Anyone watch 'Wet Hot American Summer, First Day of Camp' on Netflix? *Spoilers*
All I can say say is this show is fricking BRILLIANT!!! The fact that they pulled off a PREQUEL of all things with the original stars, many of them who were nobodies when the original was made, was just sublime and amazing. I watched all 8 episodes last night and laughed my ass off the entire time. I was totally impressed not just that they got the original cast back to do these TV series for Netflix but some of the extra cast that they added to the show and how they managed to make that extra cast work so not to ruin the actual original film which is technically the LAST day of camp.
For those of you who have never seem 'Wet Hot American Summer' the movie, that you have to watch first. This was a movie that came out in 2001 that was a spoof of all those summer camp movies you've ever seen. It was a box office dud but along the way became a cult classic. What was amazing about this movie, made in 2001, was the amazing cast they managed to get back in 2001 - some of these folks were still not quite as famous as they are today including Elizabeth Banks, Bradley Cooper, Christopher Meloni, Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd to name a few. Back then they were all just a few years too old to be playing 16 year olds in this movie (although Meloni was actually playing a fridge-humping crazed Nam Vet) but were still not big names in the Hollywood. I think one of the most interesting parts in that original movies was Bradley Cooper's because this guy went on to be one of the biggest names in Hollywood becoming one of the biggest actors today and a People's 'Sexiest Man Alive'. His part was no something you'd expect but he was brilliant in the movie!
So fast forward 14 years and now Michael Showalter (who also had a big part in the original movie) and David Wain decide to create a prequel of the original movie. That's kind of tricking knowing #1 all the actors who were already too old for the original movie are now really too old to play the same part again 15 years later and #2 most of those actors are no longer 'nobodies' in Hollywood but some of the biggest names out there with pretty active filming schedules. How do you make this work?
Simple - just ask the actors if they would do it and would you believe it - every single actor showed up again to do the movie! And the biggest joke of this movie is the fact that these 40-something actors are basically all playing 16 year old kids and they are having the best time doing it. In fact not only did they all come back but other big name actors joined in the movie including Jon Hamm, Chris Pine, John Slattery, Kristin Wiig, Josh Charles, Lake Bell, Weird Al Yankovic, Michael Cera and even Bruce Greenwood to name a few.
This movie was just so over-the-top funny I stayed up and watched all 8 episodes and will probably watch them (this time on the big screen. Watched them last night in bed). Every single returning actor fell brilliantly bact into their persona. Beautiful love stories were written, evil storylines with the government and Ronald Reagan (Mind you this takes place in 1981) and a brilliant combat fight scene between Christopher Meloni and Jon Hamm. Oh and Chris Pine makes an excellent rock & roll god.
Most important thing for those who never seen Wet Hot American Summer - YOU MUST WATCH THE MOVIE FIRST. If you do not watch the movie first then you will miss many of the gags in the prequel. But if you want an evening of mindless comedy binging this is for you!
