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(More customer reviews)When UP THE ACADEMY was released in theatres, it was called MAD MAGAZINE PRESENTS UP THE ACADEMY. After the success National Lampoon had with ANIMAL HOUSE, they wanted to try getting involved in film production.
The film, written by two writers of THE MARY TYLER MOORE SHOW and other sitcoms and directed by Robert Downey Sr is actually at times quite funny. Mainly because of the performance of Ron Leibman as the head of a military academy. He honestly gives one of the funniest comic performances of all time. Every line he has works because of the delivery. Unfortunately, Leibman was so embarassed by the film, he had his name taken off before its release. Tom Poston and Ralph Macchio also appear. The film also has an excellent soundtrack.
After its theatrical run, MAD became embarassed of it (even ran a parody of it in their magazine, essentially disowning it) and paid Warner Brothers to have all references to MAD taken out of the film. Alfred E. Neuman (or, a guy in a big, rather scary Neuman mask) appeared in a few scenes and those scenes were cut out.
For the VHS, while all the artwork was changed (Alfred E. Neumann originally appeared on the poster), no MAD references appeared on the box, the film actually still included the MAD references. Warner had to refund the money to MAD. I'm not sure if later copies of the VHS were changed, but the first batch accidentally carried the MAD scenes.
For years, the TV prints were free of MAD references. Comedy Central used to show it almost weekly with all the MAD scenes cut out. But in the past few years, it has been showing on TNT and other channels with not only the opening and closing credits letterboxed (it was a widescreen, Panavision film), but with all the MAD references intact.
I don't know if because of the controversy it has a chance of ever getting a DVD release. But, I for one would love to see Warner release it on DVD, fully letterboxed with maybe a documentary on why MAD and Leibman wanted to disown it.
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A teen comedy which is set in a miliary school and pits a mixed group of kids against a sadistic drill instructor.
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