Monday, May 19, 2008

SHORT FEATURE: STOP THE MADNESS

Yeah, we've had a few laughs over the past few weeks at the expense of goofy educational films from the early 20th century. Yet how canst we say to  our older brothers, Brothers, let us pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when we ourselves beholdest not the beam that is in our own eye? Which is a nice King James way of saying that while those guys way back then were kind of nutty, in the latter half of the century, we were out of our freakin' minds.

As proof I offer up Rockin' Nancy Reagan with some of her good friends including New Edition, Arnold Schwarzenegger, LaToya Jackson, Whitney Houston, David Hasselhoff, and Boogaloo Shrimp, (Where the heck was Mr. T?) all coming together to spread the good news about the First Lady's much ridiculed, yet oddly successful, Just Say No campaign. After watching this craziness, with its unlikely assemblage of future drug addicts, future centerfolds, and future Californian governors, it should be possible to go back and view some of those older instructional films with a new found respect for their dignity and restraint.

The message, at least, was valid. The Catechism tells us that "the use of drugs inflicts very grave damage on human health and life. Their use, except on strictly therapeutic grounds, is a grave offense. Clandestine production of and trafficking in drugs are scandalous practices. They constitute direct co-operation in evil, since they encourage people to practices gravely contrary to the moral law." Don't do drugs, kids, no matter how much PSAs like this one make you want to.

8 comments:

Histor said...

About a minute into the movie, I thought the message was "If you do drugs, you'll start playing the trumpet all strange, and have a perfectly flat face."

I don't want that, and I don't want to go to hell for doing drugs. So I suppose it worked!

Histor

EegahInc said...

Did good ol' Herb Alpert get a "Rise" out of you? (Terrible pun, I know, I'll repent of it later.)

D. G. D. Davidson said...

That gave me the uncomfortable feeling I was having a bad trip.

EegahInc said...

Yeah, but Arnie's big smile was waiting on you at the end, so it all turned out okay.

Mr. Doob said...

And it looks like, according to the title card, this masterpiece was "created by" Tim Reid who is better known as Venus Flytrap on WKRP In Cincinnati.

And for a little irony...the video shows John Matuszak, Sloth of The Goonies (as well as B-Movie Catechism worthy films like Caveman & Ice Pirates), who later died from complications from the abuse of steroids & prescription pain killers.

It's educational AND prophetic.

Mr. Doob said...

I miss Shabba-Doo & Boogaloo Shrimp.

Is that wrong?

Everyone needs a little Electric Boogaloo.

The 80s were just a magic time....

EegahInc said...

doob, good catch on Matuszak, I missed him the first time around. Great company the First Lady was keeping, this thing is a veritable rogues gallery of future rehab residents. And yes, I too sometimes get sentimental for the days of poppin' and rockin'. The druh druh druh druh druh druh druh druh, the druh druh druh druh druh druh druh druh, the druh druh druh druh druh druh dream team is in the house... is in the house!

deej, I forgot to mention if you don't have Microsoft Word, you can do the same thing with the word balloons in OpenOffice, which is of course absolutely free. We're all about the cheapness around here.

D. G. D. Davidson said...

So...she has a drug dealer in her closet? I really don't get that part.

And I guess if David Hasselhoff talks to you out of your poster, you really have taken too many drugs.