Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		2.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

Marihuana Blu-ray Movie Review

Or is it marijuana?

Marihuana (also spelled as: marijuana), is an old-fashioned exploitation film exploring the topic of drug culture circa the 1930's. The film is produced by director Dwain Esper (Sinister Harvest). It features actress Harley Wood in the leading role. Fans of genre fare might wish to take a look.

Burma Roberts (Harley Wood) is a sweet and seemingly innocent high school girl who finds trouble brewing when she becomes addicted to drugs: marijuana! As she becomes known as “Blondie” in her circles, the teen girl descends down a dangerous path as a heroin-addict. As a drugged-out girl, Blondie finds herself becoming a fast-and-loose criminal who even sinks so low as to kidnap her child (who had been adopted out due to her young-age pregnancy). Can Blondie find salvation or will she die a doped out fiend?

"Brownies."

Harley Wood is impressive in her role. While the performance is over-the-top at times, Wood manages to convey drug-culture in her performance well. The zaniness of her acting is part of the fun of the production.

The cinematography by Roland Price (The Bronze Buckaroo, Do It Now) is quite good and the visual elements of the film display drug-induced escapades with glee. The results are fascinating. A better cinematographic effort for an exploitation film.

Dwain Esper (The Seventh Commandment, Modern Motherhood) capably directs the production. While Marihuana is far from a “classic” in any sense of the word, there's some fun to be had in watching the outlandish story unfold. The script by Hildegarde Stadie (Maniac, Narcotic) is truly awful but it still manages to be amusing because of the scenarios at play (and the sometimes over-the-top style). The editing by Carl Himm (Death in the Air, Cannonball Express) could be a bit better, too – the film is overlong. Yet Esper makes Marihuana watchable (which counts for... something).

Marihuana Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Marihuana is presented in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (full frame). The presentation is generally solid. The print is in decent shape. It is certainly an OK presentation for an old exploitation film. There are still examples of some minor wear and tear on the scan used. Some thin lines and scratches can also be seen throughout. Even so, Marihuana is a watchable presentation that showcases the black-and-white cinematography with a nice high-definition resolution and a worthwhile degree of clarity.

Marihuana Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented with an uncompressed PCM mono audio track. The lossless audio track is surprisingly lackluster and far from satisfying. The track has an abundance of hiss and crackle that distracts from the viewing experience. The audio has not been well restored or preserved for the release. Everything sounds remarkably thin and scratchy. Nothing impresses about this audio presentation.

Marihuana Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Bret Wood, co-author of Forbidden Fruit: The Golden Age of the Exploitation Film

Audio Commentary by David F. Friedman and Something Weird founder Mike Vraney

The Seventh Commandment Extras:

The Seventh Commandment Trailer (HD, 2:07)

The Seventh Commandment Opening Titles (HD, 00:35)

The Seventh Commandment: Fragment 1 (HD, 1:03)

The Seventh Commandment: Fragment 2 (Silent) (HD, 00:34)

How to Undress:

How to Undress: Long Version (HD, 15:01)

How to Undress: Short Version (HD, 9:32)

How to Take a Bath (HD, 13:58)

Marihuana (censored) Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:08)

Marihuana (uncensored) Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:54)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: Narcotic (HD, 2:32), Reefer Madness (HD, 2:04), and Test Tube Babies (HD, 3:20).

Marihuana Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Far from a classic, most viewers will consider Marihuana either a train wreck or a mildly amusing old-school exploitation fare. The film is entertaining, but far from "good" in the transitional sense. Yet it does have some merits – including a good performance by Harley Wood. The Blu-ray features a OK video presentation but mediocre audio. Rent It.