Reefer Madness

I'm SO used to being disappointed by underwritten roles, songs, plot & dialogue, phoned-in performances, etc., in most of what I see in films and T.V. lately... but THIS is SUBLIME! Though it's hilarious and campy, the lyrics are witty and demand intelligence, and the music's terrific, as is every single performance. But there just isn't any actor or aspect of the show to single out as brilliant; every moment of Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical is no less than perfect! My husband, my friends and I haven't been able to stop watching it (it was on Showtime On Demand 'til Saturday), nor can we get the songs out of our heads.... Surely Showtime is going to rerun this on DVD, and (PLEASE!) release it on DVD A.S.A.P. Do yourself a favor and catch it.(And no, I'm in no way affiliated... just a film "buff"!)

When it comes to musicals, movies like Chicago and Moulin Rouge come to mind. Most people loved one or the other (or both) of those, so Reefer Madness has to work hard to live up to expectations. While it is not as visually extravagant as Moulin Rouge, this movie is just as funny, and while the dances are smaller key than Chicago, they are perfectly choreographed and blend together well. All actors do their own singing and dancing, and they do quite well.

The film is about the negative effects of Marijuana on society, in the form of a fable. An all-out, way over the top, in no way politically correct fable. You start suspecting that the writers are not going to hold anything back as soon as Jesus appears in a single silk loincloth, surrounded by showgirls. Very few aspects of the christo-republican lifestyle are not subjected to some good old fashioned irony and black comedy, but democratic values take a bit of beating too.

Reefer Madness is based on the stage play of the same title, which was fine-tuned during its 8 year run. The effects of the long tweak-time are obvious, the movie is crammed full of jokes -- from small asides to full-on audience rollers -- and there are virtually no duds. The on-screen adaptation lives up to the material, at no point does this flick feel at all like a stage play.

The long practice shows on the performances as well, Kristen Bell and Christian Campbell -- both carrying on their roles from the stage play -- do a great job both as naive 1940's schoolchildren and as uninhabited addicts. A notable change from the play is the addition of Alan Cumming who is putting in a great and unrestrained performance as always.

I saw the movie at a Sundance screening at midnight. Not only was the theater totally sold out, but all of the audience members were wide awake and cheering, clapping, laughing and utterly enjoying themselves for the entire duration.

In case you get a chance to go to a theater-screening, do it, it deserves the big screen. Otherwise don't forget to program your DVR to record the Showtime premiere!

In case it is not obvious from the above, this movie is the definition of A+ fun and entertainment.

This film is so much better than the 1936 trash-fest that no mere comparison can do it justice. Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical is a smart, funny, and well performed parody of American paranoia, using the original Reefer Madness plot as a launching point to satirize McCarthy, fundamentalism, race, and the obsession with privilege, wealth and 'breeding' which have so sadly marred our history.

Unlike the original, nearly everything in this production is done right. The likable characters are the good ones, and the villains are truly despicable. The addition of a decent set of amusing tunes helps to keep the plot moving along (one of the biggest failures of the original film was the inconsistent and often painfully drawn out plot), and the use of some talented Broadway players (Christian Campbell and Kristen Bell are particularly fun to watch) as well as a script guided by rational thought as opposed to ignorance (as was the case in 1936), all make this film unusually entertaining and funny (the author generally dislikes straight comedies and has very high standards for musicals).

(Sorry for all the parenthetical statements) Most of you are probably aware of the plot, so I will summarize what distinguishes this from the original rather than simply summarizing the film. This version of Reefer Madness is less a paranoid right-wing attack on marijuana use than an amusing musical which compares the pot-scares that inspired the original film in 1936 to McCarthyism, fundamentalism, racism and various other ethical pathologies America has faced in its history (and today). The film does not promote marijuana use, but does play up the absurdity of the arguments that make it appear to be more harmful than, for example, cigarettes, alcohol, heroin, etc - all of which have been or were, at one time, used by the drug's most vocal enemies.

Jimmy Harper, in his voyage from an all-American high school kid to a dope-fiend, meets Satan, Jesus, Joan of Arc, the undead, and Franklin Delano Roosevelt along the way, ending up in a lot of trouble with the law. Spurning his high school sweet heart and terrifying his family, Jimmy sinks deeper and deeper into a pot-crazed state of insatiable lust, violence and - of course - jazz. Finally, this version ends differently from the 1936 film - but I won't give away the conclusion.

For me, giving a musical comedy a 7 is some of the highest praise I can give (The Wizard of Oz, Tommy and Singin in the Rain get 9s), so, if you're into this kind of thing, you really should check this one out.

Christian Campbell is definitely one of America's gems. And the entire cast of this hilarious film should be honored with a statue somewhere. "Reefer Madness" is a pure joy, and in 2005 America it is shockingly TIMELY since we are overrun with moralists of the sort depicted by Alan Cummings in this film.

If you enjoy a modern satire, and if you love clever music and great choreographed song numbers, this is the film for you. If you have no sense of humor, watch something else.

Steven Weber and Alan Cummings put in great performances. Both are highly underrated actors who have brought magic to many films, and this is no exception. Alan Cummings comes close to stealing the show.

But in this film it is Christian Campbell who dazzles the most. He is hilarious almost beyond belief in his moments as the All-American Uber-Wholesome kid. That smile is so perfect and infectious. They could never have found anymore more perfect for this role: someone capable of moving from Mr. Wholesome to Mr. Ruined-by-Marijuana - and his singing and dancing talent came through perfectly in this film. Bravo Christian Campbell!

Reefer Madness is fun, quirky, clever and exciting. A perfect spoof of the original Reefer Madness (also known as 'Tell Your Children').

The cast is a breath of fresh air, with Christian Campbell and Kristen Bell playing the high-school sweethearts soon to fall victim to 'reefer madness', Alan Cumming as the lecturer against the evils of the reefer (the narrator) and several other characters, and Neve Campbell playing the proprietor of the Soda shop.

Even more so than in the TV show Veronica Mars, Kristen Bell is simply adorable. Whether she is playing an angelic do-gooder, a dominatrix, or a teenage PI, you simply can not go past the star dust emanating from Kristen Bell. She has amazing vocal strength and uses it perfectly in this film.