A countercultural commune's revolutionary experiment in the late 1960s
Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases
Formation of Ideals
Revolutionaries come together to form a commune based on shared ideological beliefs and countercultural values.
Key Events
Commune Formation — Revolutionaries form a commune Characters: Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe Nemisch, Serge Soulberg, Jane Fonda, Allen Ginsberg/Yoko Ono, Catnip GoldbugLocation: Underground Commune
Ideological Session — Revolutionary ideology discussed Characters: Serge Soulberg, Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe NemischLocation: Commune Meeting Space
Commune Life
Members engage in daily activities including ideological discussions, music performances, and drug rituals that define their revolutionary lifestyle.
Key Events
Music Performance — Revolutionary music performed Characters: Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Mike WattLocation: Commune Common Area
Drug Use Ritual — Commune members engage in drug use Characters: Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe Nemisch, Catnip GoldbugLocation: Commune Living Space
Ideological Cracks
Internal conflicts emerge as revolutionaries debate the practical application of their ideology against the backdrop of external pressures.
Key Events
Ideological Conflict — Revolutionaries debate ideology Characters: Serge Soulberg, Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe NemischLocation: Commune Meeting Space
Confrontation and Dissolution
The commune faces external authorities and ultimately dissolves, marking the end of this particular countercultural experiment.
Key Events
Police Encounter — Commune members confront authorities Characters: Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe Nemisch, Serge Soulberg, PoliceLocation: Commune Entrance
Commune Dissolution — Revolutionary commune disperses Characters: Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe Nemisch, Serge Soulberg, Jane Fonda, Allen Ginsberg/Yoko Ono, Catnip GoldbugLocation: Abandoned Commune
Story Breakdown
Commune Formation — Revolutionaries unite around shared ideology
Core Members — Bernadine Dohrn, Jeff Jones, Gabe Nemisch
Leadership — Serge Soulberg guides the revolutionary group
Supporters — Jane Fonda, Allen Ginsberg/Yoko Ono
Commune Life — Daily activities and rituals of the revolutionary group
Ideological Sessions — Debates on revolutionary theory and practice
Cultural Expression — Music performances and artistic activities
Drug Rituals — Psychedelic experiences as part of revolutionary lifestyle
Internal Conflicts — Challenges to the commune's unity and ideology
Ideological Debates — Disagreements on revolutionary tactics
Personal Conflicts — Interpersonal tensions among members
External Pressures — Confrontations with authorities and society
Police Encounters — Confrontations with law enforcement
Public Perception — How society views the revolutionary group
Commune Dissolution — The eventual breakup of the revolutionary experiment
Final Gathering — Last moments of the commune together
Aftermath — Where members go after the commune ends
Featuring a cast that includes Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore, Mike Watt of the legendary hardcore band Minutemen, and Pettibon himself, this deadpan narrative pays dubious homage to the 1960's radical underground. In this crudely rendered home video of a commune of stoned revolutionaries, the cameras are hand-held, the edits in-camera, and the dialogue is wryly on-target. Pettibon's band of outsiders reenacts a countercultural moment defined by rock music, drugs, and ideological paradox — and in so doing, captures their own late-80's West Coast grunge milieu as well.
