Makes me tee'd off at new films

Rating: 8/10 (18 August 2011)

Golf was never as funny until the 1980's comedy classic Caddyshack was released. We always frown or roll our eyes when we see golf on one of our local channels, hogging the time for three or more hours. Then we think to this comedy and laugh. If Caddyshack can make a dull sport like golf funny, I'm waiting for Queballs or even Strikes to bring some excitement to the world of billiards or bowling.
Caddyshack has an all-star comedy cast, but they seem to work best on the green rather than at dinner or out in the world. Bill Murray, Ted Knight, Chevy Chase, and Rodney Dangerfield are the funniest in this film when they are making snarky remarks at each other while trying to enjoy a game of golf, a game that is known for its calming, stress-free nature. The problem, is Caddyshack tries to concoct a love story between multiple groups and keeps trying to nudge its characters off the field. When you have a good cast that works well in a designated area why shun them away from that area? I would've been perfectly content with a movie that where more than half of it takes place on a golf course. Just as long as it featured the comedic talents of these four guys.
There really is no plot either. Just well-developed characters that sustain the entire movie. There's Ty (Chase) the most laidback person in the world. Carl (Murray) the grounds-keeper of the course who spends most of the film trying to exterminate a pesky gopher who distracts other players. Al (Dangerfield) a rich real estate cad who does nothing but boast the whole film in his vulgar, yet undeniably hilarious ways. And, finally, Judge Elihu Smails (Knight) the co-founder of the course.
If you take four parrots, caged them up for days without letting them out, then released them in a room with each other they would go nuts and frolic forever. That's exactly what Chase, Dangerfield, Knight, and Murray. They unleash each one of their special qualities out on the film. Which is what makes Caddyshack so funny and so memorable. It's quotable because of many comedic parties, and entertaining because their antics are unpredictable.
This is one of the more subtle spoof films of all time. Caddyshack isn't marketed as a parody film, but it does bring comedic jokes about the game of golf and just makes it funny in its entirety. It doesn't go on a rampage trying to get as many references in as possible, but it winds up accomplishing more than any modern day spoof.
If the Direct-to-DVD National Lampoon series now among us took time to pay closer attention to "worthless" things like writing, casting, and humor, they could maybe pull off something like Caddyshack. Instead, they choose the easy way out by putting some bikini girl on the DVD cover hoping people will see this as an American Pie raunch-fest, when really, it's PG-13, and if it is R rated, it has very little to offer.
Caddyshack doesn't try to hard and it still succeeds. The inspiration is the four leads who each make up a small part of a very successful film. It has no limits, no regrets, no mercy, and no shame.
Starring: Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield, Chevy Chase, and Ted Knight. Directed by: Harold Ramis.