Medicine Ball Caravan is a scaled-down Woodstock-ish rock concert documentary. Director Francois Reichenbach followed a large troupe of performers known as the Caravan as they made a nationwide tour in 1970. The avowed purpose was to preach a doctrine of Peace and Love, but most people came to “groove.” Among the featured performers are Alice Cooper, B.B. King and Doug Kershaw.
Director: François Reichenbach. AKA We Have Come for Your Daughters
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Note: no idea where this copy comes from but the quality is very good, the only downside is that it has French subtitles embedded on it, it seems that it was released on VHS in France long time ago, that copy also had French subs so a “clean” copy is probably pretty hard to come by.
Missing from the description is there’s also performance from Stone Ground and an appearance from John Peels. The segment he’s in is of interest because its when many people at their show in Antioch College OH are questioning the caravan’s association with Warner Brothers….because you know…sellout is not revolutionary. “You don’t help your enemy when you’re at war”. So its cool that they document young people being loving, having good times, the music and all, but also has the internal divisions for all to ponder on. A few moments of camera and editing choices are interesting—almost anticipating the common techniques in film 20 years later as seen on MTV, commercials, movies etc. The perspective of a French camera crew makes it unique. Also check out a film set in the Bay Area called Sex Power (also a French production from 1970). Both are closer to an underground newspaper than a Hollywood product.
Was this filmed just before Kent State?? That would give new meaning to hysteria of the film’s last 20 minutes.
Also interesting that the footage of (young) Alice Cooper happens right after the camera following the toxic alcohol hippies. The dirty trouble makers. You can see their corner of society segueing into heavy metal
You burried the lede a bit on this one — the editor and post-production coordinator on MEDICINE BALL CARAVAN was a promising young filmmaker named Martin Scorsese!