REEFER MADNESS REVIEW

Wow Reefer Madness. Where should I start? Should I go there and
discuss how the government uses Hollywood to promote its propaganda?
How about how their whole thesis that reefer causes "madness"? It
seems that this movie tried to show the consequences of drug use and
drug abuse. I don't know how you feel but Reefer Madness almost made
me almost made me want to smoke a doobie.

The director Louis Gasnier actually did a very effective job
glamorizing marijuana use. In the beginning of the film Gasnier shows
us why someone would use drugs in the first place. The madness seems
to begin when young Jimmy is lured into hanging down at the soda shop.
That's where they played that devil music and dirty danced all day.
Our young Jimmy was first lead to the soda shop by Ralph an older cool
kid that use to go to his high school. Then a beautiful young woman
Jimmy liked got him to go up to Mae's apartment. In the apartment kids
were making out on the couch, drinking beer, and laughing having a
great time. Jimmy tries a reefer and now he is part of the club. He
instantly understands why everyone is having is so much fun. Jimmy
then gets our hero good ole Billy to come to Mae's place. The cycle
continues but this time Jimmy actually gets some loving from the
lovely young Blanche. Now If I were a young buck in the audience that
message came loud and clear. You mean all I have to do is go to a
party smoke a couple joints and have fun all night then I can get laid
like Billy. What bus goes to Mae's Apartment?

I know the obvious point of the movie is to "Say no to drugs" but
Gasnier continues to tell me to say yes. Why are all of the chicks at
the party pretty, sexy women that seem to be loose? Is he telling me
that loose women smoke doobies or is he saying that when women smoke
doobies they become loose? I know this is 1936 but even then these
type chicks had to be the kind young men wanted.

In the scene when we are first introduced to Mae and Jack (the bad
guys), Mae is lying on the bed in a negligee. Jack is dressed nicely
in a Jacket and tie. Mae sleeps all day while others are slaving away
at work. Then Jack tells Mae to wake up to get dressed because she had
some customers out in the other room. Mae is in sales and her clients
came to her and then they waited until she was ready for them??? I
worked in sales for a while and believe me it was never that easy.
Then Mae is shown getting dressed. She is wearing sexy black underwear
and she is pulling up her stockings to her guarder belt and rubbing
her legs. Mean while pretty pure Mary is dressed properly with a long
skirt. She apparently wears this even while playing a few sets of
tennis. What message would this send to you? I wonder if Gasnier did
this on purpose. Maybe he was playing a joke on the government and
they never figured out what he was really doing.

Many of the same themes are later echoed in other drug related movies.
If you get involved in drugs then bad things will happen. In the end
Ralph goes insane (the madness). He kills Jack. Blanche kills herself
and Mae goes to jail. Mary dies (the first time she uses) and Good ole
Billy is nearly sent to the gallows because he thinks he killed her.
Young Jimmy also kills an innocent man while driving under the
influence.

Although Scarface (1983) is a much more violent film it is a modern
take on the same theme. Riches, power and a beautiful woman, Michelle
Pfeiffer, first seduce Tony Montana. Tony is a happy and successful
drug dealer but then he loses control while using drugs and meets a
violent end. New Jack City (1991), Menace II Society (1993) and
Traffic (2000) also share these themes. (All of these movies also
speak to the America's war on drugs.) In New Jack City it was millions
of $$$, and Michael Michelle. In Menace II Society it was a car with
nice trims, and Jada Pinkett. There seems to be a formula developing.
So is it the money, the drugs, or the women that is leading to their
downfalls? Maybe the thesis was about how purdy gurls ruin your life…