Alright, fellow tapeheads, let's rewind to the mid-90s. Picture this: browsing the aisles of your local video rental palace, the smell of plastic cases and slightly stale popcorn in the air. Your eyes land on a familiar, almost sacred brand: "National Lampoon's..." It promised chaos, rebellion, maybe even a touch of inspired idiocy. In 1995, that promise manifested as National Lampoon's Senior Trip, a flick that landed with less of a bang and more of a... well, let's just say it wasn't exactly Animal House shaking up the establishment. But does that mean it doesn't deserve a spot in our glorious VHS Heaven archives? Let's hit play.
### Detentions, Debauchery, and D.C.
The setup is pure teen-comedy gold, albeit the slightly tarnished, 14-karat plated kind. A group of academically challenged, perpetually bored high school seniors at Fairmont High, led by the effortlessly slacking Mark "Dags" D'Agostino (Jeremy Renner in one of his earliest, blink-and-you'll-miss-him roles? Nope, wait, that's often misremembered - Renner isn't in this, though the vibe fits! The actual lead slacker is played by Matt Frewer… wait, no, Frewer is the principal! Let's try that again. The main teen slackers are played by guys like Kevin McDonald (from Kids in the Hall fame, as the cross-dressing Travis) and a host of faces you might almost recognize). Anyway, these kids accidentally send a scathing letter meant for their perpetually stressed-out Principal Todd Moss (Matt Frewer) to the President of the United States. Instead of eternal detention, this blunder somehow lands them an invitation to Washington D.C. to discuss education reform. Chaperoning this disaster-in-waiting? The aforementioned Principal Moss, whose sanity is already hanging by a thread, and the sweetly naive Miss Milford (Valerie Mahaffey). What follows is exactly the kind of cross-country, hotel-trashing, authority-flouting mayhem you'd expect.
### Lampoon Lite, But Still Fizzy?
Let's be honest, by 1995, the "National Lampoon" brand wasn't quite the beacon of subversive comedy it once was. Senior Trip feels less like a spiritual successor to the anarchic glory days and more like a distant cousin who showed up late to the party, already a bit tipsy. The humour leans heavily into gross-out gags (prepare for bodily fluids), slapstick, and general absurdity. It's scattershot, sometimes landing with a chuckle, often whiffing completely, but delivered with a certain manic energy that’s undeniably of its time.
What’s fascinating is who penned this slice of 90s silliness. The screenplay comes courtesy of Roger Kumble and I. Marlene King. Yes, Roger Kumble who would later give us the deliciously dark teen drama Cruel Intentions (1999) and I. Marlene King, the mind behind the long-running mystery phenomenon Pretty Little Liars. Knowing their future pedigrees adds a surreal layer to watching gags involving stolen school buses and inappropriate encounters with senators. It’s a fantastic bit of retro trivia – a reminder that everyone starts somewhere, sometimes with jokes about farting in elevators.
### Frewer Power and 90s Vibes
The anchor holding this chaotic ship somewhat steady is Matt Frewer as Principal Moss. Bringing some of that twitchy, manic energy he perfected as Max Headroom (remember that iconic 80s digital personality?), Frewer commits fully to the escalating panic and absurdity of his character's plight. He’s matched nicely by Valerie Mahaffey’s endearing performance as the cluelessly optimistic teacher. The teen cast is mostly a blur of 90s archetypes – the slacker, the nerd, the stoner (Tommy Chong even makes an appearance!), the hot girl – serviceable but lacking the iconic spark of earlier Lampoon ensembles.
Directed by Kelly Makin in his feature debut (he later directed the Hugh Grant comedy Mickey Blue Eyes), the film barrels along with relentless pacing. There aren't elaborate practical effects sequences like in an action movie, but the spirit of practical gags is here – real cars being driven recklessly (that bus sequence!), real (looking) vomit, and stunts performed with a rawness that feels distinctly pre-CG. It captures that slightly gritty, low-budget feel common to many comedies of the era that found their true home on VHS and late-night cable. Interestingly, the film apparently had to be trimmed down from an R-rating to secure its PG-13, which might explain why some gags feel like they pull their punches slightly.
### The Rental Store Staple
Did Senior Trip set the box office on fire? Absolutely not. It scraped together less than $4 million, disappearing from theatres quickly. But its legacy, like so many films we cherish here, was cemented on the rental shelf. Seeing that "National Lampoon's" title was often enough to warrant a rental, especially for a group sleepover or a lazy Saturday afternoon. It promised laughs, however dumb, and a break from reality.
Watching it now, the fashion, the slang, the sheer unapologetic silliness – it’s a potent dose of mid-90s nostalgia. The jokes might creak, the plot is thinner than tracing paper, and it lacks the genuine heart or sharp satire of the best teen comedies. But there’s an undeniable, goofy charm to its low-stakes rebellion. It’s like finding an old mixtape; not every song is a classic, but the overall vibe takes you right back.
VHS Heaven Rating: 4/10
Justification: Let’s be real, this isn't high art, and it’s miles away from the Lampoon classics. The plot is flimsy, many jokes fall flat, and the characters are thin. However, Matt Frewer's committed performance, the sheer nostalgic blast of its mid-90s aesthetic, and its status as a "remember this one?!" video store discovery earn it a few points. The trivia about the writers’ later successes adds a fascinating layer. It achieves its modest goal of being a dumb, chaotic teen comedy of its time.
Final Thought: National Lampoon's Senior Trip is like that weird kid in class who wasn't exactly popular but occasionally did something so bizarrely funny you still remember it decades later – best enjoyed with low expectations and maybe a smuggled-in six-pack, just like the old days.