Blogcritics: Comments on Dumpster Bust Weekend Movie Fest: The Best Campus Comedies of All Time

Comment by Eric Berlin

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 15:53:54 EST

John Cusack was appointed as the Key Master in Say Anything (showing that he was decent, responsible guy, etc.). Piven is a crazed party animal. He tackles Cusack out of nowhere, eventually cedes his keys to the level-headed Cusack (who is trying desperately to find the fetching Ione Sky), and eventually hugs him, saying drunkenly, "... I love you, man." Say Anything = Great movie. Superior movie. Might be the best 80s comedy. Might have to make that my next epic list... ~EB

Comment by Sean

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 15:50:17 EST

He played the Key Master guy? I remember the character but never made the connection before. Frankly , at this point, if I see a movie in which he does not appear, I am dissappointed

Comment by Eric Berlin

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 13:01:22 EST

Sean, I've been a huge Jeremy Piven fan ever since PCU, and you're right, he does show up in a lot of places, such as Judgement Night, Very Bad Things, and even that Ellen DeGeneres sitcom. He's also got a huge connection with John Cusack, and I've heard that the two are longtime pals. Their credits together include Say Anything (remember the crazed party animal who attacks Cusack as "Key Master"?), Gross Pointe Blank (a friend of mine and I, who live in California and Maine respectively, will often say Ten Years! TEN YEARS! upon greeting), and Serendipity. Eric Berlin Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash http://dumpsterbust.blogspot.com

Comment by Sean

Mon, 13 Dec 2004 12:34:00 EST

Great list. I could quiblle with the order a bt, along the same lines that others have already done, but the hell wiht it. PCU is brilliantly funny. It goes into heavy rotation on cable every so often. I don't recall it ever being released in theaters, and if it was, it was certainly not a huge hit at the time. Jeremy Piven is the hardest working man in show business. He is EVERYWHERE. I was watching Black Hawk DOwn recently and he is one of the copter pilots who gets shot down.

Comment by Eric Berlin

Sun, 12 Dec 2004 20:09:27 EST

Several people from several generations have made the argument for Animal House at #1. I can see where you and the others are coming from, but I still must stand by my comments in the article. Old School, by the way, *is* miraculously funny. Definitely check it out. ~EB

Comment by Matt Paprocki

Sun, 12 Dec 2004 12:38:09 EST

Ditto on the Animal house thing. The only one I haven't seen here is Old School, but for it to beat out just John Belushi it would have to be a miraculous comedy. "Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" "Germans?" "Let him go. He's on a role."

Comment by Eric Olsen

Sun, 12 Dec 2004 11:17:20 EST

great list and explication Eric, thanks and welcome! I would have to put Animal House no. 1 but that could well be generational