This is true. The movie was made in 1973 and was set in 1962 Central Valley of California, I think?
So it was actually only 11 years in the past when it was made. And here we are 45 years after the movie was released.
But then again, the era represented, the early ‘60s, was before all the major social changes of the ‘60s happened.
And this is exactly why Animal House remains a true movie classic. It was set in a time and place when America was at its greatest.