The Yearbook: An Animal House Reunion (1998)

The Yearbook: An Animal House Reunion Poster

This documentary, created for the Animal House (1978) collector's edition DVD, is composed of a collection of new interviews with the cast and crew behind the making of the film. There's even some archive footage of John Belushi, and many hilarious behind the scenes stories are told. Its evident that they had a great time creating this classic, and memorable comedic landmark of a film.

Introduction
"The Yearbook: An Animal House Reunion" is an interesting 1998 retrospective documentary, offering behind-the-scenes insights and anecdotes into the development of the traditional 1978 movie "National Lampoon's Animal House". The reunion documentary is part of Universal Studios' 30th Anniversary edition of 'Animal House', serving to present a balanced overview of pivotal moments in the movie's production and using a thorough look into the zany, innovative funny that forever changed American film culture.

Directed and Produced by
Directed by J.M Kenny, the documentary was produced by Universal Studios Home Video. It includes substantial behind-the-scenes footage and brand-new interviews with a number of members of the initial cast and crew, providing audiences an interesting viewpoint into the making of one of the most emblematic funnies in the history of cinema.

Cast Returns
Amongst the original cast members and filmmakers who came back for the documentary were director John Landis, stars Tim Matheson, Peter Riegert, Karen Allen, Bruce McGill and Kevin Bacon. Each one of them recounts their memories from filming, how they approached their roles, how they constructed their characters, and their perception of the long-lasting impact the film has actually had.

Unforgettable Stories
In sharing their memories, the cast stimulate some amusing behind-the-scenes and individual stories about their time on set. They reveal how the film's remarkable scenes were created and improvised, consisting of the notorious food battle scene in the snack bar, the toga celebration, the parade mayhem, to name a few. They thoroughly go over the famous duo of director John Landis and scriptwriter Harold Ramis, their vision, their energy on the set, and the uniqueness of their comedic style that led to this forever-beloved slapstick comedic masterpiece.

Insightful Revelations
The documentary provides additional insights on how the cast was picked, shedding light on the movie's unique idea of casting unproven young stars. This risky move was uncommon for that time and led to the launch of the careers of many prominent Hollywood stars, including Kevin Bacon and Karen Allen, thanks to the movie's huge success. Moreover, the documentary uncovers some major themes and controversial subjects that the movie handled to attend to underneath its raucous comedy.

Important Reception of the film
In its telling of these stories, "The Yearbook: An Animal House Reunion", highlights the film's cultural effect. Frequently cited as one of the greatest funny movies of all time, "Animal House" not only changed the genre however also affected future movies. The documentary consists of viewpoints from film critics who provide the movie near-mythic status in American pop culture.

Conclusion
In essence, "The Yearbook: An Animal House Reunion" is a light-hearted, informative, and engaging homage to "Animal House" - one that attract the fond memories of those who enjoyed the original film, as well as those captivated by the art of filmmaking and cinematic history. This documentary acts as a testament to the long-lasting laughter and popularity of "Animal House" that still resonates with audiences even years after its preliminary release.

Top Cast

  • Matty Simmons
    Himself - Producer
  • Harold Ramis (small)
    Harold Ramis
    Himself - Writer
  • Chris Miller
    Himself - Writer
  • John Landis (small)
    John Landis
    Himself - Director
  • Douglas Kenney (small)
    Douglas Kenney
    Himself - Writer / 'Stork' (archive footage) (as Doug Kenney)
  • Ivan Reitman (small)
    Ivan Reitman
    Himself - Producer
  • Sean Daniel
    Himself - Executive in Charge of Production
  • Thom Mount (small)
    Thom Mount
    Himself - Head of Production
  • Katherine Wooten
    Herself - Script Supervisor (as Katherine Wooten-Beattie)
  • Michael Chinich
    Himself - Casting Director
  • John Belushi (small)
    John Belushi
    Himself - 'Bluto' (archive footage)