May 'Nick's Pix:' STRIPES & Book Signing
- Nick Digilio
- May 7
- 5 min read
It is once again time for my monthly 'Nick’s Pix' screening at the beautiful Lake Theater in Oak Park, and this one…this one is a big one for me.
It’s May, summer is right around the corner, and I wanted to kick things off early with something fun, something loud, something nostalgic, something that absolutely kills with an audience. So I went back 45 years (to the summer of 1981) and picked one of my all-time favorite comedies.
We are celebrating the 45th anniversary of Stripes.
A Classic Comedy
And I could not be more excited to share this movie with you on the big screen on Wednesday, May 13th at 7:00 p.m. at the Lake Theater in Oak Park.
Now, Stripes is one of those movies that, if you’re anywhere near my age (if you’re in your late 50s, early 60s, grew up in that late Baby Boomer/early Gen X sweet spot) you don’t just like this movie…you know this movie.
You’ve seen it a million times. You can quote it. It’s part of your DNA. I was 16 years old when this thing came out, a huge fan of Saturday Night Live, a massive fan of Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, all those guys, and I probably saw Stripes 50 times in the theater that summer. No exaggeration.
Then I owned it on VHS, watched it on cable every chance I got..I still know just about every line of dialogue. And it holds up. It absolutely holds up.
The premise is simple, and it’s perfect. Bill Murray plays John Winger, a wiseass, underachieving cab driver who, in the span of a single lousy day, loses his job, his girlfriend, his apartment, everything.
So what does he do? He joins the Army. Because why not? And he drags his best friend Russell, played by Harold Ramis, along with him. Russell is a mild-mannered ESL teacher, a little more grounded, a little more hesitant, but he goes along for the ride. And once they get to basic training, chaos ensues.
They meet a platoon full of misfits, they clash with authority, they frustrate their drill sergeant, and they stumble their way through training with the kind of irreverence and stupidity that only Bill Murray could make lovable.
Eventually, it all builds to this ridiculous, over-the-top final act involving a tricked-out military RV, a rescue mission, and one of the most bizarre third acts in any comedy of that era.
Bill Murray Becomes "Bill Murray"
But honestly, plot doesn’t matter that much in Stripes. This is about moments. This is about attitude. This is about the birth (or at least the cementing) of Bill Murray’s movie star persona. That laid-back, sarcastic, smart-ass slacker energy that he perfected here and then carried into Ghostbusters and beyond. This is where it locked in.
And the comedy…man, the comedy in this movie is just classic. So many great lines, so many unforgettable bits. The whole “that’s the fact, Jack” routine, the Czechoslovakia "it's like going into Wisconsin" riff, the “Doo Wah Diddy” singalong, all of it.
And my favorite line in the entire movie doesn’t even come from Murray, it comes from the great Warren Oates, who plays Sergeant Hulka. A guy known for tough Westerns and gritty dramas, and here he is delivering one of the funniest lines ever: “Lighten up, Francis.” That kills me. Every time.
Warren Oates is fantastic in this movie, bringing real authority and weight to a role that could’ve been just a joke. Harold Ramis, one of my all-time comedy heroes, is wonderful here, he is funny, grounded, and just a perfect counterbalance to Murray.
Harold Ramis: A Comedy Hero
And Ramis is a huge part of why this movie works, not just as an actor but as a writer. This is part of what I call the holy trinity of comedies for my generation: Animal House, Caddyshack, and Stripes.
And the common thread through all three?
Harold Ramis. A genius. A Chicago guy. A Second City legend. Someone I admire deeply.
A Stacked Cast
Then you’ve got John Candy, who is just unbelievably lovable and funny as Ox. Early performances from people like Judge Reinhold and John Larroquette. Sean Young, just before Blade Runner, bringing that mix of sweetness and presence.
And P. J. Soles (who I know personally thanks to Flashback Weekend) is just fantastic. She had already been in Halloween, Carrie, Rock ’n’ Roll High School, and here she is, charming, funny, totally winning. Everybody in this movie is locked into the same goofy, anarchic wavelength.
And that’s the thing...Stripes is anarchic. Roger Ebert called it that, and he was right. It’s loose, it’s shaggy, it’s improvised in places, it doesn’t always follow the rules, but that’s part of its charm. It feels alive. It feels like a bunch of incredibly funny people just going for it, and when it hits (and it hits A LOT) it’s hilarious.
So this is the one I want to share with you to kick off the summer early. Let’s laugh. Let’s sit in a packed theater and laugh together at one of the great comedies of the last 45 years.
Here’s the deal.
Stripes, A 'Nick's Pix' Screening:
Wednesday, May 13th7:00 p.m.
The Lake Theater in Oak Park
Tickets are just $9 for adults, $7 for seniors
Get them at classiccinemas.com/nick
I’ll be there to introduce the film, talk a little about it, and then we’ll watch it together on the big screen, in a beautiful 4K restoration, the way it deserves to be seen.
Afterward, we’ll do a Q&A, some trivia, and I’ll give away some great prizes like T-shirts, movie passes, and more.
And, It's a Book Signing!
Before the movie and after the movie, I’ll be in the lobby selling and signing copies of my book 40 Years, 40 Films, from Eckhartz Press. It's my autobiographical journey through my four decades as a film critic.
Forty essays, one for each year since 1985, plus mentions of over 400 movies. I’m incredibly proud of it, and I would love for you to come by, pick up a copy, have me sign it, take some pictures, and just hang out and talk movies.
So this is it. Let’s celebrate 45 years of Stripes. Let’s celebrate one of the great comedies. Let’s celebrate Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Ivan Reitman, and that incredible era of comedy.
And let’s celebrate the beginning of summer the right way...with a lot of laughs.
I cannot wait to watch this with you.
I’ll see you on Wednesday, May 13th at the Lake Theater.
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