Canadian women talk openly aboot the taboo subject of menstrual pain in the laughably menstrutaining film Cramps! (1982). Behold the wild go-go frenzy of the psychedelically animated The Drag (1965). This dog's bark is worse than his bite, especially after all the joints he's been smoking with the cops in the insane cartoon Caninabis: The Junky Dog (1979). The Canadians bring us a melodramatic account of Teenage Pregnancy(1971).
The Drag (Color, 1965)
Produced for the Canadian Department of Health and Welfare this jaw-dropping film montage depicts the difficulty of breaking the tobacco habit in a child-adulthood go-go frenzy of wild animation by Italian animator Carlos Marchiori. The story depicts the case history of a chain smoker-satirically told on a psychiatrist's couch, with the patient's recollections--illustrating the psychology of the smoking habit and the part that cigarette advertising plays in the addiction. With hopping music and brilliant kaleidoscopic montages.
Yes, you read that right: CANINABIS! This newly discovered head-scratcher from the National Film Board of Canada chronicles the animated exploits of a scruffy street dog, who develops a taste (and smell) for that sticky icky icky, but uses his powers to help the police, where he is rewarded with huge joints for every drug bust. But when the weed starts playing tricks on his mind, the scruffy mutt drops the ball and ends up on the street again, chasing tailpipes for one more high!
Cramps! (Color, 1982)
Oh those Canadians with their open discussions of taboo topics! This ode to period pain begins with a parade of women throughout history (including Rosie the Riveter) discussing how they must never speak of their menstrual pain. Then, we visit a round-table of early-80s Canadian women talking aboot their experiences with cramps intercut with a delightful dramatization of one young woman's struggle with her uterus that gets in the way of her work life and her love life. When her beau thinks she's growing distant and is ready to call it quits, will she be able to admit to her personal problem, even if it is embarrassing?
No one can bring you the melodrama of teen pregnancy quite like the Canadians. This campy morsel features a lot of worry, disappointment, facts and good old-fashioned overacting. Like a lost Degrassi episode, the touching story of 16 year-old Betty’s life will bring you to tears…of laughter!
A very special episode of the envelope-pushing Canadian adolescent soap. Spike and Shane lock themselves in a room at Lucy's party, and the consequences could be devastating! Meanwhile, in the B-plot, Melanie is 12 1/2 and is ready for a boyfriend. She likes Snake, Yik likes her; who will she choose? From the closed-captioned collection with an always interesting interpretation of the dialogue.
In this campy and dramatic short, a woman, wracked with nerves, calms herself by chain smoking. Finally, the moment she has been dreading arrives! It’s Dracula and he’s ready to embrace her and suck her blood! He goes in for the bite and comes back up with a surprised look on his face! What is the problem Dracula?! Also from the NFB and frequent Norman McLaren collaborator Grant Munro.