Original subtitles

Man: AND THERE WAS JUST...

[ IMITATING ELECTRICAL BEEPING ]

...OF ELECTRICAL IMPULSES.

IT WAS ALL SLIGHTLY UNBELIEVABLE.

Narrator: [Reverberating] CAN SOMEBODY GIVE ME A MIKE?

AND WOULD SOMEBODY PLEASE TURN OFF THE FUCKING REVERB?

[ CLICK ]

THANK YOU.

[ CLEARING THROAT ]

NARRATION -- TAKE ONE.

[ BEEPING ]

WHEN DID THE '60s BEGIN?

THAT MIGHT SEEM OBVIOUS.

EVERYONE REMEMBERS THEM THIS WAY.

BUT REALLY THE EARLY '60s LOOKED LIKE THIS --

A BLACK-AND-WHITE, PICKET-FENCE WORLD STILL STUCK IN THE '50s.

BUT IN 1964, THIS MAN, KEN KESEY,

TOOK AN LSD-FUELED BUS TRIP ACROSS THE COUNTRY

THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

KESEY LIT THE FUSE FOR THE EXPLOSION OF THE '60s.

WHO WAS KEN KESEY?

HE LOOKS INNOCENT ENOUGH, DOESN'T HE?

NOT LIKE THE KIND OF GUY TO TAKE MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF LSD.

WHILE IN COLLEGE, KESEY MARRIED

HIS JUNIOR-HIGH-SCHOOL SWEETHEART, FAYE.

AS A COLLEGE ATHLETE, KESEY SHOWED PROMISE

BOTH AS A FOOTBALL PLAYER AND A WRESTLER.

KESEY ALSO LIKED PERFORMING AS AN ACTOR AND A VENTRILOQUIST.

HE LOVED THE MAGIC TRICK

OF SPEAKING THROUGH OTHER PEOPLE.

KEN, WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A WRITER?

Kesey: I NEVER SAID I WANTED TO BE A WRITER.

I'M A MAGICIAN.

WRITING IS JUST ONE OF THE TRICKS THAT I DO.

AND QUITE A TRICK IT WAS.

BY 1964, AT THE AGE OF 29,

KESEY WAS ONE OF AMERICA'S GREATEST WRITERS.

HIS FIRST TWO PUBLISHED NOVELS WERE

"ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST"

AND "SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION."

YET, AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS SUCCESS,

KEN TRADED HIS TYPEWRITER FOR A MOVIE CAMERA.

Kesey: IF SHAKESPEARE WERE WRITING TODAY,

I DON'T THINK HE WOULD USE A QUILL PEN.

SO I STARTED GOING OUT AND TAPING WITH TAPE RECORDERS

AND FILMING TO SEE IF...

PEOPLE TALKED LIKE THEY DO IN NOVELS, AND THEY DON'T.

Narrator: WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS,

KESEY SET OUT TO MAKE A ROAD MOVIE.

THEIR TRIP WOULD BECOME A LEGEND,

BUT FEW EVER SAW THE FILM.

THERE WERE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS.

THEIR VOICES ARE ON AUDIO TAPE

BUT ALMOST NEVER IN SYNC WITH THE PICTURE.

AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION OF THE '27 BUICK

INTO SECOND GEAR

AROUND THE CORNER AT 34th AND DEARBORN --

OR WAS IT CLARK? IT WAS SOMEWHERE.

HERE'S A SCENE WITH NEAL CASSADY,

THE FAMOUS SPEED-TAKING, REAL-LIFE INSPIRATION

FOR JACK KEROUAC'S FAMOUS NOVEL "ON THE ROAD."

BET HE -- UH-OH, SAY...

FOR 40 YEARS, KESEY AND HIS FRIENDS EDITED THE FILM,

NEVER GETTING WHAT THEY WANTED.

THEN IT WAS BOXED AWAY, FORGOTTEN, COLLECTING DUST.

NOW WE'RE GOING BACK TO THE VAULTS,

USING THE RARE FILM AND AUDIO INTERVIEWS

OF KEN AND HIS FRIENDS TO BRING THE STORY BACK TO LIFE.

Men: LET'S GO, PRANKSTERS!

UNNECESSARILY, MR. CASSADY PROCEEDED NORTH.

HA HA HA!

* YEAH *

* YEAH *

Cassady: CAR WRECK. CHILDREN, TO THE LEFT -- WRECK.

IT'S A JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE, YOU KNOW.

Narrator: WHEN DID THE IDEA FOR THIS TRIP FIRST OCCUR TO YOU?

Kesey: 1963 CAME, AND EVERYTHING CHANGED.

WE'D GONE BACK -- ME AND GEORGE AND FAYE -- TO NEW YORK.

Man: NEW YORK CITY EXTENDS ITS WELCOME.

THE SHOPS ON THE AVENUES.

THE NEW HOTELS. RESTAURANTS.

THE SIDEWALK CAFES.

THE HIT SHOWS. THE TINSEL OF BROADWAY.

Kesey: WE HAD GONE BACK

TO SEE THE OPENING OF "CUCKOO'S NEST" ON BROADWAY,

WITH KIRK DOUGLAS PLAYING McMURPHY,

AND HE WAS TERRIFIC.

Walker: AFTER THE PLAY,

PART OF OUR DAYTIME DIVERSION

AS WE WERE CRUISING AROUND THE CITY,

WE TOOK A DRIVE OUT TO QUEENS,

WHERE THE CONSTRUCTION WAS GOING ON FOR THE WORLD'S FAIR.

Man: HERE ON THIS VERY SITE IS TO BE ERECTED --

THEY'RE DOING IT AT THE MOMENT --

THE SYMBOL OF THE THEME OF THE NEW YORK WORLD'S FAIR.

THE UNISPHERE!

AND BY DIALING 1964,

I LAUNCH THE FINAL PHASE OF THIS GREAT EFFORT.

Walker: WE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, "BOY, THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

WE'RE GONNA WANT TO COME SEE THIS."

Kesey: WE VOWED NEXT YEAR WE'D GO BACK TO NEW YORK

TO THE WORLD'S FAIR.

ON THE WAY BACK, I WAS DRIVING ACROSS COUNTRY

IN A BIG OLD NICE STATION WAGON

WITH A COUPLE OF MY BUDDIES, NIBBLING ON CACTUS.

Man: HERE IN THE ABC NEWSROOM IN NEW YORK,

WE FIRST RECEIVED A FLASH --

Kesey: AS WE WERE DRIVING ALONG, KENNEDY BEGAN TO BE KILLED.

Man #2: THREE SHOTS WERE FIRED AT PRESIDENT KENNEDY'S MOTORCADE

IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.

THE FIRST REPORTS SAY THAT PRESIDENT KENNEDY

HAS BEEN SERIOUSLY WOUNDED BY THIS SHOOTING.

Man #4: THE CROWD OUTSIDE IS QUIET

AND WAITING FOR SOME WORD

ON THE CONDITION OF THE PRESIDENT.

Man #5: THE PRESIDENT'S DEATH IS OFFICIALLY CONFIRMED.

PRESIDENT KENNEDY AND GOVERNOR JOHN CONNALLY

HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN BY ASSASSIN'S BULLETS

IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS.

Kesey: EVERYWHERE YOU WENT, YOU LOOKED IN PEOPLE'S EYES,

AND THEY ALL FELT THE SAME THING.

IT WASN'T JUST SADNESS.

IT WAS A LOSS OF AN INNOCENCE,

THE LOSS OF THE IDEA

THAT ALWAYS THE GOOD IS GOING TO PREVAIL.

Man: THE TRAGEDY OF THIS DAY

IS BEYOND ANY INSTANT COMPREHENSION.

Kesey: THERE'S NO WAY TO EVEN NEARLY DEPICT THE PAIN

AND THE FEELING OF CRISIS,

THE THING THAT ALL OF US SORT OF FEEL

WHEN IT'S REAL DARK.

Man: THIS IS NOT AN ORDINARY SATURDAY.

THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

Kesey: THIS WORLD THAT I WAS PRESENTING WITH THESE WORDS,

I BEGAN TO SUSPECT MIGHT NOT HAVE A WHOLE LOT TO DO

WITH THE WORLD OF THIS.

SO, WE DECIDED TO GO TRAVEL ACROSS THE COUNTRY --

I LOVE TO DRIVE ACROSS THE UNITED STATES --

GO TO THE WORLD'S FAIR, AND COME BACK ACROSS,

JUST TO EXPERIENCE THE...

THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE AND "HEARTSCAPE."

WE WERE GONNA TAKE THE SAME STATION WAGON WE CAME BACK IN,

AND PRETTY SOON BABBS WAS HOME, AND HE WANTED TO GO.

Babbs: I WAS IN THE MARINE CORPS FOR FIVE YEARS,

FLEW HELICOPTERS IN VIETNAM,

AND CAME OUT IN MAY OF '64.

GOT OUT OF THE MARINE CORPS -- I HAD ENOUGH OF THAT.

Kesey: BABBS WAS STALKING AROUND.

THIS IS JUST AFTER HE GOT OUT OF THE MARINES.

HE BEGAN TO ASSIGN NAMES TO THEM.

HE BECAME "THE INTREPID TRAVELER,"

AND THESE WERE HIS "MERRY BAND OF PRANKSTERS."

"SWASHBUCKLER" BECAME MY NICKNAME.

GRETCH HAD COME DOWN FROM OREGON. WE'D MET HER.

Fetchen: I WAS AN ART STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON.

MY INTENTION WAS TO GET A RIDE.

I WAS GONNA WORK IN NEW YORK,

SWIMMING AT THE WORLD'S FAIR IN WATER BALLET,

'CAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING I KNEW HOW TO DO --

THE ROCKETTES IN WATER.

[ LAUGHING ]

Kesey: PRETTY SOON, HAGEN WAS THERE,

WHO'S AN OLD FRIEND FROM OREGON,

FRATERNITY BROTHER -- HE HAD A CAMERA.

SANDY. HE WAS A PHENOMENON.

HE WAS IN THE NUTHOUSE.

HE WAS LIKE THE ID STRIPPED OF EVERYTHING ELSE.

HE WAS JUST THERE.

AT HIS WORST, HE WAS CRAZY.

AND AT HIS BEST, HE WAS A GENIUS.

JANE BURTON WAS A PROFESSOR IN PHILOSOPHY FROM STANFORD.

SHE WAS PREGNANT, AND SHE WAS HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

SO, SHE SAYS, "WELL, I'M GENERALLY FAMISHED."

AND SO SHE BECAME KNOWN AS "GENERALLY FAMISHED."

Burton: IT GOT TO BE KIND OF A PARTY.

IT'S HARD TO DESCRIBE IT,

JUST A BUNCH OF LUNATICS RUNNING AROUND ACTING IDIOTIC

TRYING TO GET TO THE EAST COAST SOMEHOW.

Scott: I MET KEN ON PERRY LANE.

Kesey: CHLOE WAS THE GERTRUDE STEIN OF OUR SCENE.

Scott: I THOUGHT IT WAS PRETTY INSANE, ACTUALLY.

I REALLY DUG EVERYBODY FOR DOING IT.

Kesey: ZONKER WAS JUST THERE.

WE WEREN'T PLANNING TO TAKE HIM. WE BARELY KNEW HIM.

EVERY TIME SOMETHING WOULD HAPPEN, HE'D FALL ASLEEP.

AND HE HAD THIS SNORE...

[ IMITATING LOUD SNORING ]

Zonker: OKAY, HERE'S STARK NAKED.

NOW, I'M ATTRACTED TO HER. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.

BUT SHE'S JUST SO STRANGE.

Stark: MICHAEL HAGEN INVITED ME TO KEN'S HOUSE FOR A WEEKEND,

AND THAT'S HOW I MET EVERYBODY.

THERE WAS JUST A GREAT DEAL OF GENERAL JOVIALITY

AND TALKING AND LAUGHING AND DANCING.

AND EVEN THEN IT WAS LIKE A TROUPE OF MINSTRELS AND MIMES.

THEIR PRESENCE WAS VERY BEAUTIFUL.

Kesey: THE NOTION OF US BEING WILD CRAZIES WASN'T TRUE.

WE WEREN'T LONG-HAIRED, AND WE WEREN'T IRRESPONSIBLE.

THERE WAS AN AMERICAN SENSE.

THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS WORE RED, WHITE, AND BLUE

AND FLEW THE FLAG.

IT WAS TO TRY TO COOL THE PEOPLE OUT AND SAY,

"THIS MAY LOOK STRANGE TO YOU, BUT GET USED TO IT.

IT'S AMERICAN, AND WITHOUT IT WE'RE A DEAD NATION."

Walker: SINCE IT TURNED OUT THAT THERE WERE SO MANY OF US,

FRIENDS AND EVERYTHING,

TOO MANY OF US TO GO IN ONE OR TWO CARS,

WE DECIDED WE'D BUY A BUS AND WE'D ALL TRAVEL TOGETHER.

* PUT ON YOUR RED DRESS, BABY *

* 'CAUSE WE GOING OUT TONIGHT *

Kesey: WE TOOK

A 1939 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER'S SCHOOL BUS.

I GOT OUT THERE WITH A BLINDFOLD.

IT WAS YOUR LEFT BRAIN WORKING

BEFORE IT EVEN KNEW IT WAS THE LEFT BRAIN.

* I'M PRETTY SURE NOW, BABY *

* 'CAUSE YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA KNOCK 'EM DEAD *

Walker: ROY WAS THE REAL PAINTER AMONG US.

* YEAH *

Seburn: AT FIRST, IT DIDN'T APPEAL TO ME AT ALL,

BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT LOOKED REALLY GOOD THE WAY IT WAS,

ORANGE WITH BLACK STRIPES.

ONCE IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT IT WAS GONNA HAPPEN,

I JUST WENT AHEAD.

THE CHALLENGE WAS TO MIX IT UP THERE

SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO LOOK AT.

SOMEBODY JUST TOOK AN OLD BROOM UP ON THE TOP

AND SPILLED SOME PAINT AROUND,

AND, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WALKED AROUND WITH THEIR BARE FEET

ON THE BUS, LEAVING FOOTPRINTS OF PAINT.

Stark: FIRST IT WAS BLACK AND WHITE,

THEN A MILLION DIFFERENT PSYCHEDELIC COLORS,

AND THEN IT WOULD BE PAINTED OVER.

I THINK THEY MUST'VE PAINTED IT OVER 5 OR 10 TIMES.

Walker: AND WE DECIDED, "WELL, HEY, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS BUS TRIP,

LET'S FILM IT."

Kesey: WE BOUGHT REAL COLOR FILM, 16 MILLIMETER,

AND WE'D GOTTEN SEVERAL REAL 16-MILLIMETER CAMERAS

AND WE DECIDED WE'RE GONNA MAKE A FILM.

Narrator: SO WHAT KIND OF FILM WERE YOU MAKING?

A FEATURE LIKE "GONE WITH THE WIND"?

Kesey: YEAH.

DID ANYONE ON BOARD KNOW HOW TO USE THE CAMERAS?

NONE OF US KNEW HOW TO DO ANYTHING THAT WE WERE DOING.

* I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE GONNA KNOCK 'EM DEAD *

Man: I HEARD THE BUS WAS CALLED "FURTHER."

RIGHT.

WHAT DOES "FURTHER" MEAN?

OH, I GET THAT QUESTION A LOT.

IT ALWAYS KIND OF DISAPPOINTS ME.

WHAT, THAT PEOPLE ASK YOU WHAT "FURTHER" MEANS? UH-HUH.

WELL, I COULD LOOK IT UP IN THE DICTIONARY

AND TELL YOU THAT IT MEANS FARTHER ALONG THAN THIS, BUT --

NO, NO, NO, NO. I'M PRETTY DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF.

"FARTHER" IS A DISTANCE.

FURTHER IS A BUS.

ONE IS A PHILOSOPHICAL CONCEPT,

THE OTHER IS A MEASUREMENT.

Man #2: WHAT DO YOU THINK, KEN?

Kesey: WE NEEDED TO DO SOME MODIFICATIONS.

WE WERE AT A WELDING SHOP THAT WAS ALSO A JUNKYARD

AND WE SAW THIS BIG COMMERCIAL CLOTHES DRYER

AND IT LOOKED LIKE A TANK TURRET,

AND WE DECIDED WE WANTED A TURRET ON THE TOP.

SO WE HAD THIS WELDER GUY

CUT A BIG HOLE ON THE TOP OF THE BUS.

[ MOTOR WHIRS ]

I HAD A MOTORCYCLE THAT WE TOOK ALONG,

SO WE HAD THE PLATFORM WELDED ON THE BACK OF IT

THAT WE COULD CARRY THE MOTORCYCLE AND A GENERATOR ON.

CHUCK HAD DONATED A 5-K.W. GAS GENERATOR.

Narrator: KEN, WHY WAS THE IDEA OF A ROAD TRIP SO APPEALING?

WE WEREN'T OLD ENOUGH TO BE BEATNIKS,

AND WE WERE A LITTLE TOO OLD TO BE HIPPIES.

BUT EVERYBODY I KNEW HAD READ "ON THE ROAD,"

AND IT OPENED UP THE DOORS TO US

JUST THE SAME WAY DRUGS DID.

IT GAVE US A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT AMERICA, AND IT STIRRED US UP.

"SO, IN AMERICA, WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN

"AND I SIT ON THE OLD BROKEN-DOWN RIVER PIER

"WATCHING THE LONG, LONG SKIES OVER NEW JERSEY

"AND SENSE ALL THAT RAW LAND THAT ROLLS

"IN ONE UNBELIEVABLE HUGE BULGE OVER TO THE WEST COAST,

"AND ALL THAT ROAD GOING,

"I THINK OF DEAN MORIARTY,

I THINK OF DEAN MORIARTY."

* OH *

* WELL, I'M THE TYPE OF GUY WHO WILL NEVER SETTLE DOWN *

* WHERE PRETTY GIRLS ARE, WELL, YOU KNOW THAT I'M AROUND... *

Babbs: A TWO-TONE PINK-AND-PURPLE DODGE

RIDING LOW ON TORTURED SHOCKS,

SPURTING SMOKE, RACES ACROSS THE CURB,

OVER THE BRIDGE, AND SKIDS TO THE PORCH, SLAMS,

AND KESEY STANDS, HANDS ON HIPS, WATCHING THE ARRIVAL.

Zonker: THE CAR MADE A RAPID APPROACH, AND HE FIT INTO THIS PLACE.

Man: THERE WAS 8-5 ON YOU GETTING THROUGH THERE.

PEOPLE WERE HOLLERING, "NOBODY COULD PARK THERE!

"YOU CAN'T FIT IT THROUGH!

NO, NO, COME ON, CASSADY, COME ON, MAN."

* WITH MY TWO FISTS OF IRON, BUT I'M GOING NOWHERE *

* OH, YEAH, I'M THE TYPE OF GUY THAT LIKES TO ROAM AROUND *

* I'M NEVER IN ONE PLACE *

* I ROAM FROM TOWN TO TOWN *

Kesey: BEFORE THE SMOKE HAD CLEARED,

THERE WAS THIS GUY WITH NO SHIRT ON TALKING A MILE A MINUTE.

WE ALL KNEW WHO HE WAS.

THIS WAS DEAN MORIARTY -- WE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT --

OUR FAMOUS DEAN MORIARTY.

* YEAH, I'M A WANDERER *

* YEAH, A WANDERER *

* I ROAM AROUND, AROUND... *

Burton: I'D READ "ON THE ROAD,"

SO I KNEW HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DEAN MORIARTY,

BUT I DIDN'T LIKE THAT CHARACTER IN THE BOOK TOO MUCH,

AND I LIKED NEAL BETTER.

Stark: ALL OF A SUDDEN, OUT POPS THIS MAN, ALMOST FROM NOWHERE.

HE REMINDED ME MORE OF AN IRISH LEPRECHAUN AT FIRST.

WHEN HE OPENED HIS MOUTH, HE SAID ABOUT 40 WORDS,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN,

EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE WAS AND IS ALL RIGHT

AND ALL BEAUTIFUL AND ALL FUNNY AND MEANINGFUL,

ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

* YEAH, I'M THE TYPE OF GUY THAT LIKES TO ROAM AROUND *

* I'M NEVER IN ONE PLACE... *

Fetchen: FOR ME, I'M WATCHING IT ALL AND THINKING,

"WOW, HE KIND OF LOOKS LIKE MY DAD,

AND MY DAD IS GONNA DRIVE THE BUS!"

[ LAUGHING ]

* ...DRIVE AROUND THE WORLD *

* 'CAUSE I'M A WANDERER *

* YEAH, A WANDERER *

Walker: HE CAME ALONG KIND OF AS A FATHER FIGURE.

SAYS, "I GOT TO TAKE CARE OF YOU BOYS, UNDERSTAND,

"CHANGE YOUR TIRES.

HERE, I GOT THIS 8-TON JACK. I GOT THIS LUG WRENCH."

HE GOES, "YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE A LUG WRENCH IN YOUR GODDAMN BUS."

"HERE, LOOK, I GOT US A COUPLE OF SPARE INNER TUBES,

"THOSE BOOT THINGS -- YOU NEVER SAW A BOOT BEFORE,

"PROBABLY GOES INSIDE THE SPARE TIRE,

AND A BIG TIRE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 10..."

Scott: WE STARTED OUT IN LA HONDA,

AND THERE WAS ALL THIS BIG DEAL,

AND WE HAD BEEN GETTING READY FOR DAYS

AND PACKING AND FIXING, AND FINALLY IT WAS THE MOMENT.

WE WERE LEAVING LA HONDA,

AND EVERYBODY GATHERED AROUND AND WAVED US GOODBYE

AND WE CLIMBED ON THE BUS.

HONK THE HORN!

AND IT STARTED OFF AND IT WENT OUT THE GATE

AND ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND RAN OUT OF GAS!

[ LAUGHING ]

Walker: WELL, THE MOMENT OF DEPARTURE WAS BEAUTIFUL.

WE RAN OUT OF GAS ON KESEY'S BRIDGE.

WE FIGURED, AT THAT RATE, YOU KNOW, 25 FEET AN HOUR --

WE HAD A WEEK TO GET TO NEW YORK.

WE WEREN'T WORRIED.

Burton: THIS IS TAKING DISORGANIZATION

TO SOME SORT OF PEAK.

Scott: IT WAS JUST LUDICROUS.

AND IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER, THAT WAS JUST, LIKE,

THE PERFECT OMEN FOR THE START OF THIS TRIP.

Cassady: I USED TO THINK I WAS NAPOLEON, TOO.

Kesey: WE SET OUT JUST LIKE IN "EASY RIDER"

OR "TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY,"

WHERE STEINBECK SETS OUT TO SEEK THE SOUL OF AMERICA.

Burton: IT LOOKED LIKE A TRAVELING PLEASURE PALACE.

WE COULD RIDE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN TOTAL COMFORT.

IT WAS BIG AND ROOMY AND SPACIOUS --

UNTIL WE GOT ALL THE PEOPLE IN IT.

THEN IT WAS CROWDED.

IT WAS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF A PLEASURE PALACE.

[ INDISTINCT SPEAKING ]

Scott: I WAS ON THE FIRST 24 HOURS

THAT IT TOOK US TO GET FROM LA HONDA TO SAN JOSE.

I DON'T KNOW. WHAT IS IT, 40 MILES?

IT TOOK US 24 HOURS TO GET TO SAN JOSE.

Fetchen: WE DIDN'T GET VERY FAR,

AND MECHANICAL SPASMS STARTED HAPPENING ON THE BUS,

AND THE ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING, SO WE PULLED INTO A GAS STATION.

Babbs: SOME OLD GAS STATION MAN TOOK A LOOK AT THAT THING,

LOOKED AT THE ENGINE AND SAYS,

"YOU'LL NEVER GET THAT THING PAST OKLAHOMA."

Zonker: WELL, I'M SAYING TO MYSELF,

"JESUS CHRIST, THIS THING IS FUCKED."

LOOK, IT'S PAINTED WEIRD,

THE MECHANICS BEHIND IT ARE EQUALLY AS WEIRD.

Fetchen: WHILE EVERYBODY WAS WORKING ON THE ENGINE,

I WAS MESSING AROUND WITH THE HEADSET AND WAS GOING,

"WE'RE ON OUR WAY-AY-AY-AY...

TO SAN JOSE-E-E-E!"

HOW WAS YOUR STAY...

IN SAN JOSE?!

WHILE I WAS DOING THAT, I HAPPENED TO TURN AROUND,

AND I NOTICED CHLOE LOOKING REALLY GLUM.

I SAID, "WHAT'S WRONG?"

AND SHE SAYS, "IF IT TAKES US THIS LONG TO GET TO SAN JOSE,"

SHE SAYS, "WE'LL NEVER MAKE IT TO NEW YORK CITY!"

SHE SAYS, "I CAN'T TAKE THIS. THIS IS TOO CHAOTIC."

AND THAT WAS AS FAR AS SHE LASTED ON THE BUS.

Scott: YEAH, I WAS PRETTY GLAD TO GET OFF.

I MEAN, THANK GOD I'M NOT CROSSING THE COUNTRY IN IT.

Narrator: AND YOU GOT BACK ACROSS THE COUNTRY

BY MORE CIVILIZED MEANS, I IMAGINE?

T.W.A. [ LAUGHING ]

* T.W.A.'s YOUR WAY *

Kesey: THERE'S BEEN A ONE-STEP REMOVAL, I THINK,

FROM OUR CONNECTION TO LIFE.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT. GO TO L.A.

WE CAN'T SEE ANYMORE, WE CAN BARELY HEAR ANYMORE.

WHEN WE LOOK, WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR.

I TELL YOU, HOLLYWOOD IS AS SOULLESS AN IDEA

OF WHAT LIFE LOOKS LIKE.

* I'M GOING OUT WEST WHERE I BELONG *

WHAT COLOR IS WORLD WAR II?

WORLD WAR I IS EVEN A BETTER EXAMPLE.

WHAT COLOR IS WORLD WAR I?

IT'S BLACK AND WHITE,

WHEREAS THE CIVIL WAR IS IN TECHNICOLOR.

* THEY WALK, AND I'LL WALK *

* THEY TWIST, AND I'LL TWIST *

WHAT HAPPENS IF ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT'S BEING SOLD US

HAS DAMN NEAR CLOSED THE DOOR

ON ANY POSSIBILITY OF OUR DOING ANYTHING NEW,

ON OUR DOING ANYTHING

EXCEPT TRAVELING IN THE SAME LITTLE CIRCLE?

AND, IF THAT IS TRUE, HOW DO WE BREAK OUT OF IT?

SO YOU DONATE BLOOD, THEN THERE'S A SICK CAT,

NOT BEING APPROVED OF AND ALL, AS THE SON, YOU SEE, WOULD BE,

SO YOU HAVE A MANIA...

ALL YOU CAN DO IS EXPERIENCE THIS THING.

THIS, AS NEAR AS I CAN SEE, IS WHAT'S GOING ON,

AS NEAR AS I CAN RECORD IT.

IT MAY NOT MAKE SENSE.

I'M JUST TRYING TO OPEN UP LIKE A CAMERA

AND SEE IT CLEARLY FOR A MOMENT.

Zonker: I REMEMBER WHEN WE FIRST HEADED OUT OF LA,

OUT OF KEN BABBS' PLACE, WHERE WE SPENT A COUPLE DAYS

PAINTING HIS SWIMMING POOL AND SO FORTH.

Kesey: WHEN THE BUS HEADED OUT,

BABBS WAS LIVING IN SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

WITH HIS WIFE, ANITA, AND HIS KIDS.

AND WE WENT THROUGH CAPISTRANO,

AND HE REALIZED THIS IS HIS MERRY BAND OF PRANKSTERS

AND HE BETTER CLIMB ABOARD.

THE ORIGINAL PRANKSTER CREDO

THAT STARTED THE WHOLE PRANKSTER MOVEMENT

WAS ONE OF --

YOU START OFF BY SAYING, "NEVER TRUST A PRANKSTER."

BECAUSE NO MATTER HOW I TRY,

I WILL EVENTUALLY...

LIE TO YOU, EVEN THOUGH I MAY NOT WANT TO.

IF I SAY ONE THING TODAY...

[ FEEDBACK ]

Man: GO AHEAD. WOULD YOU REPEAT THAT AGAIN?

"AWOOOOOOO."

[ LAUGHING ]

VERY FUNNY.

Kesey: WHEN WE STARTED OUT WITH THE BUS,

I REALIZED I WASN'T GONNA BE ABLE TO WRITE A BOOK ABOUT THIS.

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T. IT'S AN EXPERIENCE.

Kesey: THIS WASN'T LITERATURE ANYMORE,

THIS JUMPED OFF THE PAGES AND ONTO THE STREETS.

Fetchen: WE TOOK OFF, WENT ACROSS THE DESERT,

AND HEADED FOR ARIZONA.

CASSADY TALKED A LOT.

[ LAUGHING ]

WE'D TAKE TURNS RIDING SHOTGUN WITH HIM

SO HE'D HAVE SOMEBODY TO TALK TO WHILE HE WAS DRIVING.

Burton: HE WAS A RADIO.

HE JUST WENT ON AND ON AND ON.

IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO EVER SHUT OFF.

HE COULDN'T HELP HIMSELF.

IT HAD A LOT TO DO WITH SPEED.

MAJOR PORTION, CRITICAL POINT...

[ SIRENS WAILING ]

All: Shh! Shh! Shh!

Cassady: OKAY, SETTLE IN, SETTLE IN.

Fetchen: ATTRACTING THE COPS, AND HOW TO DEAL WITH

CONCEALING THE DRUGS THAT WE HAD,

THAT WAS ALWAYS A CONSIDERATION

THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE BUS TRIP,

BECAUSE THE COPS WERE STOPPING US

BECAUSE THEY'D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT.

Cassady: I WASTED YOUR TIME, THAT'S WHY I'M NOT --

Kesey: CASSADY WOULD ALWAYS BE OUT THERE TALKING TO THEM,

AND HE'D SAY, "OH, YEAH, OFFICERS," HE'D SAY.

"YOU CAN SEE WHAT THEY'RE LIKE BACK THERE," HE SAID,

"BUT I'M DOING MY BEST TO KEEP THEM IN CONTROL."

Cassady: WE'RE HAVING A BRIEF EQUIPMENT...

Fetchen: OUR INSTANT COVER WAS ALWAYS TO GET THE CAMERAS OUT AND RUN OUT

AND SAY WE WERE MAKING A MOVIE.

Cassady: WE DON'T HAVE A CAMERA WITH ANY FILM.

Burton: PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK WE WERE HIPPIES

OR THAT WE WERE DRUG FREAKS.

THAT WOULDN'T HAVE OCCURRED TO ANYBODY

BECAUSE IT WASN'T IN THE NEWS YET.

[ ALL CHEERING ]

Cassady: SHUT UP!

Narrator: HOW DID YOU GET MIXED UP WITH LSD IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Kesey: I CAME OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

THE PRETTIEST LITTLE BOY YOU'VE EVER SEEN.

I DIDN'T SMOKE. I DIDN'T DRINK.

I WENT TO STANFORD ON A FORD FOUNDATION FELLOWSHIP.

AND WHILE AT STANFORD,

I WAS...GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY

TO GO TO THE STANFORD HOSPITAL

AND TAKE PART IN THE LSD EXPERIMENTS.

Woman: HOW DID YOU BECOME A VOLUNTEER FOR THESE EXPERIMENTS?

Kesey: I, AT THE TIME, WAS TRAINING FOR

THE OLYMPICS TEAM AND WAS --

AS A WRESTLER? YEAH, AS A WRESTLER.

I'D NEVER BEEN DRUNK ON BEER, LET ALONE DONE ANY DRUGS,

BUT THIS IS THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT.

THE STUDY OF LSD CONTINUES IN LABORATORIES AND HOSPITALS

THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

THEY PAID US $25 A DAY TO COME DOWN THERE

AND THEN THEY GAVE US STUFF.

WHAT IS LSD?

HOW DOES IT WORK? WHEN DID IT ALL BEGIN?

IT ALL BEGAN IN A LABORATORY VERY MUCH LIKE THIS ONE.

IN 1938, DR. ALBERT HOFFMAN IN SWITZERLAND

WAS LOOKING FOR NEW DRUGS

IN THE TREATMENT OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

HE HAD BEEN STUDYING MOLD THAT GROWS ON RYE PLANTS.

NOW, IT TURNED OUT THAT THESE SUBSTANCES WERE OF NO USE

IN THE TREATMENT OF MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

HOWEVER, IT WAS FOUND THAT THESE SUBSTANCES COULD PRODUCE

A CHANGE IN MENTAL STATE

CLOSELY RESEMBLING SOME FORMS OF INSANITY --

IN PARTICULAR, SCHIZOPHRENIA.

Kesey: WHEN I WAS ASKED TO DO THESE DRUG EXPERIMENTS,

I THOUGHT THESE DRUGS MIGHT GIVE US A WAY

TO CURE INSANITY, TO OVERCOME DEPRESSION.

THAT WAS PART OF WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WERE DOING.

WHAT KIND OF PREPARATION WERE YOU GIVEN FOR IT?

WERE YOU GIVEN ANY? NONE AT ALL.

I'D READ A LITTLE PIECE IN LIFE MAGAZINE

ABOUT HOW THEY'D GIVEN IT TO CATS,

AND CATS WERE AFRAID OF MICE ONCE THEY'D HAD LSD.

WHAT WAS THAT VERY FIRST TRIP LIKE, THOUGH,

UNDER THE EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS?

IT WAS ON A WARD, ON A NUTHOUSE WARD.

YOU'D GO IN A LITTLE ROOM.

THERE'D BE A BED AND A STAND WITH SOME WATER ON IT

AND A TAPE RECORDER AND NOTHING ELSE.

THERE WAS A LITTLE WINDOW RIGHT HERE

WITH A WIRE THROUGH IT,

AND YOU COULD LOOK OUT AND SEE THE PEOPLE

OUT IN THE OTHER ROOM.

[ CLOCK TICKING ]

[ KNOCK ON DOOR ]

Kesey: AND WHEN I CAME OUT OF IT,

I FELT LIKE IT WAS LIKE DISCOVERING A HOLE

THAT WENT INTO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH

AND YOU COULD SEE JEWELRY DOWN THERE

AND YOU WANTED YOUR PEOPLE TO GO DOWN AND ENJOY IT.

* TRAILER FOR SALE OR RENT *

* ROOMS TO LET 50 CENTS *

* NO PHONE, NO POOL, NO PETS *

* AIN'T GOT NO CIGARETTES *

Fetchen: CASSADY DROVE ALL NIGHT, AND EVERYBODY SLEPT OR DIDN'T SLEEP,

DEPENDING ON WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

Cassady: BUS SUPPOSED TO HIT TO TUCSON, ARRIVED...

OH, THERE, YOU CAN'T --

JUST AS IT WERE -- POLICE, HOW YOU DOING?

* KING OF THE ROAD *

A BUNCH OF PREVIOUS PLANS '69 -- OH, ALL RIGHT, HONEST.

ESPECIALLY SOUTH.

Narrator: IN 1964,

THE ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE BARRY GOLDWATER

WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT.

WHAT DID YOU MAKE OF KESEY'S GOLDWATER STUNT IN PHOENIX?

Fetchen: I WAS KIND OF PUZZLED BY THE NEED TO GET INTO

THE POLITICS OF BARRY GOLDWATER.

I KIND OF THOUGHT THE WHOLE THING WAS SORT OF RIDICULOUS.

A VOTE FOR BARRY IS A VOTE FOR FUN.

Kesey: IT WAS A TONGUE-IN-CHEEK THING.

WE WANTED TO WAVE THE FLAG,

BUT WAVING THE FLAG IN DOWNTOWN PHOENIX

KIND OF SEEMED LIKE YOU'RE FOR GOLDWATER,

SO WE PAINTED "A VOTE FOR BARRY IS A VOTE FOR FUN"

AND THEN DROVE DOWN THE MAIN STREET OF PHOENIX.

BACKWARDS.

Narrator: EVEN AS YOU WERE DRIVING THE BUS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,

REVIEWS WERE COMING IN FOR "SOMETIMES A GREAT NOTION"

AND THEY WERE PECULIAR.

Kesey: YES. THEY DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT.

"CUCKOO'S NEST" WAS A PHENOMENON.

IT RECEIVED NOTHING BUT GOOD REVIEWS.

MOST PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED TO LEARN

THAT YOU'D NEVER EVEN SEEN THE MOVIE.

YOU EVEN THREATENED TO SUE THE PRODUCERS.

I TOLD THESE LIARS, "I'LL NEVER SEE THE MOVIE."

THEY EMPHASIZED THE MELODRAMA.

WHO'S THE VILLAIN IN "CUCKOO'S NEST"?

THE NURSE. NO.

THE COMBINE IS THE VILLAIN,

AND THE BIG NURSE IS THE MINION OF THAT,

BUT SHE'S NOT THE VILLAIN.

Kesey: "I'M MOPPING NEAR THE WARD DOOR

"WHEN A KEY HITS IT FROM THE OTHER SIDE

"AND I KNOW IT'S THE BIG NURSE.

"SHE'S CARRYING HER WOVEN WICKER BAG,

"FULL OF A THOUSAND PARTS

"SHE AIMS TO USE IN HER DUTIES TODAY --

"WHEELS AND GEARS AND TINY PILLS THAT GLEAM LIKE PORCELAIN,

NEEDLES AND FORCEPS AND ROLLS OF COPPER WIRE."

GOOD MORNING, MISS RATCHED. GOOD MORNING.

GOOD MORNING, MISS RATCHED.

Kesey: "THE BIG NURSE TENDS TO GET REAL PUT OUT

"IF SOMETHING KEEPS HER OUTFIT

"FROM RUNNING LIKE A PRECISION-MADE MACHINE,

WHAT SHE CALLS 'ADJUSTED.'"

Nurse Ratched: MEDICATION TIME.

"SHE WORKS WITH AN EYE

"TO ADJUSTING THE OUTSIDE WORLD, TOO.

"WORKING ALONGSIDE OTHERS LIKE HER

WHO I CALL THE 'COMBINE.'"

Man: CHIEF?

WRITING THAT STORY FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THAT INDIAN,

THAT'S WHAT MAKES THAT BOOK.

AND I DON'T KNOW ANY INDIANS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT INDIAN CAME FROM.

THOSE FIRST FEW PAGES OF "CUCKOO'S NEST"

WERE WRITTEN ON PEYOTE.

I'VE ALWAYS FELT HUMBLED BY THAT CHARACTER.

[ IMITATING WAR CRY ]

WITHOUT THE CHARACTER OF THAT INDIAN,

THE BOOK IS A MELODRAMA.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A STRAIGHT BATTLE

BETWEEN McMURPHY AND THE BIG NURSE.

Narrator: ISN'T IT TRUE THAT THE INSPIRATION FOR THE BOOK

CAME FROM YOUR REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCES?

Kesey: I GOT A JOB AT THE NUTHOUSE

AND WORKED FROM MIDNIGHT TO 8:00.

MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT.

BEING CRAZY IS PAINFUL.

LOOKING OUT THROUGH THE LITTLE WINDOW, THROUGH MY CRAZED EYES,

I SAW THAT THESE PEOPLE HAVE SOMETHING GOING,

AND THERE'S A TRUTH TO IT.

IT GAVE ME AN EMPATHY.

THIS WAS, TO ME, SUPPOSED TO BE A REVOLUTIONARY NOVEL.

IT WASN'T FREUDIAN, MAN AGAINST WOMAN.

IT WAS MAN AGAINST MACHINE.

"I TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND BENT OVER AND TOOK THE LEVERS.

"I HEAVED MY LEGS UNDER ME

"AND FELT THE GRIND OF WEIGHT AT MY FEET

"AND HEARD THE WIRES AND CONNECTIONS

"TEARING OUT OF THE FLOOR.

"I WAS ABLE TO GET AN ARM AROUND IT

"AND MY OTHER HAND UNDER IT

"AND LET THE MOMENTUM CARRY THE PANEL

"THROUGH THE SCREEN AND WINDOW WITH A RIPPING CRASH.

"I PUT MY HAND ON THE SILL AND VAULTED OVER THE PANE.

"I RAN ACROSS THE GROUNDS.

"I FELT LIKE I WAS FLYING.

FREE."

Walker: BOY, IT WAS JUST HOT ACROSS THAT DESERT.

AND BEING HOT AND WHAT WE'D DO,

WE'D JUST GO LOOK FOR A COOL PLACE.

Cassady: MERGING TRAFFIC, MERGING TRAFFIC.

MERGING TRAFFIC.

YIELD, YIELD!

RIGHT OF WAY!

Burton: WE'D RIDDEN ALL NIGHT THE NIGHT BEFORE,

AND I'D GONE TO SLEEP IN ONE OF THE UPPER BUNKS,

AND MY PURSE HAD SLIPPED DOWN

BETWEEN THE BUNK AND THE SIDE OF THE BUS

AND GONE OUT THE OPEN WINDOW.

IT HAD EVERYTHING IN IT.

HERE I WAS, PREGNANT, TRAVELING WITH A BUNCH OF MAD MEN

AND I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE A DIME.

Cassady: WATERMELONS, WATERMELONS, WATERMELONS, WATERMELONS!

Burton: IF I'D HAD MY MONEY, IT WOULDN'T HAVE BOTHERED ME AT ALL,

BECAUSE I COULD HAVE WALKED OFF AT ANY STAGE.

I COULD HAVE GONE TO THE NEAREST BUS AT ANY TIME.

NOW I WAS TRAPPED.

Fetchen: SUDDENLY, CASSADY DROVE RIGHT OFF THE ROAD

AND STARTED DRIVING TOWARDS THIS LITTLE POND

AND GOT STUCK RIGHT IN THE SAND.

HE DROVE IT -- "VROOM!"

AND THERE WE WERE, SHOCKED AS CAN BE.

Walker: AH, YES, STUCK.

STUCK IN THE MUD IN ARIZONA DESERT IN THE SUMMERTIME.

Burton: CASSADY -- GOD, HE WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME.

Walker: IT WAS HOT, BOY. LET ME TELL YOU, IT WAS HOT.

IT WAS BLAZING HOT -- THERE I AM.

THAT'S ME, AND THERE'S KESEY

RIGHT BEHIND ME IN THE SUNGLASSES.

AND WE'RE ALL LOOKING AT IT, AND WE'RE STUCK DEEP IN THE MUD.

Cassady: FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN THE FACT THAT...

IF YOU DON'T GET OUT, GET OUT.

HEY!

Fetchen: KESEY HAD SENT SOMEONE OFF ON THE MOTORCYCLE

TO GO LOOK FOR HELP.

AND THEN KESEY HAD THIS BRAINSTORM THAT,

SINCE WE WERE GONNA BE STUCK FOR A WHILE,

WE SHOULD TAKE LSD.

Kesey: SO I'M GOING TO TAKE SOME LSD.

I WANT BABBS TO TAKE SOME.

CASSADY, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME?

Cassady: I WOULD. YES, I WOULD.

Fetchen: THE RIDICULOUS THING WAS THAT THE ACID

WAS JUST MIXED INTO A JAR OF ORANGE JUICE

THAT WAS IN THE REFRIGERATOR.

NOBODY HAD ANY IDEA WHAT THE DOSAGE WAS,

IT WAS THIS SORT OF DEAL WHERE YOU SHOOK UP THE JAR

AND PASSED IT AROUND AND TOOK A SWIG.

AS THE ACID CAME ON, THE SETTING UP OF THE FILMING

WAS STARTING TO HAPPEN, TOO.

WHAT ELSE WE GOT UP THERE? ANOTHER CAMERA, DON'T WE?

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THE ARRIFLEX, TWO MAGAZINES.

WE'RE GONNA HAVE ONE MAGAZINE ON THE ARRIFLEX.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OTHER CAMERA WITH THE ZOOM LENS

ALSO MOUNTED ON A TRIPOD.

WE'RE GONNA RUN THE ZOOM LENS ON THE TRIPOD.

WAS HE FILMING THAT?

[ ALL VOCALIZING ]

THAT'D BE UNGODLY.

MY MERRY BAND OF PRANKSTERS

WON'T BE WANDERING AROUND IN THE DIRT.

COME ON, COME ON.

NO, NO, NONE OF THIS MISERY STUFF.

COME ON, THIS IS THE MERRY GANG.

KEEP IT MOVING.

THAT'S STRETCHIN' GRETCHEN, SHE'S MIGHTY FETCHIN'!

ALWAYS SCRATCHING THE KITCHEN MATCHES AND NEVER ITCHING!

THERE SHE IS OUT THERE.

* YOU KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE A DREAM *

* WHERE WHALES CARRY YOU OUT TO SEA *

Fetchen: ONCE I HIT THE POND, I REALIZED I WAS REALLY HIGH.

* THE LITTLE CREATURES HAD THEIR LITTLE WINGS *

THE WATER OPENED ITSELF UP TO ME IN A NEW DIMENSION.

THERE WAS NO MURKINESS,

IT WAS SUPER CLEAR, REAL CRYSTAL.

IT WAS JUST THERE,

FOR MYSELF AND ITSELF TO GROOVE ON EACH OTHER.

* IF THE BIRDS FLY IN THE OCEAN *

* AND THE WHALES SWIM IN THE CLOUDS *

IT WAS A JOY.

Walker: FAREWELL FOREVER, PAULA.

AS SHE SINKS BENEATH THE DEPTHS.

IN THE NEXT FEATURE, YOU SHALL SEE EMERGE A SLIME QUEEN.

THE HIGH PRIESTESS OF PRANKSTERS.

Fetchen: THAT'S THE SLIME, THE ALGAE.

IT WAS TALKING TO ME,

IT WAS WELCOMING ME INTO ITS REALM OF EXISTENCE.

* WHERE THE SUNRISE SETS *

* AND THE SUNSET RISES *

IT WAS LIKE THE NATURE SPIRITS,

THE STUFF IN THERE, IT WAS SAYING,

"FINALLY WE'RE IN CONTACT WITH A HUMAN BEING,

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THROUGH TO YOU GUYS FOR A WHILE."

THEY WERE HAPPY, AND I WAS HAPPY.

* WHALES WANT TO LOVE YOUR FACE *

* WHALES WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND *

* WHALES WANT TO HUG YOU *

Walker: THAT'S MISS SLIME OF 1964.

* CARRY OUR SOULS *

* THROUGH THE CLOUDS *

* IN THE SKY *

[ HORSES NEIGHING ]

THESE HORSES JUST SHOWED UP

AND ADDED SUCH A NICE KIND OF BACKDROP EFFECT.

Stark: OH, THERE ARE THE HORSES.

IT WAS INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL.

Burton: I DON'T REMEMBER MUCH REACTION TO THESE HORSES.

TO ME, THEY LOOKED KIND OF OLD AND FLEA-BITTEN.

[ DOG BARKING ]

Kesey: I WAS THINKING ABOUT HOW NICE IT WOULD LOOK

TO POUR SOME OF THOSE PAINTS -- LET'S SEE WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

Fetchen: AFTER WE TOOK THE ACID, I THINK IT WAS KESEY'S IDEA,

WE TOOK BOTTLES OF DOPE PAINT,

WHICH ARE USED FOR PAINTING MODEL AIRPLANES,

AND IT'S ENAMEL-BASED PAINT,

SO WHEN YOU PUT IT ON THE WATER, IT FLOATS.

I'LL NEVER DRINK DOWNSTREAM

FROM THE MERRY PRANKSTERS' CAMPSITE.

SO, WE HAD LOTS OF COLORS,

SO WE WERE DIPPING THE COLORS IN THERE

AND WATCHING IT ALL MARBLEIZE.

WE TOOK ZONKER'S WHITE T-SHIRT

AND PUT IT IN THE WATER WITH THE PAINT AND INVENTED TIE-DYE.

Zonker: GOD, I WAS PISSED.

THEY SAID, "OH, IT'S WATER-SOLUBLE.

OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT, MAN."

"WORRY ABOUT WHAT? THAT'S ONE OF MY CLEAN T-SHIRTS."

"FUCK YOUR CLEAN T-SHIRTS," SOMEBODY SAID.

GEORGE SAID, "BACK UP," JUST LIKE I DO.

"SPIN AROUND."

FUCK YOU.

GOD, WATCH THIS THING.

ACTUALLY, I WAS HAVING A GOOD TIME.

[ LAUGHS ]

Fetchen: STARK NAKED REALLY STARTED WIGGING OUT.

Burton: SHE'S DEFINITELY STONED ON ACID.

WE PUT ALL OUR ACID IN ONE-QUART BALL JAR OF LEMONADE

AND I REMEMBER SEEING HER RUN DOWN TO THE REFRIGERATOR

AND GET IT OUT AND UPEND IT.

Kesey: GET A PICTURE OF THAT OVER HERE, MIKE, WITH THE...

GET THAT.

Walker: KATHY WAS LOADED.

HAGEN SAYS, "I'M GONNA MAKE A MOVIE STAR OUT OF HER

NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES."

YOU KNOW, IT'S THE PRETTY GIRL, MOVIE-STAR TRIP.

THE GUY WITH THE CAMERA COMES ALONG AND SAYS,

"HEY, PRETTY GIRL, HOW'D YOU LIKE TO

STAND IN FRONT OF MY CAMERA?"

"SURE, WHY NOT? YOU'RE GONNA MAKE ME A STAR."

JUDY GARLAND IN THE DRUGSTORE, WHATEVER THAT TRIP IS, YOU KNOW.

HEY, HERE'S THE PAINT.

NO, NO, TWO MORE OF THESE,

I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO START USING FILM.

[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS ]

Kesey: THE FIRST SIGNS OF STRAIN WERE BEGINNING TO SHOW

ON SOME OF THE HEALTHY, YOUNG FACES.

AND I WAS TRYING TO KEEP THINGS TOGETHER THERE,

BECAUSE I COULD SUDDENLY SEE EVERYTHING COMING TO PIECES.

THERE WAS THIS MAD WOMAN ON MY HANDS.

WHAT HAVE I GOTTEN MYSELF INTO?

Narrator: THROUGHOUT THE BUS TRIP

YOU SEEMED TO ENJOY THE CHAOS

BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, GENTLY GUIDE THE ACTION.

Kesey: PEOPLE FELT THAT ENLIGHTENMENT

WAS GOING ENTIRELY WITH THE FLOW.

BUT THAT'S LIKE BEING THE BALL IN A FOOTBALL GAME.

I'D RATHER BE THE QUARTERBACK.

I WANT TO HANDLE THE BALL.

I DON'T WANT TO JUST BE THROWN AROUND.

Burton: KEN WAS TRYING TO RUN THIS WHOLE THING AND BE ALL PHILOSOPHICAL,

AND HE WAS CAUGHT UP IN A MILLION DIFFERENT TRIPS.

Stark: * AND HOW LONG WILL IT GO ON? *

* HOW LONG CAN WE WAIT FOR HELP? *

* WHEN NO HELP IS COMING FOR... *

IT REMINDS ME OF MAD OPHELIA.

I DON'T REMEMBER THIS AT ALL.

I REMEMBER SWIMMING IN THE LAKE, BUT NONE OF THIS.

[ SINGING INDISTINCTLY ]

Burton: FOR STARK, OBVIOUSLY, IT WAS TOO MUCH TO BEAR.

FOR GRETCH AND BABBS, THEY FELL IN LOVE.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO PLAY MY FEET?

Fetchen: STARTING THE BUS TRIP, I WAS KESEY'S LOVER,

BUT AFTER I MET BABBS,

HE AND I BECAME LOVERS AND STAYED SO.

I WISH I COULD ALWAYS...

Cassady: OKAY!

THE CAMERA'S FUCKED UP AGAIN.

HEY, HEY!

Walker: THE TRACTOR HAS INDEED ARRIVED,

THEY'RE GOING TO PULL US OUT OF THIS SWAMP.

SANDY'S THERE, SCRATCHING HIS BALLS.

OKAY, LET'S GO!

COME ON!

COME ON, FASTER!

WHOA!

WAIT A MINUTE, WAIT A MINUTE.

TRY TO REVERSE THAT.

I THINK YOU'RE PULLING AGAINST EACH OTHER.

WE'RE GOING! OHH!

KEEP HER MOVING, KEEP HER MOVING!

KEEP HER MOVING, KEEP HER MOVING!

Kesey: SHE AND BABBS HAD DEVELOPED A GREAT AFFAIR

SINCE ROMEO AND JULIET.

* I GOT MY MOJO WORKING, BABE *

* AND I'M GOING TO TRY IT ON YOU *

Walker: THE LOVE RELATIONSHIPS WAS ONE OF THE VERY OBVIOUS THINGS

THAT WAS GOING ON.

I MEAN, NOTHING WAS HIDDEN, YOU KNOW?

* AND I'M GONNA TRY IT OUT ON YOU *

Fetchen: BABBS WAS REALLY WORRIED

THAT KESEY WOULD BE REALLY PISSED OFF,

BECAUSE KESEY WAS SINGLE, BECAUSE HIS WIFE WASN'T THERE,

SO HE WAS UNATTACHED, SEXUALLY.

* NOW I'M GONNA TRY IT ON YOU *

* OH YEAH *

HE DID SULK FOR A WHILE,

BUT HE KIND OF WOKE UP OUT OF HIS STUPOR

AND LOOKED OVER AND SAID, "NOTHING LASTS."

SO THAT BECAME ONE OF THE PRANKSTER MOTTOS, TOO --

"NOTHING LASTS."

Walker: ALL THIS STUFF THAT WE WENT THROUGH,

ALL THESE "INTERTANGLEMENTS" OF OUR RELATIONSHIPS,

OUR MARRIAGES, AND OUR LOVES AND LOVERS,

I THINK ALL OF THIS IS SOAP OPERA 101.

IT'S LIKE WE'RE ALL IN THIS CLASS TOGETHER

AND WE WENT THROUGH IT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS ON THE BUS.

Fetchen: STARK NAKED NEVER QUITE RECOVERED FROM WIKIEUP.

ALL HER MOLECULES, I DON'T THINK,

CAME BACK TOGETHER.

THEN SHE CLIMBS OUT ONTO THE PLATFORM IN THE BACK

AND PRETTY SOON ALL THE TRUCKERS WERE HONKING BEHIND US --

HONK, HONK, HONK, HONK.

AND CASSADY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON,

SO SOMEBODY LOOKED OUT THE BACK WINDOW,

AND THERE SHE HAD TAKEN THE BLANKET OFF HER

AND SHE WAS JUST STANDING OUT ON THE BACK DECK

JUST FLAUNTING HERSELF.

SHE HAD ALL THE SEMIS HEADING FOR HOUSTON BACKED UP BEHIND US.

NOBODY WANTED TO PASS US BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL WATCHING HER.

Stark: THAT KIND OF MADNESS IS ONLY TERRIFYING AND MISERABLE

TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUTSIDE OF IT.

TO SOMEONE WHO'S INSIDE OF IT, IT'S REALLY NOT.

I JUST WANTED TO GO INTO THE DARKNESS

AND BE ALONE WITH MY OWN THOUGHTS.

[ FLUTE PLAYING DISCORDANTLY ]

I THINK MY PSYCHIC VISION IN RELATIONSHIP TO MYSELF

WAS THAT I WAS GETTING A LITTLE BIT HOMESICK.

Fetchen: THEN, NOT LONG AFTER THAT, WE PULLED INTO LARRY McMURTRY'S,

WHICH WAS KIND OF A NICE, MIDDLE-CLASS,

VERY TIDY NEIGHBORHOOD.

Babbs: LARRY LIVES IN THIS UPPER-UPPER-MIDDLE-CLASS

COLLEGIATE SECTION OF TOWN,

AND THIS ELECTRIC, MULTICOLORED CIRCUS BUS SHOWS UP.

Stark: LARRY APPEARED AT THE BUS WITH A LITTLE CHILD,

AND IT REMINDED ME OF MY DAUGHTER.

I JUMPED OFF THE BUS

AND, I GUESS, MUCH TO HIS AMAZEMENT, GRABBED THE BABY.

Fetchen: AND SHE OPENS HER ARMS WIDE,

AND THE BLANKET THAT SHE HAD WRAPPED AROUND HER DROPPED.

Walker: AND SHE'S STANDING THERE STARK NAKED.