Animal House

Starring: John Belushi, Tom Hulce, Stephen Furst, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, Donald Sutherland, Mark Metcalf, Mary Louise Weller, Martha Smith, James Daughton
Directed by: John Landis
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
1978

Times Seen:
Tim: 2

Summary: The Delta fraternity terrorizes the campus while trying to remain in school. However, the beer, women, and pranks start to add up, and threaten to get their charter revoked and their members expelled from school.

Review:

Tim: Simply put, Animal House is one of the funniest movies of all time. It is a classic movie for so many reasons. It is the very first (and probaby best) National Lampoon movie. It features the first on screen performance of Kevin Bacon, and perhaps the greatest performance of John Belushi. It spurred toga parties across colleges all over America. It is gross, disgusting, and amazingly funny. There are so many iconic moments throughout this film. Although not perfect, this is one of the greatest comedies of all time.

While there have been so many gross out fraternity movies since this one, none can really reach this one's heights. This movie is legitimately funny throughout. I bet there is a truly funny moment every 2-3 minutes, from start to finish. That is impressive. It almost seems silly to make a list. Basically everything Belushi does- from the cafeteria scene, the horse reaction, to the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor speech. There are so many unforgettable lines- "My advice to you is to start drinking heavily," "Toga! Toga!" "They are on double secret probation" and one of my favorites- "Will you tell those assholes to shut up? Hey! Shut up you assholes!" It is almost unbelievable how many funny lines are in this film.

The cast is also terrific. You obviously have to start with John Belushi. Far too many people have already lamented his too early death, so I'll be brief. His performance here is, without a doubt, one of the greatest comedic performances of all time. I feel very sad when I think about how many hilarious movies he would have made had he lived. His Bluto Blutarsky is one of the most iconic, lovable, hilarious characters in all of comedy. He was mesmerizing to watch on screen here. I think every single thing he does is funny, from his lines, to his mannerisms, to his ab libbing. Despite the entire solid cast, this movie doesn't work without Belushi. I felt like it was an honor to watch him here.

Tim Matheson is very good as well. I liked him as the charismatic, lady's man Eric Stratton. He was very cool in this film. Tom Hulce is very enjoyable as the straight-laced freshman. I loved seeing Kevin Bacon in his very-first film. He's not terrific, but it is always fun to see the debut of such a terrific actor. I also enjoyed the fresh-faced Karen Allen, also making her feature film debut. Finally, you have Donald Sutherland, which is a classy addition to the cast. The cast is huge, and hilarious, and they all work very, very well together.

Now, while I love this movie, there are certainly some shortcomings. The film is oddly long for a simple comedy, and does feature some scenes that felt a bit dragged out. I think the roadtrip is the perfect example of this. Yes, the scenes here are pretty funny, but it comes at an odd time, breaking up the film's momentum a bit and making the story feel a little choppy. The film's conclusion is a bit weak as well. I appreciate the all-out war declared on the parade, but it always just felt a bit too over-the-top for me. I felt like the movie ended at a weaker point (perhaps its weakest point) as everything just descends into chaos.

Still, Animal House is one of those films that deservedly belongs in the list of all-time greatest comedies. It is a shame how National Lampoon movies have slowly descended into mediocrity over the years, but this, their first, still represents their best effort on screen. This is a classic, great movie, and one of the most funny, easily watchable films of all time. I could watch this movie over and over, and laugh every time.



Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend:
National Lampoon's Vacation, The Blues Brothers