Up in Smoke (1978)

Director:

Lou Adler

Writers:

Tommy Chong (writer)
Cheech Marin (writer)

Release Date:

15 September 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Music

Tagline:

It will make you feel VERY funny!

Plot:

Two stoners unknowingly smuggle a van - made entirely of marijuana - from Mexico to L.A., with incompetent Sgt. Stedenko on their trail.

Plot Keywords:

Van | Marijuana | Mexico | Dope | Hitch Hiker

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Cheech Marin	...	Pedro De Pacas
Tommy Chong	...	Anthony 'Man' Stoner
Strother Martin	...	Arnold Stoner
Edie Adams	...	Mrs. Tempest Stoner
Harold Fong	...	Chauffeur
Richard Novo	...	Richard
Jane Moder	...	Jail Bait
Pam Bille	...	Jail Bait
Arthur Roberts	...	Arresting Officer
Marian Beeler	...	Judge Gladys Dykes
Donald Hotton	...	Bailiff
John Ian Jacobs	...	Prosecuting Attorney
Christopher Joy	...	Curtis
Ray Vitte	...	James (Bass Player)
Michael Caldwell	...	Duane (Guitar)

Also Known As:

Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke
Cheech and Chong: Up in Smoke

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1978) | Finland:K-18 (2001) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (re-rating) | New Zealand:R16 | Sweden:15 | Australia:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A | France:-16 | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:18 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18

Filming Locations:

Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The dog that ate the burrito after it was thrown onto the ground was not a trained dog, but a local stray. He simply walked into frame, took the burrito, and walked away. Both Marin and Chong ad-libbed around this, and it was left in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: During the "rocking van" scene outside the Roxy, the close-up shots show the van rocking from side to side, while a shot in between them from further away shows it rocking from front to back.

Quotes:

Man Stoner: [Cheech starts toking on the giant joint] Toke, toke it up, man!
Man Stoner: [Cheech starts choking] Kinda grabs ya' by the boo-boo, don't it?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Let's Go to Prison (2006)

Soundtrack:

Lost Due To Incompetence

THE definitive stoner flick

First of the Cheech and Chong movies is probably the best overall, with the duo involved in a plot to drive a van constructed entirely of pot across the Mexican border into the US and featuring Cheech singing "Earache my Eye". Lots of laughs (especially for the "inspired" viewers), but definitely not for everyone. The whole movie revolves around drug use, so not a movie for young children, obviously. However, if you don't mind this, you'll probably laugh your you-know-what off.