National Lampoon's Animal House | Rotten Tomatoes

National Lampoon's Animal House

R

Now Playing

1 hr. 49 min.

Comedy

List

91%

54 Reviews

Tomatometer

89%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

When they arrive at college, socially inept freshmen Larry (Thomas Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst) attempt to pledge the snooty Omega Theta Pi House, but are summarily rejected. Lowering their standards, they try at the notoriously rowdy Delta Tau Chi House, and get in. The trouble is, the college dean (John Vernon) has it in for the Deltas. He has put them on "Double Secret Probation" and secretly assigned Omega's president (James Daughton) the task of having their charter revoked.

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Critics Consensus

The talents of director John Landis and Saturday Night Live's irrepressible John Belushi conspired to create a rambunctious, subversive college comedy that continues to resonate.

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Thad T

One of the greatest movies of all time. Perfect

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/17/24

Full Review

Brent A

10% rating ... I know I'm in the minority, but I did not find this to be an entertaining movie. Plot seemed dull and I found the characters to be annoying and obnoxious. I guess college frat humor and antics have never been my form of comedy.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/28/24

Full Review

Marcus B

Simply a classic. Especially if you had a tight group of friends in college and had a ton of good times. A pledge pin?!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/19/24

Full Review

anthony g

Comedy classic!!! All time best!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/21/23

Full Review

Erik B

A classic frat-house comedy that has often been copied, but never outdone. John Belushi is amazing, and you can see the young filmmakers Ramis and Reitman honing their craft. A must-see if you are a fan of solid comedies.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

11/05/23

Full Review

John M

A classic. So many now famous actors and actresses in this. Described college in the 60's to a T. Shamalama ding dong!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

08/30/23

Full Review

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John Landis

Director

John Belushi

John "Bluto" Blutarsky

Kevin Bacon

Chip Diller

Donald Sutherland

Prof. Dave Jennings

Karen Allen

Katy

Tim Matheson

Eric "Otter" Stratton

Show Less Cast & Crew

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Animal House: Official Clip - Flounder Gets Even

2:57

Animal House: Official Clip - Only We Can Do That to Our Pledges

2:59

Animal House: Official Clip - Finished at Faber

2:00

Animal House: Official Clip - New Pledges

2:19

Animal House: Official Clip - Bluto's a Zit

2:39

Animal House: Official Clip - Enter the Deathmobile

3:00

Animal House: Official Clip - Double Secret Probation

1:47

Animal House: Official Clip - Toga! Toga!

3:00

Animal House: Official Clip - Bluto's Big Speech

2:46

Animal House: Official Clip - Deltas on Trial

2:49

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Pauline Kael

New Yorker

In its own half-flubbed way, it has a style. And you don’t go to a film like Animal House for cinema, you go for roughhousing disreputability; it makes you laugh by restoring you to the slobby infant in yourself.

Sep 18, 2023

Full Review

Nigel Andrews

Financial Times

The film has swept through the American box office like a whirlwind, precipitating a rash of incipient college romps. One waits with trepidation: but at least the trailblazer has vitality and charm.

Feb 7, 2020

Full Review

Gary Arnold

Washington Post

You may not care to take up permanent spiritual residence at Animal House, but it's funny place to visit.

Jul 31, 2015

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

It's endlessly quotable (“Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, son”), packed with excellent performances and unique characters, and blessed with a great score that mixes Elmer Bernstein’s orchestral maneuvers with catchy oldies.

Rated: 4/4

Nov 8, 2023

Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

By the hilariously rampageous finale – despite individual moments routinely outshining the production as a whole – this picture clearly demonstrates its inspirational and influential qualities.

Rated: 6/10

Sep 22, 2022

Full Review

Sarah Brinks

Battleship Pretension

There are some classic performances like Jim Belushi's Blutarsky and Tim Matheson's Eric Stratton.

Apr 1, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

When they arrive at college, socially inept freshmen Larry (Thomas Hulce) and Kent (Stephen Furst) attempt to pledge the snooty Omega Theta Pi House, but are summarily rejected. Lowering their standards, they try at the notoriously rowdy Delta Tau Chi House, and get in. The trouble is, the college dean (John Vernon) has it in for the Deltas. He has put them on "Double Secret Probation" and secretly assigned Omega's president (James Daughton) the task of having their charter revoked.

Director: John Landis
Screenwriter: Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Universal Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 1, 1978, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Jun 15, 2012
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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