Exploitation Season: The 1930′s Movie #1 ‘Reefer Madness’ (1936)

The most famous (in name at least) of the ‘Cautionary’ tales of the 1930’s is ‘Reefer Madness’, which was originally a Church Group sanctioned public safety entitled ‘Tell Your Children’. It wasn’t long after its release that it was purchased by raconteur and movie producer Dwain Esper, director of classics such as ‘Sex Maniac’ (1934), ‘Sex Madness’ (1938) and ‘How To Undress In Front Of Your Husband’ (1937). Esper was also responsible for showcasing the mummified remains of outlaw Elmer McCurdy, who has since become a lost sideshow legend and the makings of many urban myths.

The film begins in a lecture format, as a spokesperson introduces some concerned looking individuals to the madness and menace of the demon weed. A short selection of stock footage is played, showing the simplicity of the drug’s manufacture, distribution and supply. We then cut to the subsequent story.
The plot (as it is) centers around Jack and Mae, he’s a sullen hood with a predatory approach to pedaling his nefarious wares. When some preppy looking college boys come up to the apartment to do some dealings with Jack, Mae comments that they are ‘Not like the young kids you bring up here.’ To which Jack responds: ‘Why don’t you get over your mother complex?’ Thus displaying his damaged, uncaring personality, no doubt accentuated by his devious lifestyle.

The kids are Bill and Jimmy, who will become further embroiled in Jack’s web of sin. Soon afterwards we are taken to a seedy bar, where crazed looking teenagers are losing control to some provocative ragtime, played by the most sinister looking man I think I have ever seen in my life.

Watching him huff down a reefer, clutched in his gnarled fist a few minutes later, is no less terrifying.

The spiral then begins. Jimmy, currently ripped out of his tiny mind, speeds home at speeds of almost 50 miles per hour! His passenger yells in fear as Jimmy runs uncaring through a stop sign, plowing down an innocent man and driving away, impervious to any form of empathy or remorse.

A frantic professor contacts the FBI, well aware that the drug is being distributed amongst his students. The agent shows him examples of ‘Marihuana’ based atrocities, such as one young man who:

‘Under the influence of the drug killed his entire family with an axe.’
As if we were not suitably shocked and awed at this point, we see yet another wild and crazy sex party, in which girls who are out of control spin wildly to yet more ragtime, played by an equally insane but slightly less sinister pianist.
Things degenerate so much beyond this point that I can only allow you to proceed alone. If you dare.

It’s easy to see why this became a cult classic when it was released again in the 70’s. It has been heavily re-cut and altered since its original creation; this was primarily the work of Esper, who wanted it to appeal to the exploitation market. I gave the film a hard time in my introduction, but I think I was projecting the frustration at the aforementioned students who hang the poster on their grubby walls without realizing what the movie is actually like.

Thankfully for all of us, it’s currently in the Public Domain, and so we can watch it right here, all completely legally and guilt free. So, get comfortable and judge the rest for yourself, I hope that you will agree, it’s a nice starting point for what is going to be a very long trip indeed.

‘Baby Don’t Fear The Reefer‘

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.