2012 Film Olympics: With a little help from my friends

Posted Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 4:55 PM Central
Last updated Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at 4:43 PM Central

by John Couture

Uh oh. We are still in the first week of the Olympics, but it seems that the specter of doping and performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) is casting its long shadow already.

At least that's what at least one person thinks after seeing China's Ye Shiwen set the World Record in the women's 400m IM swimming event. I may be naive and an eternal optimist, but just because her last split was faster than Ryan Lochte's time doesn't make her guilty of anything.

As The Beatles said, "I get high with a little help from my friends." So, whether or not Ye Shiwen was using any PEDs, it's probably a pretty good bet that some of the athletes are doping in one way or another.

It's sad really, but it's the world that we live in. With that in mind, we thought we'd offer the medal winners for best drug films, non marijuana. So, basically we are tipping our hand (much like we figure doping will be back again later in the games) that we will be doing a second drugs list in the future.

BRONZE

While yes, there is a stoner Brad Pitt in the film, the main star of True Romance is the cocaine. This film which was written and sold by Quentin Tarantino in part to help pay for Reservoir Dogs still stands as one of my top 10 films of all time.

One of the main reasons that it stands the test of time besides the whip smart dialog and all-star cast is the climactic standoff in the hotel suite where it's literally snowing cocaine.

SILVER

"Say hello to my little friend."

Is there anyone else who oozes cocaine on screen like Tony Montana? Scarface captured the early '80s drug scene in Miami to a "T" and that scene alone helped to coin a catch phrase that is still relevant to this day. Of course, letting me see it at 10 years old may not have been the wisest decision my parents ever made.

Now you know why I turned out the way I did.

GOLD

How fitting that Danny Boyle's breakout film Trainspotting would win a gold medal at these games? This film is part of the reason that Boyle would later go on to oversee the opening ceremonies of the actual 2012 London Olympics.

You know what they say about life imitating art imitating life. Let's just hope that this film wasn't based on a true story because so much of every kind of drug imaginable was consumed on screen. There's no way any real person would survive.

The rich get richer and Warner Bros. and Universal add to their medal count.

Make sure you come back tomorrow when we set a new record.