This anti-drug film from 1972 uses abstract and modernist animation styles and techniques to depict the effects of different drugs (both legal and illegal) on the human brain and body. Set to eerie music and inter-spliced with live action footage shot in and around Los Angeles, California, you’ll be shown unnerving and psychedelic imagery designed to make you think twice about abusing drugs. “Drugs and the Nervous System” was made by Spencer Peel, David Weidman, Selby Dale, Bina Grossblat, Lee Kent, Pieter Van Deusen, Robert Kaufman and Robert Churchill, and produced by Churchill Films.

00:08 Drug bottles on a shelf in a pharmacy 00:20 Animation of bacterial infection treatment in lungs, stomach and intestines 00:42 Animation of the nervous system 00:53 Boy in blue pajamas sick in bed with fever, mother comes in and administers an aspirin 01:24 Animation of aspirin at work; nerve endings send signals to brain’s pain center, signals continue to cortex 02:54 Animation of aspirin dulling pain impulses 03:28 Animation showing how the brain signals to body to produce sweat 04:33 Prescription bottle label being typed up; pills poured into bottle and capped 05:03 Child shakes pills out of bottle 05:12 Poison label on can, contents poured into cereal bowl 05:23 Plastic model cement on worktable with tools, hands cutting strips of wood 05:38 Animation of effect of toxic fumes on lungs, brain 6:26 Animation of effects of stimulants, depressants on brain impulses; female figure contorts into abstract shapes, overlaid with animations of lungs, heart 08:17 Animation of the effects of and types of drugs made from opium; opium poppy, morphine, codeine, heroin 08:57 Animation of male figure experiencing heroin usage and withdrawal; abstract shapes and textures 11:02 Bottles of pills, cup of coffee 11:25 Animation of effects of amphetamines on brain; heart beating, blood vessels constricting, confused brain impulses 12:53 Smoke, marijuana joint, eyes, abstract shapes 13:25 POV driving a car down a crowded road, time slows down and speeds up 13:59 Animation of solitary figure smoking marijuana in empty room, pulling down window shade 14:22 Abstract animation of the brain under the effects of LSD 14:44 Camera zooms in on potted flowers 15:02 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, CA, viewed from high rise window; Hollywood Paladium theater seen 15:13 Young couple walk down city sidewalk at night, step into traffic, man is hit by car 15:27 Animation of a bad LSD trip 16:00 Summary of film, certain animations and footage repeated 16:59 CREDITS

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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