Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon (2015)

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon Poster

A look at the history of the American comedy publication and production company, National Lampoon, from its beginning in the 1970s to 2010, featuring rare and never before seen footage, this is the mind boggling story of The National Lampoon from its subversive and electrifying beginnings, to rebirth as an unlikely Hollywood heavyweight, and beyond. A humour empire like no other, the impact of the magazines irreverent, often shocking, sensibility was nothing short of seismic: this is an institution whose (drunk stoned brilliant) alumni left their fingerprints all over popular culture. Both insanely great and breathtakingly innovative, The National Lampoon created the foundation of modern comic sensibility by setting the bar in comedy impossibly high.

Introduction
"Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon" is a 2015 documentary that takes an extensive look at the rise and fall of the National Lampoon, a humor publication that formed American funny throughout the 1970s and '80s. Directed by Douglas Tirola, the movie integrates archival footage, interviews, and narrative sectors to paint a vivid and extensive picture of the National Lampoon and its innovative genius.

Origins and Cultural Impact
The documentary deep-dives into the facility of the National Lampoon by Harvard finishes Douglas Kenney and Henry Beard in 1970. The magazine rapidly got appeal for its outrageous humor, specific material, parody, satire, and observational funny, often pressing limits, both social and comical. The film highlights how Lampoon contributed in ushering in a new era of irreverent, countercultural humor that defined American comedy throughout the 70s and 80s.

Humour and Creativity
"Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead" showcases the extraordinary skill that graced the Lampoon headquarters, consisting of comedy greats such as John Hughes, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, and John Belushi. It commemorates the imaginative genius that led to numerous ageless comedy classics, consisting of movies like "Animal House" and "Vacation", radio programs, stage productions, and a record label. With frequently eyebrow-raising anecdotes, the documentary records the wild, disorderly energy of the National Lampoon's dynamic imaginative duration.

Behind-the-scenes Drama
Apart from the humor and imagination, the movie doesn't avoid the internal arguments, power battles, and rampant substance abuse that characterized life at the National Lampoon. Tirola supplies an unflinching take a look at the severe truths of comedy, including drug abuse, burnout, and the unforeseen death of co-founder Douglas Kenney in 1980, which many attribute to the pressure of his Lampoon years.

Demise and Legacy
The documentary traces the decline of the National Lampoon, associating it to different factors like installing business constraints, the loss of its core creative team to Hollywood, and decreasing readership. Despite its demise, the movie stresses how National Lampoon's signature brand of outrageous, provocative humor set the structure for modern funny organizations, such as Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons.

Conclusion
"Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon" uses a thrilling flight through the ups and downs of one of America's the majority of prominent funny platforms. The documentary delights and agitates in equal procedure, presenting a variety of funny sketches and harrowing tales of excess. It is an engaging testimony to an amazing cultural phenomenon, its fantastic, problematic creators, and the legacy they left.

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