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The 15 Most Insane Drug Trips In Cinema

Well, folks, it's that time of the year again. The time for lighting up, blazin', tokin' up, hittin' the piece — you know, smoking pot? April 20 has long been known as the celebratory stoner day. Its history is (ahem) clouded, but its legacy is strong.
Sometime during the '70s, five friends in San Rafael, CA, known as The Waldos, met at 4:20 to pluck marijuana from some local farm land after catching wind that the Coast Guard was on the farmer's case. According to the Huffington Post, their first attempts failed, but they kept meeting at 4:20 anyway. The time became a code, and the code slowly crept into the zeitgeist. Now, 420 is A) a (non-government) recognized holiday, and B) slang for weed-friendly people. Silly? Yeah, but it's certainly a commodity now that certain states are legalizing the recreational use of the drug.
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So, as the day unfolds, the air gets hazier, and Rihanna uploads selfie after turnt-up selfie, let's explore the various highs in film. From The Dude's gutter-ball dream to Gaspar Noé's venture through the void, these are the most insane drug trips, ever.
Warning: Some scenes have been known to cause an irrational craving for food. Watch with caution.

The Big Lebowski

Drug: Marijuana

There's nothing like a dance number featuring Julianne Moore in a golden bowling-ball-themed costume. There's also nothing like seeing Jeff Bridges' happy stoner face light up in his crazy dream world. The Dude abides, man. The dude freakin' abides.

The Rules of Attraction

Drug: Everything

Okay, so this movie has its characters consuming almost every drug under the sun. (That's life at a liberal arts college, right? Nah.) But, the scene where the audience is finally introduced to Victor is exhaustive. Hey, it's cool you went to Europe, but, like, do you remember it all? The real kicker is his self-reflection at the end: "I no longer know who I am, and I feel like the ghost of a total stranger." Don't do drugs, kids.

Enter the Void

Drug: DMT

Confession: This author had no idea what DMT was until he saw this movie. Now, he's scared as hell of it. The opening scene to an already mind-altering movie is hypnotic and feels all too real.

Requiem for a Dream

Drug: Amphetamines

Watching Sara Goldfarb descend into diet-pill addiction is, in a story of four addictions, the most heartbreaking. All she wants is to wear the red dress and be a television star. What follows is a scene so gut-wrenching, it will leave you speechless.

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Black Swan

Drug: MDMA

Darren Aronofsky and drugs go hand-in-hand. He nailed it in Requiem, and humanized the rolling experience in Black Swan. (It also helps that Natalie Portman's performance depicting the contrast between pre-MDMA and post-MDMA Nina is Oscar-winning.)

Thirteen

Drug: Huffing

The actual scene doesn't exist anywhere online, but seeing Evan Rachel Wood lose all inhibitions after inhaling computer duster is, well, jarring.

Alice in Wonderland

Drug: LSD

There's a lot of supposed drug references in Alice, but nothing is more prevalent than LSD and tripping. Sure, Disney would lead you to believe it's all a childish dream, but jaded humans across the globe know that one doesn't just drink and eat food they've stumbled upon while talking to a door knob.

Pulp Fiction

Drug:
Cocaine/Heroin

We said, "God damn!" Watch how free Uma Thurman becomes under the influence. Watch John Travolta have a coke-induced conversation with himself. See how things quickly take a turn for the worse after a bit too much consumption.

Trainspotting

Drug: Heroin

The Exorcist led audiences to believe it was the devil that caused Linda Blair's head to spin around. After watching Trainspotting, however, it's pretty safe to assume it was a metaphor for heroin.

Altered States

Drug: LSD and Ketamine

The name of the movie says it all. This is what we'd like to call a "bad trip."

Boogie Nights

Drug: Cocaine

This deleted scene from Boogie Nights perfectly captures the sleaze of the '70s and cocaine use: sweaty, incoherent, and messy.

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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Drug: Everything

Gonzo does an Olympic dive into all the drugs. The results are, as the title suggests, frightening.

Taking Woodstock

Drug: LSD

What would a roundup of drug trips be without Woodstock? This time, however, it's not so jarring as it is, erm, illuminating. It's more than far out, though. This trip is beyond.

Easy Rider

Drug: LSD

Where Taking Woodstock leaned toward the spiritual side of LSD, Easy Rider dove deep into its hellish depths. This is one dark, dark trip.

Romeo + Juliet
Drug: Ecstasy

"Thy drugs are quick!" Romeo says before his eyes roll back of his head, and a Mercutio-in-drag performs disco. This probably isn't exactly what Shakespeare had in mind, but it certainly works.

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