High Praise for Up in Smoke
The images being displayed on the big screens in American theaters of the 1970’s were of a new era depicting a more diverse and inclusive genre. After years of progress was made by minority film makers the industry itself was forced to accept and acknowledve Latino protagonists, played by Latino actors and more so being themselves of Latino culture. One such film that came from this decade was the pop culture phenomenon Up in Smoke (1978), which was written by and starred the comedic dual Tommy Chung and Cheech Marin also known as Cheech and Chong. This film was as an unprecedented immersion into the genre of Chicano culture from a comedic lens and drug culture that was acceptable by a large group of the population. But on the social politic stage this film also had far larger implications that could not have been predicted at the time of its release.
The film begins by first presenting the two main characters from very opposite sides of the social economic spectrum. The opening scene shows Pedro de Pacas (Cheech Marin’s character) waking up on the couch of what you can assume is one of many relatives’ homes. This is further demonstrated because the scene shows four children, one of which is climbing on Pedro as he sleeps, eating cereal while watching cartoons on a small television in a cramped living room. Later as Pedro begins to walk out to his car, there is a man in the front yard of this home cutting a teenager’s hair while another sits on the porch watching them. In complete contrast Anthony “Man” Stoner (Tommy Chung’s character) is displayed behind a bar in an upscale home as his father berates him for his lack of ambition and wardrobe. One of the most interesting glimpses into the mood of the time towards Latinos was in this scene. As Mr. Stoner attempts to encourage Anthony to gain employment as a strawberry picker with the United Fruit Company, so that “you gain muscles like the Mexicans”, he demonstrates the types of labor Latinos had become synonymous for having. As the film progresses we get to see how the dual Pedro and Anthony meet for the first time on what appears to be a stretch of coastal highway and once they pair up it becomes obvious they are both part of the hippie subculture, or as they would later become synonymous for “stoners.”
The plot of the film is itself one of comedic exaggeration of this hippie subculture and Latino culture. Pedro and Anthony share the same routine goals of getting high and go to lengths to do so as well as follow their other passion of making music. The getting high aspect does not portray a Reefer Madness type of message in which people getting high are losing their minds and hurting themselves. Instead these two getting high is just about laughs and fun even when they encounter the police which leads to their arrest. Throughout the rest of the film they are presented as the fun dual who only seek simple means of enjoyment that others just don’t understand. Additionally, it portrays the police they encounter as incompetent and blundering fools. For example, in the scene in which the police raid Strawberry’s house and find drugs, Sergeant Stedenko – who is leading the investigation – mistakes Ajax cleaning powder for drugs. As another officer points out that it has turned blue, he is convinced that it means “it’s high grade stuff. Could be Peruvian flake?” Not realizing that it is merely Ajax turning blue as it does when it comes in contact with water.
On the social scale the film allows the presentation of two cultures that were not seen on the big screen before. The first being the obvious, the drug culture and people just having fun doing so. The other the Chicano culture which existed for Pedro as living between both American and Mexican cultures. Pedro appears to know enough Spanish to get by in his venture through Tijuana, but he clearly is not fully bilingual. Anthony’s parents are presented as Anglo-American which leaves some mystery into his ethnicity as he is a lighter tone of brown. When they are voluntarily deported it becomes apparent his was viewed by the immigration officers as a Mexican, probably guilty by association.
As a comedy piece this film has the ability to softly bring to light issues with immigration policy and processes of the time. As Pedro’s cousin is set to be married in Tijuana, Mexico, the family calls La Migra – immigration officers – on themselves to bus the entire wedding party across the border for free and even “get a free lunch.” The injustice of U.S. immigration policy is something that Cheech Marin would later attack in far more serious tone with his 1987 film Born in East L.A. (Fregoso 50). Other aspects the comedy genre allow to be presented is the complexity of dual cultures and what it means that transverse between the two. Americans that do not cross or encounter the southern border frequently often don’t understand how citizens in the two countries often cross the U.S. Mexican border for business, medical, or personal reasons frequently and the ease in which this was done. As a comedy about drug culture Pedro and Anthony decided to make their return from Tijuana economically cost effective by connecting with an uncle whom of course would have connection with drug dealers in Tijuana looking to export marijuana to the U.S. The exaggeration of this shipment was that the entire van in which they were transporting this marijuana was made of marijuana.
Cheech Marin and Tommy Chung were having fun when they were making this film and already established a comedy following before this venture. This was just the next step to expand on the Cheech and Chong brand. In an interview Moments That Changed The Movies: Up in Smoke Tommy admits that at one point their intention was to title the film Cheech and Chong’s greatest hits. They were not aware the revolutionary implications their style of filming would have on the comedic film genre that followed. But even as a comedy it was clear they understood the presentation of minorities on the larger screen. While the film glances on the Lowrider Chicano culture as Pedro is a part of it does not present him as the dangerous malicious character unlike other previous films had depicted Latinos as. Either by coincidence or purposely but in the following year Up in Smoke was released in 1979 a group of students in Los Angeles organized to bring attention to the negative portrayal Chicanos and Chicanas were getting on film (Fregoso 23).
The film Up in Smoke was an unexpected mainstream success because of its comedic tone but it also allowed a glimpse at what it was like being a Chicano in Los Angeles and not living a gang life. Pedro was an artistic goofy character, while Tommy was simply enjoying the high. While it cannot be denied that the film also presents Latino male stereotypes towards women and an uncontrollable need to pursue the desire of the white Anglo-American woman the film in my opinion did more good that bad. It was a film that defined a generation, introduced new cultural norms, and made it okay to laugh about them.
hi!
I never did like films such as Up in smoke, mainly because I thought it was degrading to Latinos. However, I never thought of the message it conveyed because I never gave movies like this a chance. I think I have more respect for actors like Cheek Marin and Tommy Chong now that we are learning to analyze films. I can see that many of the films Marin has directed or acted in bring topics such as immigration to the forefront.
Hi GRAN-SALSERO, I liked your portrayal of the characters, but what I found especially interesting was when you talk about the Chicano culture and what its depiction in Hollywood was at the time. I agree with you that it feels like in this specific era we only saw Low Riders, gang bangers and criminals come out of this culture per Hollywood. Although some of those are true that is not all that Chicanos/as represent especially at such a crucial time when the word Chicano was so powerful. Although he uses comedy, and arguably being a pot head, as a way to show that a Latino from LA can be more than just a gang banger it in turn expands the idea of what a Chicano is, a hippie, a pot head, Americanized, funny and lighthearted which is far different then other depictions.
I was a teenager when this film was released and I think that the portrayal of Chicanos that Cheech and Chong presented and what you described as a cultural norm, was a bit irresponsible. I can recall that a lot of my male friends thought it was somehow okay to be a pothead because they emulated what they saw on the movie screen.
Your film review reminded me of how Speedy Gonzales was used to portray Mexicans in the 1950’s. Also, based on your review, their portrayal solidifies a notion that Chicano males are aloof and goofy and always trying to find a way to get around things by taking the easy route out. whereas in real life, this may be quite the opposite. Thanks for the review.
This was a pretty informative evaluation of the film. It has been many years since I have watched Up In Smoke but I clearly remember the Chicano culture being equally as present as the “stoner” subculture. When I watched Up in Smoke, it was for the drug culture references but also because I am from Southern California and I enjoy seeing our unique culture portrayed on screen. I would not consider myself a Chicana but I have grown up around Chicano/a culture my whole life so seeing the lowrider culture, the drug culture, the Chicano/a culture all together in one film in such a lighthearted way is something I found so fun to watch. The scene you mentioned about the wedding in Tijuana is comedic in nature but when you think about how that would be viewed in today’s mainstream media, it probably wouldn’t be a laughing matter. I feel it would take a highly political turn and be looked at as either an exploitation of real fears of deportation or exploitation of resources on the part of the U.S. Government. Great film to analyze!
Hello Raul. After watching Richard “Cheech” Marin’s Born in East L.A. (1987) in class last week and reading your blog on Up in Smoke (1978), with Tommy Chong, I feel I have gained a better understanding about Marin’s intentions, the importance this film has with the Chicanx population and the reason for its success with the masses. My understanding was further reinforced upon watching the YouTube clip you linked titled, “Moments that Changed the Movies” where Cheech and Chong spoke candidly about their creative process and behind the scenes information. I see how Cheech and Chong were pioneers in this genre and paved the way for other stoner films that followed. But most importantly, how they made the film under their own terms and with their own money; bringing two Chicano characters as the main characters to the Big Screen, which had not been done before. I think the popularity of the film was due to the familiarity of the characters and a relatable theme. I have never seen any Cheech and Chong films before, but I can appreciate them for taking a chance, believing in themselves and making it a reality.
Go watch it! You will laugh at some point.
Who did not fall in love with this film and who did not know about cheech and chong after watching this film. Choosing to do your blog on this film was very smart. You spoke about the character Strawberry and I had to start clicking through your links to get a good laugh. Well written post and I absolutely agree with you they had know idea that this film would blow up like it did.Great job on your blog.