From the 1970s through the 1990s, there was no hipper, no more outrageous comedy in print than The National Lampoon, the groundbreaking humor magazine that pushed the limits of taste and acceptability – and then pushed them even harder. The publication morphed into successful radio shows, albums, stage reviews and movies-including Animal House and National Lampoon’s Vacation – while launching dozens of huge careers including many of the comic luminaries of Saturday Night Live.
Director Douglas Tirola’s documentary Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story Of The National Lampoon tells the story of the publication’s rise and fall through fresh, candid interviews with its key staff, illustrated with hundreds of outrageous images from the mag itself. Much of the humor seems outrageous and even startling in our own era of political correctness, like a parody Volkswagen ad that makes light of Ted Kennedy’s tragic accident at Chappaquiddick.
The San Francisco Chronicle called Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead “a reverent tribute to an irreverent magazine that changed the landscape of American comedy during the 1970s.” Time Out called it “essential for celebrating a hard-fought moment of American comic subversion. The gang, which included John Belushi, Harold Ramis and a brilliant team of writers and artists, lived hard and suffered consequences, but it went as far as it could go.” And Entertainment Weekly gives it a solid grade A for being “fascinating, funny, smart, juvenile, tragic, and likely to offend just about everyone. It’s a must-see for anyone who cares about comedy.”
BONUS #1
Meet the filmmaker: On Thursday and Friday nights, producer Danielle Rosen, vice president of production at 4th Row Films, will present the film and join in for a post-film discussion and Q&A. Rosen’s interest in non-fiction storytelling began while attending Skidmore College. While studying Psychology and Theater, she was encouraged by a professor to look into documentary filmmaking as a way to incorporate both studies into one medium. From that moment on, Rosen knew she had found her calling.
BONUS #2
Prior to the main feature at each showing, we’ll screen Ellis, a 14 minute short starring Robert DeNiro, directed by French artist JR, and written by Academy Award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth (Forrest Gump). We are proud to have been selected as a venue to show this film, which explores the immigrant experience through the lens of Ellis Island. JR’s art installations, and the film, were shot in the hospital at Ellis Island, providing a unique perspective on an area that was previously not accessible to visitors.
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story Of The National Lampoon screens on Thursday, November 19 and Friday, November 20 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday November 22 at 3 p.m. General admission is $8. Film Forum members and students with I.D. pay $6.
For more information about the Film Forum please visit www.saratogafilmforum.org.
IF YOU GO
What: Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story Of The National Lampoon
When: Nov. 19-20, 22
Where: Saratoga Film Forum
Tickets: $6-8
