History Film / ReeferMadnessTheMusical

* DeathByAdaptation: [[spoiler: Ralph]] survives in the original film, but is killed off in the musical.

DrivenToSuicide: In the original stage version, [[spoiler: Mae throws herself off a building after she is unable to prevent Jimmy from being executed.]] Averted in the movie and current stage show.
EveryoneDiesEnding: The original version of the show ended with [[spoiler: Mary getting shot and ending up in Hell, Sally being eaten by Ralph, Ralph being taken out by Jack, Jack being beaten to death by Mae, Jimmy being forsaken by God and executed, and Mae committing suicide. Even the Placard Girl gets killed after Mae lands on her.]] The movie and later productions avert this by sparing some characters.

* AdaptionNameChange: In the 1936 film, the character Sally is based on is named Blanche.

* AdapationNameChange: In the 1936 film, the character Sally is based on is named Blanche.

* DiedHappilyEverAfter: Parodied. In the final song [[spoiler:Mary is released from Purgatory and Jimmy tells her to wait for him. '"One day I'll get cancer, or hit by a train!"]]

* WidowedAtTheWedding: In the film version, Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane imagine themselves at their wedding when Mary was shot during the gun struggle between Jimmy and Jack the dope dealer, singing the reprise of "Romeo and Juliet" while Mary [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dies in Jimmy's arms]].

** The Narrator mistakes Mr. Kochinski's name as Russian rather than Polish.

* KarmicRape: This happens in the musical number "Little Mary Sunshine," in which Ralph's marijuana-facilitated attempted seduction of Mary goes horribly, horribly wrong.

* ALoveToDismember: Ralph cuts off [[spoiler: Sally's]] head and makes out with it after he goes Ax-Crazy.

* ArcWords: 420[[note]]a number/phrase associated with pot culture due to MemeticMutation[[/note]] appears throughout the film, including a time on a clock, the street address of the hash house, and the hymn board in the church.

* BadGirlSong: Combines with the FaceHeelTurn of the innocent Mary Lane, whose single run-in with marijuana leaves her [[IncrediblyLamePun fit to be tied.]]

* LastMinuteReprieve: Jimmy is about to be executed after being framed for murder, but he's saved in the nick of time by May and FDR.

* CriticalResearchFailure: In-universe with ''RomeoAndJuliet.'' It's one of the most well known tragic endings in history. How do you not know this? [[note]]Maybe because they were high-schoolers?[[/note]]
** The musical itself [[InvokedTrope makes a point of it]] to give us the true {{Aesop}}.

The film stars Creator/AlanCumming, Creator/KristenBell, Christian Campbell, Steven Weber, Ana Gasteyer, and the [[TalesFromTheCrypt dude who did the voice of the Crypt Keeper.]] It premiered on Showtime in 2005.

* WidowedAtTheWedding: In the film version, Jimmy Harper and Mary Lane imagine themselves at their wedding when Mary was shot during the gun struggle between Jimmy and Jack the dope dealer, singing the reprise of "Romeo and Juliet" while Mary [[DiedInYourArmsTonight dies in Jimmy's arms]].

->''It's lurking at our doors''

-->Hemorrhaging blood

* BreadEggsMilkSquick: During the reprise of "Romeo and Juliet":

** The Narrator mistakes Mr. Kerchensky's name as Russian rather than Polish.

* OnlySaneMan: Mr. Zalenski is the only person in the audience to question the Narrator's propaganda.

* BillingDisplacement: Neve Campbell has higher billing than 3 others with major roles (see image above), yet only appears during the malt-shop scene.

** "Tell 'Em The Truth" puts Communists and queers on the mob's hitlist after Darwin, Freud, and smut.

* TriumphantReprise: May's reprise of "The Stuff."

-->'''Mary Lane:''' I don't know what you're talking about, but I like the sound of it!* TheMoralSubstitute: In-universe example: in the film version, at the end of "Listen To Jesus, Jimmy," Jesus challenges Jimmy to "take a hit of God" and see if he can "handle the high". Jimmy refuses, saying, "I've got a ''new'' god now!"

* TheMoralSubstitute: In-universe example: in the film version, at the end of "Listen To Jesus, Jimmy," Jesus challenges Jimmy to "take a hit of God" and see if he can "handle the high". Jimmy refuses, saying, "I've got a ''new'' god now!"

* WordSaladLyrics: "Mary Jane/Mary Lane", {{Lampshaded}} by Mary.
-->'''Mary Lane:''' I don't know what you're talking about, but I like the sound of it!

* OnceAcceptableTargets: Invoked InUniverse in "Tell 'Em The Truth", with Communists and queers on the mob's hitlist after Darwin, Freud, and smut.