When National Lampoon’s Animal House opened in 1978, it arrived fully formed and completely unhinged. Directed by John Landis and carried by John Belushi’s fearless performance as Bluto, the film took aim at fraternities, school administrators, and the mythology of college as the “best years of your life.” It was loud, messy, and intentionally disrespectful, the kind of studio comedy that felt like it might spin out of control at any moment. Decades later, Animal House remains a reference point—not just for what ended up on screen, but for the atmosphere surrounding its production, captured in photos that reveal the chaos, camaraderie, and calculation behind the mayhem.
