Reefer Madness
Director: Louis J. Gasnier
Year Released: 1936
Rating: 0.5
Famously awful fiction film about the perils of smoking marijuana - the weed which "leads to acts of shocking violence" - has the story all wrong: instead of violent piano playing or madness or murder, frequent abuse of the drug leads to being a complete bore enamored with the idea of being an outsider and breaking the law. Some people find it amusing, but it's so terribly misguided it's actually kind of sad - rape? driving quickly? gathering up the strength to get off the couch? - and the technical ineptitude is enough to make anyone cringe. Most amusing to me, I suppose, is an agent from INGSOC admitting they're powerless to combat the spread and use of the illegal drug: Stoners: 1, Federal Govt': 0. Just legalize it ... and tax the hell out of it.
