Classic stoner films (maybe even a documentary too?)
May 25, 2022 8:29 AM Subscribe
Best examples of stoner movies for community viewing? Deets inside!
So our local indie cinema allows you to rent one of the smaller rooms to show what you like, and as someone working as a cannabis educator, I'm looking to compile a list of at least 10 films about weed--either directly as part of the plot ala Cheech & Chong, or as being relevant to the plot. What would you recommend as must-sees?
My partner recommended there should be at least one educational pick but I can't seem to find any docs out there unless my Google skills are terrible. My proposal to the cinema is to rent out one of their theatres once a month to show one of these films in order to see if I can foster a community, so TIA!
So our local indie cinema allows you to rent one of the smaller rooms to show what you like, and as someone working as a cannabis educator, I'm looking to compile a list of at least 10 films about weed--either directly as part of the plot ala Cheech & Chong, or as being relevant to the plot. What would you recommend as must-sees?
My partner recommended there should be at least one educational pick but I can't seem to find any docs out there unless my Google skills are terrible. My proposal to the cinema is to rent out one of their theatres once a month to show one of these films in order to see if I can foster a community, so TIA!
Best answer: Half Baked is a classic and a really fun movie, though it does have an awful lot of Dave Chappelle in it.
posted by jessamyn at 8:40 AM on May 25, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by jessamyn at 8:40 AM on May 25, 2022 [6 favorites]
Best answer: Half Baked (a classic, so many quotable lines)
How High (Where else will you see method man and redman smoke their buddy?)
The Big Lebowski
Dazed and Confused
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 8:55 AM on May 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
How High (Where else will you see method man and redman smoke their buddy?)
The Big Lebowski
Dazed and Confused
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 8:55 AM on May 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Pineapple Express
posted by fluttering hellfire at 9:14 AM on May 25, 2022 [5 favorites]
posted by fluttering hellfire at 9:14 AM on May 25, 2022 [5 favorites]
We're the Millers
posted by rhizome at 9:49 AM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 9:49 AM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
The pre-code musical Murder at the Vanities includes the musical number Sweet Marijuana. Worth it.
posted by wellifyouinsist at 10:09 AM on May 25, 2022
posted by wellifyouinsist at 10:09 AM on May 25, 2022
Head (with the Monkees)
House (Hausu)
Fantastic Planet
Holy Motors
posted by ovvl at 10:12 AM on May 25, 2022
House (Hausu)
Fantastic Planet
Holy Motors
posted by ovvl at 10:12 AM on May 25, 2022
Best answer: As a documentary, there's GRASS, which was also narrated by Woody Harrelson.
posted by homesickness at 10:45 AM on May 25, 2022
posted by homesickness at 10:45 AM on May 25, 2022
Best answer: Long Strange Trip Is a great doc, not directly about stoner culture, but related.
posted by Ideefixe at 10:48 AM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Ideefixe at 10:48 AM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
Seconding the recommendation for Grass for a documentary!
Zoot Suit might also be an interesting addition to consider. From CA NORML: “Marijuana was also implicated in the infamous 1942 “Zoot Suit Riots” in LA. “Marijuana Orgies Before Terror Sorties Bared in Gang Roundup,” ran one headline over an August 1942 story about the famous Sleepy Lagoon case. In the 1981 film Zoot Suit, Edward James Olmos sings “Marijuana Boogie” by Lalo Guerrero.”
posted by KatlaDragon at 10:51 AM on May 25, 2022
Zoot Suit might also be an interesting addition to consider. From CA NORML: “Marijuana was also implicated in the infamous 1942 “Zoot Suit Riots” in LA. “Marijuana Orgies Before Terror Sorties Bared in Gang Roundup,” ran one headline over an August 1942 story about the famous Sleepy Lagoon case. In the 1981 film Zoot Suit, Edward James Olmos sings “Marijuana Boogie” by Lalo Guerrero.”
posted by KatlaDragon at 10:51 AM on May 25, 2022
Reefer Madness
The Wall
Fantastic Planet
Repo Man
The Big Lebowski
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
posted by panama joe at 11:38 AM on May 25, 2022
The Wall
Fantastic Planet
Repo Man
The Big Lebowski
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
posted by panama joe at 11:38 AM on May 25, 2022
Documentary-wise, I recently caught Square Grouper on Kanopy, and it was pretty good:
A colorful portrait of Miami's pot smuggling scene of the 1970s, populated with redneck pirates, a ganja-smoking church, and the longest serving marijuana prisoner in American history.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:17 PM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
A colorful portrait of Miami's pot smuggling scene of the 1970s, populated with redneck pirates, a ganja-smoking church, and the longest serving marijuana prisoner in American history.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 12:17 PM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
An oldie but goodie (that's way better than Reefer Madness): High School Confiidential!
posted by Rash at 1:42 PM on May 25, 2022
posted by Rash at 1:42 PM on May 25, 2022
There's also a NOVA documentary, but I haven't watched it.
https://www.wgbh.org/news/science-and-technology/2021/09/28/new-nova-documentary-shares-what-we-know-and-dont-about-cannabis
posted by gingerbeer at 2:10 PM on May 25, 2022
https://www.wgbh.org/news/science-and-technology/2021/09/28/new-nova-documentary-shares-what-we-know-and-dont-about-cannabis
posted by gingerbeer at 2:10 PM on May 25, 2022
Inherent vice
posted by panama joe at 2:54 PM on May 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by panama joe at 2:54 PM on May 25, 2022 [3 favorites]
I was surprised to not see "Up in Smoke" (Cheech & Chong) listed. I know you alluded to Cheech & Chong, but the traffic stop scene from that movie is great. The 70s were great!
posted by forthright at 3:24 PM on May 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by forthright at 3:24 PM on May 25, 2022 [2 favorites]
Withnail & I.
posted by quinndexter at 4:04 PM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by quinndexter at 4:04 PM on May 25, 2022 [1 favorite]
There is a famous pot smoking scene around a campfire in Easy Rider where they apparently were smoking the real thing during filming.
posted by gudrun at 6:05 PM on May 25, 2022
posted by gudrun at 6:05 PM on May 25, 2022
What I would recommend for a documentary is The Botany of Desire which isn't exclusively about cannabis, but is infinitely more interesting than the more politically motivated docs of yesteryear. That said, if you want an exhaustive one of the political bent then The Culture High is probably the one I would go with since it goes to great lengths to cover the entire discourse.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 5:37 PM on May 26, 2022
posted by forbiddencabinet at 5:37 PM on May 26, 2022
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posted by praemunire at 8:30 AM on May 25, 2022 [5 favorites]