Still funny in 2006!

Rating: 10/10 (8 March 2006)

I just watched it again, and it is just as funny as ever. Yes it is a cousin of ANIMAL HOUSE, but it also a child (or grandchild) of the Marx Brothers. This film works for many reasons: The cast is a strange mixture, but each cast member is riot. Many say Bill Murray steals the show, and it is hard to dispute, but Murray was pretty new to the movies then, and so was Rodney Dangerfield. Bill was hot from Saturday Night Live and Rodney was still primarily still doing stand up. Ted Knight was famous from the Mary Tuler Moore Show, but not really known for feature films. Chevy Chase, in my opinion, was a supporting player, as was Michael O'Keefe, and Sarah Holcomb. This was Harold Ramis' first time as director, and he really delivered. Ramis also had a writing credit,and he was really on a roll at that time....ANIMAL HOUSE in 1978, CADDYSHACK in 1980, STRIPES in 1981, and GHOST BUSTERS in 1984. These four films are among the best comedies Hollywood offered in the 1970s and 80s! I recently saw Ramis discuss this film and he remarked how difficult it would normally be to direct 4 such strong comedians in same film, but he also remarked how great each was, and how professional they were.