Animal House (1978) is now 25 years old, and they have released a special anniversary edition. Let me get the bad news out of the way first. There is no new footage, even though there were several minutes of running time cut from the first rough cut. Also, the transfer is no better than previous releases, and is just a little dark.

The DVD includes "Animated Facts" which pop up during the film, but I didn't get a chance to explore those. They have a new 'where are they now' feature expanding on the ending of the film, and a lengthy making of featurette, which is mostly what I will be talking about. The film came about because Douglas Kenney was burning out, and threatened to quit the Lampoon. To keep him on board, they told him they were going to make a movie. He and Herold Ramis churned a High School Charles Manson thing called Laser Orgy Girls, which was way too strange to make, so they said let's move it to college. The added Chris Miller to the writing team based on some articles he had written for the Lampoon about his frat days. The three divided the story into thirds, after three months of brainstorming and comparing notes on everything they could remember from college. After each finished their thirds, they swapped and rewrote each other's section. Once they had a script ready to show around, they found nothing but closed doors.

Out of the blue, Universal contacted them, and said that if they ever had anything for a film at the Lampoon, let him know. Universal gave them a development deal on the spot. The project nearly didn't get green-lighted, do to the cast of unknowns (John Belushi, Thomas Hulce, Stephan Furst, Mary Louise Weller, Kevin Bacon, Karen Allen, Tim Matheson) but they relented when Donald Sutherland, a known player, joined the cast. John Landis was chosen based on his comic sense making Kentucky Fried Movie. Finding a location proved nearly impossible, as no college wanted any part of this film, until, at the last minute, The University of Oregon offered their campus. The dean had turned down The Graduate as a film that would go nowhere after reading the script, and didn't want to make the mistake again.

Before start of principal photography, all of the Deltas moved into the same hotel, the Roadway Inn, and hung out together. They actively ostracized the crew, and the players that were Omegas, while partying constantly. By the time filming started, they were very close. Shortly before filming started, they were invited to an Omega type frat party, and ended up getting beat up after Tim Matheson hit on the girlfriend of one of the head preppy bothers, then drenched another with a cup of beer. This also united the Deltas.

The studio was not impressed with their initial screening. They just didn't understand it. Then they tried a sneak preview with a real audience went crazy over it, and the rest is history. IMDB readers have this at 7.5 of 10. US gross was 141.6M, and it has earned another $70.8M on home video. It is the first, and the best, film in its genre. I am sure all of you remember the breast exposure from Mary Louise Weller and her sorority sisters, Lisa Bauer and Sarah Holcomb, buns from Karen Allen, and lingerie from Verna Bloom and Martha Smith. A very talented cast and crew went into the making of this film, but it is really John Belushi that is remembered. I have included a collage tribute to him along with the nudity. This is somewhere in the A to A- range. I suppose there are some who wouldn't be won over.

I'm on limited action this week. Catch ya soon.

OTHER CRAP:

• SAT scores climb for class of 2003. Best math scores since 1967.

• South Park guys to make a puppet movie

• is it an ad for Freddie vs Jason, or just a picture of Griffith and Banderas?

• The entire series of Mars Attacks cards

• baloon-breasted Jordan goes tubing. You wouldn't think a flotation device would be necessary.

• The Kate Moss curse

• Lisa Kudrow's 'Marci X' Bombs Worse Than J. Lo's 'Gigli'

• Nude scenes increase on Brit TV

• Stamps from Conan O'Brien

• Pink writes an angry letter to a British prince (William).

• Silly celebrity disguises

• Woodstock FIlm Festival - newsletter, 2003 schedule, pictures

• Eminem's co-star in the Superman video works as an escort with LA Exotics. She's also a former Pet.

Other crap archives. May also include newer material than the ones above, since it's sorta in real time.

PIRATE COUNTDOWN:

MOVIE REVIEWS:

Here are the latest movie reviews available at scoopy.com.

• The yellow asterisks indicate that I wrote the review, and am deluded into thinking it includes humor.
• If there is a white asterisk, it means that there isn't any significant humor, but I inexplicably determined there might be something else of interest.
• A blue asterisk indicates the review is written by Tuna (or Lawdog or Junior or C2000 or Realist or ICMS or Mick Locke, or somebody else besides me)
• If there is no asterisk, I wrote it, but am too ashamed to admit it.

• Sissy Spacek, the "Carrie" star topless.
• Lauren Hutton, brief breast views.
• Geraldine Chaplin...Charlie Chaplin's daughter going full frontal.

Be sure to pay Graphic Response a visit at his website. www.graphic-barry.com.

Long time cult favorite Charlotte Rampling is in her late 50's and still looks great nekkid! Here we see her topless and going full frontal (with near-gyno views!).

• Charlotte Rampling (1, 2, 3)

Next up...the gorgeous young French actress Ludivine Sagnier is either nekkid or in a bikini pretty much throughout the entire film. Here we see her amazing breasts, and going full frontal in a very dark scene.

• Ludivine Sagnier (1, 2, 3, 4)

"s1m0ne"
A comdey about the perfect actress - Oscar winning acting ability, beauty, and the willingness to do nudity - generated by computer. It's Rachel Roberts in most of the scenes but they gave her a sheen which is a shame as she's very pretty in her own right. Tried something a bit different with the caps as the official site had some great nude posed pics.

• Rebecca Romijn showing some very nice cleavage. (1, 2)

• Rachel Roberts (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Ewa Aulin
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)

Larisa Khusnolina
(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)

TAKING ARNOLD SERIOUSLY
It Got Old After The Sixth Day - The New York Times reports that Fox News senior vice president John Moody has ordered reporters to stop making puns on Arnold Schwarzenegger's movies when discussing his political campaign, such as "Total Recall," "The Running Man" and "The Governator." In an internal memo, Moody said it wasn't "fair and balanced" because it belittled the seriousness of his candidacy. Besides, he said the "circus component is starting to subside," and Californians want to hear about serious issues.