THE COCAINE FIENDS (1935):
http://radiation-scarred-reviews.blogspot.com/2009/12/cocaine-fiends-1935.html"Its original title, as I had mentioned, was
The Pace That Kills...and I couldn't imagine a more prophetic title. For a movie about cocaine, a stimulant that feels like strapping yourself to the cow-catcher on a speeding locomotive while being fellated by a team of professionals, this is the slowest movie I've ever had to watch - and at just a hair over an hour, that's really saying something."
MARIHUANA (1936):
http://radiation-scarred-reviews.blogspot.com/2009/12/marihuana-1936.html"The film opens with a direct slur against the Chinese, citing American hubris in our belief that the drug menace would never reach us from "uneducated" places like "the Asiatic countries." The credits also mention that the main research was provided by "Federal, State and Local narcotics agencies", so you know that what's to come is going to be good. Or not."
REEFER MADNESS (1936):
http://radiation-scarred-reviews.blogspot.com/2009/12/reefer-madness-1936.html"The film's depiction of the drug actually makes it look kind of fun. A few puffs in, you start laughing. A lot. Then you screw someone. This sounds like a party by any definition, does it not? I also neglected to mention that anyone under the influence of marijuana in this movie immediately becomes a piano virtuoso. Is this the message they want to send out to kids? The original title was
Tell Your Children, after all. Tell them what? That having a joint will enlarge your circle of friends, unlock new talents and, on top of it, get you laid in the process?"
Many thanks to guest-reviewer Dan for binging on drugs for the benefit of Radiation-Scarred Reviews!
