Cheech & Chong - Up in Smoke (1978)

Cheech & Chong's first cannabis comedy is also their best, a souvenir from the more carefree days before "Just Say No," when people did not feel so defensive about inhaling. In 1978, the prevailing spirit was more like "Just Say Blow." Even New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael liked it (the movie, that is), adding that it was "an exploitation slapstick comedy, rather than a family picture, such as Blazing Saddles or High Anxiety--which means that it's dirtier, wilder, and sillier." The story has to do with bumbling potheads Cheech & Chong searching for primo bud, while being tailed by a team of inept law-enforcement officers, led by Sgt. Stedenko (Stacy Keach). Sample dialogue: When a cop pulls them over to ask if they are any illegal substances in his vehicle, Cheech replies: "Not any more, man." Up in Smoke is an irresistibly silly and charming movie that--despite, or perhaps because of, the national furor over drug use--plays today like a relic from a bygone era, a sweeter, more open, more innocent period in our history. --Jim Emerson Amazon.com

Your Money Won't Go Up In Smoke With This Purchase!

I can't believe I've watched this movie from time to time for 30 years now and it's STILL timelessly funny. The 1970's stand-up duo who sold thousands of comedy albums hit paydirt with their first movie, Up In Smoke. Followed by five sequels, this first film is considered by most to be their absolute best. And you didn't have or had to be in the "pot-culture lifestyle" to get the jokes either. A true comedy classic. Paramount released it first in 2000 with a couple of extras but now in 2007, a new Special Collector's Edition has toked it's way to stores. But is it worth a repurchase or should you save your stash?

At first glance this 2007 version's cover from the original 2000 issue doesn't look worth it, but trust me it's a vast improvement. First, the new menus are nice with new smokey animations, a strange-at-first CGI-like animated music video for the album version of Earache My Eye complete with the full original monologue, a quick video version of the movie where all you see is each time every actor says "Man" in it (trust me, it's funny), a couple of 70's radio spots, and be it slightly too short, an 11 minute retrospective on the movie with Cheech, Chong, and director Lou Adler. Even the movie's picture itself has been greatly improved, with an amazingly colorful picture free from any blemishes whatsoever. The 5.1 mix, commentary, and deleted scenes are ported over from the 2000 release, so this is one double-dip you can toss the original for.

Highly recommended for your stoner library, even just for the comedy-in-general one.
(RedSabbath Rating:9.0/10) November 22, 2008

Cheech and Chong's Comic Time Capsule

When "Up in Smoke" premiered in September 1978, straight and stoned patrons laughed hysterically at the cinematic debut of Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong. Seen today, the film survives as a period piece - terribly uneven and less amusing with the passage of time. Stacy Keach makes an excellent foil for Cheech and Chong's pot-laced antics, but the duo's comedy albums were much funnier. May 27, 2008

just the begining!

this is just the begining for cheech and chong. i own every dvd, record etc....

as far as dvds, you can get

up in smoke- the high-larious version (more bonus features)
next movie
things are tough all over
nice dreams
still smokin
get out of my room
far out man-chong
rude awakining-cheech
born in east l.a.-cheech
A/K/A TOMMY CHONG

i know they have a few other movies but not my style.

now if we can only get these two back into the studio together! April 30, 2008

A Stoner Classic

I've seen this film many times and even though I can quote many of the lines exactly, I still end up laughing. Time after time this film reminds me of when I've done many of the same things as our 2 heroes. Riding in a car so full of smoke you can hardly see out the windshield. Sucking on a small roach that gets aways from you and burns the back of your throat, etc. Cheech is wonderfully hilarious and Chong is everybody's best friend. Easily their best film ever. I hope they reunite for another one someday before one of them dies. April 8, 2008

Lost youth?!

Could be I lost some of my youth doing just a Cheech and Chong did... enough said. Great stoner classic, and wow my own teen decades later enjoys the "old" time humor. April 7, 2008

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