The Moneytree

This stunning documentary that no one else unfortunately saw. Such beautiful photography, it's worth it for the opening scene. I've been driving 'round listening to the score.

Or maybe, I just imagined it all...

When I first saw The Moneytree, I was amazed how the film makers got away by Improvizing the dialog. They had a story that the stuck with, and told the actors to say whatever came to their minds to say. (Risky Business at BEST) But it made it look like we (the audience) were eavesdroping on a group of people. furthermore, It's my FAVORITE movie of all time. (It's just SO different from all the mainstream c**p nowadays) Mainstream be damned...Give me the Moneytree anyday!

The Moneytree is a fresh look at a typically cliche subject, marijuana farming. In most movies the harvesters are portrayed as either diabolical deviants who endeavor to enslave a naive population or red-eyed goofs who can barely function under a smoke-filled haze. Look at Reefer Madness or any of the Cheech and Chong movies for examples. The Moneytree, in contrast, grounds itself in the day-to-day realities of marijuana farming and presents an honest look at the choices a potential harvester might face. Filmed in front of a bud-filled backdrop, the Moneytree defies convention and offers a look at the other side of the headlines.

The only way we could get a copy of this on VHS back in the day was to order it from high times magazine, so my buddy ordered it and we watched it many many times while high on the best Road Kill Skunk buds, you cant even get that anymore. Its like a reality weed movie because they didn't use fake weed like ALL other weed movies did back then, they grew out a wonderful crop and used the money made from it to finance the movie. Anyone in Hollywood thinking about making a movie about guerrilla farming should watch The Money Tree as a reference.

Very entertaining and good acting. I can't believe the whole screenplay was done improvisation but that's what's great about IMDb! A small-budget and unknown actors didn't help garner much attention for this in '92. Now look at a program like Showtime's Weeds; huge hit. (plus the U.S. was just getting out of the reagan/bush just say no/war on drugs heyday then too).

Somehow my older brother was able to locate a VHS copy in a extremely small local video store in eastern Long Island and we rented it at least 3 or 4 times in the mid 90's. I wish I had bought that VHS copy from the store but oh well...maybe they re-released it on DVD or something, I'll check ebay/google. I so glad IMDb had this in here though plus all the characters and actor credits.