don't see some of your righteous DVDs on the list. Just feel the love and the power of the flower and lay it on us with your slick '60s picks.