UP IN SMOKE REVIEW!!!
- Matt Palmer
- May 9, 2023
- 3 min read
Initial release date: September 15, 1978
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Plot: An unemployed pot-smoking slacker and amateur drummer, Anthony Stoner, ditches his strict parents and hits the road, eventually meeting kindred spirit Pedro de Pacas. While the drug ingesting duo is soon arrested for possession of marijuana, Anthony and Pedro get released on a technicality, allowing them to continue their many misadventures and ultimately compete in a rock band contest.
Cast
Cheech Marin - Pedro De Pacas
Tomy Chong - Anthony "Man" Stoner
Strother Martin - Arnold Stoner
Edie Adams - Tempest Stoner
Stacey Keach - Sgt. Stedenko
Mills Watson - Harry
Zane Buzby - Jade East
Wally Ann Wharton - Debbie
Tom Skerritt - Strawberry
Writer(s): Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong
Director: Lou Adler
Rated R (86 minutes)
A few nights ago I had the chance to watch the 1978 stoner comedy Up in Smoke, which is the first movie featuring the famous stoner comedy duo Cheech and Chong. This is actually the first time I watched this comedy, which has also been on my radar for some time. And, this is without a doubt one of the funniest movies I have ever seen!
This 1970s comedy will have you laughing out loud throughout the entire movie. There are several scenes that feature the duo that are extremely hilarious, such as when Cheech's character is asking Chong how fast he's driving ... and they're still parked on the side of the road. And seeing a dog just steal a burrito out of their hand is also funny. In fact, this wasn't even planned --- see the tidbits below!
Their many misadventures that they have during the movie are outright hysterical and down the road I definitely will be checking out their other movies that they worked on together. In this movie, I can't tell which misadventure they have is funnier. There are also some cameos scattered throughout, including veteran actor Tom Skerritt as Strawberry. The few scenes featuring the Strawberry character are one of the funniest in the movie!
Up in Smoke is currently available to stream on HBO Max!
Here are some fun tidbits for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke!
The dog that took the burrito out of Man's hand wasn't a trained dog, but a local stray. He simply walked into the frame, took the burrito and walked away. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong ad-libbed around this and it was left in the movie.
Lou Adler screened the film privately for Jack Nicholson who has just been in a car accident and had a dislocated shoulder. It proved to be a painful experience for Nicholson, for his shoulder hurt every time he laughed - which was often.
According to Chong, Stacey Keach's character name of "Sgt. Stedenko" was the name of a real cop from his hometown of Vancouver.
On the commentary track, Marin said that, while hanging out with Mike Judge, Judge revealed that his MTV series Beavis and Butt-head was partially inspired by Up in Smoke.
The extras playing the Hare Krishnas all shaved their heads for $25.
The first of seven Cheech and Chong movies starring the comedy duo.
Cheech and Chong had been a comedy team act for several years before they started looping together some of their material for this movie, their first movie collaboration together.
Included among the AFI's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.
Tom Skerritt just showed up at filming not knowing what he was getting into just a day after meeting the comedy duo.
The movie had midnight screenings at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17 - 18, 1979.
As this was the comedy team's first film, Paramount wanted the initial screenings to be filled with their most ardent fans. Cheech and Chong also came up with the successful idea of advertising the movie through comic strips, which were left on bus benches.
The movie had test screenings in August 1978 and opened in 9 theaters in Texas in early September, grossing $344,785 in its first ten days. The movie went on to become a huge success. Prior to its official release date, the movie had grossed $1.7 million, and by the end of its first month of release it had grossed $20 million and went on to gross $76 million domestic and over $104 million worldwide.
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