STRIPES

US, 1979, 105 minutes, Colour.
Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Warren Oates, P.J.Soles, John Larroquette, John Candy, Sean Young, Judge Reinhold.
Directed by Ivan Reitman.

Stripes is an early 1980s version of the old American service comedy. It is surprising coming so soon after America's conscience examination about the Vietnam war with The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now! By 1980 and the beginning of the Reagan administration, there was an emphasis on the army and American defence. for example Goldie Hawn's Private Benjamin. Stripes looks very much like a male version of Private Benjamin. It stars cult comic Bill Murray (Meatballs, Caddyshack) and Harold Ramis, the director of Caddyshack. Warren Oates bullies his way through the Sergeant Major role. There are the predictable situations, some visual and verbal humour but the emphasis is on the National Lampoon style send-up - humorous but vulgar. The film is interesting as an example of a change of outlook in the United States in 1981.

1. The tradition of military comedy? Farce, comic routines? The serious undertones? Pro-war or anti-war? The M.A.S.H. tradition?

2. The National Lampoon's poking fun at all institutions? The satire of the '60s and '70s? M.A.S.H. on television: types, plot situations? The tradition of reasons for joining the army, induction, drill, clashes, exploitation?

3. The film after American conscience examination on Vietnam? Satirical on the army - perhaps less cynical? The Private Benjamin style film? The musical score, songs?

4. The introduction to John and Russell and their work? Their wanting to opt out? The attraction of the army - via the TV ads? John and his experience with the taxi, his girlfriend leaving, the ball through the window? Russell and his satiric teaching people English?

5. The traditional sequences of leaving on the bus, the MPs - with their glamour! The arrival, the induction, the encounter with Sergeant Hulka? Punishments and push-ups? Clothes, haircuts? The men telling their stories - sentiment and humour?

6. The collages of training with attention to detail?

7. The army and its ethos? Officers and their plans? Stillman and his pretensions? His pompous walk, spying on the girls in the shower? Hulka and his toughness, 28 years? The accidents, for example Stillman's mortar and the collapse of the tower with Hulka?

8. Time off - the mud-wrestling scenes? The arrest? The MPs saving John and Russell? Sexual innuendo?

9. The decision to train properly? The midnight training, sleeping, the demonstration at the graduation? The comedy yet the serious point that they succeeded, were acknowledged, were mobilised for overseas?

10. John and his personality, his verbal humour? Criticism? The push-up joke? Wanting to escape and Russell bringing him back? The girls? Russell and his sense of humour? Staying with the army? The various types: Ox, Psycho and the others? The stereotyped attractive girls?

11. Transition to Milan, the focus on the bus? The decision to go to Germany? The irony of Stillman's invasion of Czechoslovakia? John and Russell to the rescue? The siege? Hulka’s warnings? The clash and escape?

12. The finale and the glimpse of each of the characters with the comment on their future? Jokes?

13. The perennial laughing at institutions, the army? Lampoon plus sentiment?