Product Details

• Actors: Jeff Jones
• Directors: Jeff Jones
• Format: Black & White, Color, Digital Sound, Full length, Full Screen, NTSC
• Number of tapes: 1
• VHS Release Date: June 15, 1999
• Run Time: 59 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0967539005
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #411,617 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

This emperor wears blue jeans. Jack Herer, the emperor of hemp, is a loud, passionate, articulate defender of the first plant declared illegal in the U.S. This brilliant, fast-paced documentary examines his life as he metamorphosed from Goldwater Republican to political prisoner under Reagan and "prophet of pot." Through interviews with Herer, contemporaries, and historians, as well as archival footage of protests and key moments in the drug war, the filmmakers integrate the man and his ideas into a thoroughly entertaining whole. Claiming that the effective outlawing of hemp in the 1930s was grounded more in economics than sincere moral beliefs, Herer goes on to profess that the plant can literally save the world by replacing much logging and oil drilling with cleaner agriculture. These claims are powerfully reinforced by Peter Coyote's measured and well-researched narration, and even those viewers who have never inhaled will find Emperor of Hemp enlightening and disturbing. --Rob Lightner

Product Description

This is the film the United States government does not want you to see. This is the film that could cost big business big bucks. This is the film that contains the facts about one movement ... one man ... and one miraculous plant that could revolutionize the world. "Emperor of Hemp" exposes the secrets behind hemp and marijuana prohibition as seen through the eyes of Jack Herer, author of "The Emperor Wears No Clothes," the best-selling cult classic that ignited the Hemp Revolution around the world.

Called the father of the modern hemp movement, Herer wrote his book in 1985 while imprisoned in a federal penitentiary for the "crime" of registering voters after dark on government property. In his book and through his years of public activism, he has worked to disseminate accurate information about cannabis to counter decades of government-sponsored anti-marijuana propaganda. What began as Herer's singular battle has turned into a massive movement to educate America about this environmentally friendly plant. While his work has made Herer a hero of the movement to re-legalize cannabis for adults, this film story of his struggle is significant for all of us. "Emperor of Hemp" reveals government and big-business efforts to keep the plant illegal. It reveals how our own government attempted to change history to hide the truth about hemp from the American people. It also details the racist lies that formed the basis of marijuana prohibition and explores important facets of the corruption that maintains the modern drug war. This film takes you to the front lines of the pro-hemp movement. Discover out how Herer's passionate journey began. Learn how he overcame hurdle after hurdle. Cheer his ultimate vindication Narrated by the incomparable Peter Coyote and fearturing songs by Bonnie Raitt, Joe Walsh, Cheap Trick and others, "Emperor of Hemp" could change the world ... if the American public finally realizes "The Emperor Wears No Clothes." Executive Producer: Anita Roddick.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jack Herer, a real American hero, April 24, 2007

By 

Z. Freeman "Zach" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Emperor of Hemp: The Jack Herer Story (DVD)

Emperor of Hemp is a brief documentary about hemp activist and author Jack Herer. This film documents his life from Goldwater Republican to the "emperor" of hemp activism. It includes footage from protests, as well as interviews with Jack, close friends, and work partners.

Although the film is only 60 minutes long, it also includes a brief history of the illegalization of the marijuana plant and the history of the hemp plant as a multi-purpose crop grown around the world, and even grown by our first president George Washington.

I hadn't heard of Jack Herer before watching this documentary, and now I'm glad that I have. He wrote the book "The Emperor Wears No Clothes", which is a very detailed and well-researched account of the uses of hemp and the reasons it was made illegal.

Overall, this movie is very interesting, and should be viewed by anyone interested in finding out more about hemp and/or the man who started the hemp movement in this country.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Honest Documentary on the History of Hemp, January 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Emperor of Hemp - The Jack Herer Story [VHS] (VHS Tape)

"Emperor of Hemp" is not a pro-marijuana film, although the historical, political, and medical story of the hemp plant makes a compelling argument that the prohibition of hemp products was more about political insiders and corporate control over government process than any honest concern for the well-being of the American populace. This film is beautifully produced. It is interesting, entertaining, and informative, even for those (like myself) who are completely detached from the world of hemp/marijuana. The realized and unrealized potential of the hemp plant is staggering, and this film clearly demonstrates how our country is being needlessly deprived of one of nature's most diverse and valuable renewable resources.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening & Entertaining, January 15, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Emperor of Hemp - The Jack Herer Story [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I was captivated by the film and found it enlightening to learn about the long and controversial history of hemp. I had no idea that this renewable resource was so widely used - both in the past and in other countries currently. This documentary is provocative, and analyzes the subject from many perspectives. I would highly recommend this film and I am sure that others will find it interesting and enlightening.