[Nettime-nl] 31 Januari, Utrecht, Movies with roots in hell - Drugs in American Film

[publicity <publicity@impakt.nl>]

Pressrelease

Impakt Event:

Movies with roots
 in hell
Drugs in American Film

The American filmcollecter and cultspecialist Jack Stevenson will show 
a collection of historic shorts, out-takes & trailers that stretches 
from 1916 to1972 and show how drugs were dramatically depicted on film 
in America.

Tuesday 31 January, 19:30 hours
Filmtheater ’t Hoogt, Hoogt 4, Utrecht, Hall 1
Entrance: 7 Euro (6 Euro with discount)

“Hysterical laughter, screams of terror and freaked out hallucinations 
punctuate this roller-coaster ride...”
(www.cubecinema.com about the programme of Jack Stevenson)

People who thought that films and drugs did not meet until the sixties 
are thoroughly in the wrong. Just look at the slapstick film The 
Mystery Of The Leaping Fish from 1916, in which detective Coke Ennyday 
has to round up a drugs gang, while he has trouble to keep away from 
the white powder himself. Later on, in the thirties, various 
melodramatic films were made, focusing mainly on marihuana. Murder, 
manslaughter, orgies, spontaneous insanity, all found their origin in a 
joint. For many filmmakers, these films were a welcome excuse to 
display degenerate behaviour that would never have survived censorship 
otherwise. In the late sixties the American government entered the 
arena. Films like LSD: Trip To Where and Hooks were supposed to warn 
soldiers and marines for the mind expanding effects of LSD. Filmmakers 
could indulge in colourful special effects for depicting LSD trips. 
Amateurish acting further enhanced the camp qualities of the films.
The American film collector Jack Stevenson will present a program with 
various gems from the ‘drugs cinema’.

Reservations can be made by calling to ‘t Hoogt: +31(0)30-2328388 or 
mailing at info@hoogt.nl
More information will be available at:
www.impakt.nl

Note for the redaction:
For more information or visual material you can contact 
publicity@impakt.nl or call +31(3)30-2944493 and ask for Marjet Wullink 
or Arjon Dunnewind.
Programme

THE MYSTERY OF THE LEAPING FISH: 1916, 20 min., stars Douglas Fairbanks 
Sr., as Detective “Coke Ennyday”, along with Bessie Love and Alma 
Reubens (who later went on to become one of Hollywood’s most notorious 
drug addicts in real life). Written by Tod Browning (who made DRACULA 
and FREAKS) and supervised by D.W. Griffith, the plot revolves around a 
nervous drug-snorting private detective who breaks up a drug ring based 
in Chinatown, with Coke Ennyday played as a hilarious parody of 
Sherlock Holmes. One of the classic “midnight movie” cult hits of the 
early 70s, this film is one of the craziest, strangest silent movies 
ever made. We have added our own soundtrack of up-tempo period jazz 
music.
THAT OLD REEFER MAN: 1933, 5 min., A song performance excerpt from the 
1933 feature film, INTERNATIONAL HOUSE. In this out-take we see the 
famous Jazz singer, Cab Calloway perform REEFER MAN (Reefer of course 
referring to “Marijuana”)
SWEET MARIJUANA: 1934, 5 min., Another song performance here taken out 
of a 1934 feature film called MURDER AT THE VANITIES. In this extremely 
strange dance number we see singer Gertrud Michaels sing “Sweet 
Marijuana” - one of the most bizarre drug-related performances in 30s 
American cinema.
MARIJUANA: WEED WITH ROOTS IN HELL: 1936, 5 min., A full-length 
theatrical trailer to Dwain Esper’s legendary exploitation film about 
the Marijuana menace of same name.
THE PUSHER: 1955, 15 min., by Social Service Pictures, directed by 
Dwain Esper. A filmed lecture that harps on the evils of drugs and 
includes all the best scenes from Esper’s own 1936 film - MARIJUANA: 
WEED WITH ROOTS IN HELL which we just saw the trailer to.
CURFEW BREAKERS -  Trailer to this 1957 film directed by Alex Wells 
that deals with the evils of partying, drug-taking teenagers. (“Curfew” 
means a time-limit set by the police after which no one is allowed to 
go outdoors)
HOOKS - 1972, 5 min. An out-take from a U.S. Army-produced film that 
visualizes the hallucinatory effects of drugs and is narrated by 
Michael Landon (well known to Dutch viewers from his role on the 80s TV 
show, “Little House on the Prairie”) Here we see a cascade of 
psychedelic special effects.
LSD: TRIP TO WHERE - 1968, 10 min., this is the classic opening 
10-minute “hallucination scene” of a U.S. Navy-produced film that has 
achieved cult status in American film buff circles. In this scene we 
witness the nightmarish hallucinations that result when three American 
sailors go to a Hippie’s house and take LSD.
LSD: CASE STUDY - 1968, 5 min., produced by the Lockheed Aircraft 
corporation to be shown to employees in order to warn them off the use 
of LSD. A small gem of drug cinema - a girl takes LSD and her hot-dog 
comes to life!
NAKED UNDER LEATHER - a short trailer to this 1968 Jack 
Cardiff-directed feature film that stars Marianne Faithful and Alain 
Delon. Here we briefly see some of the first hallucination effects 
generated by use of video.
(PAUSE FOR SPOOL CHANGE)
ROCKFLOW - 1968, 9 min., directed by Bob Cowan. An psychedelic 
underground film from Bob Cowan who was involved in the 60s New York 
scene. ROCKFLOW is a record of the music and dancing that took place at 
the gala opening of a mod boutique. Main stars of Kuchar brother’s 
movies, Donna Kerness (in bug antenna head gear) and Hope Morris - who 
designed most of the fashions - can be seen on the dance floor. The 
film becomes increasingly experimental and psychedelic. Features The 
Chambers Brothers rock band (“Time Has Come Today”)
THE PEOPLE NEXT DOOR - 1970, 15 min., directed by David Greene. Five 
dramatic excerpts from this scandalous feature film are presented in 
chronological order and showcase the talents of actress Debra Winters 
who plays “Maxie”, a 16 year old suburban girl who drives her parents 
(played by Eli Wallach and Julie Harris) crazy by experimenting with 
drugs and sex. One of the most hard-hitting and outrageous of the many 
features that dealt with drugs at the start of the 70’s.
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