Up in Smoke (1978)

Director:

Lou Adler
(more)

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 | Smuggling | Dope

Cast

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 (as Jon Ian Jacobs)
Christopher Joy	...	Curtis (as Christipher Joy)
Ray Vitte	...	James (Bass Player)
Michael Caldwell	...	Duane (Guitar)
José Pulido	...	Juan (1st Trumpet)
Ruben Guevara	...	Tom (2nd Trumpet)
Miguel Murillo	...	Ollie (3rd Trumpet)
Gary Mule Deer	...	Freak with Basketball
Tom Skerritt	...	Strawberry
June Fairchild	...	The Ajax Lady
Stacy Keach	...	Sgt. Stedenko (Narc)
Mills Watson	...	Harry (Narc)
Karl Johnson	...	Clyde - Narc
Rick Beckner	...	Murphy (Narc)
Cheryl Smith	...	Laughing Lady (as Rainbeaux Smith)
Angelina Estrada	...	Aunt Bolita
Ernie Fuentes	...	Upholstery Shop Foreman
Val Avery	...	Upholstery Factory Boss (Hood)
Ben Marino	...	Benny (Hood)
Akemi Kikumura	...	Toyota Kawasaki
Joe Creaghe	...	Border Guard
Roy Stocking	...	Border Guard
Marcia Wolf	...	Sister Vogue
Andrea Nachman	...	Sister Mary Secretary (Nun) (as Andi Nachman)
Betty McGuire	...	Sister Mary Quacker (Nun)
Cheryl Jeffrey	...	Sister Mary Arabian (Nun)
Gayna Shernen	...	Sister Mary Mary (Nun)
June Creeghe	...	Sister Mary Yuma (Nun) (as June Creaghe)
Patty Proudfoot	...	Sister Mary Indian (Nun)
Zane Buzby	...	Jade East
Wally Ann Wharton	...	Debbie (as Anne Wharton)
Louisa Moritz	...	Officer Gloria Whitey
Otto Felix	...	Stoned Motorcycle Cop
Rodney Bingenheimer	...	Himself
Berlin Brats	...	Themselves
The Dils	...	Themselves
The Whores	...	Themselves
Kurt Kaufman	...	Roxy Doorman
David Nelson	...	Roxy Doorman
Wayne Hazelhurst	...	Tow Truck Driver
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Harry Dean Stanton	...	Police officer (scenes deleted)
Ellen Barkin	...	Woman playing guitar (uncredited)

Directed by
Lou Adler
Tommy Chong		(uncredited)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Tommy Chong		writer
Cheech Marin		writer

Produced by
Lou Adler	....	producer
John Beug	....	associate producer
Lou Lombardo	....	producer

Original Music by
Danny Kortchmar		(as Danny 'Kootch' Korchmar)
Lee Oskar
Waddy Wachtel

Cinematography by
Gene Polito

Film Editing by
Scott Conrad

Casting by
Monica Lauer

Art Direction by
Leon Ericksen

Makeup Department
Wes Dawn	....	makeup artist
Lola 'Skip' McNalley	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Mike Moder	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William S. Beasley	....	second assistant director
Mike Moder	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Tony De Cristo	....	set construction
Sidney H. Greenwood	....	property master
Wayne Hazelhurst	....	set construction
Jerry Kobold	....	assistant property master
Sherman Labby	....	production illustrator

Sound Department
Pat Mitchell	....	sound mixer
John Wilkinson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Duncan McEwan	....	sound loader (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Sidney Ray Baldwin	....	still photographer
Jules Brenner	....	camera operator: additional photography
Jules Brenner	....	director of photography: additional photography
Michael Kenner	....	grip
Bill Lindner	....	best boy
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	electrician
Lon Massey III	....	gaffer
Leo J. Napolitano	....	assistant camera
Gaylin P. Schultz	....	key grip
Bernie Schwartz	....	dolly grip
Michael Simpson	....	assistant camera
Jack Willoughby	....	director of photography: additional photography
Frank Detone Jr.	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ernest Misko	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Lori J. Kranze	....	assistant editor
Barry B. Leirer	....	assistant editor
Lou Lombardo	....	supervising editor
Bruce Pearson	....	color timer

Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Pamela Alch	....	script supervisor
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Cheryl Jeffrey	....	secretary to the director
Andrea Nachman	....	production coordinator
Charlotte Richardson	....	researcher
Meryle Selinger	....	auditor

Thanks
Dennis Tufano	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Paramount Pictures

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount Home Video (1995) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Paramount Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Paramount Home Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2003) (UK) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Entertainment (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Cinéma International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Knott Limited (special effects)

Other Companies

• Berlin Brats  group cast members
• High Times  thanks
• Mayflower Recording  sound effects editing
• Production Systems Inc.  location equipment provided by
• The Dills  group cast members
• The Whores  group cast members

Also Known As:

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

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

Filming Locations:

Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, California, USA

Company:

Paramount Pictures

Trivia:

The extras playing the Hare Krishnas all shaved their heads for $25.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Tommy makes the lines of Ajax and the lady snorts them at first when the straw is in her ear it has red stripes but when she snorts them the straws stripes are yellow.

Quotes:

Arresting Officer:[to Man] Sir, what's your name?
Pedro:Whut? I told you my name, man!
Arresting Officer:[to Man] Sir... what's YOUR name?
Pedro:[to Man] Hey man! The dude wants to know your name, man!
[Man vomits onto the floor of the car]
Pedro:Uuhhh - His name is RAALLLPH, man!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Let's Go to Prison (2006)

Soundtrack:

Lost Due To Incompetence

Cheech and Chong will never get old

Basically an excuse for Cheech and Chong to get into a series of marijuana adventures, "Up in Smoke" is a hoot from beginning to end. Pedro De Pacas (Cheech Marin) and Anthony "Man" Stoner (Tommy Chong) are a pair of slackers who wonder So Cal and Mexico looking for some weed, while the narcs look for any excuse to arrest them. There are some scenes that will probably make your eyes pop out, just due to the surprise factor. You just watch this sort of movie and think "The '70s...those were the good old days." Also, it was interesting seeing Strother Martin and Edie Adams as Chong's character's parents. Seeing as to how they were part of my grandparents' generation, I wouldn't expect to see them in a marijuana movie.