National Lampoon's Animal House
Director: John Landis
Year Released: 1978
Rating: 3.0
Third time through this picture and it's still very amusing - I believe that many, many people who went to college (and, in particular, those who lived in a fraternity) wished their time spent in institutions of higher learning were like this, since this is precisely the time when acting like a buffoon is still acceptable, right before the big L-i-f-e shows up and busts the party ("Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son"). If the impact of the movie is muted, producing only chuckles and smiles where belly-laughs are expected, I think that has to do with the fact that its scenes and dialogue have become embedded into pop culture - arguably more so than any other comedy in memory. Looking for a message is probably futile - don't be a prude, enjoy life and liquor and sweet, sweet revenge (to quote Peggy Lee, "... then let's keep dancing") - and not enough to make any of this profound, but it hits a nerve with a good percentage of Americans, has interesting (if larger-than-life) characters and keeps earning new fans all the time. Toga, my brothers. Toga.
