a_chinn I'll say up front that this film is really more of a 2 1/2 -star comedy, but it gets an extra half star for pure 1980s nostalgia. In a classic Slobs vs. Snobs comedy set up, with perennial college students Tim Matheson and Stephen Furst and a couple other buddies facing off against other snooty teams (ugh, preppies!) in an intercollegiate rafting race, while also wooing pretty all girl teams, but mostly Jennifer Runyon. Overall, there are a lot better of slobs vs snobs films (i.e. "Animal House," "Revenge of the Nerds," "Caddyshack," or even "DC Cab"), but "Up the Creek" isn't all that bad.

BobbyT24 Early-1980s T&A humor at it's best (or worst).Okay, this is one of my guilty pleasures. This is definitely NOT deserving of my ranking of 9 out of 10 in the grand scheme of things. This is stupid, moronic, stereotypical, razor-thin plot,... basically every negative the actual movie critics use to crucify this movie is correct. The difference --- I LOVE IT!!! There are times in life where you just gotta throw out all the proper movie rules and just live vicariously through silly, dopey characters on-screen. The characters are funny, the settings are beautiful, the women are lovely, the dog is smarter than his masters... I could go on. There is no reasoning other than to say this movie always makes me feel good when I watch it. That's all I ask of this silliness.The story of four college dimwits blackmailed into representing the worst university in the America in a collegiate raft race against Ivy Academy, the Military Institute, etc... Basically, tiny David against the bleach-blonde, well-funded and egotistical Goliaths of the early-1980s. The poster when it came out called this "Animal House on the river". They aren't far off. They even employed two "Animal House" alums - Tim Matheson and Stephen Furth (Otter and Flounder). It's a raunchy, silly comedy where the raft race takes the background to the drinking, partying, and girl-chasing so prevalent in this generation of college party movies.I used to recommend this movie to college guys back in the late-80s/early-90s at the video store knowing they'd be drinking and laughing through the entire thing. This movie was designed for people who were not using their brain cells. It's just a fun movie with very little plot to follow. Grab your beer, sit back, and let loose. If you're watching this movie for any other reason than listed above, you'll be disappointed. VERY similar to "Strange Brew" and their awesome followers. It's a blast!! I bought this movie a few years ago on DVD when I found out it was available. Thank goodness since I'd already worn out two VHS copies over the years. Now, it has JUST been released on BluRay. I'm waiting for my copy in the mail. I do understand there is a new retrospective on the BluRay with some of the cast and casting director. That alone is worth the price. If you love silly, stupid, early-80s T&A films with zero plot and just a fun ride, this is one of the best of that generation.As a "real" movie, this can't rank more than a 3 or 4 (maybe a 5 simply because of the well-known cast). But as one of my favorite movies of all-time (no kidding!), I'd rank this a 9 out of 10. Now if Chuck the Dog SPOKE his lines instead of using charades, we'd be talking a 10 out of 10. I mean a line has to be drawn somewhere. :-)

skullislandsurferdotcom A year following this frolicking party film, Tim Matheson would ask Chevy Chase to kill him in FLETCH. Chase was supposed to play the role of OTTER in ANIMAL HOUSE (before John Landis objected, not wanting his film to be a SNL skit), a role that made Matheson, a former child actor who was growing into various filler roles (like MAGNUM FORCE), famous. In FLETCH, Matheson is in his forties, a dapper businessman. Here he's a college student, and actually looks much younger than in FLETCH but way too old to be a student. He's one of four slackers stuck in a purgatory college sent on a river rafting race, a win garnering them not only free degrees but a chance to defeat the bad guys: a quartet of perfect looking blonde dudes.Here we have a wacky adventure that spends the first half partying on land and the second half partying downstream. It's splendidly vapid entertainment from start to finish, providing terrific action shots along the roaring rapids. Stephen Furst, another ANIMAL HOUSE alumni, flounders as a fat guy who likes to eat. Dan Monahan ("Pee Wee" of PORKY'S fame) is included but adds little more than a smiling face to the mindless goings-ons throughout. And Jennifer Runyan is fitfully pouty and pretty as Matheson's conquest.

MAJORIC Salacious white water raft race. Actually, it's a watered-down toga party. (Pun intended) Tim Matherson's presence is highly suspect. Good Fun for the time being. Highlights: the charade sequence near the film's silly denouement. You gonna love the frisky dog. Most imaginative use of explosives in a sophomore movie and most unbelievable bad guy's foul up I have ever seen. Otherwise, keep your brain in a jar and enjoy it. Is anybody ready to start a signature campaign to get this nice doggy err... movie onto DVD? Count me in. Hope MGM ever makes up its mind onto this. Time is running out. Cybercaf'e clock running. gggg