Reefer Madness special edition DVD ** 1/2 Legend Films
Over the years, "Reefer Madness" has become less a movie and more of a cultural artifact. Originally, the church affiliated with R&H Studios released the film in 1938 as propaganda to alert good Christians to the pitfalls of marijuana use.
In the 1970s, it was dug up from the vault and resurrected by various political and counterculture groups. Lauded as poorly made propaganda, the outrageous behavior displayed by the characters in "Reefer Madness" has earned it enduring status as a cult classic. Unfortunately, "Reefer Madness" falls under the category film guru Joe Bob Briggs describes as "more fun to talk about than actually see." As a work of cinema, it is obviously terrible. In the realm of propaganda, it's just terribly dull.
The plot really doesn't warrant much of an explanation. It tells the tale of three teenagers (who look about 30) who are drawn into the circle of marijuana use by a sinister group of hophead gangsters. Marijuana is responsible for inducing bad dancing, frenzied piano playing, violent laughter, sex, and, of course, insanity and murder, according to this "educational" film.
By the time "Reefer Madness" is over, it feels longer than "Gone with the Wind." The acting plods and is not exciting enough to justify its own hyped claims of "Madness." This makes the 67 minutes it takes to sit through this film unwise to experience outside of a group setting. It's fun to a degree, the same way other unintentionally humorous "educational" films from yesteryear might be. But friends don't let friends watch "Reefer Madness" alone.
The new "Special Addiction" DVD released by Legend Films tries to add frills to dress up the content. The prints on display here are undoubtedly the best you'll find of "Reefer Madness." The viewer has the option of viewing a new colorized print or the original black and white negative. One has to wonder why they would try to pull the old Ted Turner colorization trick. The select crowd who will consider buying this version probably views the process as a disgrace to cinema. Still, if you want to see pretty pastel-colored marijuana smoke once in your life, this is your best bet.
There are also several extras included with the disc. Among them are a modern restoration trailer, which is pretty terrible to watch. Much more interesting is the short film, "Grandpa's Marijuana Handbook," with Evan Keliher. Keliher is an elderly marijuana user who provides humorous (both intentionally and otherwise) insights and tips about the extensive benefits to be gained by marijuana use. He proves to be an engaging storyteller who is worth listening to.
Two commentary tracks are also included, with one by the good people of Legend Films who had to restore and colorize the film. Having watched the blasted thing so many times, they point out some of the not so obvious mistakes within "Reefer Madness" itself. A slow listen but not a bad one. Surprisingly dull, though, is the witticism displayed in the audio track by comedian and former "Mystery Science Theater 3000" host Mike Nelson. Nelson is a good-natured prankster and hearing him riff on the movie is enjoyable at times, but gets tiresome and a little desperate in spots.
If you're a cult film fan, this is probably the best version of "Reefer Madness" to own among the several DVD releases out there. However, the casual viewer will probably just wonder what all the fuss is about. Such is true of most camp classics. Overall, the extras do too little to buoy the film out of its limited appeal. Close, but no reefer.
