“Why aren’t we flying? Because getting there is half the fun. You know that.”
The National Lampoon magazine debuted in 1970, as a spin-off of the Harvard Lampoon. In contrast to its parent magazine, it came out monthly and was distributed — as its name suggests — on a national level. The magazine rapidly grew in popularity, and by the end of the decade was successful enough that the company was able to branch out into movies, with 1978′s Animal House. The film was a comedy hit, especially among the college students who were both the subject and the target audience of the Lampoon’s brand of humor.
A follow-up, however, proved more difficult. Class Reunion, released in 1982, only made $10 million at the box office; by comparison, Richard Pryor’s The Toy made nearly five times as much the same year. Movie Madness was meant to come out in 1981 as the company’s second film, but was delayed — getting only a limited release in 1982. It would eventually get a full release in late 1983, and bomb. But success came with the third film, one that broke a bit from the college-oriented mold of the others. Although it was R-rated, and thus not for children, it nevertheless appealed to those adults with families thanks to its familiar themes. Released in the summer of 1983, National Lampoon’s Vacation became the company’s second hit. Continue reading
