MovieChat Forums > PCU (1994) Discussion > Better Than Animal House

Better Than Animal House

posted 17 years ago by francisannun
27 replies | jump to latest

I was never a big fan of Animal House and since I am one of the few people over the age of 21 that saw PCU before seeing Animal House I have to say I measured the latter next to the former instead of the other way around. PCU is a smart comedy with some excellent life advice, and I quote "that's the beauty of college these days, you can major in gameboy if you know how to bulls#$t." More classic lines, more likeble characters, and easier on the eyes than was Animal House. I always found Animal House to be too drab and shabby of a setting to really enjoy, not that I think the movie was terrible but PCU is sperior. Even the party scene when compared - George Clinton's stomp weaved into the plot going on around the party climaxing when Gutter jumps off the speaker landing on his face, absolutely hysterical - while in Animal House the TOGA party scene when "Shout" was being played dragged out far too long and became a lull in the movie in my mind.

[–] f_dupp 17 years ago

I agree on most all your points.

Especially the "shout" scene. My G*d that is tedious.

Maybe it's generational, but I hated almost everything about Animal House, especially, as you noted, the dreariness of it all.

But what do I know...even when I'm wrong, I write.

[–] ItsEddieHaskellBeyotch 11 years ago

"Maybe it's generational"

^This. When I think of PCU, its totally my teen years. Animal House is funny but I still don't understand the idolitry it gets from anyone born ten to fifteen years after it was released.

'When there's no more room in Hollywood, remakes shall walk the Earth.'

[–] JRotten9802 17 years ago

Better than "Animal House"? Not a chance. Bluto's "I'm a zit", the Toga Party, the abuse of Nedermeyer, "Please Sir, my I have another", Mandy and Babys, D-Day, Flounder, Boone "Does this thing talk?", Otter "How about I just massage your thighs while you eat", Faun Lebowitz, Donald Sutherland's speech on Milton, "Remember when the Germans bomber Pearl Harbor?", "I gave my love a cherry that had no stone...", Dean Wormer "They're on Double Secret Probation!", Pinto, and every gloriously morally-bankrupt lovable SOB living in the Delta House. Nowhere in that film is anything quite as lame as "the No Protest" finale of "PCU". True, the Hackman-Caine theory and "GO TO SLEEP!" are classic moments, but cannot match up to the majesty and slobby greatness that is "Animal House".

[–] francisannun 17 years ago

You obviously like Animal House and that is fine, I did not find it very funny at all and I think it is one of those movies that people fall in love with because they are told to fall in love with it. Also you call the last scene lame I call it a great and funny commentary on political correctness displayed through the surpremely ironic act of starting a protest declaring they are no longer going to protest, LAME NO, brilliant Irony yes. By the way thisis just my opinion but the Pearl Harbor Speech was not funny, I don't know how else to say it, it just wasn't funny. The speech and many other lines in themovie deserved a chuckle a nothing else. By the way I mean no offense I know some of these chat boards can get nasty I just think that my generation was told Animal House is a funny movie and many people bought it, for me it was not, classic yes becuase I think it was ground breaking in some ways but that does not make it the funniest movie of all time.

[–] witster18 9 years ago

well, age-wise i should like PCU as much or more, but no way... Animal House 8/10... PCU 4.5/10... it's really bad to be honest... Jeremy Piven's two or three good lines save the film from turkeydom... comparing the two is funnier than either.

[–] HowYaLikeDemApplesWill 8 years ago

I liked PCU a lot. 20 years later is still has a solid cult following, but nowhere near the scope of Animal House.

Animal House is iconic 40 years after it's release...there is a reason. It was written by the great Harold Ramis ( who also wrote Meatballs, Caddyshack, Stripes, Ghostbusters, Back to School, etc..) and the guys from National Lampoon, who knew a thing or two about college....and humor.

Comparing the two just because they were both college frat party movies, is fruitless.

Whose idea was it for the word "Lisp" to have an "S" in it?

[–] schlob77 17 years ago

Not a chance.

[–] Q-baca 17 years ago

Blow me where the pampers is.

[–] deadhead7208 16 years ago

Animal House is a classic that will live on forever...Most people haven't even heard of PCU

[–] anhouck 14 years ago

Most people that have heard of "Animal House" haven't even seen it, or turned it off after trying to watch. I remember being bored out of my skull. I guess it is generational, but PCU always entertains me. I don't relate in the slightest to "Animal House". So yes (to me) PCU is far, far superior.

[–] donkey_dick 16 years ago

HA- You sir are outta your mind. History proves that Animal House has stayed funny and isn't outdated. PCU is a good film, but no way better then Animal House.

[–] anhouck 14 years ago

I don't know anyone that isn't over 40 that still watches "Animal House".

PCU is legendary among 30-somethings-and-unders I know. I know more than a few ,including myself, that find Animal House boring. The fact is, neither of these movies are going to last, or end up being "legendary" to any future generations. So it's ridiculous to argue about it.

[–] magikistrocker 16 years ago

"its not for sale francis" (sorry couldnt help myself)... I think PCU is more relatable to people in their 20s-30s. Animal House is a timeless classic that will be enjoyed by generations. I don't know if PCU has the same longevity... don't get me wrong PCU is one of my all time favorites, and if given a choice between PCU and Animal House, I'd watch PCU any day... but I don't think it has the same appeal.

can we all just agree on one thing? "were not gonna protest..."

__________________________
"I don't make monkeys, I just train 'em" - Pee Wee's Big Adventure.

[–] WilliamMoney 16 years ago

Animal House is about as unfunny as a movie gets. Classic maybe, but only because it was so original. But original doesn't equal funny. PCU probably owes something to Animal House but i'm sure if Animal House was never made we'd still have gotten plenty of funny college movies.

[–] Shicky_Magee 15 years ago

i've always thought this movie is awesome and that animal house sucks.

[–] sirtj228 15 years ago

Cant even compare the 2...Animal house is in a league of its own....You guys must have been born in the 90's

[–] ericw03 14 years ago

Animal House isn't as much about college as it is about Fraternities. As I was in a fraternity in college, I can definitely relate to Animal House. However, PCU is just like the college I went to. Very liberal. Just a few years ago, they changed the schools mascot to a Greek Goddess...I'm sure that inspires alot of college pride. But thats exactly the kind of thing that you can imagine happening at the college in PCU. And not to mention that my college tries just about every semester to find a new way to destroy the fraternities and sororities on campus. So both movies are even better because I can relate to everything in them.

I also saw PCU about 10 years before I saw Animal House. I always thought Animal House would be too stupid and I'm just not a fan of the cinematography used in movies before the 90's. With that said, I loved the movie(except for the ending, that was alittle over done). But I do agree with you that PCU is overall a much better movie and more fun to watch, and I think more people can relate to the B.S. liberalism at most colleges these days.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] sunyboy1 14 years ago

That's very sad that you've never seen Animal House....