Production note Reitman originally pitched the movie as 'Cheech and Chong join the army.'
Production note Columbia reportedly wanted Dennis Quaid instead of Harold Ramis.
Production note Kim Basinger was offered the P.J. Soles role but passed over money.
Production note The movie made about $85 million on a $10 million budget.
Production note Fort Knox access and real troops were used during production.
Production note Bill Murray accidentally hit himself in the balls with the suitcase and it stayed in the film.
Production note The haircut reactions were genuine because the actors were not warned in advance.
Production note John Candy hosted the cast for spaghetti and the No Mas fight at his house.
Animal House Used as part of the canonical college VHS comedy rotation and as a comparison point for closing-credit gimmicks.
Caddyshack Referenced as a major college rewatch and as another Ramis/Murray-era comedy with surreal late-movie weirdness.
The Blues Brothers Used as another example of a rewatched college comedy and a movie with wild, explosive third acts.
Airplane! Cited as part of the loser-hero and college-comedy lineage.
Private Benjamin Referenced as another loser-hero comedy and as a prior P.J. Soles film.
Groundhog Day Used in discussing Ramis/Murray's later relationship and the long history between them.
Ghostbusters Named as the point at which Murray likely hit his apex as a star.
Fast Times at Ridgemont High Mentioned while discussing Judge Reinhold's career and the 80s ensemble ecosystem.
Beverly Hills Cop Referenced as a comedy/action hit that was less rewatchable for them than the core dorm films.
Risky Business Included in the broader early-80s comedy/drama era discussion.
The Jerk Cited as the start of the loser-hero comedy era.
Trading Places Mentioned as another essential rewatchable and a cousin to this comedy era.
Arthur Used in the same early-80s comedy lineage and as one of 1981's bigger box-office hits.
Officer and a Gentleman Used as a military-school/Army-adjacent comparison and as a future Netflix-show candidate.
Tommy Boy Referenced as an heir to the loser-hero comedy formula in the 90s.
