Wichita's Don Johnson in "Zachariah" (1971)

Starring Wichita's, Don Johnson

"Zachariah" (1971) is an acid Western film directed by George Englund and starring John Rubinstein, Patricia Quinn and Don Johnson.

It is a cinematic anomaly, a psychedelic Western that melds the traditional elements of the genre with the countercultural ethos of the 1960s and early 1970s.

The film stands as a testament to the creative experimentation that characterized the counterculture movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Its fusion of Western aesthetics, countercultural themes, and a rock ‘n’ roll soundtrack create a cinematic experience that transcends traditional genre boundaries.

As a unique entry in the canon of countercultural cinema, “Zachariah” continues to captivate audiences with its rebellious spirit, celebration of individualism, and psychedelic visuals, offering a timeless journey through the American West that resonates with the cool free-spirited ethos of its era.

Plot:
Gunfights and electric guitars in the Old West? You bet! Zachariah gets a mail order gun, practices a little, and kills a man in the local saloon. He and his friend Matthew set out to become gunfighters, joining with the Crackers, a rock band who are also (pitifully inept) stage robbers.

Cast:
John Rubinstein as Zachariah
Pat Quinn as Belle Starr (as Pat Quinn)
Don Johnson as Matthew
Country Joe and The Fish as The Crackers
Elvin Jones as Job Cain
Doug Kershaw as The Fiddler
William Challee as Old Man
Robert Ball as Stage Manager
Dick Van Patten as The Dude
James Gang as Job Cain's Band (as The James Gang)
White Lightnin' as Old Man's Band
The New York Rock Ensemble as Belle Starr's Band

Don Johnson later said in a 2014 interview with The A.V. Club, "I was sort of the Govinda character."

The film is loosely based on the works of Hermann Hesse's 1922 novel Siddhartha, and 1930 novel, "Narcissus and Goldmund" (wherein two young friends take divergent paths in life, to reunite and share similar perspectives); surrealistically adapted as a musical Western.

Massot said his inspiration came from when he joined the Beatles in India, when they were studying Transcendental Meditation under Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in early 1968. Massot said he arrived to find only George Harrison and John Lennon there, after their bandmates had left the course early, and the two Beatles "locked into some sort of meditation duel ... to see who was the stronger character".

Massot initially asked Harrison to provide the film's soundtrack, following his work on Wonderwall, which Massot directed. According to Levon Helm of The Band, Harrison discussed making Zachariah as an Apple Films project starring Bob Dylan and The Band, in late 1968. The following April, Rolling Stone announced that Cream's drummer Ginger Baker and The Band were to be major players in the film.

This film was billed as "The first electric Western". It features appearances and music supplied by rock bands from the 1970s, including the James Gang, New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, and Country Joe and the Fish as "The Cracker Gang". Fiddler Doug Kershaw acts and plays "The Ballad of Job Cain" as does Elvin Jones as a gunslinging drummer named Job Cain, Byard Ray and Obray Ramse appeared as the duo White Lightnin'.

Soundtrack:
The music and lyrics that appear in the movie soundtrack were written by:

"We're the Crackers" - Joe McDonald
"All I Need" - Joe McDonald
"Poor But Honest Crackers" - Joe McDonald and Barry Melton
"Country Fever" - The James Gang
"Laguna Salada" - Joe Walsh, Jim Fox and Dale Peters
"Drum Solo" - Elvin Jones
"The Ballad of Job Cain" - Doug Kershaw
"Grave Digger" - Michael Kamen and Martin Fulterman
"Down in the Willow Garden" - traditional
"Camino Waltz" - John Rubinstein
"Shy Ann" - Byard Ray and Obray Ramsey
The New York Rock & Roll Ensemble perform Grave Digger. The soundtrack features songs by the James Gang, Joe Walsh, and Country Joe and the Fish.

"Zachariah (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)," the soundtrack album, was released in 1971 as a vinyl LP by Probe Records, a subsidiary label owned by ABC Records. It contains the following titles:

Side 1:
Zachariah (Main Title) - Jimmie Haskell
Laguna Salada - The James Gang
We're The Crackers - Country Joe And The Fish
William Tell Overture - Jimmie Haskell
All I Need - Country Joe And The Fish
Ballad Of Job Cain - Doug Kershaw
Country Fever - The James Gang

Side 2:
The Lonely Ride - Jimmie Haskell
Camino / Used Horse Salesman - Jimmie Haskell
Camino Waltz - Jimmie Haskell
Gravedigger - The New York Rock And Roll Ensemble
Shy Ann - White Lightnin'
Matthew - Jimmie Haskell
Zachariah (End Title) - Jimmie Haskell

The film recorded a loss of $1,435,000.

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