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Sep 23, 2024 · Key Takeaways: “Stripes” is a classic military comedy that launched Bill Murray to stardom. Its humor, quotable lines, and iconic characters continue to entertain audiences and inspire a cult following. The film emphasizes friendship, teamwork, and overcoming obstacles, while poking fun at government institutions.
Reviews. Stripes. Action. 105 minutes ‧ R ‧ 1981. Roger Ebert. January 1, 1981. 3 min read. “Stripes” is an anarchic slob movie, a celebration of all that is irreverent, reckless, foolhardy, undisciplined, and occasionally scatological. It’s a lot of fun.
Stripes is a 1981 American action comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P. J. Soles, Sean Young, and John Candy. Ramis wrote the film with Len Blum and Dan Goldberg, the latter of whom also served as producer alongside Reitman.
- Harold Ramis and Columbia Pictures Did Not Want Harold Ramis in The Movie.
- Bill Murray and P.J. Soles Did Boot Camp For Three days.
- The Defense Department Liked The script.
- Most of The Cast Was Drunk For Two Weeks Following John Lennon’s death.
- John Larroquette Broke His Nose.
- Warren Oates Chipped His tooth.
- Hulka Was Supposed to die.
- Kentucky Doubled For Czechoslovakia.
- Larroquette Ad Libbed “I Wish I Was A Loofah.”
- A Nine-Minute Acid Trip Scene Was Shot But Cut.
With the knowledge that the studio didn’t want him, and more comfortable with writing at that point than with acting, Ramis was reluctant to play Russell. He even had Dennis Quaid (P.J. Soles’s husband at the time) read for his part. Bill Murray stepped in and insisted that he only wanted to work with Ramis.
Both John Winger and Stella initially planned to wake up at 0500 and jog with real soldiers for two weeks.
So they gave the crew a ton of access, including allowing Ivan Reitman and company to shoot in Fort Knox and letting real troops play extras.
John Larroquette (Capt. Stillman) later admitted that he was drunk in the scene when he dressed down the company after they watched and participated in mud wrestling. Even after filming moved to Los Angeles, Murray and Warren Oates (Sgt. Hulka) had a drunken evening beside the grave of late actor Strother Martin.
Larroquette permanently scarred his noserunning into a door in the scene where he discovers that the EM-50 has been stolen.
Unbeknownst to Warren Oates, Reitman told the actors to grab Hulka and drag him into the mud in one of the obstacle course scenes. After his tooth got chipped and he screamed at Reitman, he insisted that they could just shoot from the other side of his face and filming could continue before he was talked into seeing a dentist.
The fall from the high platform was meant to be fatal. The character and actor were too well liked for that part of the script to not change.
The Czechoslovakia scenes were filmed at the Jim Beam-owned Chapeze Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. Ramis saidthat the third act was set in that country because Reitman’s family were Czech refugees.
Reitman told Larroquette to improvise stuff to say while looking at naked women in the shower. He came up with “I wish I was a loofah.” After Reitman yelled “Cut!” he asked the actorwhat a loofah was.
John and Russell took LSDand went on a mission to fight rebels in the Colombian jungle. Reitman didn’t think it fit with the tone of the rest of the movie.
- Roger Cormier
Review. Funny as hell! Stripes is a raunchy, adult comedy from critically acclaimed producer/director Ivan Reitman (Evolution, Kindergarten Cop). And it stars Bill Murray (The Royal Tenenbaums), Harold Ramis (As Good as it Gets), John Candy (Uncle Buck), Warren Oates (True Grit).
- (81K)
- Comedy, War
- Ivan Reitman
- 1981-06-26
Hard-luck cabbie John Winger (Bill Murray) -- directionless after being fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend -- enlists in the U.S. Army with his close pal, Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis).
- (41)
- Comedy
- R
Comic '80s military romp has violence, nudity, language. Read Common Sense Media's Stripes review, age rating, and parents guide.
