Animal House

And yes in my eyes Animal House is a spoof, it has several moments where it's pure exaggeration and ridiculous stuff. Very funny, but nowhere near real. I means seriously, the pillow fight scene......what even the flying circus??

Okay, Animal House. Very fun, that's how I would describe it above even being funny, it's just a fun movie. Concerning a rugged, rule breaking fraternity that is trying to be put down by the stuck up dean. Dirt simple story, but you don't watch Animal House for story. You watch it for good comedic actors playing fun characters, pretty crazy situations, and to have a blast with friends during a movie night. At first I didn't laugh or enjoy the movie much, yet strangely the more I watched the funnier it got. It's harmless fluff really, though it does probably disappoint many who picture college like this. Now I'm sure there are colleges, or universities, whatever the hell you want to call them who do have frats like the ones in the movie, both the preppy rich stuck up jackasses, and the down and dirty fun loving and mainly alcoholic party people. But honestly I did 3 years of community college, and that was enough for me. Which is hilarious cause I just love that line, "7 years of college down the drain." cause I do believe there is a sort of subtle message, the movie setting is in 1962 so the hippie culture is in swing, Vietnam is right around the corner, there was a lot of stuff going down back then so when the Dean threatens them with expellment and military recruitment, you do get this sense of oh shit, a good portion of these guys could go to Vietnam and not make it back. And they actually do tell what happened to the main characters in later years, some are more surprising than others but yeah that was kind of a brief but deep scene for me. Even in comedy movies, you need a point to get back down to reality but the comedy is very good! It's not gut busting funny, and I'm not that much of a snob who can't stand college movies (I'm only sort of a snob who can't stand college movies. Looking at you Van Wilder....) but I still laughed and had fun with it. It's prime material to watch with lots of friends and lots of alcohol, but kids don't get that excited.

An American Werewolf In London

Wow. What a movie.

I definitely must say this movie is quite possibly the best werewolf movie ever made, and highly unappreciated. Not many people know about this movie unless you're either a hardcore horror movie fan, or was alive and old enough to see it when it first came out in 1981. The plot follows two american tourists, David and Jack traversing the moors of England when they are both attacked by a werewolf. Jack is killed but David survives and tries to cope with his werewolf-ism. Already from the start of the movie I liked the main character, he acts like a real guy hanging out with his best friend on vacation. None of the usual horror movie tropes are present here, it's mostly original although they make explicit references to the 1941 classic The Wolf Man. It's pretty amazing how they balance shocking bloody horror with very, very good comedy. The dream sequences alone sum it up perfectly, it starts off unsettling and serious and then goes of the deep end into weirdness to the point where it's hilarious. Yeah it may have some funny bits but it does take itself seriously, and doesn't shy away from it's terrifying moments. The special effects were and still are so spectacular it won an Academy Award. Yeah, an Academy Award for a horror movie, you don't see that very often. But great movie man! Hunt this thing down, it's an odd movie certainly but still worth seeing at least once in your life.

Tomorrow, we revisit a Stephen King original.