National Lampoon's Class Reunion

Class Reunion is a 1982 black comedy film[1] produced by National Lampoon as the third film from the magazine. It was the second film released; although National Lampoon Goes To The Movies was filmed in 1981, it was delayed and not released until 1983.

National Lampoon's Class Reunion
Theatrical release poster
Directed byMichael Miller
Produced byMatty Simmons
Written byJohn Hughes
Starring
Music byPeter Bernstein
Mark Goldenberg
CinematographyPhilip Lathrop
Edited byAnn Mills
Richard Meyer
Production
company
ABC Motion Pictures
Distributed by20th Century Fox
Release date
  • October 29, 1982 (1982-10-29)
Running time
84 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$10.1 million

Plot

Lizzie Borden High's class of 1972 is getting ready to go through the motions at their 10-year reunion when a deranged alumnus named Walter Baylor, who was driven insane by a horrible, sadistic, senior-year prank, escapes from the mental institution and decides to crash the party at his high school reunion. Guests start to disappear and are found dead; the other alumni, including the high class snooty yacht salesman Bob Spinnaker, class tease Bunny Packard, and the class zero Gary Nash, spring into action as they try to uncover the culprit and put an end to the nightmare that has become their class reunion.[2]

Cast

Production

John Hughes claimed he had been fired from the film. "They didn't even want me around, and I was shocked when I saw the movie", he said. "My screenplay had been completely butchered, and my name will nevertheless be on the credits forever."[3]

Release

The film was released theatrically in the United States by 20th Century Fox in October 1982. It proved to be a huge disappointment for the company, grossing only $10,054,150 at the box office.[4] Opening weekend for the movie, it made $3,086,525.

In 1982, Dell Publishing released a "photo novel" version book, adapted from John Hughes' screenplay by Sandra Choron. The film was released on VHS and laserdisc by Vestron Video in 1983. In August 1998, Anchor Bay Entertainment re-released the film on VHS. In 2000, Anchor Bay Entertainment released the film on DVD. The film was re-released on DVD by MGM in 2005.

In April 2018, Kino Lorber announced it would release the film on DVD and Blu-ray, sourced from a new 4K transfer.

Soundtrack

The score for the 1982 movie National Lampoons Class Reunion was composed by Peter Bernstein and Mark Goldenberg and includes a live onscreen performance by Chuck Berry, and a small scene where the actors perform the classic 1965 hit "Stop! in the Name of Love". The score was edited by Jim Harrison and Lada Productions.[5]

Songs were performed by:[5]

  • Gary "U.S." Bonds – "Class Reunion" (written by Peter Bernstein and Mark Goldenberg)
  • Chuck Berry – "It Wasn't Me", "My Dingaling", and "Festival"

National Lampoon history

National Lampoon's Class Reunion was the second big-screen movie that was released from the Original National Lampoon Company. The movie had a huge buildup, and viewers expected it to be another hit for the National Lampoon franchise, because it was following National Lampoon's Animal House, the company's first big-screen release in 1978. The original company consisted of the writers from the National Lampoon magazine and some of the cast from the National Lampoon Radio Hour and the stage show National Lampoon's Lemmings.[6]

Reviews

National Lampoon's Class Reunion suffered negative reviews on release.

According to TV Guide, "this is a very unfunny film which was released after the successful National Lampoon's Animal House, and which died at the box office, focuses on the 10th reunion of a 1972 high-school graduating class. The plot combines both comedy and horror-slasher elements, a combination that doesn't work. A murderer is killing off class members, who are such dull, dreary creatures no one could blame him. Even Chuck Berry, who makes brief appearance singing a melody of his songs, can't save this one."[7]

Christopher Tookey states, "Very inferior follow-up to Animal House, with remarkably tasteless basis for comedy. John Hughes can be blamed for the script, a feeble spoof of a slasher movie. Songs are used to extend running length, but even Chuck Berry seems under par."[8]

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References
  1. Blaise, Judd. "National Lampoon's Class Reunion". AllMovie.
  2. "Class Reunion (1982)" – via www.imdb.com.
  3. Reich, Howard (Aug 21, 1983). "MOVIES: Major risks, untried talents and one cool Chicago director MOVIES". Chicago Tribune. p. l5.
  4. "National Lampoon's Class Reunion". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 2011-03-29 / Box Office Mojo. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  5. "Turner Classic Movies".
  6. National Lampoon Wiki link
  7. "National Lampoon's Class Reunion". TVGuide.com.
  8. "Movie Film Review – Chris Tookey – Tookey's Film Guide – Reviews Since 1902". www.movie-film-review.com.
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