Retracing the Steps of Cheech and Chong’s ‘Next Movie’ in L.A., 45 Years Later

When Cheech and Chong were making what became their uproarious feature film debut, Up in Smoke (1978), the filmmakers didn’t make a point to call attention to the movie’s overall setting: Los Angeles. After all, it was about two slackers who go on a dire search for some grass, are deported to Tijuana, and smuggle a delivery van made entirely of weed back into the US.

Although not by design, Up in Smoke still became a L.A. classic, with locations that ranged from the Valley to Venice and Malibu to West Hollywood.  

But for a movie in which the Chicano spirit is so heavily infused into the 35-millimeter film on which it was shot, it’s somewhat surprising that the only Up in Smoke locations east of the L.A. River were the reception area of Lincoln Heights Jail and a hot dog stand just up the road from there.