The Rolling Stones’ concert at Altamont Speedway will forever remain in the American consciousness as a day of infamy, a day when all hell broke loose, documented famously in the Maysles brothers’ Gimme Shelter. Directed by Joshua von Brown, Altamont Now shares the vérité style and spirit of chaos with its predecessor, but its impact is on a completely different wavelength. Every so often, I would step back and ask myself, “What could these zany filmmakers possibly be trying to say?” And the only conclusion is that, whether intentionally or not, Altamont Now has an anti-thesis. It cares little about the viewer’s presuppositions about film, and it certainly doesn’t care about narrative coherency. This film is pictographic nihilism.
Through a series of dizzying and disorienting episodes, Altamont Now tells the story of reclusive indie rocker Richard Havoc (Daniel Louis Rivas) and his wild band of misfits as they plan a major happening to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Altamont disaster. Havoc, who retreated to the California desert when he became disillusioned with stardom, lives underground in an abandoned missile silo where he broadcasts a political television show with his loyal followers, Katie (Frankie Shaw) and Travis (Teddy Eck). Their guerrilla production attracts the attention of Mark Clark (Raphael Nash Thompson), a curious journalist who ventures out to the desert for an exclusive interview with the fallen idol. Fueled by drugs and paranoia, the rebels take Clark hostage and his captivity sparks their increasing turmoil. With the unexpected arrival of a former band member, things really begin to unravel, as they begin to doubt their leadership and question their capacity to pull off the mega-stunt.
Altamont Now revels in its contradictions and layers of satire. From the outset, it’s clear that the filmmakers are mocking something, if not everything, but the message is overwhelmed by cacophony, while the actors could use training in comic delivery. Only Matthew Humphreys — who enters as Havoc’s best friend halfway through the film — really grasps the timing and enthusiasm needed to make an audience laugh. The writers aim to take down youth culture and the worlds of music and art in the span of 80 minutes, but they don’t raise the issues as much as spray them all over the walls. Arguments are rough and formless when they could’ve benefited from clarity. I acknowledge the film’s ambition, but shake my head at the execution.
The film is much more successful from an aesthetic standpoint. The contrast of avant-garde techniques and reality television spoofing is provocative and at times unique. The effect is druggy, sometimes nightmarish, and reminiscent of a snowy UHF feed. When it’s used to complement the humor, as it is in a scene that parodies a family sitcom, the pieces come together wonderfully. In those few cases, the film comes across as an amalgam of demented home movies, suggesting that it may be better to view it in parts. To take it in all at once can be a nauseating experience.
Although Altamont Now freely plays with revolutionary messages and anarchistic ideals, it never finds any firm ground. Granted, this may have been von Brown’s intent from the beginning, but beyond the overarching criticism and mockery of anyone who claims to be “anti-establishment,” the film lacks focus and meaning. This is utterly disappointing, because underneath all of the rhapsodizing about terrorism and capitalism, there are some quality moments that could’ve been nurtured into something more memorable. To paraphrase a friend, the whole thing feels like an art-school prank.