In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.In the 1970s and '80s, National Lampoon's success and influence creates a new media empire overseen in part by the brilliant and troubled Douglas Kenney.
- Awards
- 2 nominations
- Harvard Jester
- (as Ben Campbell)
- Time-Life Publisher
- (as Mitch Hurwitz)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaJoel McHale portrays Chevy Chase in this project. The two costarred in Community (2009). A number of episodes centered on McHale's character fearing he would become like Chase's one day. When McHale called Chase and told him that he would be playing him in the film, Chase gave his blessing and shared with him stories about Doug Kenney.
- GoofsWhen the names of National Lampoon staff omitted from the movie are flashed on the screen, renowned cartoonist and NatLamp editor Shary Flenniken's name is misspelled (as "Sherry").
- Quotes
Tom Snyder: Mr. Kenney, it's a fine line between being clever and offensive, isn't it?
Douglas Kenney: Look, if I could just say something in defense of National Lampoon for one moment...
Tom Snyder: Please.
Douglas Kenney: We come from a tradition of truth-tellers. A long time ago, there was someone else society found offensive. They thought that what he did was radical - dangerous. They persecuted him... and eventually killed him. Of course, I'm referring to Dracula.
- Crazy creditsAfter the end credits have rolled, Martin Mull is shown singing the song "Time of My Life" with members of the cast.
- ConnectionsFeatures Airplane! (1980)
- SoundtracksChapel of Dreams
Written by Billy Myles
Performed by The Dubs
Courtesy of Rhino Entertainment Company
By arrangement with Warner Music Group Film & TV Licensing
I don't understand those middling reviews, because I thought this was tremendously entertaining. It's basically a movie about very witty people saying funny things, held together by the protagonist's downward spiral. It is less reverential than the documentary, which tiptoed around the whole priveleged-white-male thing, and it does it's best to mock itself, as when a scroll points out all the discrepancies between the movie and the real story.
The movie does at times rely too heavily on its narrative devices, sometimes falling into a gimmicky cutesiness, and the ending feels like a flailing attempt to pull things together, but overall this is funny and very well acted. My advice: ignore the critics, watch the movie.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Cử Chỉ Vô Nghĩa và Ngốc Nghếch
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $30,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.90 : 1