Meatballs (1979)

Wacky hijinks of counselors and campers at a less-than-average summer camp.

Director:

Ivan Reitman

Writers:

Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg (as Dan Goldberg)

Stars:

Bill Murray, Harvey Atkin, Kate Lynch

3 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Murray	...	Tripper
Harvey Atkin	...	Morty
Kate Lynch	...	Roxanne
Russ Banham	...	Crockett
Kristine DeBell	...	A.L.
Sarah Torgov	...	Candace
Jack Blum	...	Spaz
Keith Knight	...	Fink
Cindy Girling	...	Wendy
Todd Hoffman	...	Wheels
Margot Pinvidic	...	Jackie
Matt Craven	...	Hardware (as Matt Cravenn)
Norma Dell'Agnese	...	Brenda
Chris Makepeace	...	Rudy
Michael Kirby	...	Eddy

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

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Plot Keywords:

camp | summer camp | girl wearing panties | 1970s | lingerie | 

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Taglines:

Are You Ready For The Summer?

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 June 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Summer Camp

Filming Locations:

Camp White Pine, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

CAD 1,600,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$77,170, 1 July 1979, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$43,046,003

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), Famous Players, Haliburton Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color (Sonolab)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The movie was filmed during August and September 1978.

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Goofs

The counselors-in-training escape the basketball game with the Mohawks by bus. Shots from inside the bus show a car behind them just as they're leaving, but it should show the Mohawks chasing Morty on his bike.

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Quotes

Tripper: What's the matter? You're pacing like an expectant father with the clap.

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Alternate Versions

The music played during the second half of the Olympiad is different in the U.S. and Canadian versions of the film. On the U.S. release, there are additional lyrics: "Go team go, Fight team fight..." etc. These lyrics are absent on the Canadian theatrical and VHS releases. The soundtrack is mostly instrumental. You can hear this alternate music on the French soundtrack of the region 1 DVD.

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Connections

Followed by Meatballs 4 (1992)

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Soundtracks

Meatballs
Sung by Rick Dees
Written by Norman Gimbel and Elmer Bernstein

User Reviews

Oh come on, lighten up!

No, it's not Citizen Kane. But would you expect it to be with a name like "Meatballs"? It's the best damn summer camp movie of all the summer camp movies. Does anyone quote "Little Darlings" line by line? Or "Whitewater Summer"?

This is just one of those movies that got into my brain when I was in junior high, and stayed with me all these years. Every time I feel geeky, I mumble "Spaz. Spaz. Spaz. Spaz." Or when we're hiking in the brush in the forest, I tell my husband, "I'm Wudy da Wabbit." (He doesn't get it). "It just doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter." I mean, this stuff is classic!

Disappointed with the DVD, though. Wish there were special features, maybe a commentary or a making-of. But the movie itself is a perfect snapshot of life as an adolescent in the late '70s. Maybe not MY life... You can't help but want to run around out in the woods in shorty shorts and knee-high socks and feathered hair every time you see this movie.