Special Report: When the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor

About this episode

Mike talks with Jeff Nelligan about the film Animal House and its cultural significance as explored in his book.

Released in 1978 and directed by John Landis, National Lampoon's Animal House follows the anarchic members of Delta House fraternity at Faber College as they wage war against pompous Dean Wormer (John Vernon) and the rival Omega House. Written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller, and starring John Belushi as the legendary John "Bluto" Blutarsky, the film became one of the highest-grossing comedies of its era and helped launch the modern R-rated comedy. Jeff Nelligan's satirical new book When the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor: Animal House in Western Intellectual Thought subjects the film to mock-scholarly analysis, taking its title from Bluto's historically garbled motivational speech. Casting Animal House as a Homeric odyssey and a meditation on society's moral impulse, Nelligan lampoons academic pretension while celebrating a comedy that has embedded itself permanently in American culture. Nelligan is a Washington, D.C. public affairs executive, Army veteran, and author of several previous books on parenting and political life. Mike talks with him about the film's enduring legacy and the making of the book. Become a supporter of this podcast…

People in this episode

Guest: Jeff Nelligan

Topics covered

• film analysis
• comedy
• cultural impact
• satire
• interview

Keywords

• Animal House
• John Landis
• Jeff Nelligan
• comedy
• satire
• cultural analysis
• R-rated comedy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Lampoon

Books & works: Animal House, When the Germans Bombed Pearl Harbor

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