Tuesday, October 13, 1998
Survival of the wildest
FILM: While "Animal House" stereotyped Greek life forever, its
twentieth birthday is being celebrated with avengence
By A.J. Harwin
Daily Bruin Contributor
Twenty years ago National Lampoon’s Animal House forever set the
stereotypes of Greek life, replacing the ambrosia of the ancient
Greek gods with beer, more beer, and even more beer.
To help celebrate the anniversary, Universal Studios Home Video
kicked off the release of a new special edition video – on sale
Tuesday – with a special screening and cast reunion at the Mann’s
Plaza Theater last Tuesday night.
In the packed theater, a group of audience members, presumably
fraternity brothers, sang along to every word of "Louie, Louie" and
"Hey Paula," and repeatedly yelled out, clapped and threw popcorn
when different characters appeared on the screen. It seemed
impressive that this group of men knew so much about the movie,
until the lights turned on and the rest of the audience saw balding
men in their mid- to late-forties with popcorn in their hair,
reliving their youth.
But the actions of the those coming to see the re-release were
probably the result of the influence that the movie, starring John
Belushi, had on their college lives in the late 70s.
After the movie, chairs were set up for a question and answer
period where fans had the change to speak with those involved with
the movie. It also gave the stars a forum to reminisce about old
times.
Made for under $2.5 million, the movie has grossed over $141
million in the U.S. alone. "Animal House" follows the exploits of
three freshman going through the Greek rush and pledge period.
Kevin Bacon receives a bid from the classy and upper-class house,
while the two other freshman are relegated to the class-less Delta
Chi, known only for their filthy living quarters, poor grades, and
hard partying ways. Under the threat of "double secret probation,"
the members of the Delta house are in a constant battle to preserve
their way of life.
Writer Chris Miller admitted that he originally wrote "Animal
House" during a time of creative writer’s block.
"I couldn’t come up with anything I could make-up. So I said,
‘Why don’t I tell some of the stuff that happened in my
fraternity?’" Miller said. "That’s where the story came from. And
when people talk to me about ‘Animal House,’ they say ‘Come on, you
guys didn’t really do all that.’ If you knew the real things we did
you’d have nightmares. I can possibly imagine taking a girl home in
a supermarket basket, and I can imagine even a horse in a dean’s
office, but picking up those girls at Emily Dickinson’s? Let me
tell you about that day the scenes were shot. It must have been 40
takes that had to be done, because every time that scene was read
every guy in the crew cracked up and fell on the floor."
Whether or not "Animal House" represents or influences current
fraternity life could be debated by those in attendance, including
present fraternity members.
"We couldn’t get away with something like that," said Nate
Murphy, a member of UCLA’s Sigma Pi and also a winner of a ticket
to the "Animal House" after-party for his movie-themed attire. "It
would be a huge liability, and our liability insurance companies
would never allow for anything like that. It’s a fun movie, it’s
fiction, it gives a very Hollywood image of fraternities. It would
be fun if it existed, but there would also be a lot of people that
could get hurt."
Animal House director, John Landis, who has also directed
"Michael Jackson’s Thriller" and "Three Amigos!" responded to the
same question differently.
"The sixties pretty much killed the Greek system," Landis said.
"It was dying and dead. When we made ‘Animal House,’ which was a
period picture, it brought it back with a vengeance. So I think it
had a terrific influence."
Regardless of the possibility of a real life "Animal House,"
members of the cast were happy just to be working, which for many
of the actors present were their most memorable roles.
"We made good friends fast, and got to go to work everyday."
said Bruce "D-Day" McGill. "In those days, I wasn’t jaded, I don’t
think anyone was jaded at all .It was so exciting to be picked. And
then to have it be really funny, and have it click with just not
kids but with 50 year-olds, ex-frat guys, presidential
candidates."
"I remember going into the very first audition, with the casting
director," said Stephen "Flounder" Furst. "I was a new actor, and I
said ‘I’m a new actor, and do I read all the parts, or do I read my
part.’ He turned to his assistant and said ‘Oh my god, that’s
Flounder’"
The cast also took time to pay homage to the late Belushi, and
the camaraderie that he brought to the set.
"I loved John. In ‘Animal House’ John was clean and sober,"
Landis said. "We had trouble on ‘The Blues Brothers.’ The cocaine
got pretty bad. But on ‘Animal House’ John was just at his peak. He
was so delightful and so funny. I adored him, I miss him
everyday."
Throughout the rest of the question and answer session fans
thanked those involved for making the movie. One man even claimed
the movie repeatedly saved his marriage.
"In this weird way, my wife and I, believe or not, keep ‘Animal
House’ on our VCR all the time," the audience member said. "It just
keeps going. So whenever we fight, we’re tapping out and just kind
of look (at the T.V.) and say ‘Hey, Otis Day is on.’ It saves money
in insurance fees, and everything else."
That fan and others will also be able to pick up "Animal House"
including bonus interviews and behind the scenes footage on
videocassette in both Pan & Scan and Widescreen versions with
THX sound. The special DVD Collectors Edition will contain an
original documentary on the making of the film and extensive
interviews with Landis, writers Miller and Harold Ramis and cast
members Bacon, Tom Hulce, Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert and Karen
Allen. The DVD also includes behind-the-scenes footage and
production photos.
Tim Matheson stars as Eric Stratton, the good looking, skirt
chaser in charge of new pledges at the Delta fraternity.
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