National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

At a 1962 college, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney

Stars:

John Belushi, Karen Allen, Tom Hulce

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Hulce	...	Larry Kroger (as Thomas Hulce)
Stephen Furst	...	Kent Dorfman
Mark Metcalf	...	Doug Neidermeyer
Mary Louise Weller	...	Mandy Pepperidge
Martha Smith	...	Babs Jansen
James Daughton	...	Greg Marmalard
Kevin Bacon	...	Chip Diller
John Belushi	...	John Blutarsky
Douglas Kenney	...	Stork
Chris Miller	...	Hardbar (as Christian Miller)
Bruce Bonnheim	...	B.B.
Karen Allen	...	Katy
James Widdoes	...	Robert Hoover
Tim Matheson	...	Eric Stratton
Peter Riegert	...	Donald Schoenstein

Storyline

Faber College has one frat house so disreputable it will take anyone. It has a second one full of white, anglo-saxon, rich young men who are so sanctimonious no one can stand them except Dean Wormer. The dean enlists the help of the second frat to get the boys of Delta House off campus. The dean's plan comes into play just before the homecoming parade to end all parades for all time.

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Plot Keywords:

academic probation | toga party | lust | fraternity | stuffed bra | 

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Taglines:

A riotous comedy in a class of its own!

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The role of D-Day was written for Dan Aykroyd, and based on his motorcycle-loving personality. According to John Landis, Saturday Night Live (1975) producer Lorne Michaels threatened to fire Aykroyd if he took the role.

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Goofs

When going to the bar to see Otis Day, many of the African American patrons in the bar are wearing 1970's hairstyles/clothing with Afros/sideburns/polyester which wasn't in style in 1962.

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Quotes

[after Delta house is closed]
Doug Neidermeyer: How does it feel to be an independent, Schoenstein?
Boon: How does it feel to be an asshole, Neidermeyer?
Doug Neidermeyer: What'd he say?

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Crazy Credits

At the very end of the credits there is an advertisement: "While in Hollywood, visit Universal Studios." The phrase "(Ask for Babs.)" is below that.

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Alternate Versions

The original studio screening ran 175 minutes, including footage featuring director John Landis as a bearded cafeteria worker who is tired of Bluto's antics in the lunchroom.

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Connections

Featured in WatchMojo: Top 10 Movie Fraternities and Sororities (2015)

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Soundtracks

William Tell Overture
(uncredited)
Written by Gioachino Rossini

User Reviews

First of it's kind

The first film made by National Lampoon magazine, it's a film i've wanted to see for a long time. However, having finally seen it, it's something of a disappointment. Basically, it's the story of a fraternity house, Delta House, at a college in America and it's inhabitant's misadventures. Although it's easy to criticise, this was the first movie of it's kind, paving the way for many other similar films, such as the Porky's trilogy. John Belushi is, as always, brilliant and the rest of the cast acquit themselves admirably, but the problem is the script is just too light. An OK film, but just OK.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

28 July 1978 (USA)

Also Known As:

Laser Orgy Girls

Filming Locations:

729 East 11th Street, Eugene, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$3,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$276,538, 30 July 1978

Gross USA:

$141,600,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$141,600,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Oregon Film Factory, Stage III Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Todd-AO) DTS (DTS: X)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1