Up The Academy

After the success National Lampoon had with Animal House, Mad Magazine saw this as an opportunity to break into the movie business as well. So in 1980, they released Up The Academy.

Four troubled teens are sent to Weinberg Military Academy to learn discipline in hopes that they will give up their delinquient ways. But the school has a reverse effect on them, making them want to rebel more. Especially against the sleazy Major Liceman, Ron Leibman.

This movie fails on so many levels. It comes off as obnoxious instead of funny. Mad Magazine tried hard to distance themselves from it, even paying $30,000 to have the Mad logo and their mascot Alfred E. Neuman, removed from cable broadcasts and VHS tapes. They had some of their best writers working on a script, but the studio nixed it in favor of another screenplay they had. Mad hated the studio script but were already committed at this point. They even put out an issue of their magazine blasting the film. Even Ron Leibman had his name removed. Director Robert Downey, Sr., the once prolific filmmaker of the 60's and 70's, had basically became a director for hire at this point, and it shows that even he isn't crazy about the material.

That being said there are a few things about it that I think make it worth a look. Even though he had his name removed, Leibman is really funny in this. So is Tom Poston as one of the instructors. The soundtrack, which includes songs from Cheap Trick, Blondie, The Kinks, Lou Reed and Iggy And The Stooges, really rocks. This is also Ralph Macchio's flm debut. And if you look closely, you can see Robert Downey, Jr. in the background.

Mad never made another film, and instead found success on the small screen with Mad TV and Mad. I can't give this a full recommendation. This is one of those that is more of a curiosity and worth a look on that level.

It's available on dvd.