In 1999 a raunchy comedy was released that took the audience by storm,
American Pie. The story was familiar to most people, four teenaged boys looking
to loose their virginity before they graduated high school. It became infamous
for the most unusual use of a freshly baked apple pie ever and made most boys
hope that their school would start a student exchange program. Sequels follow
box office success like night follows day so it is not a surprise that American
Pie 2 would come out in 2001 followed two years after that with American
Wedding. Most thought that they would stick to having a trilogy and this
franchise would be over. The thing is these films are not very expensive to
make. For the cost of a few million dollars there is a guaranteed profit. This
especially holds true if you skip the cost of a theatrical release and go
straight to DVD. Starting in 2005 and continuing each year thereafter there has
been a direct to video installment of this lucrative franchise. Well, it’s that
time of year again folks and the annual slice of pie is here. This time out the
fraternity/sorority Greek system is the focus in a little flick called American
Pie Presents: Beta House.
There was a time when a franchise had a lot more in common. Usually a
character was present in all the films of the series or there was a common
thread; something to add a feeling of continuity. With the American Pie flicks
that is just about all there is, they are prefaced by the words, ‘American Pie
Presents’. This is code for that the film so named has extremely little to do
with the original trilogy. The recurring themes now consist of sex, alcohol,
nudity, more sex and possibly someone in the now iconic Stifler family. The last
vestige of the original three films is the character of Mr. Levenstein,
dutifully played by the great comic actor Eugene Levey. He started out as the
unflappable father the boy with a thing for fruit pies and now dispenses advice
to each new cast of characters. The writer, Erik Lindsay also penned the
previous flick in the series, ‘American Pie presents The Naked Mile’. So far
these are the only two writing credits to his name. This film follows the same
basic formula as before and is predicated by a few simple facts. Teenage boys
have a massive increase in hormonal activity. They are driven like lemmings over
the ledge to the nearest female in hopes of having sex. Unable to attract Ms.
Right Now on his own the aforementioned male uses liberal quantities of ethanol
to lower the inhibition of said female. In order to discourage rival males a
system of practical jokes are implemented. Typical the jokes are of the
scatological or homophobic nature. Mr. Lindsay’s task each year is to come up
with variations on the alcohol delivery methods, the execution of the practical
jokes and the general setting for the activities. Since the targeted demographic
here is teenaged boys as long as there is female nudity as frequently as
possible the plot is secondary. Let’s face it the cerebrums of these young men
are not engaged for the duration of the flick; most of the blood has been
diverted elsewhere. When an adult views this flick there are two reactions.
First we try to impose mature criteria on the movie and it fails. Second we
revert back to a teenaged boy and, after looking around to make sure no one is
watching, laugh our butts off.
The vestigial plot consists of Erik Stifler (John White) the high school
student in the last flick is now in college. Along with his friend Mike "Cooze"
Coozeman (Jake Siegel) decide that freshman year requires pledging a fraternity.
They choose the Beta House not only for its hedonistic reputation but it turns
out that Erik’s cousin Dwight (Steve Talley) is the president of the frat. This
would seem like an idea situation especially for a member of the libidinous
Stifler clan but Erik falls in love with Ashley (Meghan Heffern). For some
reason she doesn’t feel that letting her boyfriend carouse with over sexed frat
boys is something to build a relationship on. There is a rival frat house the
GEEKs, trying to get the best of the Beta House which provides the touch of
impulse to the story and I use the term story in the most liberal connotation
possible. The GEEKs are made up of ultra rich and powerful kids running
businesses out of the frat house. With a possible record for this franchise the
first shot featuring full frontal female nudity occurs at exactly four minutes
in. It is also the first of many bodily fluid jokes as a naked girl gets out of
the co-ed shower while Erik is taking a leak. He turns to ogle her and urinates
all over Ashley’s shower caddy; double play at the top of the first inning. This
is only the start as you can tell by looking at the credits. When the female
roles are called things like Hot Girl #1 and Stripper, not even bothering with
names, you know there will be gratuitous nudity abounding. There is also bodily
fluids flying all over including an innocent but still revolting spill involving
Erik and Ashley’s favorite stuffed bear. If this college actually did exist it
would be closed, not by the State Board of Education but under the authority of
the Center for Disease Control.
To be honest there are a few actual sweet moments. The thread with Ashley and
Erik is nice and well written. The rest of the flick on the other hand is
puerile and predictable. It does have to be a challenge for the writers to come
up with different ways to fling seamen year after year. To their credit they do
manage. Since this is Erik’s freshman year it looks like we have at least three
more flicks ahead. Just so you can be prepared they appear to have release dates
at the end of December, the perfect present for the sex obsessed teenage boys on
your list.
Universal provides their usual excellence in the anamorphic 1.85:1 video and
Dolby 5.1 audio. What make the release are the extras they include.