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Stripes (1981)
Rate:
3
Viewed:
8/12, 7/18
8/12:
There's no way in the history of U.S. Armed Forces that this group of ragtag buffoons in Stripes would
pass inspection and be deemed fit for military graduation.
When I saw Bill Murray doing the ridiculous military parade, I questioned if the U.S. Army sponsored the film. AND THEY
ACTUALLY DID. It's hard to believe, after ten weeks of boot camp, nobody shaped up. So, this is the cardinal Hollywood
rule: any time you see a Bill Murray comedy, always expect unorthodox results.
Bill Murray tends to deliver either of two types of performance: be genius with a sense of bone-dry humor or act like an
arrogant jackass. In Stripes, he falls in the latter category most of the time which isn't fun to watch. The army
comedy boasts of an all-star cast: Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, John Candy, Judge Reinhold, John Diehl, Sean Young, John
Larroquette, and Warren Oates.
Typical of 80's pictures, it has plenty of female nudity including mud wrestling between John Candy and eight
naked females which are pointless and aimed to generate ticket sales. After the military graduation, things fall
apart by becoming ridiculous. I don't understand why the platoon had to go to Czechoslovakia and engage in warfare
just to retrieve an RV.
All in all, Stripes is a mix of funny and stupid with some brain-dead results.
7/18:
Taking the rating down big time from '6' to '3', Stripes doesn't stand the test of time.
Last time, I thought the movie was funny but stupid overall. Watching it again, I barely laughed. An
utterly moronic and boring movie, the hardest thing to believe is the U.S. Army sponsored it. Why?
Noticing the hair on Bill Murray and Harold Ramis when they initially came out of the military barbershop, I couldn't help
but fail to understand why they weren't given regular boot camp haircuts. Hence, they were given too much latitude to retain
their individuality. That's why the movie sucks in this respect.
Another thing I don't understand is the misfit platoon being handpicked for an assignment in Italy. Then, they drove
the RV to Germany while the search party ended up caught in Czechoslovakia, setting off an
international incident by exchanging gunfire which ironically resulted in no deaths.
Bill Murray is okay but barely funny. Harold Ramis is too smug to be likeable. John Candy is wasted. John Larroquette
is corny. Warren Oates, who died of a heart attack one year after Stripes premiered, is both ineffective and weak as the
drill sergeant. Judge Reinhold barely appears. Making his screen debut, Miami Vice's John Diehl looks too mentally
retarded to be in the army.
All in all, Stripes is a disappointing Bill Murray vehicle for an early 80's comedy film.