Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon

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Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon

Released Sep 25, 2015

1h 34m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

87%

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63 Reviews

69%

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1,000+ Ratings

The National Lampoon magazine utilizes outrageous humor to poke fun at politics, religion, entertainment and lifestyles.

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Critics Consensus

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead might not be the definitive doc National Lampoon fans are waiting for, but it's still almost as transgressively funny as the magazine in its heyday.

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Brad Newsome

Sydney Morning Herald

This documentary is a stunning visual achievement, with director Douglas Tirola using perhaps thousands of images to give us a real sense of the seminal, savage American satirical magazine National Lampoon.

Oct 10, 2019

Full Review

Molly Eichel

Philadelphia Inquirer

What makes Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead feel particularly vibrant is how the Lampoon's specific art direction is put to use.

Rated: 3/4

Oct 8, 2015

Full Review

J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

The movie is an orgy of boomer self-congratulation -- yet it lacks even that movie's ironic notation of how a bastion of white-male privilege managed to pass itself off as radical.

Oct 8, 2015

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Jordan Brooks

Vague Visages

Expanding on the standard documentary outline, director Douglas Tirola strings a series of in-depth interviews together with original National Lampoon magazine artwork, album excerpts and stage show footage.

Aug 1, 2023

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David Bax

Battleship Pretension

Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead is a fun sit with a group of funny people...

Jan 15, 2021

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David Lamble

Bay Area Reporter

In this funny bio-doc, Douglas Triola traces its rollercoaster ride, detailing how some bright and twisted Ivy League grads broke all the rules of good taste and propriety...

Jun 9, 2020

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Jay H

For fans of the magazine, I'm sure this documentary is great. I never read an issue, so it wasn't very enthralling for me.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

05/13/24

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Audience Member

Blobbo buy every issue early Lampoons. When magazine fold, it writers created modern comedy in so many forms! Documentary good!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/17/23

Full Review

Demetris A

Drunk, Stoned and idiot is a great documentary; not a great movie. It did not make me laugh but feel sorry for all these celebrities. And although we admire greatly these actors in their funny movies and tv shows since the 80's, we do not want to be them. But what a documentary is? To tell the truth. These losers, jumping off a cliff, we do not want to be. we just want to be educated by a great documentary, to avoid a miserable life. love

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

08/02/22

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Audience Member

People told me to watch this because it's important history. Truth is, I didn't care two shits about that magazine or SNL any more after that documentary. I mean it was interesting to know how uncensored comedy came to be. But I didn't need an over an hour long feature to find out about it. So yeah do with that as you will.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

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Audience Member

Great documentary about and incredibly influential magazine. Why exactly is J. R. JONES considered a critic?

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/16/23

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Audience Member

Thought it was a great movie about the group writers and comedians that I grew up on.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

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Douglas Tirola

Director

Mark Monroe

Writer

Douglas Tirola

Writer

Douglas Tirola

Producer

Susan Bedusa

Producer

John Battsek

Executive Producer

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Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

The National Lampoon magazine utilizes outrageous humor to poke fun at politics, religion, entertainment and lifestyles.

Director: Douglas Tirola
Producer: Douglas Tirola, Susan Bedusa
Screenwriter: Mark Monroe, Douglas Tirola
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: 4th Row Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 25, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $62.7K
Runtime: 1h 34m

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