Drug Abuse: The Chemical Tomb

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Drug Abuse: The Chemical Tomb is a short film from 1969 released on 16mm. It is held in the Prelinger Archives collection.

Stresses the dangers of becoming physically and emotionally dependent on drugs even after limited use and instills a desire, based on knowledge derived from accurate information, never to experiment.

More sociologically oriented than Narcotics: Pit of Despair (also on this program), The Chemical Tomb condemns drugs for inhibiting the "new mass mind, a nowness as it takes place." Stating that "a nation in turmoil needs the newness of its young," it praises the impulses leading to social change. This is a pretty liberal message, and the film continues: "Drugs are not the proper tools with which to change a society that somehow hasn't fulfilled all its promise." None of this theorizing prevents the film from being entertaining, and it contains a teenage drug party and the usual bogus psychedelia.


Visuals include: Marijuana (pot) party (good) VS college campuses VS newspaper headlines of protests and dissent at colleges and universities during the 1960s VS pot smoking VS teenagers' party with drugs (good) Good LSD trip sequence, very tacky psychedelia

04:28:13 CU Hands rolling joint 04:28:31 Man lights joint, passes it around circle 04:28:53 Another man smoking from pipe

04:29:47 Scenes from big university (looks like Berkeley) VO: "These people no longer feel constrained by the social rules of the past." 04:20:39 VO: "This exploration, this search for new values has led into new and dangerous area, the use of narcotics and hallucinogens The brain, the body, indeed the freedom to do can be so jeopardized by these drugs....." 04:31:09 "The turned on people, who seem to set so many of today's lifestyles, are not the only one smoking grass, popping bennies or dropping acid." 04:31:36 VO: "These substances are extremely dangerous. This trend, toward drugs, has alarmed every responsible segment of the community." Scene of blue car driving down street. 04:31:52 VO: "Aside from its illegality, there is a medical risk to the brain and body. Perhaps, the biggest risk is the placing of the psyche in peril" 04:32:55 CU Money, drugs change hands. Scene of drug deal on the street in a suburban area 04:33:50 Voice overs with close ups of various drugs 04:33:51 "Red Devils" - red Seconal pills 04:33:55 "Nembutal or yellow jackets" - yellow pills 04:33:58 "Tuinals or rainbow" - pills CU 04:34:30 CU Hands opening bottle of pills VO: "Under the effects of the drug, there tends to be a distortion of time and of course, the person is confused and the person may accidentally take more drug than he had anticipated. Forgetting that he had just taken a dose a few minutes before." 04:35:36 CU Nurse putting drugs into syringe 04:36:02 CU Syringe 04:36:06 CU Person shooting up 04:37:50 Three boys on suburban curbside 04:38:03 CU Glue-sniffing preparations VO: "An increasing number of children are showing up with brain damage, and what we call chronic brain disease." 04:38:50 CU Joints 04:38:53 CU Teen boy smoking joint Several shots of joints being smoked 04:39:35 CU Mortar and pestle with white powder. Home prep of pills 04:40:22 Boy sits next to teen girl, offers her pills 04:40:24 She says no 04:40:27 CU Pills 04:40:34 She accepts pill 04:40:50 CU Girl's face looking confused. Colored lights flash on her face....airline, carnival flashes. VO: "He is virtually, very alive in a chemical tomb." More drug taking scenes 04:42:06 Inside police car POV from back seat 04:42:49 Scene of kids getting arrested in suburban area Scenes of kids in court 04:43:59 CU Woman taking pills out of bottle, looks at herself in mirror 04:44:47 CU Drug sale 04:44:51 Scene of two nurses in hospital 04:45:02 Nurse feeds man in traction More drug taking scenes 04:42:06 Inside police car - POV from back seat 04:42:29 Scene of kids getting arrested in suburban area Scenes of kids in court 04:43:59 CU Woman taking pills out of a bottle, she looks at herself in mirror 04:44:47 CU Drug sale 04:44:51 Scene of two nurses in hospital 04:45:02

Nurse feeds man in traction

Drug Abuse: The Chemical Tomb
Produced byFilm Distributors International
Production
company
Film Distributors International
Distributed byFilm Distributors International
Release date
1969
Running time
18:28
LanguageEnglish
Thumbnail
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