National Lampoon's Van Wilder
Encyclopedia
National Lampoon's Van Wilder is a 2002 comedy film
directed by Walt Becker
that stars Ryan Reynolds
as the main character. The film also stars Kal Penn
, Tara Reid
, and Daniel Cosgrove
. It features Sophia Bush
's acting debut. The movie is based on Bert Kreischer
.
) is an outgoing, friendly, and extremely popular student who has been at Coolidge College for seven years. For the past six semesters, he has made no effort to graduate, instead spending his time organizing parties and fundraisers, doing charity work, helping other students, and posing for figure drawing
classes. But after seven years, with no return on his investment, Van's father (Tim Matheson
) decides it is time to cut his losses and stops paying Van's tuition.
Meanwhile, Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid
), a star reporter for the student newspaper, is asked to do an article on Van. It proves to be so popular that she is asked to write a follow-up article for the front page of the graduation issue. Although that would be a big win, she is rather put off when Van interprets her attempts to schedule interviews as romantic advances—when she already has a boyfriend, Richard Bagg (Daniel Cosgrove
), who happens to be the president of the student union and the leader of a fraternity
. He takes personal offense at Van's attempts to steal his girlfriend, and becomes very stressed out at having to deal with this burden on top of preparing for medical school and leading the Delta Iota Kappa (DIK) fraternity. Subsequently, a rivalry develops between the two men.
The rivalry grows as they perform increasingly disgusting pranks on each other. For instance, one scene involves Richard inviting Van over to a dinner with him and Gwen's family to prove a point about Van's lackadaisical attitude towards life (in which Gwen's parents are only pleased by Van's easygoing attitude, and Gwen, increasingly turned off by Richard's stress, only feels that Richard's actions were too underhanded.) In one infamous scene, Van and his friends replace the cream inside some pastries with dog semen
and send them to Richard's fraternity, where the frat brothers begin eating and don't realize what it really is until it's too late.
At one point, Richard has intercourse with another woman from a sister sorority, which would be the final straw for Gwen later on. Richard also sets up Van at one of his own parties in which there are some (very) underage drinkers and reports it to the police, which leads to Van almost being expelled. However, Van proposes an alternative punishment: that the school force him to complete a semester's worth of work in the six days remaining, and then graduate. The committee agrees to this by a three-to-two decision.
Gwen is impressed that Van is taking the initiative to get his life together. She then learns of Richard's setting up of Van, as well as his infidelity, and decides to take retribution. On the morning of Richard's medical school entrance exam and interview with Northwestern Medical School
, Gwen laces his ritualistic protein shake with a powerful laxative. Since there are no bathroom breaks allowed during the test, Richard rushes through the 2-hour exam in 20 minutes, "dialing down the middle" towards the end and disgusting the other test-takers with constant flatulence. Afterwards, just as he reaches the bathroom, he unexpectedly runs into the medical school interview committee. They pull him aside into an office to begin the interview and Richard ends up shitting explosively into a trash can right in front of them. He is briefly seen again in the film, reading Gwen's article in the school paper in the bathroom (presumably, his medical school dreams are ruined, as he mentions to Van in a deleted scene
). Meanwhile, Van does well on his finals and celebrates his graduation with Gwen.
A subplot depicts the saga of Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn
), an Indian foreign exchange student who is accepted (out of many "talented" applicants) to be Van's personal assistant. The main reason for his application for this position, Taj explains, is he wants to have sex with an American girl before he goes home. He meets a girl named Naomi (Ivana Bozilovic
), and Van pushes Taj to go for her ("Naomi- that's 'I moan' backwards," Van explains) but Taj accidentally sets himself on fire with massage oil. At the end of the film, Taj meets another Indian girl, and it seems like they are going to hit it off.
, much of it at UCLA
, except for the basketball scenes, which were filmed in and around the Matadome at Cal State Northridge
.
During the trial scene, the outside view is of Sather Tower and California Hall at the University of California, Berkeley.
The pool scene is filmed at the Belmont Olympic Plaza in Long Beach, CA.
, Jimmy Eat World
, Sum 41
, Abandoned Pools
, Sugarcult
, N.E.R.D., American Hi-Fi
, Zero 7
's Sia Furler
, and Swirl 360
. Some artists with songs omitted from the soundtrack included Atomic Kitten
, Sprung Monkey
, Bird 3, Spymob
, Mint Royale
, and Tahiti 80
.
Artemis Records released the official soundtrack, though the track listing does not exactly match the lineup heard in the film; it omits the Sugarbomb song, "Hello".
The critics describe the movie as being "A derivative gross-out comedy that's short on laughs"
on VHS
and DVD
on August 20, 2002. The DVD was presented in rated and unrated editions, both editions containing a cropped full-frame transfer, and a widescreen
version in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The two-disc set also contained interactive topless menus featuring model Ivana Bozilovic
, who is "Naomi" in the film. With each new menu, she would take her shirt off and put another shirt on with different options on it. Bonuses included deleted scenes, outtakes, three Burly Bear TV specials, a Comedy Central
: Reel Comedy TV special, "Bouncing Off The Walls
" music video performed by Sugarcult
, trailers and other promotional material like television ads and poster art.
On November 28, 2006, in a way of promoting the sequel to Van Wilder, The Rise of Taj
, Lions Gate Home Entertainment released a 2-disc special edition DVD with new bonus features including a "Drunken Idiot Kommentary
" (featuring three young men who are not actually involved in the film), behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with the cast and crew. The re-release did not include the topless menus from the previous set.
The film was also released on Blu-ray
on August 21, 2007 which had almost the same features as the 2-disc special edititon DVD. Also included (and exclusive to the Blu-ray edition) is the "Blu-Book Exam", an interactive game that focuses on Van Wilder trivia questions, plus a series of "Blu-line" options including a pop-up film-progression menu that allows you to set bookmarks and skip around the feature film.
, National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj, followed this, centering on the character of Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn
); the film was released theatrically in 2006.
prequel
to this film was also released in 2009, entitled Freshman Year; the film follows Van (Jonathan Bennett
) as he deals with his freshman year of college.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Walt Becker
Walt Becker
-External links:...
that stars Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
as the main character. The film also stars Kal Penn
Kal Penn
Kalpen Suresh Modi , best known by his stage name Kal Penn, is an American film and television actor, producer, and civil servant....
, Tara Reid
Tara Reid
Tara Donna Reid is an American actress. Reid has acted on television shows such as Saved By The Bell: The New Class, Days of our Lives, California Dreams, and Scrubs....
, and Daniel Cosgrove
Daniel Cosgrove
Daniel Cosgrove is an American actor. He is known for his role as Scott Chandler # 3 on All My Children, Bill Lewis on Guiding Light and for his role as Christopher Hughes II on As the World Turns.Cosgrove has been a cast member during the series finale of three consecutive cancelled soap operas:...
. It features Sophia Bush
Sophia Bush
Sophia Anna Bush is an American actress, director and spokesperson. She currently stars in the CW television series One Tree Hill where she portrays Brooke Davis. Bush is additionally known for her film portrayals in the 2007 remake The Hitcher, John Tucker Must Die and The Narrows.-Early...
's acting debut. The movie is based on Bert Kreischer
Bert Kreischer
Bert "The Machine" Kreischer is an American stand-up comedian, actor and reality television host. In 1997, he was featured in Rolling Stone as the "top partier" at Florida State University, the "top party school in the US", while he was in his sixth year of college. The Rolling Stone article was...
.
Plot
Van Wilder (Ryan ReynoldsRyan Reynolds
Ryan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
) is an outgoing, friendly, and extremely popular student who has been at Coolidge College for seven years. For the past six semesters, he has made no effort to graduate, instead spending his time organizing parties and fundraisers, doing charity work, helping other students, and posing for figure drawing
Figure drawing
In art, a figure drawing is a study of the human form in its various shapes and body postures - sitting, standing or even sleeping. It is a study or stylized depiction of the human form, with the line and form of the human figure as the primary objective, rather than the subject person. It is a...
classes. But after seven years, with no return on his investment, Van's father (Tim Matheson
Tim Matheson
Tim Matheson is an American actor, director and producer. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the smooth-talking Eric 'Otter' Stratton in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and has had a variety of other well-known roles, including providing the voice of the lead character...
) decides it is time to cut his losses and stops paying Van's tuition.
Meanwhile, Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid
Tara Reid
Tara Donna Reid is an American actress. Reid has acted on television shows such as Saved By The Bell: The New Class, Days of our Lives, California Dreams, and Scrubs....
), a star reporter for the student newspaper, is asked to do an article on Van. It proves to be so popular that she is asked to write a follow-up article for the front page of the graduation issue. Although that would be a big win, she is rather put off when Van interprets her attempts to schedule interviews as romantic advances—when she already has a boyfriend, Richard Bagg (Daniel Cosgrove
Daniel Cosgrove
Daniel Cosgrove is an American actor. He is known for his role as Scott Chandler # 3 on All My Children, Bill Lewis on Guiding Light and for his role as Christopher Hughes II on As the World Turns.Cosgrove has been a cast member during the series finale of three consecutive cancelled soap operas:...
), who happens to be the president of the student union and the leader of a fraternity
Fraternity
A fraternity is a brotherhood, though the term usually connotes a distinct or formal organization. An organization referred to as a fraternity may be a:*Secret society*Chivalric order*Benefit society*Friendly society*Social club*Trade union...
. He takes personal offense at Van's attempts to steal his girlfriend, and becomes very stressed out at having to deal with this burden on top of preparing for medical school and leading the Delta Iota Kappa (DIK) fraternity. Subsequently, a rivalry develops between the two men.
The rivalry grows as they perform increasingly disgusting pranks on each other. For instance, one scene involves Richard inviting Van over to a dinner with him and Gwen's family to prove a point about Van's lackadaisical attitude towards life (in which Gwen's parents are only pleased by Van's easygoing attitude, and Gwen, increasingly turned off by Richard's stress, only feels that Richard's actions were too underhanded.) In one infamous scene, Van and his friends replace the cream inside some pastries with dog semen
Semen
Semen is an organic fluid, also known as seminal fluid, that may contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize female ova...
and send them to Richard's fraternity, where the frat brothers begin eating and don't realize what it really is until it's too late.
At one point, Richard has intercourse with another woman from a sister sorority, which would be the final straw for Gwen later on. Richard also sets up Van at one of his own parties in which there are some (very) underage drinkers and reports it to the police, which leads to Van almost being expelled. However, Van proposes an alternative punishment: that the school force him to complete a semester's worth of work in the six days remaining, and then graduate. The committee agrees to this by a three-to-two decision.
Gwen is impressed that Van is taking the initiative to get his life together. She then learns of Richard's setting up of Van, as well as his infidelity, and decides to take retribution. On the morning of Richard's medical school entrance exam and interview with Northwestern Medical School
Feinberg School of Medicine
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, located in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois and situated near Lake Michigan and the Magnificent Mile, is one of Northwestern University's 11 schools and colleges...
, Gwen laces his ritualistic protein shake with a powerful laxative. Since there are no bathroom breaks allowed during the test, Richard rushes through the 2-hour exam in 20 minutes, "dialing down the middle" towards the end and disgusting the other test-takers with constant flatulence. Afterwards, just as he reaches the bathroom, he unexpectedly runs into the medical school interview committee. They pull him aside into an office to begin the interview and Richard ends up shitting explosively into a trash can right in front of them. He is briefly seen again in the film, reading Gwen's article in the school paper in the bathroom (presumably, his medical school dreams are ruined, as he mentions to Van in a deleted scene
Deleted scene
In Entertainment, especially the film and television industry, Deleted scenes are parts of a film removed or censored from or replaced by another scene in the final "cut", or version, of a film...
). Meanwhile, Van does well on his finals and celebrates his graduation with Gwen.
A subplot depicts the saga of Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn
Kal Penn
Kalpen Suresh Modi , best known by his stage name Kal Penn, is an American film and television actor, producer, and civil servant....
), an Indian foreign exchange student who is accepted (out of many "talented" applicants) to be Van's personal assistant. The main reason for his application for this position, Taj explains, is he wants to have sex with an American girl before he goes home. He meets a girl named Naomi (Ivana Bozilovic
Ivana Bozilovic
Ivana Božilović is an American model and actress.Božilović was born in Belgrade, SR Serbia and grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States. Her credits includes small roles in the films 100 Girls, National Lampoon's Van Wilder and Wedding Crashers...
), and Van pushes Taj to go for her ("Naomi- that's 'I moan' backwards," Van explains) but Taj accidentally sets himself on fire with massage oil. At the end of the film, Taj meets another Indian girl, and it seems like they are going to hit it off.
Cast
- Ryan ReynoldsRyan ReynoldsRyan Rodney Reynolds is a Canadian film and television actor, best known for his roles in such films as National Lampoon's Van Wilder, Waiting..., The Amityville Horror, Just Friends, Definitely, Maybe, The Proposal, Buried, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Green Lantern.One of his best known...
as Vance "Van" Wilder, Jr. - Tara ReidTara ReidTara Donna Reid is an American actress. Reid has acted on television shows such as Saved By The Bell: The New Class, Days of our Lives, California Dreams, and Scrubs....
as Gwendolyn "Gwen" Elizabeth Pearson - Kal PennKal PennKalpen Suresh Modi , best known by his stage name Kal Penn, is an American film and television actor, producer, and civil servant....
as Taj Mahal Badalandabad - Tim MathesonTim MathesonTim Matheson is an American actor, director and producer. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the smooth-talking Eric 'Otter' Stratton in the 1978 comedy National Lampoon's Animal House and has had a variety of other well-known roles, including providing the voice of the lead character...
as Vance Wilder, Sr. - Paul GleasonPaul GleasonPaul Xavier Gleason was an American film and television actor, known for his roles on TV series such as All My Children and films such as The Breakfast Club, Trading Places and Die Hard.-Early life:...
as Professor McDougal - Daniel CosgroveDaniel CosgroveDaniel Cosgrove is an American actor. He is known for his role as Scott Chandler # 3 on All My Children, Bill Lewis on Guiding Light and for his role as Christopher Hughes II on As the World Turns.Cosgrove has been a cast member during the series finale of three consecutive cancelled soap operas:...
as Richard "Dick" Bagg - Teck Holmes as Hutch
- Emily RutherfurdEmily RutherfurdEmily Rutherfurd is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Christine "New Christine" Hunter on The New Adventures of Old Christine.-Personal life:...
as Jeannie - Deon RichmondDeon RichmondDeon Richmond is an American actor from New York City; he is best known for his semi-regular childhood role as Rudy Huxtable's friend Kenny on the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show....
as "Mini Cochran" - Alex BurnsAlex Burns (actor)Alexander H. Burns is an American film actor. He is best known for his role in the 2004 film Garden State.-External links:...
as Gordon - Chris OwenChris Owen (actor)Chris Owen is an American actor. He is best known for his role in the American Pie movies as Chuck Sherman . He reprised this role in American Pie 2, American Pie: Band Camp and American Reunion...
as Timmy - Ivana BozilovicIvana BozilovicIvana Božilović is an American model and actress.Božilović was born in Belgrade, SR Serbia and grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States. Her credits includes small roles in the films 100 Girls, National Lampoon's Van Wilder and Wedding Crashers...
as Naomi - Sophia BushSophia BushSophia Anna Bush is an American actress, director and spokesperson. She currently stars in the CW television series One Tree Hill where she portrays Brooke Davis. Bush is additionally known for her film portrayals in the 2007 remake The Hitcher, John Tucker Must Die and The Narrows.-Early...
as Sally - Simon HelbergSimon HelbergSimon Maxwell Helberg is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Howard Wolowitz in the sitcom The Big Bang Theory. In its fourth season, he also appeared on the sketch comedy series MADtv for five episodes...
as Vernon - Quentin RichardsonQuentin RichardsonQuentin Richardson is an American professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic...
as Q - Michael OlowokandiMichael OlowokandiMichael Olowokandi is a retired Nigerian British professional basketball center who played in the American National Basketball Association from 1998 to 2007....
as Leron - Darius MilesDarius MilesDarius LaVar Miles is an American professional basketball player.The , small forward was selected directly out of high school by the Los Angeles Clippers with the 3rd overall pick in the 2000 NBA Draft...
as Darius - Erik EstradaErik EstradaHenry Enrique "Erik" Estrada is an American police officer and actor, known for his co-starring lead role in the 1977–1983 United States police television series CHiPs...
as Himself - Edie McClurgEdie McClurgEdie McClurg is an American character actress. She is known for her perky North Central dialect , common to persons from Middle America.-Career:...
as Campus Tour Guide - Michael WaltmanMichael WaltmanMichael Gordon Waltman was an American film and television actor. His credits included Tower of Terror, Beyond the Law and National Lampoon's Van Wilder....
as Coach Ken Massey - Aaron PaulAaron PaulAaron Michael Paul is an American actor. After appearing in several roles in American television, including a recurring role on the HBO series Big Love, Paul came to prominence in the late 2000s for his critically acclaimed portrayal of Jesse Pinkman in the AMC series Breaking Bad, for which he...
as Wasted Guy - Tom Everett ScottTom Everett ScottThomas "Tom" Everett Scott is an American film, theatre and television actor. His film work includes a starring role as drummer Guy Patterson in the film That Thing You Do! .-Career:...
(uncredited) as Elliot Grebb - Walt BeckerWalt Becker-External links:...
(uncredited) as Fireman
Location
The movie was filmed primarily in Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, much of it at UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, except for the basketball scenes, which were filmed in and around the Matadome at Cal State Northridge
California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge is a public university in Northridge, a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, California, United States....
.
During the trial scene, the outside view is of Sather Tower and California Hall at the University of California, Berkeley.
The pool scene is filmed at the Belmont Olympic Plaza in Long Beach, CA.
Music
Featured in the film are songs by The Living EndThe Living End
The Living End are an Australian rock band from Melbourne, Victoria, formed in 1994. The current lineup consists of Chris Cheney , Scott Owen and Andy Strachan...
, Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World
Jimmy Eat World is an American alternative rock band from Mesa, Arizona, that formed in 1993. The band is composed of lead vocalist and guitarist Jim Adkins, guitarist and backing vocalist Tom Linton, bassist Rick Burch and drummer Zach Lind....
, Sum 41
Sum 41
Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...
, Abandoned Pools
Abandoned Pools
Tommy Walter is an American musician and songwriter, best known for his Alternative rock band, Abandoned Pools, as well as being the former bassist and one of the founding members of Eels....
, Sugarcult
Sugarcult
Sugarcult is an American rock band from Santa Barbara, California formed in 1998. The band currently consists of Tim Pagnotta , Airin Older , Marko DeSantis , and Kenny Livingston .-Formation :Tim Pagnotta met ex-drummer Ben Davis during a cigarette break at school...
, N.E.R.D., American Hi-Fi
American Hi-Fi
American Hi-Fi is an American pop punk band from Los Angeles, California, which originally hailed from Boston, Massachusetts. The band consists of vocalist Stacy Jones, guitarist Jamie Arentzen, bassist Drew Parsons, and drummer Brian Nolan...
, Zero 7
Zero 7
Zero 7 is a British musical duo consisting of Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker. The group members began their musical careers as studio engineers and in 1997 formed the group Zero 7. Their debut album, Simple Things was released in 2001 and received critical acclaim...
's Sia Furler
Sia Furler
Sia Kate Isobelle Furler or simply Sia, is an Australian pop, downtempo, and jazz singer and songwriter. In 2000, her single, "Taken for Granted" was a top 10 hit in the United Kingdom. Her 2008 album, Some People Have Real Problems peaked in the top 30 on the Billboard 200...
, and Swirl 360
Swirl 360
Swirl 360 is a melodic pop-rock band, founded by the twins Denny and Kenny Scott.-Biography:Swirl 360 was signed to Mercury Records and entered the recording studio in 1997. By December of that year, they had recorded several tracks to which label executives responded promisingly...
. Some artists with songs omitted from the soundtrack included Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten
Atomic Kitten were an English girl group from Liverpool, first established in 1997. Created by Andy McCluskey, the final line-up, and most commercially successful, consisted of Natasha Hamilton, Liz McClarnon, and Jenny Frost...
, Sprung Monkey
Sprung Monkey
Sprung Monkey is an American band that originated in San Diego, California, USA, initially active from 1991 to 2002, and again since 2005. Sprung Monkey consists of five members, Steve Summers for the vocals, Mike Summers and William Riley for the guitars, Ernie Longoria for the drums, and Tony...
, Bird 3, Spymob
Spymob
Spymob is a pop rock band, from Minneapolis best known for their appearance on the 2003 Star Trak Entertainment compilation The Neptunes present Clones, with the song "Half Steering Half Eating Ice Cream." They also provided backing instruments for N.E.R.D.'s 2002 debut In Search Of......
, Mint Royale
Mint Royale
Mint Royale is a big beat electronic music act from Manchester, England. They were originally founded by the duo Neil Claxton and Chris Baker in 1997; the latter left the band in 2004, but Claxton continues to produce music using the Mint Royale name.-Career:...
, and Tahiti 80
Tahiti 80
Tahiti 80 are a French indie pop band from Rouen and Paris. The group was founded in 1993 by Xavier Boyer, Pedro Resende, Médéric Gontier and Sylvain Marchand....
.
Artemis Records released the official soundtrack, though the track listing does not exactly match the lineup heard in the film; it omits the Sugarbomb song, "Hello".
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a score of 18% based on 87 reviews.The critics describe the movie as being "A derivative gross-out comedy that's short on laughs"
Box office
- Budget - $5 million
- Marketing cost - $15 million
- Opening Weekend Gross (Domestic) - $7,302,913
- Total Domestic Grosses - $21,305,259
- Total Overseas Grosses - $16,970,224
- Total Worldwide Grosses - $38,275,483
Home media
Van Wilder was released by Artisan EntertainmentArtisan Entertainment
Artisan Entertainment Inc. was a privately held independent American movie studio until it was purchased by a Canadian studio, Lionsgate, in 2003. At the time of its acquisition, Artisan had a library of thousands of films developed through acquisition, original production, and production and...
on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on August 20, 2002. The DVD was presented in rated and unrated editions, both editions containing a cropped full-frame transfer, and a widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
version in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The two-disc set also contained interactive topless menus featuring model Ivana Bozilovic
Ivana Bozilovic
Ivana Božilović is an American model and actress.Božilović was born in Belgrade, SR Serbia and grew up in Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States. Her credits includes small roles in the films 100 Girls, National Lampoon's Van Wilder and Wedding Crashers...
, who is "Naomi" in the film. With each new menu, she would take her shirt off and put another shirt on with different options on it. Bonuses included deleted scenes, outtakes, three Burly Bear TV specials, a Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
: Reel Comedy TV special, "Bouncing Off The Walls
Bouncing Off The Walls
"Bouncing Off the Walls" is a song by the American pop punk band Sugarcult from their 2001 album Start Static.-Music video:The music video for "Bouncing Off the Walls" features clips of the band and scenes from Van Wilder with Ryan Reynolds and Tara Reid....
" music video performed by Sugarcult
Sugarcult
Sugarcult is an American rock band from Santa Barbara, California formed in 1998. The band currently consists of Tim Pagnotta , Airin Older , Marko DeSantis , and Kenny Livingston .-Formation :Tim Pagnotta met ex-drummer Ben Davis during a cigarette break at school...
, trailers and other promotional material like television ads and poster art.
On November 28, 2006, in a way of promoting the sequel to Van Wilder, The Rise of Taj
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj is a 2006 sequel to the 2002 comedy National Lampoon's Van Wilder starring Kal Penn. Despite the film's title, lead actor Ryan Reynolds does not return in his role as Van Wilder.- Plot :...
, Lions Gate Home Entertainment released a 2-disc special edition DVD with new bonus features including a "Drunken Idiot Kommentary
Audio commentary
On disc-based video formats, an audio commentary is an additional audio track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with video...
" (featuring three young men who are not actually involved in the film), behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews with the cast and crew. The re-release did not include the topless menus from the previous set.
The film was also released on Blu-ray
Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
on August 21, 2007 which had almost the same features as the 2-disc special edititon DVD. Also included (and exclusive to the Blu-ray edition) is the "Blu-Book Exam", an interactive game that focuses on Van Wilder trivia questions, plus a series of "Blu-line" options including a pop-up film-progression menu that allows you to set bookmarks and skip around the feature film.
Sequel
A sequelSequel
A sequel is a narrative, documental, or other work of literature, film, theatre, or music that continues the story of or expands upon issues presented in some previous work...
, National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj, followed this, centering on the character of Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn
Kal Penn
Kalpen Suresh Modi , best known by his stage name Kal Penn, is an American film and television actor, producer, and civil servant....
); the film was released theatrically in 2006.
Prequel
A direct-to-DVDDirect-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
prequel
Prequel
A prequel is a work that supplements a previously completed one, and has an earlier time setting.The widely recognized term was a 20th-century neologism, and a portmanteau from pre- and sequel...
to this film was also released in 2009, entitled Freshman Year; the film follows Van (Jonathan Bennett
Jonathan Bennett (actor)
Jonathan D. Bennett is an American actor best known for playing Aaron Samuels in the 2004 film Mean Girls, the television series Veronica Mars, and All My Children.-Early life:...
) as he deals with his freshman year of college.
External links
- Van Wilder soundtrack Questions, answers and other music information.