Animal House (1978)

Director:

John Landis

Writers:

Harold Ramis (written by) &
Douglas Kenney (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

28 July 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

We got to do something...You know what we are gonna do ? Toga party !

Plot:

At a 1962 College, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the Delta House Fraternity, but those roughhousers have other plans for him.

Plot Keywords:

Dean | Parade | College | Homecoming Parade | Fraternity

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

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
Bruce McGill	...	Daniel Simpson Day
Joshua Daniel	...	Mothball
Donald Sutherland	...	Dave Jennings
John Vernon	...	Dean Vernon Wormer
Junior	...	Trooper
Cesare Danova	...	Mayor Carmine DePasto
Sunny Johnson	...	Otter's Co-Ed
Verna Bloom	...	Marion Wormer
Sarah Holcomb	...	Clorette DePasto
Stacy Grooman	...	Sissy
Stephen Bishop	...	Charming Guy with Guitar
Otis Day	...	Otis Day (as DeWayne Jessie)
Eliza Roberts	...	Brunella (as Eliza Garrett)
Lisa Baur	...	Shelly
Aseneth Jurgenson	...	Beth
Katherine Denning	...	Noreen
Raymone Robinson	...	Mean Dude
Robert Elliott	...	Meaner Dude
Reginald Farmer	...	Meanest Dude (as Reginald H. Farmer)
Jebidiah R. Dumas	...	Gigantic Dude
Priscilla Lauris	...	Dean's Secretary
Rick Eby	...	Omega
John Freeman	...	Man on Street
Sean McCartin	...	Lucky Boy
Helen Vick	...	Sorority Girl
Rick Greenough	...	Mongol
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Landis	...	Cafeteria dishwasher
Judith Belushi-Pisano	...	Bluto's Dance Partner at Toga Party (uncredited)
Robert Cray	...	Bandmember, Otis Day and the Knights (uncredited)
Guy Messenger	...	Delta Pledge (uncredited)
Fred Simonds	...	Grim, balding professor (uncredited)
James 'Izzy' Whetstine	...	Man who measures dead horse (uncredited)

Directed by
John Landis

Writing credits
Harold Ramis		(written by) &
Douglas Kenney		(written by) &
Chris Miller		(written by)

Produced by
Ivan Reitman	....	producer
Matty Simmons	....	producer

Original Music by
Elmer Bernstein

Cinematography by
Charles Correll		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Folsey Jr.

Casting by
Michael Chinich
Don Phillips		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
John J. Lloyd

Set Decoration by
Hal Gausman

Costume Design by
Deborah Nadoolman

Makeup Department
Lynne Brooks	....	makeup artist (as Lynn Brooks)
Marilyn Patricia Phillips	....	hair stylist (as Marilyn Phillips)
Gerald Soucie	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Peter Macgregor-Scott	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Clifford C. Coleman	....	first assistant director (as Cliff Coleman)
Gary McLarty	....	second unit director (as Gary R. McLarty)
Ed Milkovich	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Michael Milgrom	....	property master
Clint Robinson	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Arthur Smedley	....	lead man (uncredited)

Sound Department
Jack Gosden	....	dialogue editor
Alan Holly	....	sound re-recording mixer
William B. Kaplan	....	sound
Earl Sampson	....	boom operator
John Stacy	....	sound effects editor
Bill Varney	....	sound re-recording mixer
Howard S. Wollman	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Howard Wollman)
Michael Colomby	....	sound re-recording mixer: restoration remix (uncredited)
Roger Sword	....	sound editor (uncredited)
Marvin Walowitz	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Henry Millar	....	special effects

Stunts
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunts (as Pam Bebermeyer)
Gilbert B. Combs	....	stunts (as Gilbert Combs)
Bud Ekins	....	stunts
James M. Halty	....	stunts (as Jim Halty)
Clifford Happy	....	stunts
Freddie Hice	....	stunts (as Fred Hice)
Billy Hank Hooker	....	stunts (as Bill Hooker)
Albert M. Mauro	....	stunts
Gary McLarty	....	stunt coordinator (as Gary R. McLarty)
Gary McLarty	....	stunts
Karen McLarty	....	stunts (as Karen Werner)
R.A. Rondell	....	stunts
Walter Wyatt	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Joseph Cosko Jr.	....	assistant camera (as Joe Kosko)
Norman Glasser	....	gaffer
Pete Hill	....	second assistant camera
Richard Kamins	....	best boy
Tom Kessenich	....	key grip
Christine M. Loss	....	still photographer (as Christine Loss)
Charles Mills	....	second camera operator
John R. Shannon	....	still photographer (as John Shannon)
Michael Simpson	....	assistant camera
Steve Yaconelli	....	camera operator
Jon Falkengren	....	second grip (uncredited)
Mark Stanley	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Katherine Wilson	....	location casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Dan Chichester	....	wardrober
Gene Deardorff	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Malcolm Campbell	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Dave Kahn	....	music editor
Robb Navrides	....	music editor: restoration
Stephen A. Hope	....	music editor (uncredited)
David Spear	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Kenny Vance	....	music supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Don Newton	....	transportation captain
Tom Battaglia	....	transportation co-captain (uncredited)

Other crew
Judith Belushi-Pisano	....	production associate (as Judith Jacklin)
Saul Kahan	....	unit publicist
Katherine Wooten	....	script supervisor
James Moffett	....	first aid (uncredited)
Katherine Wilson	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures
• Oregon Film Factory
• Stage III Productions

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1978) (USA) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1978) (France) (theatrical)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Universal Pictures (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• DiscoVision (1978-1981) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1982) (USA) (TV)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1987) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1998) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD) (VHS) (Double Secret Probation edition)
• Universal Studios Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1979) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• CIC Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• MCA Records  soundtrack
• Panavision  lenses and Panaflex camera
• Technicolor  color and prints
• Universal Title  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

National Lampoon's Animal House (USA) (complete title)
Colegio de animales (Argentina) (Mexico) (original subtitled version) [es]
Ich glaub' mich tritt ein Pferd (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Çilginlar okulu (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
American College (France) [fr]
Animal House (West Germany) [de]
Collège américain (Canada: French title) [fr]
Delta-jengi (Finland) [fi]
Deltagänget (Sweden) [sv]
Deltagjengen (Norway) [no]
Desmadre a la americana (Spain) [es]
Ena trello... trello thiriotrofeio (Greece) [el]
Im College sind die Affen los (West Germany) [de]
O Clube dos Cafajestes (Brazil) [pt]

Runtime:

109 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Todd-AO)

Certification:

Chile:14 | Finland:K-16 (1979) (cut) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:14A (Manitoba) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2003) | Canada:18+ (Quebec) (original rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) (original rating) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (1993) (uncut) | USA:R (Certificate #25253) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | West Germany:18 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Iceland:L | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Netherlands:AL | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:12 (re-rating) | UK:AA (original rating)

Filming Locations:

729 East 11th Street, Eugene, Oregon, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Meat Loaf was the second choice for Bluto in case John Belushi dropped out of his role.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: A major song that is featured in the movie is 'Louie, Louie'. The movie is supposed to take place in the Fall 1962 - Spring 1963 timeframe, however, 'Louie, Louie' (by the Kingsmen) was not released until late 1963 (November-December timeframe).

Quotes:

Dean Vernon Wormer: Mr. Kroger: two C's, two D's and an F. That's a 1.2. Congratulations, Kroger. You're at the top of the Delta pledge class. Mr. Dorfman?
Flounder: Hello!
Dean Vernon Wormer: Zero point two... Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son. Mr. Hoover, president of Delta house? One point six; four C's and an F. A fine example you set! Daniel Simpson Day... HAS no grade point average. All courses incomplete. Mr. Blu - MR. BLUTARSKY... ZERO POINT ZERO.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Army of Darkness (1992)

Soundtrack:

Dream Girl

National Lampoon's finest cinematic moment.

Tasteless, politically incorrect and absolutely laugh-out loud hilarious, with a cast that's a Who's Who of later stars, including Peter Riegert, Tom Hulce, Tim Matheson, Karen Allen, Kevin Bacon, etc.

It's bittersweet watching the brilliance of John Belushi in this, his finest hour. Every twitch of his beady eyes, every jiggle of his mighty beer belly, every line of dialogue delivered with just the right amount of bluster or sneering sarcasm -- this guy was a bona-fide comic genius. He was taken from us far too soon.

Director John Landis orchestrates the escalating hi-jinks with masterful comedic precision, Elmer Bernstein contributes a very funny mock-grandiose score, and veteran character actor John Vernon provides a wonderful arch-villain as the toweringly evil Dean Wormer.

There are almost too many comic highlights; pick your own favorite. My candidates: Bluto's rousing speech about the Germans bombing Pearl Harbor, Pinto's Good & Bad Consciences battling over whether he should take advantage of his passed-out date, and Otter picking up the dean's wife in the supermarket vegetable aisle.

Watch for co-writer Doug Kenney as 'Stork', suspected of brain damage. Another Saturday Night Live alumnus, along with Belushi and Harold Ramis, he died in a hiking accident in Hawaii not too long after the movie's release. Heartfelt thanks to him and Belushi, as well as everyone else involved in this classic, for providing us with so many laughs.