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Mama Cass didn’t choke on a sandwich. That urban myth
detracts from the stellar career of a brilliant folkie vocalist
who rose to fame with the Mamas and the Papas during the
psychedelic colored years of the 60’s. Cass had a beautiful
voice and demonstrated an astute sensitivity as a vocalist.
When the Mamas and the Papas broke up she continued recording
making a terrific record with Dave Mason and recording her
own solo work which resulted in the hit single “Dream a
Little Dream of Me”. It wasn’t to last however. Cass died
of a heart attack much too young five years after the TV
special “The Mama Cass Program” (which also was intended
as a pilot for a TV series) aired. ***
Cass’ demonstrates that versatility in the special
whether it be trading quips with showbiz veteran Buddy Hackett
(and singing with him, too!) to performing alongside her
folk/pop contemporaries Joni Mitchell and Mary Travers (of
Peter, Paul and Mary). This vintage special which aired
on January 18, 1969 perfectly captures the 1960’s as the
decade began winding down; in less than a year The Beatles
would break up, Altamont would happen in 8 months changing
the face of the Love & Peace era of the 60’s into an ugly,
violent thing as Hell’s Angels killed a fan at a concert
headlined by The Rolling Stones and The Jefferson Airplane.
The decade began its shift to the narcissism of the 70’s
at the close of the 60’s and, in a sense, as counterculture
icons appeared on The Mama Cass Program it demonstrated
that the line between the establishment and the counterculture
had blurred to the point where it has become meaningless—it
became nothing more than show business. It was a cynical
end to a decade marked by violent upheaval and social change
that hadn’t been seen in nearly a century. “The Mama Cass
Program” brings us to that cultural crossroads and without
commenting on it (this was, after all, just TV entertainment),
it reminds us how quickly that line was crossed and how
the counterculture was assimilated because it was a pot
of gold at the end of a tattered rainbow built from the
bones of Vietnam, social unrest and musical change. That
doesn’t detract from “Cass” and although it’s an artifact
of its era it remains and enjoyable artifact almost as light
and frothy as any other common TV special of the time but
better than most simply because Mama Cass had the clout
to attract major talent on both sides of the spectrum. It’s
not quite as strange as seeing David Bowie sing with Bing
Crosby on a Christmas TV special but it is darned surreal
at times. ***
“The Mama Cass Program” holds up remarkably well more
so due to the charisma of Cass herself and the strong musical
performances than the writing and direction. Unfortunately
guest stars Martin Landau (who was a major TV star at the
time due to the success of “Mission: Impossible” and later
would win an Academy Award finding a second career again
in film with Woody Allen’s “Lies and Misdemeanors”) and
Emmy Award winner Barbara Bain (married at the time to Landau
and who also rose to fame with “Mission: Impossible”)are
trapped along with Cass in a stunningly bad musical number
that reminds us just how narcissistic Hollywood could be.
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Image & Sound:
The show looks decent and was sourced from the remaining
video master. Colors tend to bleed a bit but are also fairly
bold considering the age of the program and detail, clarity
at times are unsteady . ***
Audio sounds decent but keep in mind the limitations
of the mono presentation of the times; this was designed
to be listened to through a five inch speaker with little
to no dynamic range. ---
*** Audio sounds decent but keep in mind the limitations
of the mono presentation of the times; this was designed
to be listened to through a five inch speaker with little
to no dynamic range.
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