In honor of the 25th Anniversary of the theatrical release of Animal House, the folks at Universal have released a special edition DVD (technically it's the "Double Secret Probation Edition" -- an inside reference to the Delta house's standing with the Dean of Faber College). Animal House is one of those movies I've always heard about and even seen clips of now and then, but I've never had the chance to sit down and actually watch the whole thing. I know the film is a cult classic (sort of) and loved by many, but the truth is I was far from impressed.

Granted, much of Animal House's attitude and some of its jokes have been repeated to death in the last quarter century, so anything that once seemed ground-breaking would obviously no longer have the same luster. Still though, I wanted more. More attitude, more craziness, more... I don't know. A movie with such a strong reputation should definitely have a lot of big laughs no matter what year it is, rather than the occasional smile and little else.

This isn't to say the film doesn't have its bright spots, even if they aren't all that hilarious. When one of the guys goes to great lengths to get himself and his three buddies dates from a nearby women's college, there's no denying it's a classic moment. The same goes for the wonderfully over-the-top speech "Otter" delivers in defense of his fraternity, essentially saying that taking away their status within the Greek system is the equivalent of being anti-American. This scene is perhaps even more enjoyable given the current political climate in our country (just ask the Dixie Chicks).

Watching Animal House did make me appreciate the modern movie in one sense, or at least how much the potential for the modern movie has risen (especially comedies). It may be easy to feel pessimistic towards the Hollywood studio system (and it's getting easier every year), yet I strongly believe that today's lasting films are far superior to those made prior to 1985. Don't misunderstand what I'm saying here -- Chinatown (1974) is easily one of my top three favorite films of all time -- but on a more general level I think the movies that have a real impact on popular culture have improved significantly. Compare Animal House to There's Something About Mary and you'll see what I mean.

Posted September 17, 2003 | link