Directed by Ivan Reitman (his first major motion picture)
Written by Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg, Janis Allen, and Harold Ramis (Egon from Ghostbusters)
Starring Bill Murray (in his first starring role), Harvey Atkin, and Kate Lynch.
Released June 29, 1979.
Budget of $1.4M ($5M in 2020)
Box Office: $43M ($154M in 2020)
Gross: $4.16M ($149M in 2020) At one time was the highest grossing Canadian film in the United States and Canada.
Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
IMDB: 6.2/10
Bill Murrays costume were his own clothes.
First of 6 collaborations with Harold Ramis in many roles, the others being Stripes, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters 1 & 2, and Groundhog Day.
Filmed at an actual, working summer camp, Camp White Pine in Ontario.
Plot:
We open at Camp North Star, a cut-rate summer camp. Tripper giving a silly wakeup announcement. It cuts to an obviously boring, monotonous meeting. The old 80’s trope of the nerdy head guy, and the cool counselor (Bill Murry, Tripper). Showing the kids loading the busses, we’re introduced to Rudy, Spaz, and the rival summer camp, Camp Mohawk.
SW: The ending of the announcements prepped me for this movie, Bill Murray flushing the toilet. The intro montage is SUPER 70’s/80’s campy. At the busses, some terrible acting. How old are the girls talking about getting smokes, 12-13? Hope it gets better. Funny stuff BM says to the reporter, stalk and kill a bear, sexual awareness week. Annoying theme song, kids screaming, “are you ready for the summer”
The next few scenes are a lot of exposition; the first day at camp, establishing a social pecking order. Shows the viewer all the various cabins from
the young children to the “jail bait” cabin. They move to lunch where the director is trying to talk, but the kids don’t want info, they want gossip, so
the a girl stands up and shares the gossip with everyone, ending with Wendy being everyones wet dream. An intracamp soccer game, establishing
the relationship between Tripper and Rudy occurs.
SW: First day: nerd kid unzipped pants. In the young kids cabin, the councilor shows compassion with the dead frog, surprising. Jailbait cabin is funny. Soccer game, sad kid is sad. The office scene: wow, sexual harassment much?
Candace "kidnaps" Crockett in a speedboat and confesses her feelings for him. Tripper starts “Operation Late Night Excitement” gag. Parents day
occurs, Tripper and Rudy continue to develop their relationship. Spaz and Fink sneak under the girls cabin, which hilariously backfires when the
girls catch them and pants Fink. There was a rivalry basketball game between North Star and the Mowhawks, which the mowhowks dominated.
SW: The kidnapping was kinda funny. Bill Murry and the card game, showing his councilor heart of gold. During the “Operation Late Night”, Hardware was sleeping in his tool belt, kinda silly. Taking the guy from is cabin is so campy and unrealistic. But I get the joke. Parents Day: How long have these kids been there? A week? Why is the Nerd Guys dad there, he’s a councilor in training. Sad kid is sad his dad didn’t come. Nerd Guy and Fat Guy sneak under the girls cabin and OF COURSE they’re talking about sex. Classic pants up the flag pole. Do like the classic gag of moving the sleeping director. Basketball game: Mowhawks are still rich assholes. Pantsing the other team: classic 80’s power move. Tell story of pants kid in middle school.
There is a dance where all the councilors are trying to get laid, then all the CITs go on a camping trip with Trapper. The climax is the annual rival
olympiad against the Mowhawks. On day one, Mowhawks dominate, but cheat also. Down, but not out, Trapper gives a rousing speech about how,
“it just doesn’t matter!” On the second day, their fates turn around, Fink wins the hotdog contest against the stomach, Spaz carries the tea cups,
and Rudy wins the race. They end with a nice campfire and showing Trapper and Roxanne deciding to live together, and riding off on a motorcycle.
Closes with one last gag of Morty being left floating in the lake.
SW: Bill Murray was creepy with Roxanne at the dance. When they leave for the camping trip, giving sad kid responsibility and visibility. If all the CIT’s are camping, who’s watching the kids? Like the “ghost” story by the fire. Heard it before. I can’t believe Roxanne slept with him after how creepy and forceful Tripper has been. Sad kid is still sad. Olympiad: Mowhawks are assholes, consistency is key. How Tripper mentions east and west Germany. North Star ALSO cheated to win, the fish down the swimsuit. Congrats to Nerd guy, and Fat Guy for finally winning one. Of course, it’s up to sad kid to save the day… and does. The Run was weird, seemed like it needed music. ENDING: Sad kid is happy now, made friends. Like the North Star CIT song, felt genuine. Like the last Morty gag on the lake.
BIG takeaway: Why is a 29 year old man, the head canceler at a summer camp? Isn’t that a bit fucking weird?