Meatballs

The 1979 sleeper hit Meatballs—starring Bill Murray at the height of his Saturday Night Live popularity but before his star-making turns in Caddyshack and Stripes—is arguably the defining summer camp comedy. Murray plays Camp North Star's prankmaster and lead counselor, Tripper, all grinning rebelliousness and energetic impudence—but fond of the geeks and nerds in his charge (one kid is even named Spaz) and prone to mock-inspirational speechifying in the battle with the snooty rich campers across the lake. Between the practical jokes unleashed on North Star director Morty (Harvey Atkin) and flippant announcements over the P.A. system, Tripper even gets to play supportive big brother, thereby helping social outcast Rudy (Chris Makepeace) become a hero. Meatballs boasts no real story, just a series of gags and incidents held together by Murray, who's practically the film's MC with his shtick and continual patter. The rest is PG-style sex comedy with horny teens making out and having fun. Meatballs launched the careers of director Ivan Reitman, who went on to direct Murray in Stripes and Ghostbusters, and co-screenwriter Harold Ramis, who directed and co-wrote Groundhog Day. Bowing on Blu-ray, extras include audio commentary by Reitman and co-writer/producer Dan Goldberg. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)