Animal House (1978)

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Overview:

A 1978 classic about college and anti-establishment that was directed by John Landis and written by, among others, Harold Ramis. Animal House is about fraternity life on a college campus, in particular one frat that doesn't follow the typical rules or conform to how frats are expected to act and behave. The movie became a comedy classic and marked the cultural change within colleges away from stuffed shirts and more towards counter culture. The movie stars actors like Tom Hulce as Pinto, John Belushi as Bluto, Tim Matheson as Otter, and a young Bruce McGill as D-Day. The film is based off the National Lampoon magazine series of stories about Chris Miller's experiences in a fraternity.

Plot Summary:

Welcome to Delta house.

Two new freshman in college are doing their best to do what every college freshman is expected to do, rush at a fraternity. Larry "Pinto" Kroger, played by Tom Hulce, and Kent Dorfman, played by Stephen Furst, try at one of the best frats on campus by showing up at their rush party. As soon as they walk in the door Dorfman is spotted and led around by the arrogant members of the frat, putting him in a corner with other "non-desirables" like anyone ethnic or not a jock. This rejection lead Dorfman and Larry to try another dorm, one Dorfman is a legacy at thanks to his brother, called the Delta house. Inside the trashed, dirty, and wild house is their own rush party where beer is handed out freely to anyone and loud music plays throughout. Larry and Dorfman enjoy themselves and soon pledge only to be accepted mainly because the frat needs the dues paid. Each pledge their allegiance to the frat in a less than formal ceremony and receive their official nickname and pin from Bluto, John Belushi, seemingly at random.

Delta house's random, loud, brash, and occasionally destructive behavior has gained them a reputation especially with the dean of the college Dean Vernon Wormer, played by John Vernon. Dean Wormer wants to repeal Delta's charter and status as a frat on campus and puts Greg, the clean cut and leader of the frat next to Delta's, in charge of their downfall. Meanwhile the Delta more senior members spot Dorfman being bullied by his officer in ROTC training and offer him a bit of revenge. Bluto and D-Day, played by Bruce McGill, help Dorfman bring the officer's beloved horse into the dean's office and then hand him a gun. Bluto and D-Day fail to tell Dorfman that the gun only has blanks and Dorfman can't bring himself to shoot to horse, panics, and fires into the air. The horse is shocked at the sound and promptly dies on the spot.

In order to keep their grades up the Deltas do what they always do, wait for a test answer sheet to be copied and then steal one of the copies. However Greg and his Omega frat have switched around the answers causing the Delta member's GPAs to fall even further. This mix up allows Dead Wormer only one more reason before he can finally revoke the Delta charter and kick the frat out for good. Completely devastated by the news that not only can the Deltas no longer party like they want that any one mistake could result in losing the frat. So to get their minds off of possible impending doom they decide to throw a toga party.

The members travel to the nearby grocery store where they "purchase" some food for the party and Otter, played by Tom Matheson, accidentally hits on Dean Wormer's wife but invites her to the party anyways. As the party hits off Pinto spends most of the night with the girl from the grocery store check out counter and Mrs. Wormer shows up and sleeps with Otter. Pinto ends up leaving the girl at her parent's place nearby after she passed out before they can spend the night together. The party was the last straw for Dean Wormer however and he set ups an unfair hearing where he revokes the Delta's charter once and for all.

The Deltas are forced to watch as their house and all the stuff inside is taken away including most of their alcohol. To get their minds off losing their frat a few of the members go on a road trip from girl's at a nearby college whom they are forced to abandon at a nearby bar when some of the more dangerous patrons "ask" to dance with their girls. Upon return Otter is tricked into an Omega trap where he is beaten up and Dean Wormer informs the others that their grades have dropped too low and now he must also expel the members of Delta.

Now completely dejected, out of college, and forced to face the reality of possibly being drafted into the Vietnam War the Deltas almost give up. But Bluto rallies the troops and encourages one last act of revenge on Wormer and on the Omegas at the upcoming homecoming parade. The Deltas make their own float, crash the parade route, and cause pure havoc including individual revenge on each of the stuck up guys from Omega and on Dead Wormer too. As the chaos plays out we are shown quick tidbits about where each member of Delta house ends up in the future.