University of Virginia Library

CINEMA

'Milkshake' Leaves Rotten Taste

By STEVE GRIMWOOD

The youth market movies
have struck again, this time in
the form of "Captain
Milkshake." Possibly an
anti-war movie, possible an
anti-hippie movie, "Captain
Milkshake" is most definitely a
dud.

"Milkshake" is a young
Marine home on emergency
leave from Viet Nam. Home in
San Diego, on the beach no less.
Plagued by recurring memories
of buddies getting shot in the
head and killing Vietnamese
women, Milkshake (they never
once called him this during the
film) meets a "liberated"
good-looking blonde and
proceeds to get shook up.

Bouncing from well
meaning uncles at home ("Did
ya grease any monkeys over
there?") to smoking dope on
the beach with his girl,
Milkshake has a pretty good
time for the first half of the
film. But, of course, the reality
of the world rears its ugly
head. Milkshake tells his girl to
stop "giving me this bad trip
bullshit," goes back to Nam,
gets shot, and she cries.

This is one of those films
that the producers hope will
appeal to every segment of the
youth audience. The anti-war
hippies have a good time and
seem sincere, but end up
appearing as dope-smoking
opportunists. Milkshake, our
typically confused soldier, is
presented as a tragic hero of a
senseless world, but it is hard
to believe that there really are
guys like this walking around.

David Korn, who played the
leader of the anti-war group,
also doubled as film editor.
Apparently he is caught up in
his part, as the editing was
uninspired and the special
effects were at best boring, and
mostly irritating.

Overall, this allegedly
thought provoking movie
leaves one question in the mind
of the viewer; Why would
anyone pay good money to see
this piece of trash?

(Now at the Cinema)