AMERICA UNDERCOVER: BLACK TAR HEROIN: THE DARK END OF THE STREET (TV)
Summary
One in this series of documentaries presented by HBO. This program documents the lives of five young heroin addicts (who live in San Francisco, California) over the course of a three-year period. Interviews with the five addicts and their friends, in addition to scenes from their daily lives are included. The five individuals introduce themselves and give an outline of their backgrounds and their experiences with heroin. Twenty-five-year-old Tracey is from Ohio. She states that she came to San Francisco because of its reputation as a mecca for alternative lifestyles and drug use. However, she is soon arrested for drug dealing and sentenced to nine months in jail, where she hopes to turn her life around. Twenty-one-year-old Jake describes the difficult circumstances surrounding his birth, and he talks about his life as a prostitute. Eighteen-year-old Jessica states that she tried to stay clean after a nearly fatal overdose. She and her boyfriend, Lars, talk about some of the problems that occur with regular heroin use, and she recalls being sexually abuse as a child. Twenty-one-year-old Alice travels between San Francisco and her home in Seattle, Washington. She refers to William S. Burroughs as an influence, and she comments on the spiritual feelings and complete fulfillment she derives from taking heroin. Nineteen-year-old Oreo talks about the average amount of heroin he does and the appeal of the heroin high, while his girlfriend, Jennifer, struggles to find veins on her body that can still be used to shoot up. Next there is a discussion about prostitution being used to make money for drugs. Jake and Oreo are shown working the streets, and Jennifer cries over the effect that OreoÕs prostitution has on their relationship. Alice insists that she will never resort to prostitution, although it is a common practice among her peers. Jake finds out that he is HIV positive, and although he doesn't change his lifestyle and he refuses treatment, Jake expresses his anger about the effects of the disease to workers at the Hemlock Alley Needle Exchange Program. When Tracey is released from jail she is determined to change her life, and Alice finds a new boyfriend and moves to Seattle to be with her mother, but both women resume their heroin use. Jessica begins to work as a prostitute after breaking up with Lars, and she is arrested for prostitution and diagnosed as HIV positive; Tracey receives money from her mother and moves in with another user, named Ben, but as they both begin drug dealing, their relationshiip unravels; and Jessica anticipates an early death as she fills her life with heroin, crack, and alcohol. Jake returns to the streets after attempting suicide and breaking up with his boyfriend, James; Tracey leaves Ben and contemplates the path that her life is taking as she sells drugs full time; and Oreo is arrested for robbery. In addition, Jake is hospitalized after contracting a severe blood infection, but he resumes his drug use; and Jessica expresses her desire to end her street life. The program concludes with statistics about heroin addiction.
(This program contains nudity and adult-oriented language.)
Details
- NETWORK: HBO
- DATE: April 19, 1999 Monday 10:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:13:59
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:57220
- GENRE: Public Affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drug abuse; Heroin; HIV (Viruses); Prostitution
- SERIES RUN: HBO - TV series, 1983-2006
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sheila Nevins … Executive Producer
- Anthony Radziwill … Supervising Producer
- Steven Okazaki … Producer, Director
- Takayuki Kamikura … Co-Producer
- Nancy Walzog … Co-Producer
- Jason Cohen … Associate Producer
- Will Bernard … Music by
- Ovarian Trolley … Music by