This revised version of “Alcohol is Dynamite” (1967) is a color, PSA-style film from Coronet Instructional Films that warns against underage drinking. The film is a remake of the black-and-white 1958 Sid Davis Production educational scare film by the same name. The film follows a group of young men who experiment with drinking for the first time. Nonetheless, this “experiment” gets out of hand when they put themselves and others at risk and get involved in a deadly car accident. This film features scenes of mid-century modern architecture and commercial signage as well as scenes from residential areas of what seems to be a southern California town.
Young man (Paul) walks around perimeter of brick school building holding guitar case (0:10). Paul pauses and takes a swig from hooch that he had in his coat pocket (0:17). Another young man (Jim) drives perhaps Ford 1960s model light blue convertible, pulls into school parking lot (0:25). Paul coerces other boys to take sip from the liquor he had in his coat (0:42). Paul passed out on steps, guitar case near by, empty bottle by his outstretched hand (1:18). Animation of human brain explains alcohol’s effect on the frontal lobe (1:34). Jim sits beside Paul and shakes the empty bottle, camera pans the three boys in various states of drunkenness (2:02). Camera pans gravestones at cemetery (2:47). The three young men sit at outdoor picnic table at diner, Paul spikes drinks with vodka (2:59). Jim’s convertible speeds along road and trails past stop sign on palm-tree lined road (3:17). Jim pulled over by cops driving perhaps AMC Matador police cruiser on commercial street, store fronts with flashy signs to appeal to drivers (3:19). Officers find empty vodka bottle in the car and arrest Jim (3:40). Jim and his father walk out of the police station (3:44). Tip walks out of locker room and meets Paul and Jim on grass sports fields of the high school (4:00). Blue convertible pulls into parking lot of mid-century style building (4:13). Camera peers through leaves of palm tree, Paul, Tip, Jim get out of car with some young women (4:21). Group sits and drinks sodas in bar, Jim spikes drinks (4:34). Repeated shot of one of the young women in green Mod-style dress knocking back her glass (5:02). Group returns to the car, girl in green dress passes out in front seat (5:46). Perspective of driver: hazy vision, car parked on residential road blurred (6:17). Jim drives sporadically in residential area, narrowly misses vehicle, crashes into brick wall (6:29). Crash site: Police and first responders stand around the crashed vehicle, perhaps 1967 Pontiac Superior ambulance parked to the side (6:40). Body loaded into ambulance (6:53). Jim arrested at the scene (7:00). Police officer performs breathalyzer test on Jim at the station (7:11). Close-up of breathalyzer machine dial moving (7:17). Jim sits somberly in jail cell (7:24). Paul stands with guitar case with man in suit who is reviewing a notebook of his (7:36). Group of middle-aged men loiter on corner outside of bar on busy street with signs for loans, parking lots (7:51). Portrait of Tip overlaid footage from scene of accident (7:56). Man in mid-20s stands in front of shop meant to be Tip in the future (8:08).
