Animal House (1978)

	Directed by: John Landis	COUNTRY USA GENRE Comedy NORWEGIAN TITLE Deltagjengen RUNNING TIME 109 minutes
	Produced by: Matty Simmons Ivan Reitman
	Written by: Harold Ramis Douglas Kenney Chris Miller

Cast includes:
CHARACTER	ACTOR/ACTRESS	RATING
John "Bluto" Blutarsky	John Belushi
Eric "Otter" Stratton	Tim Matheson
Larry "Pinto" Kroger	Thomas Hulce
Donald "Boon" Schoenstein	Peter Riegert
Kent "Flounder" Dorfman	Stephen Furst	½
Daniel "D-Day" Day	Bruce McGill	½
Katy	Karen Allen
Douglas C. Neidermeyer	Mark Metcalf
Chip Diller	Kevin Bacon	-
Dean Wormer	John Vernon
Mrs. Marion Wormer	Verna Bloom	½
Matthew Bennell	Donald Sutherland
Clorette DePasto	Sarah Holcomb

Review

John Landis' 1978 cult classic satirising American college fraternities of the 1960s was a massive box office hit and clearly resonated with contemporary young audiences as well as the generation depicted in the film. Unfortunately, its appeal today is likely limited to those same target groups – and more as a nostalgia piece than anything else. Animal House isn't dated regarding how it looks, but it certainly is regarding how it plays. The relentless stream of gags that is intended to make up and drive the plot forward comes off as either forced, stale, or both. Sure, one might chuckle at John Belushi's energetic doofiness or find some merit in the film's uproarious anti-establishment tone, but for that to justify the legendary status of a film as inane and sterile as this would be setting the bar far too low. Of all the silliness and banalities camouflaging as comedy here, the parade-set finale may just be the worst offender. Kevin Bacon and Karen Allen both made their film debuts, and Landis would return with more over-the-top antics with The Blues Brothers two years later.