I have to admit that reading the comments on the “Animal House” piece as they came tumbling in was pretty amusing. Dartmouth is just a bunch of drunken jocks? Hey, I resemble that remark. One of my Bones Gate bros remembers the premiere as being in Spaulding, not The Nugget.
Usually, only my kids use the Netflix account, but last night I rewatched Slap Shot for the umpteeth time. Another endlessly quoted movie, at least in beer league locker rooms.
Good for you, Ty, for that Animal House piece. If you got so many comments and criticism you must be doing something right, for that is what good art does. Believe it or not but I'm over 50 and have never seen the movie. I've had it described to me enough times to know it's not really my thing, but it's part of our culture for sure and I should experience it at least once!
And good on ya for suggesting the Hedy Lamarr doc. That woman rocks and was definitely robbed.
The connection between "Animal House" and later Republican attitudes is in the person of P. J. O'Rourke. He was editor-in-chief at National Lampoon around that time, and later became a sardonic libertarian and GOPer, as in his book "Republican Party Reptile" (1987). That encouraged people to let out their inner cruelty and hedonism, but was pretty funny, just like the movie. Mocking the squares was his basic move, and it worked just as well from the right as from the left.
I love seeing your occasional piece in the Paper of Record, but I urge you not to take the comments to heart too much. I'm sure you're looking for signs that people are engaging, thinking about your ideas, and interacting with thoughts worth sharing, but that's what we're for, not those plebs. Reminds me of that scene in 'Ralph Breaks the Internet' regarding comments - "It's not about you, it's about them." Or as Kris Kristofferson once said, "Don't let the bastards get you down." We love you, Ty!
Here's a list of some unusual but good things (may be hard to find, though).
The Reflecting Skin, which, it turns out, you can watch for free on YouTube. A haunting, disturbing, intense film.
Parents....with a very young Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt and Sandy Dennis...directed by Bob Baliban no less...
Images, a forgotten Robert Altman film
Heaven Help Us, which oddly, has Wallace Shawn (a much under appreciated actor) as a brutal priest...and Donald Southerland, Matt Dillon and others. My favorite conversation
And Uforia! I love this whacked out movie about evangelists scam artists, car thief and UFOs...has Fred Ward Harry Dean Stanton and Cindy Williams....you can also watch for free on youtube.
My favorite conversation Fred asks Preacher harry Dean: is
"Everybody's gotta believe in something. What do you believe in?
Two of my friends played Delta pledges in ANIMAL HOUSE. I sent them your article and am awaiting their response. I also saw you on CNN. Did you know your dog was in the background holding up an ad for the movie STRAYS? At least it wasn't shilling for that movie where Chevy Chase turns into Benji. I don't read the comments under my own pieces, so I wasn't about to read any of the angry 1,400 you got. But I'm impressed! Hopefully someone will write me tomorrow to yell at me for dissing Meryl Streep this week. You pick on Animal House, I pick on Meryl. We're troublemakers!
Ty - So glad you wrote this. The WaPo comments are revealing. Seems like the people who love the movie are men. I am a couple of years younger than you so I was still in high school when it came out. The zit joke was funny. But I have always been bored by entitled adolescent white boys and putting them in a movie didn't endear them any further — "entitled" being the key word here. As a college student outside of Boston in the early 80s I watched the Dartmouth Review fiasco unfold — terrifying. Coming of age in the 70s allowed me direct experience watching the touted idealism of the 60s turn into the cynical 80s and beyond. Look where we are now. Your evidence for the through line is compelling; yes, this seems like a pivotal moment. Thanks for your thoughtfulness. And I gather it's your birthday? Many happy returns!
I have to admit that reading the comments on the “Animal House” piece as they came tumbling in was pretty amusing. Dartmouth is just a bunch of drunken jocks? Hey, I resemble that remark. One of my Bones Gate bros remembers the premiere as being in Spaulding, not The Nugget.
Usually, only my kids use the Netflix account, but last night I rewatched Slap Shot for the umpteeth time. Another endlessly quoted movie, at least in beer league locker rooms.
Oh, man, the Hanson brothers. They live rent-free in my head. (And, no, it was definitely at the Nugget. Might have shown at Spaulding later on.)
Good for you, Ty, for that Animal House piece. If you got so many comments and criticism you must be doing something right, for that is what good art does. Believe it or not but I'm over 50 and have never seen the movie. I've had it described to me enough times to know it's not really my thing, but it's part of our culture for sure and I should experience it at least once!
And good on ya for suggesting the Hedy Lamarr doc. That woman rocks and was definitely robbed.
Glad you got so many clicks on your WAPO piece, Ty! Love the Hepburn screen test and the Hedy doc. Happy Birthday!
The connection between "Animal House" and later Republican attitudes is in the person of P. J. O'Rourke. He was editor-in-chief at National Lampoon around that time, and later became a sardonic libertarian and GOPer, as in his book "Republican Party Reptile" (1987). That encouraged people to let out their inner cruelty and hedonism, but was pretty funny, just like the movie. Mocking the squares was his basic move, and it worked just as well from the right as from the left.
I love seeing your occasional piece in the Paper of Record, but I urge you not to take the comments to heart too much. I'm sure you're looking for signs that people are engaging, thinking about your ideas, and interacting with thoughts worth sharing, but that's what we're for, not those plebs. Reminds me of that scene in 'Ralph Breaks the Internet' regarding comments - "It's not about you, it's about them." Or as Kris Kristofferson once said, "Don't let the bastards get you down." We love you, Ty!
Also, 'What Did Jack Do?' is seventeen minutes of pure delight. Oh the backstories my mind invents!
Here's a list of some unusual but good things (may be hard to find, though).
The Reflecting Skin, which, it turns out, you can watch for free on YouTube. A haunting, disturbing, intense film.
Parents....with a very young Randy Quaid, Mary Beth Hurt and Sandy Dennis...directed by Bob Baliban no less...
Images, a forgotten Robert Altman film
Heaven Help Us, which oddly, has Wallace Shawn (a much under appreciated actor) as a brutal priest...and Donald Southerland, Matt Dillon and others. My favorite conversation
And Uforia! I love this whacked out movie about evangelists scam artists, car thief and UFOs...has Fred Ward Harry Dean Stanton and Cindy Williams....you can also watch for free on youtube.
My favorite conversation Fred asks Preacher harry Dean: is
"Everybody's gotta believe in something. What do you believe in?
"I believe I'll have another drink."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zyuaEZWZNE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVDxDXq1VEY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4S5dg5NglE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIrtQAibsNA
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081674/
Two of my friends played Delta pledges in ANIMAL HOUSE. I sent them your article and am awaiting their response. I also saw you on CNN. Did you know your dog was in the background holding up an ad for the movie STRAYS? At least it wasn't shilling for that movie where Chevy Chase turns into Benji. I don't read the comments under my own pieces, so I wasn't about to read any of the angry 1,400 you got. But I'm impressed! Hopefully someone will write me tomorrow to yell at me for dissing Meryl Streep this week. You pick on Animal House, I pick on Meryl. We're troublemakers!
Ty - So glad you wrote this. The WaPo comments are revealing. Seems like the people who love the movie are men. I am a couple of years younger than you so I was still in high school when it came out. The zit joke was funny. But I have always been bored by entitled adolescent white boys and putting them in a movie didn't endear them any further — "entitled" being the key word here. As a college student outside of Boston in the early 80s I watched the Dartmouth Review fiasco unfold — terrifying. Coming of age in the 70s allowed me direct experience watching the touted idealism of the 60s turn into the cynical 80s and beyond. Look where we are now. Your evidence for the through line is compelling; yes, this seems like a pivotal moment. Thanks for your thoughtfulness. And I gather it's your birthday? Many happy returns!