{"id":2987,"date":"2007-04-13T09:28:59","date_gmt":"2007-04-13T16:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2987"},"modified":"2021-01-28T00:29:14","modified_gmt":"2021-01-28T07:29:14","slug":"dusty-and-sweets-mcgee-1971","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2987","title":{"rendered":"Dusty and Sweets McGee (1971)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I&#8217;m just an everyday dope fiend &#8212; registered, card-carrying, first class.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-and-Sweets-McGee-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-and-Sweets-McGee-Poster-195x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"195\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-30916\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-and-Sweets-McGee-Poster-195x300.jpg 195w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-and-Sweets-McGee-Poster-83x128.jpg 83w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-and-Sweets-McGee-Poster.jpg 492w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 195px) 100vw, 195px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nHeroin addicts in Los Angeles shoot up and struggle to survive.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Alcoholism and Drug Addiction<\/li>\n<li>Counterculture<\/li>\n<li>Los Angeles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\nDirector Floyd Mutrux&#8217;s pseudo-documentary about heroin addicts in Los Angeles (starring real-life users) is an episodic ensemble flick which emphasizes atmosphere rather than plot. Indeed &#8212; appropriately enough &#8212; not much happens in the lives of these motley addicts: they shoot up, stare glassy-eyed at each other, talk about time spent in jail, attempt to secure more dope, and, occasionally, manage a semblance of romance. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Romance.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Romance.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-66517\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Romance.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Romance-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Romance-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Romance-491x270.png 491w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Most devastating is watching a teenage couple (listed simply as &#8220;Larry&#8221; and &#8220;Pam&#8221; in the credits) wasting their lives for the allure of smack; despite knowing that a doctor-supervised vitamin B-12 solution was used in the needles, the scene in which Larry shoots up Pam in the face remains particularly gruesome.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Face.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Face.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-66515\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Face.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Face-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Face-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Face-491x270.png 491w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Dusty and Sweets<\/em> (named after the street monikers of two of the film&#8217;s characters) was pulled from screens just one week after its release in 1971, and became somewhat of a cult hit after this. It&#8217;s hard to get ahold of these days &#8212; presumably because of copyright issues, considering the enormous number of popular songs used on the soundtrack. Ironically, it&#8217;s the uplifting soundtrack which saves this film from devolving into pure voyeuristic misery. I&#8217;d love to see a follow-up documentary about these folks, but my guess is that they weren&#8217;t long for this world. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>William Fraker&#8217;s cinematography<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Still.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Still.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-66516\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Still.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Still-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Still-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Still-491x270.png 491w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Some truly haunting imagery of young addicts shooting up<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Hand.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Hand.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"352\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-66520\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Hand.png 640w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Hand-300x165.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Hand-128x70.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2007\/04\/Dusty-Sweets-Hand-491x270.png 491w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>The eclectic soundtrack &#8212; especially Jake Holmes&#8217; &#8220;So Close&#8221; during the final stills<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, but it&#8217;s certainly worth a look if you can find a copy. While Peary lists this as a Cult Movie in the back of his book, I think it&#8217;s more relevant as a time-capsule glimpse into a specific subculture of the early 1970s.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0067029\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1971\/07\/15\/archives\/dusty-and-sweets-mcgee-at-coronet.html\">NY Times Original Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/cgi-bin\/article.cgi?f=\/c\/a\/1996\/05\/25\/DD55856.DTL\">San Francisco Chronicle Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.sfgate.com\/cgi-bin\/article.cgi?f=\/e\/a\/1996\/05\/24\/WEEKEND13549.dtl\">San Francisco Examiner Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/movie\/dusty-and-sweets-mcgee-v90164\">All Movie Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.tvguide.com\/movies\/dusty-sweets-mcgee\/review\/113669\">TV Guide Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m just an everyday dope fiend &#8212; registered, card-carrying, first class.&#8221; Synopsis: Heroin addicts in Los Angeles shoot up and struggle to survive. Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors: Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Counterculture Los Angeles Review: Director Floyd Mutrux&#8217;s pseudo-documentary about heroin addicts in Los Angeles (starring real-life users) is an episodic ensemble flick which emphasizes atmosphere rather than plot. Indeed &#8212; appropriately enough &#8212; not much happens in the lives of these motley addicts: they shoot up, stare glassy-eyed&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=2987\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2987","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2987","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2987"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2987\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66521,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2987\/revisions\/66521"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2987"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2987"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2987"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}