Tagarchief: Cheech Marin

Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


Director: Tommy Chong
Written by: Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin
Cast: Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Evelyn Guerrero, Betty Kennedy

Year / Country: 1980, USA
Running Time: 99 mins.

After the extreme success of Up in Smoke, there just had to be a Next Movie for stoner duo Cheech & Chong. And from the opening moments – where the word “man” appears four times in the first three lines – you immediately know exactly what kind of movie you’re in for.

Once again, story takes a back seat. Cheech lands a date with the hot chiquita from the welfare office, while Chong hangs out with his Texan cousin Red (played by Cheech Marin), who arrives in L.A. carrying a massive bag of weed. From there, the film unfolds as a loose string of comedy sketches, nearly all of them revolving around drugs and general idiocy, set against the now familiar L.A. backdrop.

Highlights include a lowrider showdown, the systematic torment of their neighbors, and – because why not – an alien abduction in a marijuana field. As with most sketch-based comedies, some bits land better than others, but the tone is consistent throughout: unapologetically dumb, rude, hazy, and laid-back.

Critics were not impressed. Roger Ebert famously wrote, “This movie is embarrassing. There’s no invention in it, no imagination, no new comic vision, no ideas about what might be really funny.” He’s not wrong. And yet, the chemistry between Cheech and Chong remains endlessly watchable. In the end, the biggest joke may be the meta one: that these two lovable burnouts found an audience large enough – and devoted enough – to support an entire franchise built almost entirely on being this relaxed about effort.

Rating:

Biography: Tommy Chong (1938, Edmonton, Canada) is a comedian, actor, writer, and activist best known as one half of the legendary stoner duo Cheech & Chong. Raised partly in Canada and later the United States, Chong first made his mark in music and improvisational comedy before teaming up with Cheech Marin in the late 1960s. Together, they became countercultural icons with hit comedy albums and films like Up in Smoke, shaping weed humor for generations to come. Beyond comedy, Chong has appeared in films and TV shows, including a memorable role on That ’70s Show, and has been a vocal advocate for cannabis legalization, even serving a brief prison sentence in the early 2000s that further cemented his status as a counterculture symbol.

Filmography: Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980), Nice Dreams (1981), Still Smokin (1983), Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers (1984), Toto: Without Your Love (1986, Music Video), Far Out Man (1990)

Up in Smoke

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld


Director: Lou Adler
Written by: Tommy Chong, Cheech Marin
Cast: Cheech Marin, Tommy Chong, Stacy Keach

Year / Country: 1978, USA
Running Time: 86 mins.

Cheech & Chong are a comedy duo founded in Vancouver, consisting of American Cheech Marin and Canadian Tommy Chong. They rose to commercial and cultural prominence in the 1970s and 1980s through their stand-up routines, comedy albums, and feature films. Their work drew heavily from the hippie and free-love era, the drug-fueled counterculture movement, and, most famously, their unabashed love for cannabis.

Up in Smoke marks the big-screen debut of the stoner duo who would go on to become synonymous with the genre itself. This first film launched a series of follow-ups: Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980), Nice Dreams (1981), Things Are Tough All Over (1982), Still Smokin (1983), Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers (1984), and, much later, Cheech & Chong’s Animated Movie (2013).

In their debut, they are not yet known as Cheech and Chong, but as Pedro and ‘Man’ (Chong’s character is officially named Anthony, though this is mentioned only once). Man is under pressure from his father to find a job or face being sent to military school. He leaves home, disguises himself as a large-breasted woman to hitch a ride, and ends up meeting Pedro. The two quickly bond, smoke copious amounts of weed, start a band, and spend most of their time trying to avoid getting busted by the LAPD. In many ways, they practically invent the stoner comedy genre right here.

The plot eventually centers on the duo unknowingly smuggling a van made entirely out of marijuana across the border from Mexico, all while being chased by an especially dim-witted police unit led by Sgt. Stedenko (Stacy Keach). The character would return in Cheech & Chong’s second follow-up, Nice Dreams.

“Hey, do you wanna get high, man?”
“Does Howdy Doody got wooden balls?”

Lines like these are delivered nonstop, and while the humor is simple, it works remarkably well. There are plenty of genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Director and producer Lou Adler famously screened the film privately for his friend Jack Nicholson, who had recently been in a car accident and suffered a dislocated shoulder. The screening turned out to be a painful experience for Nicholson – his shoulder hurt every time he laughed, which was often.

The film also boasts a great soundtrack, featuring classics like ‘Low Rider’ alongside Cheech & Chong originals such as ‘Framed’. Shot largely in Los Angeles, the movie has a relaxed, sun-soaked atmosphere, enhanced by memorable visual touches like the opening credits being spray-painted over Pedro’s lowrider.

Up in Smoke was a massive success, grossing over 100 million dollars worldwide despite its modest budget. In 2024, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, recognized as ‘culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.’

Rating:

Biography: Lou Adler (1933, Chicago, Illinois, USA) is a producer, known for The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Up in Smoke (1978) and Witness (1985). He has been married to Page Hannah since March 28, 1992. They have four children.

Filmography: Up in Smoke (1978), Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982)

Dungeon Classics #19: Desperado

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

FilmDungeon’s Chief Editor JK sorts through the Dungeon’s DVD-collection to look for old cult favorites….

Desperado (1995, USA | Mexico)

Director: Robert Rodriguez
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Joaquim de Almeida
Running Time: 104 mins.

He not only plays, he can shoot too… Antonio Banderas is the mariachi turned gunslinger in this sequel to Texan filmmaker Robert Rodriquez’s 1992 debut El Mariachi. Rather than the 7.000 dollars he had for his debut film, he now had 7 million bucks and spent the money well on some serious acting talent and loads of shootouts and explosions. Banderas is full of rage and passion as the tortured Mariachi; there is so much fire in his performance. And he has great chemistry with Hayek’s touching bookstore owner Carolina. Rodriquez also added some comedic talent to the supporting cast, like Steve Buscemi who’s unforgettable in the movie’s perfect opening scene. Rodriquez completed his ‘Mexico’ trilogy in 2003 with Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but this one is the most fun. A year later, Rodriquez and many cast members (Cheech Marin, Salma Hayek, Quentin Tarantino and Danny Trejo) came together again for From Dusk Till Dawn.

 

 

 

Take one minute to learn Jordan Belfort’s ‘straight line system’

Posted on by Jeppe Kleijngeld

A week ago I went to see the Wolf of Wall Street live in Amsterdam. The place was packed with wannabe sales tigers, paying 100 bucks a pop to learn the ropes from the Master of Sales (and Capital Fraud) himself. Off course, Willem and me had free access, that goes without saying. We are after all the cream the la cream of the Dutch financials press.

What we didn’t have access to was free beer however. The setting was balder than Dr. Evil’s bald pussyface, and the catering was not up to our usual standards. Or any standard for that matter. A missed opportunity, especially for a sales oriented event like this. Still Jordan scored. 3000 tickets sold X 100 euro = 300 K. The marketing spend to fill the place up is probably 150 K, so he made a reasonable profit. Still, compared to his days on Wall Street its peanuts, but we don’t have to feel too sorry for him.

So no beer, or food, but we came for the content and we got some of that. The highly energetic Jordan – who had probably taken some ludes before walking onto the stage – had some amusing lessons to increase your sales by tenfold at least. Even though you’re not into sales. Jordan proved he can teach any mutt the game. His crew basically consisted of clowns with the intelligence of Forrest Gump on three hits of acid. It didn’t matter. As long as you know the straight line system anyone with any background – and Jordan Belfort as sales trainer – can succeed.

How does it work? Easy as cake. Every bloody sales call is the same and is supposed to end with a close! To do this, you must establish three things within the first four seconds of the phone call:
1. That you are sharp as a tack;
2. That you are enthusiastic as hell;
3. That you are an absolute expert in your field.

Watch Leo do this in this scene:

If you manage this, the person on the other end of the line – considering he is your target group, marketing is crucial to get this right – will hand the control of the conversation to you. Human beings are fear based creatures, so the first impression is extremely important. You get this right, and the client will be like wash in your hands, and you can lead him to the closing. ‘But’, Jordan emphasises, ‘you must only sell him something if the product is right for him.’ This is ethics, people.

Jordan learned his lesson in jail. His cellmate was Chong by the way. You know, the pothead that formed a duo with Cheech Marin in the eighties. I have all those movies, love them. They put Chong and the Wolf together because they were high profile prisoners. Jordan told Chong stories about his life, and he thought it was bullshit. But then Chong learned he was telling the truth and he inspired the Wolf to write an autobiography, which he did, leading to a bestseller and the kick-ass movie by Marty with Leo.

So what’s the lesson? The straight line system. And don’t forget the four C’s, people. I keep yelling that to my colleagues whenever they go stuttering when the boss or a client asks them a difficult question. The four C’s are:
● Confidence
● Certainty
● Clarity
● Courage

Thanks Jordan, thanks a lot. I’ll let you know my achievements in a year and I will dedicate my first million bucks profit you buddy. Hell yeah. I am the shit! (screaming now). I Have the skills! And what I don’t have I’ll go out and get!!!!