Direction
John Landis builds increasingly large confrontations, moving cleanly from campus rituals to open rebellion.
Animal House follows the disorderly Delta Tau Chi fraternity as Dean Wormer uses every available rule—and several invented ones—to drive it out of Faber College.
At a Glance
Full titleAnimal House
DirectorJohn Landis
CountryUS
LanguageEnglish
Release date1978-07-28
GenreComedy
Runtime1h 49m
Why Animal House stands out
A foundational college comedy whose ensemble and anti-authoritarian tone shaped the genre for decades.
Animal House established the template for the modern college comedy by making the institution, not only the students, part of the joke.
John Belushi's physical performance as Bluto supplies its most recognizable energy, while the ensemble makes Delta feel like a functioning comic community.
John Landis steadily increases the scale from pledging and toga parties to disciplinary hearings and the climactic parade.
Its combination of ensemble chemistry, institutional satire, and escalating set pieces influenced decades of campus comedies.
Delta House remains memorable because its comic loyalty survives even when its members create nearly every problem they face.
Memorable characters
John Belushi leads an ensemble in which every Delta member contributes a distinct personality and source of trouble.
Rewatch appeal
The toga party, quotable dialogue, campus rivalries, and parade finale give the film strong rewatch value.
Genre impact
Animal House turned fraternity disorder into institutional satire and established conventions later college comedies repeatedly borrowed.
Story
At Faber College in 1962, two freshmen join the campus's least respectable fraternity just as its feud with the administration reaches a breaking point.
01
Welcome to Faber College
Larry and Kent are rejected by Omega and welcomed by the far less respectable members of Delta Tau Chi.
02
Joining Delta House
Renamed Pinto and Flounder, they enter a fraternity built around parties, pranks, and loyalty to fellow outsiders.
03
Wormer's campaign
Dean Wormer recruits Omega members to monitor Delta and searches for a procedural excuse to remove it permanently.
04
Double-secret probation
Academic failure and public misconduct give the administration leverage, pushing Delta from campus nuisance toward expulsion.
05
Rebellion against conformity
The conflict exaggerates both student irresponsibility and institutional hypocrisy, turning the comedy into a revolt against status.
06
Why the comedy endured
John Belushi, the ensemble structure, the toga party, and the parade finale created a durable blueprint for the genre.
Cast
Main characters and performers
Behind the Scenes
Runtime: 1h 49m.
Directed by John Landis.
Genres include Comedy.
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FAQ
How long is Animal House?
Animal House runs 1h 49m.
What is Animal House about?
At a 1962 College, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.
Who directed Animal House?
Animal House was directed by John Landis.
Where can I watch Animal House?
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