Archive Watch

Social Seminar: Guy (1971)

1971 · Ephemeral film · 18 min

Synopsis

Presents the experiences of Guy, a 15-year-old Mexican-American who spends a great deal of time stoned on reds. Shows his flight into passivity and escape from the realities of an ungiving environment. Questions why he needs to escape and what should change in his surroundings to make his life more challenging.

Uploader's description on archive.org

Details

Running time
18 minutes
Collection
Prelinger Archives

Reviews on the Internet Archive

★★★★★ · In the still of the night · Steve Nordby · 2003-11-12

Part of the Social Seminar documentary series by UCLA and the National Institute of Mental Health. This one diverges from the hippie/dropout white middle class youth to show the life of a somewhat poor young Chicano with divorced parents and a hostile father. This, of course, leads to drugs. There is a group meeting or seminar with some sort of (seemingly loaded) teacher or counselor who tells the students that if they are high on campus, they should come to him cause he won't bust them. The gang hangs out, alcohol and funny cigarettes are consumed, and pills are popped. Then the inhalants…

★★★★ · If you're stoned on reds, The Man will get you! · Spuzz · 2005-04-06

There isn't a lot of Chicano American representation in the archives, so this is why this film is such a kick! Here we profile Guy, a latin kid who drops out of school and gets high on reds, alcohol and any aerosol cannister he can get his hands on. Guy is great, as he and his pals are not the least bit camera shy as they get together on their CLASSIC bikes and shoot the breeze. Guy sometimes tries to get reformed by the White Man Who Speaks Jive, but mostly gets into trouble. But Mom's always there to cook for him though, she's sweet. Bonus points for the sparse, but with it living room.…