NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE is a lively and likeable frat house comedy which may well be the best of its type; it's certainly the most entertaining I've seen, with John Landis' clever direction adding immeasurably to the fun of the proceedings. This is certainly a more enjoyable production than something like AMERICAN GRAFFITI, that's for sure; the kind of film to blow the cobwebs away. The film offers an ensemble cast of performers, all of whom put in energetic turns, none more so than John Belushi whose towering performance dominates the proceedings. Elsewhere, there's a mix of fresh talent (Tim Matheson, Karen Allen, Kevin Bacon) and more seasoned actors in support (the ever-dependable John Vernon and Donald Sutherland, for instance). The film is, like other NATIONAL LAMPOON features, essentially a series of sketches and set-pieces, but they feel fresh and funny, and there's never a dull moment.
