Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke
From The Deuce
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Also Known As
- Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke
- Cheech and Chong: Up in Smoke
- Cheech and Chong's Viel Rauch um Nichts (Germany)
- Viel Rauch um nichts (Germany)
Taglines
- It will make you feel VERY funny!
- Don't miss the only film where the heroes get wiped out in the first five minutes!
- You'll be rolling in the aisles!
- DON'T go straight to see this film!
Main Details
- Released in 1978
- Color
- Runtime: 82 min (PAL) / 86 min (NTSC)
- Aspect Ratio: (2.35:1)
- Rated: R
- Production Co: Paramount Pictures
- Distribution Co: Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
Cast and Crew
- Directed by Lou Adler, Tommy Chong (uncredited)
- Written by Cheech Marin & Tommy Chong
- Starring Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Strother Martin, Stacy Keach, Zane Busby
- Produced by Lou Adler, John Beug, Lou Lombardo
- Original Music by Danny Kortchmar (as Danny 'Kootch' Korchmar), Lee Oskar, Waddy Wachtel
- Cinematography by Gene Polito
- Film Editing by Scott Conrad
Film Review
In 1978, Cheech and Chong took their standup act and put it into a film. Although they had created many crazy characters on their records, they picked 3 of their favorites and used them for UP IN SMOKE. Up In Smoke told the tale of Pedro DePacas (Cheech Marin) an aspiring rock singer and Man Stoner (Tommy Chong) who is looking to get out of his well to do parent's house, he loads up his VW Bug and takes off not knowing where hes gonna go. Man's car dies and he has to sleep in a ditch. The next day, as Pedro is cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway in his low rider with a license plate that reads "MUF DVR", he spots a hot chick thumbing a ride. Only its not a chick, its Man with a stuffed shirt to make it look like hes a big boobed babe. Pedro pulls over but when Man gets in the car, Pedro yells "YOU AIN'T A CHICK!". Man comically explains that it was the only way he could get someone to stop.
One of the funniest pot smoking sequences in cinema history comes up as Pedro and Man get to know each other. They both play in rock bands and Man plays the drums. This kicks things off on a good note and they proceed to get chat about smoking weed as they cruise along. Man asks Pedro if he wants to get high and then takes out a joint the size of a small tree. Its hilarious as they smoke this super joint. The smoke billows through the car and in one shot we see the car filled with smoke from the outside moving down the road. Pedro tells man he can smoke anything, and yet he is already stoned to the hilt. Man gives Pedro some pills to calm him down from inhaling too much weed. Man tells him not to eat THOSE pills. But its too late, Pedro already ate them. Man explains that those pills were actually acid tabs and that its "the most acid Ive ever seen anybody eat". Pedro begins to freak out.
Up In Smoke is really a fun adventure with Pedro and Man as they struggle to get their band together. They also get deported to Tijuana after a drug bust goes bad. While theyre down there, Pedro's uncle needs Pedro to drive a van back to LA. Unbeknownst to them the van is actually made out of weed! Meanwhile the doofish cop Sgt. Stadenko (Stacy Keach) and his moron cop squad are trailing the van. On the way back from Tijuana, Pedro and Man spot two hot looking babes who are looking for a ride, this time they are real chicks! They pick them up and find out that theres a battle of the bands contest at The Roxy nightclub in LA and thats where theyre headed. The group need to get some weed first, so they stop at a police station where one of the girl's friends is a police woman. A HOT one at that. They ask her if she can get some weed for them. In a really great scene, Pedro and Man are waiting at the desk and they start talking on the police channel CB radio. Sgt Stadenko calls in and goes apeshit when Pedro begins to taunt him.
The climax of the film is the Battle of the Punk Bands and its really hilarious. You can see some popular LA punk bands from the time such as The Dils and The Whores. For the big performance Pedro dresses up in a tutu and Mickey Mouse ears and Man is dressed as a human quaalude. The band takes the stage and break into their song "EARACHE MY EYE". The place explodes, as they play Sgt Stadenko and the cops dressed as Hari Krishnas are outside trying to bust into the club but are turned away. The Weed van is parked outside and gets towed and while Sgt Stadenko and the other cops try to find out whos van it is, a homeless dude smoking a cigarette drops the smoke next to the puddle of gasoline near the van (which is leaking because the tank hit a curb while being towed). As the fire burns the weed van, the billowing pot smoke enters the clubs ventilation system and next thing you know, the entire club gets high as kites as Pedro and Man and their punk band "Alice Bowie" play onstage.
The music in the film is one my favorite movie soundtracks. It combines dialogue from the film with great songs featured like: Up In Smoke Title theme, Low Rider by War, Searchin' by The Search Boys, Strawberry's Theme and Theme to a Big Green Van. It also has the classic tune Earache My Eye by Alice Bowie.
Reviewed by Popeye Pete - 5/23/05
Followed By
- Cheech & Chong's Next Movie (1980)
- Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams (1981)
- Things Are Tough All Over (1982)
- Cheech & Chong's Still Smokin' (1983)
- Cheech & Chong's The Corsican Brothers (1984)