In fact, Animal House has been so parodied and made reference to over the last quarter century that it does look a little bit dated and quaint by today's outrageous standards. But that also gives it a timeless charm, almost an innocence in its Frat Boys Will Be Boys essence, that could not be pulled off today.

Part of that innocence comes in the fact that while it was filmed in the late 70s, its setting is fifteen years earlier, which gives it a tension that is mostly missing in modern slapstick. When Flounder's car gets wrecked (a common Campus Comedy convention, if there ever was one) you really believe his misery - his Dad really is gonna kill him. When Dean Wormer talks about responsibility and discipline, he speaks with an authority of a Bygone Age. And when Bluto, performed with once-in-a-generation gonzo spirit by John Belushi, rallies his troops for one final it's-so-crazy-it-just-might-work raid upon the forces that beset them, it holds all the youth and force and enthusiasm of the Counter Culture.

It's a fun movie, a silly movie fraught with toga parties, heavy drinking, and staring through sorority girls' windows to try and catch an untoward sight. It's also a little long by today's standards, with down moments that can produce a surprising yawn upon repeat viewings. That doesn't steal its classic status away, however.

#3
Old School (2003)
This is an exceptionally funny movie that has the power to win over those who generally scoff at the Campus Comedy (Want proof? Ask my wife). The comedic material is matched by a cast that is so seasoned and expert at pulling off deadpan riffs and over-the-top slapstick that you feel as though you're watching your buddies' exploits, and therefore laugh appropriately loudly.

Luke Wilson, who I thought was only fair before I saw him play the lead here, is a perfect straight man for the world of youthful debauchery that engulfs him. Old School does as good a job as I've ever seen at playing Campus Comedy off of the Real World. You see, as Wilson gets pulled into a zany scheme to start a fraternity (at his conveniently located to campus house) after his wife (a great performance in a small role by the always interesting Juliette Lewis) is caught sleeping with another, uh, couple, he attempts to keep up a semblance of his normal life. In lesser hands, a scene where the boss's high school aged daughter (Elisha Cuthbert) turns out to be the same co-ed that wound up in his bed the night before would be boring, but Wilson allows you to both wince with him and laugh at him. This tension works especially well with love interest Ellen Pompeo. You end up actually caring about whether they end up together or whether ongoing Antics will pummel the budding romance.