Us vs. Them-The Genius of Harold Ramis

   When discussing the films of Harold Ramis, one of the things you hear over and over is the phrase "the slobs vs. the snobs" or some similar variation. That's not an accurate description. I would describe them as "the smart guys vs. the world." From "National Lampoon's Animal House" to "Ghostbusters" we see stories of smart people going up against the status quo, social conventions, and authority figures and winning because they're smarter than everyone else and because they give not a shit about what the rest of the world thinks of them. In the case of "Ghostbusters," the fact that they save that world only makes them more noble and heroic.
   Ramis was a triple threat in the comedy world. He wrote, he acted, he directed. Of the films he directed, acted in, or wrote, I would have to name "Ghostbusters" as my favorite. No, wait..."Groundhog Day." Scratch that. "Caddyshack" is definitely my favorite. Shit...I forgot about "National Lampoon's Vacation." "National Lampoon's Animal House" is right there as well. I can't forget "Stripes" either. Okay...I loved them all, dammit. Each and every one of them. Love, love, love. Those movies were part of my comedic education and if you can't laugh at those films and see the genius on display, then you simply do not understand comedy and should probably keep your opinions to yourself, lest you sound like a complete and utter douche nozzle.
   The age old theme of the underdog coming out on top runs through a lot of Ramis' films. His underdogs are unique, though, in that the reason they're underdogs is that they refuse to play by society's rules and usually take great pleasure destroying that society, not for financial gain or for political power, but because...well, because it's there and we're smart and we can do it. "I think that this situation absolutely requires a really stupid and futile gesture be done on somebody's part," says Otter in "Animal House." Remember the chant in "Meatballs?" "It just doesn't matter!" At the end of "Animal House" the Deltas destroy the town. In "Caddyshack", the country club's golf course is blown to shit. "Stripes" ends with Ramis and Bill Murray blowing up Russia. Why? A really stupid and futile gesture is sometimes the only response to a stupid and futile world.
   His movies aren't all anarchy, however. I will defend "Groundhog Day" as one of the best love stories ever made. "Multiplicity" is underrated and is probably the one movie that allowed Michael Keaton to put all of his "Keatoness" on display. "Analyze This" is a mob comedy about a mobster going to psychotherapy. There is no way that movie didn't plant the seed for "The Sopranos" in David Chase's head.
  "There’s a personal story of my own that I will write at some point, and it’s a film that I will happily make," Ramis said not too long ago. Death has robbed us of that film. His films are our's forever, though. I've watched them many times when I needed a laugh, or felt down, or needed inspiration. His movies stand up to repeated viewings like no one else's.  He was one of the greats. I put him on the same list as Chaplin, Groucho Marx, and Mel Brooks. I'll be watching all of his movies very soon, because in the words of Stork from "Animal House," "What the hell are we 'sposed to do you moron?"