Meatballs is a Canadian classic that spawned three sequels: Meatballs Part II (1984), Meatballs III: Summer Job (1986) and Meatballs 4 (1992). It was directed by Ivan Reitman, and it introduced Bill Murray to the world as the coolest counselor at the camp.
The movie is set at summer camp and follows head counselor Tripper Harrison (Murray) as he tries to keep his camp running smoothly. He's surrounded by an array of CITs (counsellors-in-training) who all have their own ways of causing trouble and getting under his skin.
They pull pranks on him and try to beat him at sports. The pranks aren't always funny, but they are hilarious in their goofy way and are often more entertaining than the real jokes.
The movie was shot at Camp White Pine and Camp Towhee in Haliburton, Ontario, where the actors were actual campers themselves!
While directing Meatballs, Reitman and writer Harold Ramis went through many challenges, including a mutiny on the set that caused damage to the production. In an oral history for Vanity Fair, producer Dan Goldberg described how, at one point, the entire crew had to "drive all around Canada, trying to find some camp" that would let them shoot there.
In the end, Meatballs turned out to be an enduring comedy that was both sweet and silly, and it's a definite must-see for anyone who grew up in the era of summer camp movies. It's the kind of film that can bring back memories from long-ago childhood and remind you how far you've come.
