Customer Rating:
Summary: Prescient, incisive, cruel and friggin' hilarious
Comment: Well before smoking was the demon it is now, this film dared to take on Big Tobacco in the historically best way possible - by laughing at it. Publicity man Merwin Wren (Bob Newhart in one of his truly classic "Angry Little Man" performances) suggests that the tobacco companies put up 25 million dollars, to be awarded to the first town that can quit smoking for 30 days. A classic false deal, Wren explains, because what town could successfully quit smoking for a full 30 days?

Eagle Rock, Iowa. Under the inspiration of Rev. Clayton Brooks (Dick Van Dyke), the town sees the offer as a way to get back on its feet, and for such a little bit of sacrifice. Yeah, right...

The town becomes a center of media interest, not to mention great consternation to the tobacco companies. What was supposed to be a PR campaign dedicated to make people think they actually want people to stop smoking, this little town is ACTUALLY convincing people to stop smoking.

The tension (literal and figurative) builds until the very last minute of the 30-day deadline, when a tampered-with clock and an aerial drop of smokes threaten the work Eagle Rock has done. And if they ever figure out the legal mess and put the film out on DVD, you can see how it all ends up.

The film attacks so many targets simultaneously, and doesn't miss once. The smoking culture, both users and manufacturers get it, as does the news industry. Like so many great satires, it remains relevant today. The majority of the anti-smoking ads that run today are paid for by the tobacco companies, albeit as a result of the massive lawsuits laid against them in recent years. And as much as they put educational materials up on their sites, only a rank boob would think they actually want people to stop smoking.

Bob and Ray play several parts in the film, including Ray Goulding as Walter Chronic, the grand old man of news, whose name is spoken wirth the same reverance as Ed Sullivan's in Bye Bye Birdie.

Even this early in his career, Randy Newman delivers a score and song (He Sends us All His Love) that will stay with you. Not a bad note in the movie.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: PLEASE release "Cold Turkey" on DVD!!!?
Comment: I agree with most here who think this movie is WAY overlooked. It's a classic! As a smoker myself, I find it hilarious and ironic....the town goes to all the trouble of quitting smoking for 30 days in order to win $25 million from a tobacco company, only to attract a government missile factory to town that spews "legal" smoke all over the place. It also shows smokers as the regular, NON-trash people they were/are - and THAT's refreshing, at least to me. It's a hoot - the characters are great - and I watch my old, worn out VHS version with bad sound over and over again.

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: A neglected masterpiece
Comment: This is one of the absolutely funniest movies ever made. I have a video home-taped years ago from a network broadcast, and when I want to laugh out loud (and occasionally roll on the floor) I play it. I think it is safe to say that if I were escaping from a burning building, it is one of the tapes I would seize immediately. Why in the world has it not been transferred to DVD?

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Up in Smoke...?
Comment: It is hard to believe that after looking for this release in DVD for so many years that every year I look I am disappointed that it is STILL not available. I, my wife and countless friends have quit smoking in the past couple years and this was one movie we all really wanted to see... it's a classic even if you're not suffering from withdrawl symptom... but if laughter is the best medicine this is the prescription you're looking for. A laugh riot sure to leave you smiling. Let's get this released U.A.!!!

---

Customer Rating:
Summary: Lack of DVD is irritating, stupid and borderline criminal
Comment: Bankruptcy, schmankruptcy - when will this be released? Apart from Laurel and Hardy, this is the funniest movie ever made. There are greater movies that need to be released, there are ones that I personally want even more to be released, but based upon the combination of quality and the quantity of potential demand, the lack of this one has to be the most insane. My votes for the best parts in the movie go to Bob & Ray, then Bob Newhart and then Edward Everett Horton - but everyone is great. The attack on tobacco is so PC these days that now maybe we can have more appreciation for the satire on the media - the arrival of Nixon at the final town meeting is simply hilarious - as is Walter Chronic in the operating room. I have to keep my laserdisc player running for just 3 movies - and this is number one.

---