The latest version of "Reefer Madness" is a musical that is a remake/parody of the original 1930's anti-drug movie(which I've never seen even though I've seen clips from time to time. There must have been a clip in the 2000 documentary "Grass", even though I cannot remember for sure.). A mysterious stranger(Alan
Cumming, in this role and many others) comes to lecture the kind parents one night in 1936 about the evils of the drug, marijuana.(Which here seems to be a combination of angel dust, crack and steroids.) He shows them an anachronistic film that starts out with a sweet innocent high school couple, James Harper(Christian Campbell) and Mary Lane(Kristen Bell). But there is evil lurking in the corners willing to seduce them to the dark side... Surprisingly, "Reefer Madness" turned out to be a very enjoyable movie musical with catchy tunes and great dance routines. It is a rather enjoyable romp. There is also a political edge to this movie in that it criticizes the fearmongering that goes along with the film within a film. It reminded me of the hapless drive to teach abstinence only sex education in high schools.
April 28, 2005
