I was too young to see this when it originally came out in 1978. I was 9 years old at the time, and while I was a regular theater gore (I went to the movies at least once a week), I was unable to get into the R rated movies due to my age unless I was accompanied by an adult.
I would first see this a couple years later or so when it debuted on network tv, but then it was heavily edited. I would finally get to see it uncut, unedited in the early 80s when I saw it at the apartment of the older sister of a friend of mine. She had WHT, an early form of cable tv at the time. You paid a monthly fee for the one single channel, but you could see movies uncut and uninterrupted by commercials. My friend and I were over there alot. It was there I got to see animal house, among many other movies, completely uncut. Being so accustomed to seeing edited movies that were always interrupted by commercials, it was a culture shock to be able to see movies on tv, sometimes with the foul language and nude scenes intact, and without commercial interruptions.
I saw the movie when it first came out, and then again, in the 90’s, I watched it at home with my then two teenage daughters. I was laughing pretty much all gthrough the movie, and at the end, one of the girls turned to me and said “Were you that bad in college?” Since I’ve always believed in being honest with the kids, I told her..”No, we were much worse”..I was at NYU from 64-68, in Greenwich Village, and looking back, I am struck with awe and wonder that I and nearly all, of my fraternity brothers managed to survive the 60’s...lawdie, lawdie..the stories I could tell..even I, looking back now..shake my head...