Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon is a captivating documentary from 2015 that enlightens audiences on the groundbreaking early years of the highly influential humor magazine, National Lampoon. This brilliantly detailed documentary is directed by accomplished filmmaker Douglas Tirola and features interviews from a broad range of key personalities like Danny Abelson, Kevin Bacon, and Judd Apatow, who provide firsthand insight and entertaining anecdotes into the world of National Lampoon.

Essentially, the film presents an exploration of the madness and genius that encapsulates the National Lampoon phenomena. National Lampoon, which started as a Harvard University satire publication, quickly grew into an iconic brand synonymous with edgy humor and counterculture rebellion during the 1970s and 1980s. The brand and its notorious reputation not only dominated print media but also stretched into radio, television, and film, birthing memorable classics like "Animal House" and the "Vacation" series.

In Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead, Tirola pays tribute to National Lampoon's legacy through a thought-provoking journey filled with nostalgia, humor, and insightful commentary. Through revealing interviews, rare footage, and captivating graphic visuals, the film recounts the wild and often raucous rise of the comedy powerhouse.

At the forefront of the storytelling, we have actors and comedy giants, including Abelson, Apatow, and Bacon. These key figures, amongst others like Chevy Chase and Bill Murray take us through their experiences and connections with the National Lampoon. Apatow, a titan in contemporary comedy filmmaking, offers his perspective on the impact of Lampoon on modern humor and comedy writing. Other creatives, including cartoonists, writers, and actors, share their experiences, many of them citing the Lampoon as the launchpad for their successful careers.

One of the intriguing elements of the film is the exploration of the renegade spirit and creative anarchy that defined National Lampoon. The fearless and often controversial satire from the Lampoon team changed the landscape of American comedy and beyond. Through the interviews and archival footage, the documentary uncovers the inside story of some of the Lampoon's most infamous jokes and stunts, as well as the brilliant minds who brought them to life.

However, Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is not just a comedic romp down memory lane, Tirola wisely allows for momentary pauses to address the darker aspects of the National Lampoon's history. The film candidly touches on the internal challenges faced by the team, including the spikes of drug abuse and the immense pressure that came along with producing prolific comedic content consistently. There's a poignant exploration of the highs and lows that occurred behind the scene - making the documentary a multi-dimensional examination of an era of brilliant yet chaotic creativity.

Visually, the documentary is illustrated colorfully, using a combination of original artwork from the magazine, photographs relevant to the storyline, archival footage, interspersed with new interviews and dramatic readings from the magazine itself. It stitches together these elements to portray an era that is gone but not forgotten, a testament to the ingenuity of Lampoon's creators and the seismic shift they caused in American comedy.

Throughout its runtime, Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is a nostalgic, informative, and entertaining history lesson. It underlines the crucial impact National Lampoon has had on humor and pop-culture, highlighting the trajectory from a small scoffed at a magazine to major conduit for the comedy giants, spearheading award-winning movies and TV shows.

In summary, Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon is more than a hilarious journey. It's an ode to a rebellious, witty, audacious, and sometimes zany, era of comedy that irrevocably changed the world's approach to humor. Regardless of whether you lived through the heyday of National Lampoon or are entirely new to its eccentric world, you'll find this film both fascinating and laugh-out-loud entertaining. This documentary is a must-see for comedy aficionados, cultural historians, and anyone who enjoys tales of fearless creativity and unapologetic satire.