The Narcotics Story (1958)
** (out of 4)
Art Gilmore narrates this somewhat entertaining documentary that talks about the evils of marijuana and heroin. This here was originally made as a police training video but it was eventually shown to the public as the exploitation genre from the classic era was coming to an end. Basically the first part of the film takes a look at that green grass and how smoking it can turn you into a dangerous person. The second portion looks at heroin and the damage it does to a person including women who could find themselves in prostitution.
THE NARCOTICS STORY was made for a good cause and that was to teach police officers about the various signs to look for when it comes to dealing with drug users. The information told here is certainly more authentic than what we saw in films like REEFER MADNESS but at the same time you can't help but laugh at some of it because of how silly it is. With that said, the films is mildly entertaining on that level as we at least get to hear what was thought on the drug during this era.
The stuff with the heroin is certainly a bit darker as we get some images of abusers and the damage done to their bodies. In a strange bit, we're also told how several drugs are made so someone could have watched this back in the day and got in on the business. With all of that said, the film is really very boring in its delivery. The re-enactments are rather cheap and the narrator is way too dry at times.
If you're a fan of these types of exploitation documentaries then you'll want to check this out but others should probably stay clear.