Grass

Sep 15, 1999

1h 20m

★ 6.5

Overview

Marijuana is the most controversial drug of the 20th Century. Smoked by generations to little discernible ill effect, it continues to be reviled by many governments on Earth. In this Genie Award-winning documentary veteran Canadian director Ron Mann and narrator Woody Harrelson mix humour and historical footage together to recount how the United States has demonized a relatively harmless drug.

Genres

Documentary

Production Companies

Sphinx Productions

Grass Trailers

Cast

Narrator (voice)

Woody Harrelson

Self (archive footage)

Tommy Chong

Self (archive footage)

Cheech Marin

Self (archive footage)

John Lennon

Self (archive footage)

Ronald Reagan

Self (archive footage)

Jimmy Carter

Self (archive footage)

Richard Nixon

Self (archive footage)

Gerald Ford

Self (archive footage)

Cab Calloway

Self (archive footage)

Bill Clinton

Self (archive footage)

George H. W. Bush

Self (archive footage)

Harry J. Anslinger

A documentary about the great American movie palaces of the 1920s and 1930s. Filmed on location at some of the extraordinary theaters across the country, the program explores the diverse and priceless architecture of such greats as the Atlanta Fox, the Wiltern in Los Angeles, San Antonio's Majestic, Seattle's Fifth Avenue and, perhaps the most famous, Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Also included are stills and vintage clips of classic movies and newsreels of the era that illustrate the historical evolution and mass appeal of the movie palaces. Picture palace organist Gaylord Carter performs a variety of movie accompaniments.

6.6

The old

Apr 24, 2024

They come from all walks of life and have lived for almost a century. They have lived through the upheavals of history. They are funny, moving and rebellious. They surprise and amaze us. Yet we rarely hear their voices. This film is an invitation to travel across France and meet them: the Old People.

0.0

The Satanic Verses Affair

Mar 7, 2009

Twenty years ago, novelist Salman Rushdie was a wanted man with a million pound bounty on his head. His novel, The Satanic Verses, had sparked riots across the Muslim world. The ailing religious leader of Iran, the Ayatollah Khomeini, had invoked a little-known religious opinion - a fatwa - and effectively sentenced Rushdie to death. This film looks back on the extraordinary events which followed the publication of the book and the ten year campaign to get the fatwa lifted. Interviews with Rushdie's friends and family and testimony from leaders of Britain's Muslim community and the Government reveal the inside story of the affair.

0.0

Scouting for Boys

May 14, 2007

Lord Baden-Powell's 1908 handbook Scouting for Boys is one of the most influential and best-selling books of all time. In the 20th century, only the Bible, the Koran and the Thoughts of Chairman Mao sold more. But they had fewer jokes, no pictures and were useless at important stuff like tying knots. In this entertaining and affectionate film, Ian Hislop uncovers the story behind the book which kick-started the Scout Movement - a work which is very eccentric, very Edwardian and very English. Hislop discovers that the book is also very radical and addresses a variety of modern issues, such as citizenship, disaffected youth and social responsibility. He explores the maverick brilliance of Baden-Powell, a national celebrity after his heroism in the Boer War, and considers the book's candid focus on health and well-being.

0.0

The Pony Express

Jan 1, 1994

The Pony Express delivered mail from coast to coast for only 18 months. Yet during its brief glory days, it became a legend of the American frontier. This fascinating and well-researched video recounts the history of the Pony Express, retraces the famous trail, and uncovers the reasons behind its demise and lasting legacy.

8.0

Le mystère Cléopâtre, la dernière reine d'Egypte

Jul 24, 2019

No overview available.

1.0

En ningún lugar, Don Luis Buñuel

Jun 13, 2013

Denis Lavant reads long passages from Luis Buñuel's semi-autobiographical "My Last Sigh". From this text, without film excerpts, Laurence Garret travels in the footsteps of Buñuel, from Calanda to Zaragoza, Madrid to Toledo, Spain to Mexico.

5.0

50 años de... Canciones

Nov 12, 2009

No overview available.

5.0

Cinéastes de notre temps : Erich von Stroheim

Oct 14, 2012

No overview available.

6.0

Filmmakers of Our Time: François Truffaut or the Critical Spirit

Dec 2, 1965

No overview available.

0.0

Ingmar Bergman: The Magic Lantern

May 24, 1988

The first of two documentaries about Ingmar Bergman produced to mark his 70th birthday. Includes behind the scenes "home movies" from Bergman's personal archive, interviews with Bergman recorded over his 40 years in the film industry and passages from his autobiography read by Max von Sydow and Bergman himself.

5.0

Life in Four Elements

Mar 17, 2017

A journey into four classical elements through the four main characters of the film. The main characters in the movie represent each of their own elements.

6.4

30 Years of Garbage: The Garbage Pail Kids Story

Sep 20, 2017

The Garbage Pail Kids are 30 years old. Celebrate their gross-out greatness with artist interviews, superfan collections, and more.

6.7

The House on Coco Road

Jun 2, 2016

An intimate documentary exploration of heritage and history against the backdrop of a brewing Afro-centric revolution as the U.S. government prepares to invade the island nation of Grenada. First hand accounts from activists Angela Davis, Fania Davis and Fannie Haughton weave together director Damani Baker’s family portrait of utopian dreams, resistance and civil unrest with a film score composed by music luminary Meshell Ndegeocello.

0.0

Shirley Temple: America's Little Darling

Aug 31, 1993

There never was a star quite like her. Adored by adults and children alike, at four she already led at the box office — ahead of Gable and Cooper. Her films saved a movie studio from bankruptcy, and a President credited her with raising the morale of Depression-weary Americans. Her earliest movies gave a foretaste of her talents and soon would become the songs and dances that helped make those movies immortal.

7.0

Rafael Azcona

Sep 30, 2010

No overview available.

7.0

No Maps on My Taps

Oct 31, 1979

The remarkable spirit of tap dancers and their history provides a joyous backdrop for intimate portraits of hoofers Sandman Sims, Chuck Green, and Bunny Briggs.

5.8

Ava Gardner: Life Is Bigger Than the Movies

Jun 9, 2017

A barefoot contessa, a screwed-up princess, an exquisite drunk, a bawdy aristocrat, a nightmare for puritanical America and the moguls of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Ava Gardner never stopped loving those she loved. She turned women green and made men sweat. And rejected with all her force the bulwark of normality.

7.0

Dark Side of the Moon

Oct 16, 2002

A French documentary or, one might say more accurately, a mockumentary, by director William Karel which originally aired on Arte in 2002 with the title Opération Lune. The basic premise for the film is the theory that the television footage from the Apollo 11 Moon landing was faked and actually recorded in a studio by the CIA with help from director Stanley Kubrick.

8.4

Lost Kingdom of the Black Pharaohs

Dec 1, 2019

The Kush Empire was an ancient superpower that dominated the Nile Valley and rivaled the Egyptians, and now, a new, cutting-edge investigation at a mysterious tomb could reveal the secrets of this formidable lost kingdom.