Tell Your Children (1938) in Color — Starring Dorothy Short & Kenneth Craig

Tell Your Children (1938) — Buy This Classic in Color

Experience the infamous cult classic Tell Your Children (1938) Colorized, also known as Reefer Madness, directed by Louis J. Gasnier, the legendary anti-marijuana propaganda film that has become one of the most celebrated midnight movie experiences in cinema history, originally produced as a morality tale warning parents about the dangers of cannabis but now cherished as an unintentionally hilarious masterpiece of cinematic hysteria, following a group of wholesome American teenagers whose lives spiral into wild-eyed madness, violence, and moral ruin after a single encounter with marijuana cigarettes at a local drug den, featuring performances of such breathtaking excess that the film transcended its propaganda origins to become an enduring icon of camp entertainment, now available for purchase in stunning color for just €15.00. This digitally enhanced version brings this cult classic to vivid new life. Own this DRM-free digital download today.

Plot Summary

The film opens with a high school principal delivering an earnest and deeply alarming lecture to assembled parents about the terrible menace of marijuana, which he describes — with absolute straight-faced conviction — as the most dangerous drug known to humanity, more addictive and destructive than heroin or cocaine. Through his warnings, we are introduced to the tragic tale that serves as his cautionary example.

The story follows a group of clean-cut, all-American teenagers who are lured by sketchy adult drug pushers to an apartment where marijuana is freely available. Mae and Jack, the operators of this drug den, ply unsuspecting youngsters with reefer cigarettes in a calculated scheme to expand their customer base and corrupt the youth of America.

What follows is a spectacular cascade of wildly exaggerated consequences that bear no relationship to the actual effects of marijuana. After just a few puffs, previously model citizens are transformed into maniacal, glassy-eyed lunatics. The performers deliver these transformations with such overheated intensity — laughing hysterically at nothing, playing piano at impossible speeds, engaging in violent outbursts, and experiencing paranoid hallucinations — that they become genuinely hilarious rather than frightening.

The plot escalates through hit-and-run accidents, attempted sexual assault, a shooting, a descent into permanent insanity, and ultimately a courtroom drama where the full extent of marijuana’s alleged devastation is laid bare. Each development is more preposterously overwrought than the last, delivered with an earnestness that makes the disconnect between intent and effect absolutely delicious for modern audiences.

Cast & Crew

Director: Louis J. Gasnier

Stars: Dorothy Short as Mary Lane, Kenneth Craig as Bill Harper, Lillian Miles as Blanche, Dave O’Brien as Ralph Wiley, Thelma White as Mae Coleman, Carleton Young as Jack Perry

Dave O’Brien delivers the film’s most memorably unhinged performance as Ralph, whose marijuana-fueled descent into cackling insanity has become one of the most iconic moments in cult cinema. The entire cast commits wholeheartedly to their melodramatic roles, and it is precisely this sincerity that makes the film so entertaining to modern audiences.

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

The colorization of Tell Your Children brings the melodrama to eye-popping life — the clean, bright tones of the wholesome high school scenes with students in neat pastel sweaters and crisp white shirts, the sinister contrast of Mae and Jack’s drug den decorated in deep reds and smoky browns, the sickly yellowish haze of marijuana smoke drifting through dimly lit rooms, the deep blue of respectable middle-class living rooms where parents worry, the garish purple and red of nightclub scenes where corruption thrives, the wild bloodshot eyes and flushed red faces of the characters experiencing their exaggerated drug reactions, the somber dark grey of courtroom interiors, the cold institutional green of asylum walls in the film’s grimmer sequences, the warm amber of jazz-club lighting where moral ruin supposedly lurks, and the stark black-and-white contrast of newspaper headlines screaming about the marijuana menace. Now also available in colour. Buy Tell Your Children (1938) Colorized today for €15.00 and own this cult classic in a DRM-free format.

Historical Significance

Tell Your Children, commonly known as Reefer Madness, is one of the most culturally significant exploitation films ever produced. Originally financed by a church group and intended as a serious warning to parents, it passed through various distributors who re-edited it for maximum sensationalism. Forgotten for decades, it was rediscovered in the 1970s by pro-legalization activists and college audiences who recognized its unintentional comedy. It became a cornerstone of the midnight movie circuit alongside The Rocky Horror Picture Show and became the most famous anti-drug propaganda film in history precisely because its hysteria undermined its own message. The film has been parodied, musicalized for Broadway, and referenced in countless films and television shows. It remains a powerful educational tool about how propaganda functions and fails. Through colorization, this iconic piece of American cult cinema is preserved for modern audiences.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD 720p
• Colorized: Yes, professional AI-assisted colorization
• Audio: Original English mono soundtrack
• Runtime: Approximately 68 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is this the same as Reefer Madness?
A: Yes, Tell Your Children (1938) is the original title of the film more commonly known as Reefer Madness. The film was re-titled and re-edited multiple times by different distributors over the years.

Q: Is this film meant to be funny?
A: The film was produced as serious anti-marijuana propaganda, but its wildly exaggerated portrayals, hysterical performances, and complete disconnection from reality have made it one of the most beloved unintentional comedies in cinema history.

Q: Why is this film famous?
A: Rediscovered in the 1970s, Tell Your Children became a midnight movie sensation and a cultural touchstone. It is the most famous anti-drug propaganda film ever made, celebrated both as camp entertainment and as a fascinating example of how propaganda can spectacularly backfire.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: The film is delivered as a high-quality MP4 file in HD 720p resolution, compatible with virtually all modern devices and media players.

Q: Is the download DRM-free?
A: Yes, your purchase is completely DRM-free. You own the file outright and can watch it on any device without restrictions or recurring fees.

Q: How quickly will I receive the download?
A: Your download link is available immediately after payment is confirmed. You can begin watching Tell Your Children (1938) Colorized within minutes of your purchase.

Related Colorized Classics

• The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
• Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
• Heart of Arizona (1938)
• Terror Aboard (1933)
• The Last Outpost (1935)