Shooting stars - Drugs, Hollywood and the movies (Paperback)

From 1920s marijuana mayhem through the cocaine storm that hit Hollywood in the '70s and the heroin chic films of the '90s, "Shooting Stars" investigates the drug myths propagated in the movies and looks at the links between censorship, public morals and the Hollywood dream machine.;It begins with the opium movies of the silent era and covers every major and most minor drugs films right up to 2003. From "Reefer Madness" through to "The Man with the Golden Arm" and on to films such as "Easy Rider", "Panic in Needle Park" and "Trainspotting", Shapiro provides comprehensive detail about each film. It also includes a detailed history of drug use and film censorship as well as dark tales of the Hollywood star system and lifestyle. The book aims to provide a useful and entertaining reference work for students and teachers of media studies as well as film buffs.