Reefer Madness: The Movie Musical (2005)

Director:

Andy Fickman

Writers (WGA):

Kevin Murphy (play) &
Dan Studney (play) ...
(more)

Release Date:

16 April 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

The feel-good event of the year!

Plot:

An outrageous tongue-in-cheek musical comedy adaptation of the classic 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda film.

Plot Keywords:

Reefer | Propaganda | Drugs | Marijuana | Campy

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations

Cast

Kristen Bell	...	Mary Lane
Christian Campbell	...	Jimmy Harper
Neve Campbell	...	Miss Poppy
Alan Cumming	...	Lecturer / Goat-Man / FDR
Ana Gasteyer	...	Mae Coleman
John Kassir	...	Ralph Wiley / Uncle Sam
Amy Spanger	...	Sally DeBains / Statue of Liberty
Robert Torti	...	Jesus
Steven Weber	...	Jack Stone / George Washington
Kevin McNulty	...	Mayor Harris MacDonald
Stephen J.M. Sisk	...	Blumsack (as Stephen Sisk)
Stephen E. Miller	...	Mr. Paul Kochinski
Robert Clarke	...	Principal Poindexter Short
Ruth Nichol	...	Mrs. Roxanne MacDonald
Lynda Boyd	...	Mrs. Deirdre Greevey
Harry S. Murphy	...	Warden Harrah
Christine Lakin	...	Joan of Arc / Female Dancer
John Mann	...	Satan
Michael A. Goorjian	...	Mickey Druther (as Michael Goorjian)
Patti Allan	...	Jimmy's Mom
Jeanie Kawakami Cloutier	...	Mrs. Lori Wang (as Jeanie Cloutier)
Tom Arntzen	...	Officer D.J. Sordelet / Vocal Ensemble
Ken Kirzinger	...	Secret Service Agent Matthews
Alexz Johnson	...	The Arc-ettes / Vocal Ensemble
Brittney Irvin	...	The Arc-ettes (as Britt Irvin)
Abraham Jedidiah	...	Dead Old Man
Chang Tseng	...	Asian Guy
Peter Jorgensen	...	Billy Cunio / Vocal Ensenble
Ross Atley	...	Shakespeare
Christie Arellano	...	Mrs. Pawk / Vocal Ensemble
Ray Myers	...	Sibley 'Sax' Jenkins
Jonathan Bruce	...	Inmate Magnanti
James Bearden	...	Moses (as Jim Beardon)
Darby	...	Herself
Karissa Barry	...	Female Dancer
Mara Branscombe	...	Female Dancer
Michelle Brownlee	...	Female Dancer
Daniela Buzzi	...	Female Dancer
Agam Darshi	...	Female Dancer
Holly Eglington	...	Female Dancer
Ildiko Ferenczi	...	Goat Mans Girl
Jordana Frost	...	Female Dancer
Natasha Gorrie	...	Female Dancer
Katharine Horsman	...	Female Dancer
Amanda Lam	...	Female Dancer
Kristie Marsden	...	Female Dancer
Stefanie McAuley	...	Female Dancer
Odessa Munroe	...	Female Dancer
Evelina Ortynski	...	Female Dancer
Laurin Elizabeth Padolina	...	Female Dancer
Ninon Parent	...	Female Dancer
Paige Parkhill	...	Female Dancer
Alex Price	...	Female Dancer
Dena Robb	...	Female Dancer
Melissa Robertson	...	Female Dancer
Sarah Scheunhage	...	Female Dancer
Rosette Sharma	...	Female Dancer
Nikki Snelson	...	Female Dancer
Christine Sutcliffe	...	Female Dancer
Debbie Timuss	...	Female Dancer
Katya Virshilas	...	Female Dancer
Chiara Zanni	...	Female Dancer
Mike Antonakos	...	Male Dancer
Dennis Arriola	...	Male Dancer
Scott Augustine	...	Male Dancer
Jamie Bishton	...	Male Dancer
Chris Duggan	...	Male Dancer
David Hernandez	...	Male Dancer
Peter Huck	...	Male Dancer
David Hurwitz	...	Male Dancer
Tal Iozef	...	Male Dancer
Brock Jellison	...	Male Dancer
Farley Johansson	...	Male Dancer
Kevin Johns	...	Male Dancer
Sasha Kozak	...	Male Dancer
Shay Kuebler	...	Male Dancer
Charlie David	...	Male Dancer (as Charlie Lubiniecki)
Eric Malapad	...	Male Dancer
Joshua Martin	...	Male Dancer
Robert McEathron	...	Male Dancer
Alex Pesusich	...	Male Dancer
David Raymond	...	Male Dancer
Matthew Rossoff	...	Male Dancer
Ian Rozylo	...	Male Dancer
Ferdinand Tocol	...	Male Dancer
Kevin Tookey	...	Male Dancer
Joseph Tremblay	...	Male Dancer
Jonathan 'JoJo' Zolina	...	Male Dancer
Timmy Fuller	...	Vocal Ensemble
Linda R. Jackson	...	Vocal Ensemble
Laura Nason	...	Vocal Ensemble
Matt Olvar	...	Vocal Ensemble
Rebecca Shoicet	...	Vocal Ensemble (as Rebecca Schoichet)
Joe Turano	...	Vocal Ensemble
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Michael Logie	...	Shower inmate

Directed by
Andy Fickman

Writing credits (WGA)
Kevin Murphy		(play) &
Dan Studney		(play)
Kevin Murphy		(teleplay) &
Dan Studney		(teleplay)

Produced by
Andy Fickman	....	executive producer
Jan Korbelin	....	executive producer
Rose Lam	....	producer
Kevin Murphy	....	executive producer
Dan Studney	....	executive producer
James Veres	....	executive producer

Original Music by
David Manning
Dan Studney
Nathan Wang

Cinematography by
Jan Kiesser

Film Editing by
Jeff Freeman

Casting by
Heike Brandstatter
Coreen Mayrs

Production Design by
David Fischer

Art Direction by
Michael Diner

Set Decoration by
Lesley Beale

Costume Design by
Maya Mani

Makeup Department
Gitte Axen	....	makeup artist
Ian C. Ballard	....	key hair stylist
Rebeccah Delchambre	....	special makeup effects artist
Victoria Down	....	key makeup artist
Jo Ann Fowler	....	co-key makeup artist
Felix Fox	....	special makeup effects creator and designer
Céline Godeau	....	special makeup effects artist
Michelle Lemieux	....	special makeup effects artist
Toby Lindala	....	key special makeup effects artist
Teresa A. Meyer	....	makeup artist
Christopher Mark Pinhey	....	special makeup effects artist
Jessica Rain	....	hair stylist
Kyla-Rose Tremblay	....	special makeup effects artist
Juliana Vit	....	assistant makeup artist
Lance Webb	....	special makeup effects creator and designer

Production Management
Kim Steer	....	production manager
Chad Tomasoski	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Marian Koprada	....	day player trainee assistant director
Patrice Leung	....	first assistant director
Bryant Marshall	....	trainee assistant director
Gordon Piper	....	trainee assistant director
Tracey Poirier	....	key second assistant director
Jennifer Zimmer	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Vaughan V. Baker	....	key scenic artist
Niki Charalambopoulos	....	scenic painter
Nelson Dewey	....	storyboard artist
Nick Dibley	....	property master
Michael Dundas	....	paint foreman
Laurie Edmundson	....	lead set dresser
Kumvana Gomani	....	art department coordinator
Paul Jenkinson	....	lead set dresser
Cheryl Marion	....	assistant art director
Audra Neil	....	set buyer
Nevin Swain	....	props

Sound Department
Rick Ash	....	sound re-recording mixer
Christopher Assells	....	sound effects editor
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer
Courtney Bishop	....	adr recordist
Kerry Ann Carmean	....	sound effects editor
Shane Connelly	....	music playback
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	digital sound assistant
Nerses Gezalyan	....	foley mixer
Rob Graham	....	ProTools playback operator
Catherine Harper	....	foley artist
Gordon Hart	....	dance foley
Michael Hibberson	....	boom operator
Craig S. Jaeger	....	foley editor
Adam Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Dave McMoyler	....	adr editor
Dave McMoyler	....	dialogue editor
Stefanie Melchor	....	additional sound
Michael Miller	....	adr mixer
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound editor
Christopher Moriana	....	foley artist
James Moriana	....	foley artist
Doug Mountain	....	supervising sound engineer (as Douglas Mountain)
Ryan Murphy	....	sound recordist
Margit Pfeiffer	....	additional sound
Vince Renaud	....	sound recording engineer
Derek Vanderhorst	....	foley mixer
Derek Vanderhorst	....	sound effects editor
Jeffrey Wilhoit	....	foley artist
Rob Young	....	production sound mixer
Kelly Zombor	....	ProTools operator

Visual Effects by
Jim L. Clark	....	compositing supervisor: Animationwerks
Chris W. Hill	....	additional visual effects
Dennis Sedov	....	technical director
Chad Tomasoski	....	additional visual effects
Lance Wilhoite	....	visual effects supervsior

Stunts
Laura Lee Connery	....	stunts (as Laura-Lee Connery)
Duane Dickinson	....	stunts
Marny Eng	....	stunt coordinator
Marny Eng	....	stunts: Prom Queen Zombie
Corry Glass	....	stunts
Leanne Hindle	....	stunts (as Leanne Buchanan)
Dave Hospes	....	stunts
Ken Kirzinger	....	stunts
Michael Langlois	....	stunts (as Mike Langlois)
Scott Nicholson	....	stunts
Gerald Paetz	....	stunts
Christopher Sayor	....	stunts
Chris Sayour	....	stunts (as Christopher Sayour)
Kirk Caouette	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Duane Dickinson	....	stunt double: Christian Campbell (uncredited)
Jeffrey C. Robinson	....	stunt double (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Reid Cohoon	....	dolly grip
Andrew Coppin	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Herb DeWaal	....	key rigging grip
Glen A. Dickson	....	additional camera operator
James Dittiger	....	still photographer
Cory Hodson	....	rigging gaffer
Simon Jori	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Todd Martin	....	lighting board operator
Marty McInally	....	Steadicam operator
Marty McInally	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Jos Oman	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Richard Sinclair	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Brian Whittred	....	camera operator: "b" camera

Casting Department
Ally Day	....	casting assistant
James Moore	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Aieisha Li	....	truck costumer

Editorial Department
Sean Cooney	....	post-production executive
Tim King	....	executive in charge of post-production
Amy B. Melendez	....	post-production coordinator
Jarrod Miller	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Benoit Grey	....	orchestrator
Joel Iwataki	....	music score mixer
Dino A. Moriana	....	music editor
Milton Nelson	....	lead orchestrator
Gregory Sill	....	music supervisor

Other crew
Paul Becker	....	dance crew: pre-production
Thomas Becker	....	head of legal affairs
Lori Beth Bernat	....	assistant to executive: Andy Fickman, Los Angeles
Kerry Blouin	....	choreographer: swing dancing
Eunice Choi	....	production assistant
Nadine Deckensattl	....	assistant business affairs
Thorsten Felscher	....	senior vice president of financial affairs
Thomas Fischer	....	legal affairs
Richard Harrah	....	production executive
Peter Huck	....	choreography skeleton crew
Krista Huppert	....	accounting clerk
Jessica Judd	....	extras wrangler
Mary Ann Kellogg	....	choreographer
Deanna Kittson	....	first assistant production coordinator
Sue Levens	....	production accountant
Kyle Leydier	....	assistant: Alan Cumming
Toby Lindala	....	puppeteer
Kristie Marsden	....	choreography skeleton crew
Ann McLaren	....	special make-up effects
Louisa Phung	....	production assistant
Kai Schürmann	....	vice president of business affairs
Andrew Simpson	....	animal coordinator
Charlotte Young	....	assistant legal affairs

Production Companies

• ApolloScreen Filmproduktion GmbH & Co. Filmproduktion KG
• Dead Old Man Productions
• Middle Fork Productions
• Showtime Networks

Distributors

• Diaphana Films (2006) (France) (theatrical)
• Monopole-Pathé (2006) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• VCL Communications (2006) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Showtime Networks (USA)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Switzerland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (Germany) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Animationwerks (special visual effects and digital animation)
• Schminken Studio (make-up effects by)

Other Companies

• Ipostini  post-production facilities

Also Known As:

Kifferwahn (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated R for drug material, sexual content and some violence.

Runtime:

109 min (Showtime Library Print) | Germany:112 min

Country:

USA | Germany | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (DVD rating) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | Germany:12 | Portugal:M/16 | USA:TV-MA

Filming Locations:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

ApolloScreen Filmproduktion GmbH & Co. Filmproduktion KG

Trivia:

The credits list "Dead Old Man" as a production studio in conjunction with Apolloscreen. "Dead Old Man" is the name of a song in the original stage production.

Goofs:

Factual errors: While it is indeed true that FDR was wheelchair-bound by polio, he had perfected his ability to walk with the support of someone else's arm and could stand upright for a long period of time. He never appeared in public in a wheelchair, and in fact it was not even known outside his circle of associates that he was wheelchair-bound until after his death.

Quotes:

Ralph Wiley: [after biting Sally's arm] Jack, I got me the munchies REAL BAD!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

Soundtrack:

Jimmy Takes A Hit

The funniest of Sundance

When it comes to musicals, movies like Chicago and Moulin Rouge come to mind. Most people loved one or the other (or both) of those, so Reefer Madness has to work hard to live up to expectations. While it is not as visually extravagant as Moulin Rouge, this movie is just as funny, and while the dances are smaller key than Chicago, they are perfectly choreographed and blend together well. All actors do their own singing and dancing, and they do quite well.

The film is about the negative effects of Marijuana on society, in the form of a fable. An all-out, way over the top, in no way politically correct fable. You start suspecting that the writers are not going to hold anything back as soon as Jesus appears in a single silk loincloth, surrounded by showgirls. Very few aspects of the christo-republican lifestyle are not subjected to some good old fashioned irony and black comedy, but democratic values take a bit of beating too.

Reefer Madness is based on the stage play of the same title, which was fine-tuned during its 8 year run. The effects of the long tweak-time are obvious, the movie is crammed full of jokes -- from small asides to full-on audience rollers -- and there are virtually no duds. The on-screen adaptation lives up to the material, at no point does this flick feel at all like a stage play.

The long practice shows on the performances as well, Kristen Bell and Christian Campbell -- both carrying on their roles from the stage play -- do a great job both as naive 1940's schoolchildren and as uninhabited addicts. A notable change from the play is the addition of Alan Cumming who is putting in a great and unrestrained performance as always.

I saw the movie at a Sundance screening at midnight. Not only was the theater totally sold out, but all of the audience members were wide awake and cheering, clapping, laughing and utterly enjoying themselves for the entire duration.

In case you get a chance to go to a theater-screening, do it, it deserves the big screen. Otherwise don't forget to program your DVR to record the Showtime premiere!

In case it is not obvious from the above, this movie is the definition of A+ fun and entertainment.