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#14
09-27-2007, 04:47 PM
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Re: Best films about drug use and addiction?
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The Panic in Needle Park (1971) http://imdb.com/title/tt0067549/ this is one of Al Pacinos first movies. I just saw this recently and thought that it was decent. [/ QUOTE ] QFT Also... Clean & Sober (Michael Keaton) New Jack City (Wesley Snipes) For the impact on society And finally.....Cheech & Chong's Up In Smoke (Hollywood Squares answer) 
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#15
09-27-2007, 04:54 PM
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Re: Best films about drug use and addiction?
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Thanks a lot, Moneyline - I'll look for it. Christiane F is apparently HUGE in Germany, Italy and elsewhere in Europe, but here in England I'd never heard of it at all. It's the story of a 13-14 year old girl's descent into heroin addiction and prostitution. What's so great is it's so evocative of a time and era - late '70s/early '80s Berlin. Christiane falls in with a crowd of teenage addicts who hang around the central train station performing tricks so they can fund their next hit. Christiane is a big Bowie fan, and an early scene is filmed at one of his concerts. Near the end when she's been totally corrupted, she tries to sell his records to someone on the street. Bowie's music is key to the atmosphere - he did the soundtrack, too. You see her transformation from fresh-faced child to grizzled street junkie. There are some horrendous scenes showing her shooting up, overdosing, etc. One of the reasons she takes drugs is to feel close to her boyfriend. In the starkest scene, they're locked up in her room trying to detox cold turkey, shaking, sweating and convulsing. However she reveals to her boyfriend she's hidden a wrap of heroin, and he starts chopping it up. But then she projectile vomits all over it - OH NOES!!! A really shocking film, but very moving and brilliantly done. The actress who played Christiane F never really did much more again; it wasn't a performance she could ever match. [/ QUOTE ] Thanks for the review, now I'm curious to see it. Re the actress disappearing, I think what sometimes happens is someone becomes known for a role so completely that nobody wants to touch her for anything else. I think it's possible to be awesome and universally admired and have no chance at a career, at the same time. Another kid that comes to mind in this regard is the young boy from My Life as a Dog. Incredible movie, sickly moving and hilarious too, great role and a great acting job. Pretty much disappeared after that.
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#16
09-27-2007, 04:56 PM
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Re: Best films about drug use and addiction?
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I seem to recall enjoying Drugstore Cowboy. [/ QUOTE ] I thought it was very good. It was very well reviewed. I've never bumped into anyone who didn't like it who wasn't simply one of those types who shrieks whenever drugs are mentioned.
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#17
09-27-2007, 05:06 PM
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Re: Best films about drug use and addiction?
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[ QUOTE ] I seem to recall enjoying Drugstore Cowboy. [/ QUOTE ] I thought it was very good. It was very well reviewed. I've never bumped into anyone who didn't like it who wasn't simply one of those types who shrieks whenever drugs are mentioned. [/ QUOTE ] I generally don't like Van Sant as a director. And Matt Dillon is very actorly and unconvincing. After Christiane F, I found this film mannered and inconsequential. It didn't tell me anything, or make me feel anything. There are plenty of reviewers on IMDB who also thought it sucked, btw.
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#19
09-27-2007, 05:22 PM
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Re: Best films about drug use and addiction?
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easy rider, obv [/ QUOTE ] it doesnt have the addiction aspect, and the acid scene is just horrendous. Fear and Loathing is a much better period piece and while HST wasn't necessarily an "addict" per se, the extent of his abuse of everything he could get his hands on is more in the spirit of the OP, imo.
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