Lighting Up on the Big Screen

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 3:13am.

A look at the history of marijuana in the U.S. through the lens of film

By Jessica Cole

The masterminds behind the Golden Globe nominations inadvertently pleased the pot culture this year, as James Franco was announced as a nominee for his role as lovable stoner Saul Silver in the hit comedy “Pineapple Express.” The 66th Annual Golden Globe Awards were held on January 11th, and though Franco did not take home the statue for Best Actor in a Comedy or Drama, the nomination alone spoke volumes about the ever increasing popularity of the stoner movie. It is incredible to think that only 40 years ago, there was no such thing as a marijuana-based movie genre. So what happened within these few years that sparked this “reefer revolution?” The answer can only be found by looking to the past to see which films breathed life into this genre. Inhale deeply, you’ll get more out of it.

1936: “Reefer Madness”

Originally titled “Tell Your Children,” the exploitation film “Reefer Madness” was created to strike fear in the hearts of parents across the United States. The film depicts the lives of two marijuana dealers whose lives descend into sheer, murderous psychosis. The characters act far beyond the bounds of even the most intense marijuana high, which is why in the 1970s and beyond the film is viewed as a comedy, rather than as a serious public service announcement. The obvious ignorance towards the effects of marijuana is puzzling, which begs the question: What was going on in American society during the late ‘30s that had the adult population shaking in their shiny, black business shoes?

The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 followed the release of this movie. Many people thought that this act was established because of people’s worries about Mexican immigrants crossing the border and introducing Americans to cannabis. This act required citizens to apply for a license and carry what were called Marijuana Tax Stamps. If you were not carrying these stamps and were possessing marijuana, then you would be fined and possibly sentenced to time in jail. The catch was that the government rarely ever passed out these stamps because they were so difficult to obtain. To carry the license, a professional or doctor would have to pay up to $24 a month just to keep the stamps, while recreational users sometimes had to pay up to $100. These stamps were valid up until 1969.

Looking at the extreme measures that the United States government took to regulate the use of cannabis, “Reefer Madness” probably struck a chord with many of the adults at the time. No one wanted their children to partake in the use of this mind altering substance.

1969: “Easy Rider”

Welcome to the age of the beatnik, when authors like Jack Kerouac and Tom Wolfe were stretching their wings and showing America’s youth how to stick it to the man and live life by their own rules. A major part of this way of life was a frequent use of all types of psychedelics and the constant use of marijuana. Enter “Easy Rider,” one of the defining movies of this time period.

The plot of the film centers around two bikers who set off across the country from California to make it in time for the annual Mardi Gras festivities in New Orleans. Interestingly enough, the pair begin their journey by selling narcotics they have acquired from Mexico to a man in Los Angeles. What ensues is a drug-filled journey in which the duo sets out to find the heart of America, and ultimately try to find true freedom. Not only is “Easy Rider” a glimpse into the mindset of the youth during the late ‘60s to early ‘70s, but it also shows how, deep down, everyone feels lost. The use of marijuana is a way for people to escape from this disheartening realization. Marijuana is not fully seen in a positive light, but rather as a way to take our minds away from reality and to cope with the inevitable truth that the “American Dream” has long been gone from present day America.

1978: “Up In Smoke”

The introduction of Cheech and Chong forever changed the way Americans looked at marijuana. In previous films, we saw marijuana as a drug that drove you to psychosis, or just a way to help you escape reality. In this 1978 film, we are first introduced to the fun-loving, recreational side of marijuana.

This is the story of Anthony Stoner and Pedro who end up getting deported back to Mexico after being in the wrong place at the wrong time during a drug raid. What results is a pot-inspired thrill ride of alluding the police while provoking hysterical situations along the way. This movie really is a defining piece of marijuana cinema because this film seems to be promoting the use of the substance.

“Up In Smoke” is reminiscent of “Easy Rider,” because of the presence of jail, alluding the police, traveling from Mexico to Los Angeles, as well as the constant use of marijuana and other substances. What is different is the context in which we are shown these situations. Rather than a more serious film like “Easy Rider,” “Up in Smoke” seems to poke fun at these situations. Maybe the reason is because our main characters are Mexican. As mentioned earlier, Mexicans were blamed for bringing the herb over the border into America in the first place. Since they are of Mexican descent we can be okay with watching such a film because it is not Americans who are taking part in such illegal activities.

Marijuana was decriminalized in several states in the period between 1973 to 1978. Decriminalization made it legal to carry certain amounts of marijuana with you, but it was illegal if you were possessing over the legal limit. These kind of laws were unheard of in the years of “Reefer Madness” and “Easy Rider.” What society was starting to see was a shift in the way we view marijuana and also a shift in the way we see the use of the substance in motion pictures.

1982: “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”

Moving into the ‘80s, America was starting to see a trend in cinema as the government and the American population was becoming more lenient towards the recreational use of marijuana. “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” brought to the forefront of society the conception of surfing and smoking with the introduction of Spicoli, the resident stoner of Ridgemont High. We are still seeing California as the forefront for these types of characters as well as seeing the same attitudes depicted by those who smoke cannabis. Though Spicoli is a funny and wacky character, many negative stereotypes surround his personality. He is a daydreamer who has a slacker mentality as well as a disdain for authority. The audience will more than likely see this character as entertaining but not someone to be taken seriously, so there is still an underlying negativity towards the use of marijuana. Yes, he is entertaining, but is this the type of life you want to live?

1998: “Half Baked”

Cinema in the ‘90s, feeding off the popularity of other drug-inspired films, produced several movies that depicted the use of marijuana, especially among the youth crowd. Films such as “Go,” “The Big Lebowski” and “Dazed and Confused” brought the popularity of drug films to the forefront. One of the most notable of these films is “Half Baked.”

If the title is not enough to tip you off to what the film is about, the viewer is brought into the lives of Thurgood, Brian and Scarface,who take you on a pot-selling journey to bail their friend Kenny out of jail before it is too late. Not only are they partaking in the smoking of marijuana, but they are also selling marijuana to help them find the solution to their problem. This film is extremely pro-marijuana use and is a great example of all of the aspects of the current marijuana movie “cliché.”:

1. Colorful, amusing characters.
2. Mass consumption of marijuana.
3. A journey to reach a specific goal.
4. Absurd situations on the way to reach this goal.
5. The “everybody does it” mentality.
6. Authority figures seen as dumb, or “un-hip.”

For the bulk of the ‘90s, Democrat Bill Clinton was the United States president. He was quoted during a television interview on March 2, 1992, as saying, “When I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two—and didn’t like it—and didn’t inhale and never tried inhaling again.” Though the president does say that he did not like the drug, he still admits to the use of it. So what does this say to American citizens? Maybe that it is okay to try it? If you like it, then it is okay to smoke more often?

2008: “Pineapple Express”

One of the most popular, as well as the most recognized “stoner” films in recent years is “Pineapple Express.” What seems to be the fuss over this particular “stoner” flick?

Pineapple Express is the story of Dale Denton who witnesses a murder and flees to his pot-dealing friend, Saul Silver, for help. What ensues is an action-packed journey to outwit the bad guys and stay alive, all the while partaking in the frequent selling and use of marijuana. Producer Judd Apatow found his niche in late- teens-to-twenty-somethings comedy with “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” and since has made several successful youth-friendly films. Though the film does hit on some of the same ritualistic pot-movie characteristics, adding the explicit violence to the film gave a new look to a tired formula.

Adding new spins to pot movies seems to be the new way of attracting audiences and critical praise. With movies like the acclaimed drama “The Wackness” and the documentary “Super High Me,” we see film makers trying out new styles of stoner films to see what works and what doesn’t.

Now it seems like we cannot get enough of these hemp-inspired films. So what is going on in society in this day and age that makes these movies okay to be in shown so audaciously and so frequently? In 2004, then Senator Barack Obama appeared at Northwestern University and spoke about decriminalizing marijuana. He was quoted as saying, “I think the war on drugs has been a failure, and I think we need to rethink and decriminalize our marijuana laws.”

On another program in 2004, Senator Obama was asked if he had ever used marijuana in the past. His reply was, “When I was a kid, I inhaled, frequently. That was the point.” Now, President Obama has changed the way we look at America and maybe in the future, the way we look at the use of marijuana.

In present day cinema the marijuana movie genre is as predominate as the romantic comedy. In the future I’m sure the creativity of these films will push the envelope even further.