This 1967 color film dramatizes the dangers of casual drug use by telling the story of a young student who tries marijuana at a party and later becomes addicted to heroin. It was directed and produced by Mel Marshall, narrated by Patrick Miller, and stars Gerald LeRoy, Kevin Tighe (debut), Patrick Miller, and Julie Conners. It was written by Edward Brennan.

A cobra snake stands erect, turning its head to show its spotted hood, it is mesmerizing and deadly (0:08). Title card: “Narcotics, Pit of Despair” (0:48). A heroin user’s “works.” A man’s hands produce a capsule from a plastic bag and open it into a spoon. “Cooking” the spoon, with credits overlaid (0:53). A syringe is filled and a hypodermic needle is attached (1:52). Smiling 1960’s school children stroll around a school campus. A laughing crowd of young women (1:57). Young moviegoers enter a cinema lobby (2:38). We meet “John Scott,” a man in a yellow sweater, who speaks to a woman in a turtleneck (2:53). John approaches a bald teacher in a cardigan (3:29). John runs on a school track. Coach checks a stopwatch (3:40). A bearded man, “Pete,” smokes on the opposite side of a chain link fence (4:19). John meets Pete. They shake hands and smile (4:41). A small black convertible sports car drives into a hilly suburb (5:37). John comes home to an empty house and a note that he crumples (5:59). John in his bedroom with a note from Pete (6:27). Studying, then putting aside a book. Picking up a rotary phone and dialing (6:49). Crossfade to a house party with balloons and streamers. Lively dancing. Pete listens to the turntable closely then embraces a young woman in a pink blouse, “Helen” (7:24). John arrives at the door (7:56). John begins dancing with Helen, who encourages him (8:40). Sweaty P.O.V. shots of the dancers crossfade to slow dance embraces. John and Helen on the couch amid beer cans (9:30). Pete watches from a distance. John lights Helen’s cigarette (10:47). The couple rises from the couch (11:27). Seated in a circle, young people pass a marijuana joint, then become suspicious and ready the joint for the trash. False alarm (11:51). John joins the “pot party.” Helen smokes luxuriantly (12:46). Helen and Pete offer John joints (13:49). Scratches on the film print as Helen inhales (14:13). Peer pressure. John succumbs and gets his “kicks” (14:30). Back at school (15:17). The teacher hands John bad news in an otherwise empty classroom: A “D” graded paper (15:36). A motorcycle policeman writes John a ticket (15:46). Visiting a new drug dealer (15:51). John smokes in a car while an older addict looks on (16:08). Stumbling at a street corner, John almost walks into a passing car (16:18). The coach delivers more bad news (16:50). John and Pete smoke as another man unrolls a junkie’s outfit or “kit” (17:36). A syringe and spoon. The heroin is prepared as before. A cotton ball acts as a filter (18:38). Rolling up sleeves (19:55). Tying off a tourniquet and shooting up (20:27). The addict passes the needle to Pete, who passes it to John (21:47). John returns to the drug house, clutching his body (22:36). Writhing in bed. Tossing and turning in spasms of withdrawal (23:25). John is restrained. Two men tie his arms and legs to a bed frame and gag his mouth (24:08). A needle is jabbed into John’s arm (25:10). Pete explains himself (25:40). John enters a pawn shop (25:58). John and his girlfriend get into his black convertible (26:17). A police officer enters a police station. Helen is questioned by detectives. She writhes and pleads (26:34). Policemen break into the drug house and subdue Pete and the addict (27:29). A jail cell is opened, John emerges (27:43). John walks a winding path with a suitcase. John faces temptation, and walks towards an uncertain future (27:51). Crossfade to the cobra with text overlaid: “There is NO END” (28:54).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com