Movie Party: Frat Party in “Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen” (Starring Shia LaBeouf & robot cars)
The lengthy beginning of “Transformers 2” features a pre–breakdown Shia LaBeouf attending college. As all college students do, he attends a frat party with nifty lighting, techno music, and, of all things, cake. Here’s the twist: the scene was actually filmed at Penn’s very own Castle frat house, so even though Castle’s Graffiti party doesn’t have any cake or brothers in too–tight Ralph Lauren polos, we felt obligated to include it.
Penn’s Next Best Thing: Castle’s Graffiti party
One of Penn’s few truly open–to–the–public party staples, the graffiti party happens every year around the end of September. Partygoers are advised to wear clothes they don’t mind never seeing again, and while there’s no cake, it’s got the same oversaturated amount of DJs as the “Transformers” version of a Castle party does.
Movie Party: Kegger in “Dazed and Confused”
Alright alright alright, one of the most epic movie parties of all time happens in “Dazed and Confused.” Supposedly taking place in 1976, an incoming freshman named Mitch gets the chance of a lifetime to party with upperclassmen (and out–of–classmen, like Oscar–winner Matthew McConaughey’s iconic character Wooderson) at an outdoor kegger underneath the town’s moontower. The kid drinks a beer, smokes a joint and kisses a girl all for the first time at that party. Alright alright alright, indeed.
Penn’s Next Best Thing: NSO on Chancellor
The Penn party scene isn’t exactly known for embracing the great outdoors, probably because about 75% of our school year is spent in some kind of miserable and cold precipitation. The one party we can always count on being outside, though, is the darty hosted on Chancellor every year during NSO. Not even rain can cancel this baby, they’ve been prepared with tents in the past.
Movie Party: “Tower of Power” Party in “21 & Over”
The “Tower of Power” is a competitive drinking game party where players have to beat all the games in order to get to the top floor of the house and win the prize. For the two protagonists in “21 & Over,” that prize for reaching the top floor is to talk to an acquaintance of their blackout drunk friend to find out where he lives so they can take him home. Conquering the likes of beer pong, lengthy keg stands, quarters, suck and blow and the gallon challenge (yes, with milk), these guys epically make their way up four floors to finally get the info they need.
Penn’s Next Best Thing: Around the World parties
A number of frats host “around the world” or “hotel” parties, so we could’ve picked any frat for this one. Typically boasting room themes like Germany, Mexico, Japan, and the US, Around the Worlds feature the same kind of variety that the competitive nature of the “Tower of Power” party in “21 & Over” does. Except, in this case, you don’t have to win anything to have a good time. Instead, you’re free to wander the halls imbibing in as many jaegerbombs, margaritas, shots of sake and Natural Light as you want.
Movie Party: Toga Party in “Animal House”
Ah yes, the ultimate movie party. Nothing will ever truly top the cinematic excitement of John Belushi and his frat brothers chanting “Toga” as Otis Day and the Knights play the world’s best live version of “Shout.” So we recommend you don’t try.
NOT the Next Best Thing: NSO Museum Toga Party
In efforts to preserve the truly awesome nature of the “Animal House” version, we advise you skip the NSO toga party hosted at the Penn Museum, because not only is there no chanting, but frozen grapes are not all they’re cracked up to be. Oh, and did we mention that this version is dry? No thanks.
