|
Meatballs (1979) 5.9
Wacky hijinks of counselors and campers at a less-than-average summer camp. Director:Ivan Reitman |
| Watch Trailer 0Share... |
News Flash »
'Sopranos' star James Gandolfini dead at 51
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Meatballs (1979)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
People who liked this also liked...
What About Bob?
(1991)
Comedy
Director:
Frank Oz
Stars:
Bill Murray,
Richard Dreyfuss,
Julie Hagerty
Christmas Vacation
(1989)
Comedy
Director:
Jeremiah S. Chechik
Stars:
Chevy Chase,
Beverly D'Angelo,
Juliette Lewis
Revenge of the Nerds
(1984)
Comedy
Director:
Jeff Kanew
Stars:
Robert Carradine,
Anthony Edwards,
Timothy Busfield
Trading Places
(1983)
Comedy
Director:
John Landis
Stars:
Dan Aykroyd,
Ralph Bellamy,
Don Ameche
Spies Like Us
(1985)
Adventure
|
Comedy
Director:
John Landis
Stars:
Chevy Chase,
Dan Aykroyd,
Steve Forrest
Night Shift
(1982)
Comedy
Director:
Ron Howard
Stars:
Henry Winkler,
Michael Keaton,
Shelley Long
Old School
(2003)
Comedy
Director:
Todd Phillips
Stars:
Luke Wilson,
Will Ferrell,
Vince Vaughn
Used Cars
(1980)
Comedy
Director:
Robert Zemeckis
Stars:
Kurt Russell,
Jack Warden,
Gerrit Graham
Brewster's Millions
(1985)
Comedy
Director:
Walter Hill
Stars:
Richard Pryor,
John Candy,
Lonette McKee
Clerks.
(1994)
Comedy
Director:
Kevin Smith
Stars:
Brian O'Halloran,
Jeff Anderson,
Marilyn Ghigliotti
Funny Farm
(1988)
Comedy
|
Drama
Director:
George Roy Hill
Stars:
Chevy Chase,
Madolyn Smith Osborne,
Kevin O'Morrison
Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Bill Murray | ... |
Tripper
|
|
| Harvey Atkin | ... | ||
| Kate Lynch | ... |
Roxanne
|
|
 |
Russ Banham | ... |
Crockett
|
| Kristine DeBell | ... |
A.L.
|
|
|
|
Sarah Torgov | ... |
Candace
|
|
|
Jack Blum | ... | |
|
|
Keith Knight | ... |
Fink
|
|
|
Cindy Girling | ... |
Wendy
|
|
|
Todd Hoffman | ... |
Wheels
|
|
|
Margot Pinvidic | ... |
Jackie
|
| Matt Craven | ... |
Hardware
(as Matt Cravenn)
|
|
|
|
Norma Dell'Agnese | ... |
Brenda
|
| Chris Makepeace | ... | ||
|
|
Michael Kirby | ... |
Eddy
|
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Add Synopsis
Storyline
Summer Camp highjinks centered around a camp counselor with a wacky sense of humor. He tries to help the campers have a good time. One camper named Rudy poses a particular challenge as he has a self-esteem problem Written by Robert Svacha <chisox@azstarnet.com>
Taglines:
Are You Ready For The Summer? See more »Genres:
ComedyParents Guide:
View content advisory »
Edit
See more »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
CanadaLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
29 June 1979 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Summer Camp See more »Box Office
Budget:
CAD 1,600,000 (estimated)Gross:
$43,000,000 (USA)Company Credits
Production Co:
Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), Famous Players, Haliburton Films See more »
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
StereoColor:
Color (Sonolab)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
Sung by Mary MacGregor
Written by Norman Gimbel and Elmer Bernstein
See more »
Did You Know?
Trivia
The movie was filmed at an actual summer camp, Camp White Pine, in Haliburton, Ontario (a few hours north of Toronto). Many of the extras in the film were actual campers and counselors of the camp; most if not all locations were actual camp facilities (basketball courts, mess hall, swim docks, cabins, etc.). The "Visitors Day" scene/montage was actually filmed during the camp's Visitors Day; White Pine also had a similar yearly event to the "Olympiad" - although rather than being a inter-camp competition, it was an intra-camp relay-type competition that was just part of an overall all-day themed event. These competitions were nicknamed "Mohawk Relays", perhaps serving as inspiration for the name of the rival camp in the movie. See more »Goofs
When Tripper begins giving his "It Just Doesn't Matter" speech there is a roaring fire in the fireplace behind him. Over the course of his speech the fire goes down quickly and then begins blazing again. See more »Soundtracks
"Good Friend"Sung by Mary MacGregor
Written by Norman Gimbel and Elmer Bernstein
See more »
I can hardly call this a great film but it is entertaining. In my case I, at the time this film was released, was the same age as some of the junior campers in the film. For me watching this film brings back the memories of my camp years. While some of the pranks that takes place in this movie, like carrying the camp director out in his bed and leaving him on the side of a road, strung up in the trees or out on a lake, are a bit over the top some of the other pranks are not. When I went to camp the campers and counselors pulled similar stunts such as running underwear up the flag pole, canoe battles and boys raiding the girls cabin. As I grew older I realized these night raids to the girls cabin that I participated in were carefully orchestrated by the counselors so that we wouldn't find the girls in embarrassing situations but at the time I thought it was real and it was fun. That's what MEATBALLS (MB) is.
MB captures not only the scenic beauty of camp surroundings but the beauty of being young and carefree. MB give a great example of pre-teens, teens and young adults living their summer with no concerns other than guys hooking up with girls and girls hooking up with guys and booth having as much fun as they can before they head back to junior high & high school and college. The opening title song that goes "Are you ready for the summer?...no more homework no more books, no more teachers dirty looks..." describes exactly how summer is viewed by school kids.
I personally enjoyed the two campers Spaz and Fink. What boy, nerd or jock, didn't spend all camp trying to cozy up to some pretty girl camper? What guy didn't want to be accepted by the other campers and counselors? While these two characters are somewhat over the top I bet everybody who watches the film can't help but to like these two guys. These two characters are a mix of Charlie Brown from PEANUTS and Jack Tripper & Larry Dallas from THREE'S COMPANY. I would bet that most viewers even cheer for Spaz in the egg carrying competition and for Fink as he attempts to "beat the stomach" in the hot dog eating contest.
Lastly, this movie had normal looking kids and counselors. No super models for counselors or campers that wore trendy clothing. It is fun to just kick back and watch this film and remember when life was as fun as this movie.