Whoa…dude. (cough…cough). Man I gotta tell you about (cough… sniff) this mov………. Wow, like all the ridges on my fingers are… like… moving. Huh? Ohhhh yeahhhhh… the movie. Well… uhhh…yeahhhhhh. Ha ha ha haaaaaaa. It’s called “Reefer Madness” dude. And it’s like (cough…) on of those ‘worst movies ever’ mmmaannn. Hee hee hee hee haaaaaaa. It came out in, like the 1930’s and it was all about the evils of Marihuana. Dude. Why did they spell it like that? Whoa. Hey, I’m gonna get some chips, sit back and watch “Reefer Madness.” (munch… crunch… zzzzzzzzzz) (Several hours later…) Wow, I guess I was really tired. Well, let me tell you about this movie I watched called “Reefer Madness.” At least what I can remember. (Good thing I’ve seen it before.) It’s what you might call a propaganda film. Originally released in 1938, the film trumpeted the horrors of Marijuana use.

Wrapped in a package of bad acting and misinformation, “Reefer Madness” taught folks that using Marijuana would cause people to lose control. Use of the Evil Weed would turn you into a mindless zombie, leading you towards a life of perverted sex and even murder. The only kernel of truth is the mindless zombie part, but of course this is aided by the fact that you already have to be kind of weak-minded & stupid to use it.

Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, I was one of those guys who grew up on the outside of the drug culture. I had long hair, a lot of friends who smoked pot, and even went to a ton of concerts; but I was always the guy who was the designated driver. I had no use for mind-altering drugs (my mind was rather twisted already); I didn’t even start drinking any kind of alcohol until I was almost thirty. I generally made a conscious effort to make fun of the obvious low-mentality of those stupid enough to think drugs somehow ‘enlightened’ them and made them soooo much smarter than those who didn’t. The fun part was being able to mock them right to their faces, and thanks to the apparent brain cell suicide, they were oblivious and had no clue. And if someone was actually coherent enough to understand me, my jokes were met with the highly menacing, “Oh Yeah?” So much for ‘enlightenment.’

Over the years, as I have grown up, my ideals have changed somewhat. I no longer hold the disdain for those who use marijuana, at least not in the same way. As I got older I began put marijuana into the same category as lesser drugs, like cigarettes. Unhealthy, but not necessarily dangerous. I still think you’d have to be an idiot to do either, and certainly not too bright if you think they’re not addictive (heck, chocolate is addictive), but I try not to belittle as much as I used to. Everyone’s free to have his or her habit, as long as I don’t have to join in. But I digress.

If you’ve never had the opportunity to see “Reefer Madness”, then this is your chance. Fox Home Entertainment is releasing and all-new ‘Special Addiction’ DVD version meant to take the place of all those awful VHS copies floating around. Granted, the original footage wasn’t the best, but Fox did a great job nonetheless restoring it to a watchable product. I do find it a bit funny that the packaging mentions a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound presentation, because if it existed, I didn’t hear it.

There are two versions of the film on the DVD, one is the original black & white print that most of us are familiar with. The other is a newly colorized version. Normally I hate the idea of colorizing, but here it is done to great effect. There’s just something unsettling about watching people blow out Technicolor smoke. Sometimes it’s green, other times, yellow, and so on.

Whether or not you’re a fan of commentaries, do not miss the ones here. The guys from Legend Films, who worked on the restoration, chime in and pretty much make fun of the movie all the way through. But it is the second commentary that gets an A+. In an inspired move Fox called in Mike Nelson, of “Mystery Science Theatre 3000” fame to throw in his two cents on the film (and by his two cents, I mean that is what Fox charged him to do it…). Nelson is a wizard of witty repartee, and his years of experience making fun of bad movies really pay off here for the listener.

In addition to the main feature, you can also find the 1999 short film, “Grandpa’s Marijuana Handbook.” Directed by Evan Keliher, this film is rather funny, though not hysterically so. It even comes with its own set of special features, in the form of outtakes. Some of these are actually funnier than the film.

There’s no denying the fun of watching these old propaganda films. “Reefer Madness” is probably one of the most famous, and it is certainly one of the funniest. It’s almost like watching an Ed Wood film. The style, and quite often the message are so over-the-top, as to make them ripe for ridicule. They are the kinds of movies to watch with friends, just so you can do your own running commentary. Of course in a fitting bit of irony, the audiences that will probably laugh the hardest are those who are under the influence of the Evil Weed. But then again, they laugh at anything, don’t they?

Directed by: Louis Gasner
Starring: Dorothy Short, Dave O’Brien, Thelma White, Carleton Young, Kenneth Craig, Warren McCullom, Josef Forte
Extras: Restored Original B&W Version and All-New Colorized Version, Audio Commentary by Mike Nelson of TV’s “Mystery Science Theatre 3000”, Color Design Commentary by Legend Films, Short Film – “Grandpa’s Marijuana Handbook” by Evan Keliher, Trailer
Specifications: Full Frame (1.33:1), Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, 5.1 DTS, Mono
Studio: Fox
Release Date: 4/13/2004
Region 1
MPAA Rating: NR
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We'll give Reefer Madness a B+.