American Pie Presents: Beta House
Encyclopedia
American Pie Presents: Beta House is a 2007 American teen
Teen film
Teen films is a film genre targeted at teenagers and young adults in which the plot is based upon the special interests of teenagers, such as coming of age, first love, rebellion, conflict with parents, teen angst, and alienation...

 comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...

 released by Universal Pictures
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....

. It is the third spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...

 to the American Pie film series and a sequel to the second spin-off, American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006). John White
John White (actor)
John Michael White is a Canadian film, television and commercial actor. He began acting during the mid-1990s, appearing on the television series' Goosebumps where he acted on the second goosebumps episode The haunted mask 2 He potrayed the character, Steve. and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes,...

 stars as Erik Stifler, a college freshman who pledges the Beta House fraternity lead by his cousin, Dwight Stifler (Steve Talley
Steve Talley
Steve Talley is an American actor who played Dwight Stifler in later films of the American Pie film series.-Career:...

). Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...

 co-stars as Erik's father, Harry, and Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...

 plays Beta House alumni, Noah Levenstein.

Universal commissioned the film after positive commercial reaction to The Naked Mile. The writer, producer and four of the five principal cast members of the preceding film returned. Filming took place for "seven, eight weeks" from June 4, 2007 in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, with sets constructed at Pinewood Toronto Studios.

American Pie Presents: Beta House was released direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...

 internationally on December 10, 2007 and in the United States on December 26, 2007. The film was a moderate financial success, generating US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....

18.55 million in United States sales. While largely overlooked by critics, it garnered generally negative reviews.

Plot

The newly single Erik Stifler (John White
John White (actor)
John Michael White is a Canadian film, television and commercial actor. He began acting during the mid-1990s, appearing on the television series' Goosebumps where he acted on the second goosebumps episode The haunted mask 2 He potrayed the character, Steve. and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes,...

) is encouraged by his father, Harry (Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...

), to "crush some ass." Erik and his friend Mike "Cooze" Coozeman (Jake Siegel
Jake Siegel
Jake Siegel is an American actor best known for playing the role of Mike "Cooze" Coozemen in both American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile and American Pie Presents: Beta House.-Early life and education:...

) arrive at college, where Erik meets Ashley (Meghan Heffern
Meghan Heffern
Meghan Heffern is a Canadian actress. She was born in Edmonton, Alberta and currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.-Television:* Flight 93 as Nicole Miller* Whistler as Britt...

) in the coed bathrooms and fellow college freshman, his roommate Bobby (Nic Nac). Erik's cousin, Dwight Stifler (Steve Talley
Steve Talley
Steve Talley is an American actor who played Dwight Stifler in later films of the American Pie film series.-Career:...

), invite Erik, Cooze and Bobby to a Beta House party. The trio learn about how they can gain eligibility to pledge the fraternity and meet Wesley (Jonathan Keltz
Jonathan Keltz
Jonathan Lippert Keltz is an American television and film actor known for his work as Jake Steinberg in the HBO television series Entourage in 2009-10, and his work in the recent Disney film Prom.-Background:...

). Alongside two other pledges, the trio then complete 50 tasks to pledge the Beta House fraternity, including getting their asses signed by a stripper, having sex with a professor, marrying a male friend in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, and placing a live ostrich in the Geek fraternity house.

After they complete their final task, stealing something from the Geek house, the Geek's president, Edgar (Tyrone Savage
Tyrone Savage
Tyrone Savage is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. Television credits include Wind at My Back, Instant Star, Dresden Files and Goosebumps. Film credits include American Pie Presents: Beta House. Recent theatre credits include The Zoo Story by Edward Albee and Romeo and...

), challenges the Betas to the Greek Olympiad. Beta House alumni Noah Levinstein (Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...

) returns to campus to officiate that contest. The first competition is won by Beta House as Dwight and Edgar compete by removing girls' bras. Beta House loses next two competitions: a light saber duel and catching a greased pig. After learning that Edgar previously had sex with a sheep, the Betas use Edgar's wool fetish against him in the final challenge, ultimately costing him and his house the tournament.

The Betas host a toga party, where Cooze, much to his relief, finally sleeps with Denise and all suspicions of her being a man are gone. The following morning, Wesley wakes up finally believing that his curse as the blackout menace is over, only to be confronted by the former Geek House bodybuilder formerly of the Geek house. In a post-credits scene
Post-credits scene
A post-credits scene is a short clip that appears after some or all of the closing credits of a film have run...

, Edgar instructs a stripper at Silver Dollar to dance with the headpiece of the sheep costume.

Cast

  • John White
    John White (actor)
    John Michael White is a Canadian film, television and commercial actor. He began acting during the mid-1990s, appearing on the television series' Goosebumps where he acted on the second goosebumps episode The haunted mask 2 He potrayed the character, Steve. and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes,...

     as Erik Stifler, a freshman pledging the Beta House
  • Steve Talley
    Steve Talley
    Steve Talley is an American actor who played Dwight Stifler in later films of the American Pie film series.-Career:...

     as Dwight Stifler, the pledge master and leader of the Beta House
  • Christopher McDonald
    Christopher McDonald
    Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...

     as Harry Stifler, Erik's father
  • Eugene Levy
    Eugene Levy
    Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...

     as Noah Levenstein, Beta House alumni and the officiator of the Greek Olympiad
  • Meghan Heffern
    Meghan Heffern
    Meghan Heffern is a Canadian actress. She was born in Edmonton, Alberta and currently resides in Toronto, Ontario.-Television:* Flight 93 as Nicole Miller* Whistler as Britt...

     as Ashley, Erik's love interest
  • Jake Siegel
    Jake Siegel
    Jake Siegel is an American actor best known for playing the role of Mike "Cooze" Coozemen in both American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile and American Pie Presents: Beta House.-Early life and education:...

     as Mike "Cooze" Coozeman, Erik's friend and a freshman pledging the Beta House alongside Erik and Bobby
  • Nic Nac as Bobby, Erik's roommate and a freshman pledging the Beta House alongside Erik and Cooze
  • Tyrone Savage
    Tyrone Savage
    Tyrone Savage is a Canadian theatre, film and television actor. Television credits include Wind at My Back, Instant Star, Dresden Files and Goosebumps. Film credits include American Pie Presents: Beta House. Recent theatre credits include The Zoo Story by Edward Albee and Romeo and...

     as Edgar, leader of the Geek House
  • Jonathan Keltz
    Jonathan Keltz
    Jonathan Lippert Keltz is an American television and film actor known for his work as Jake Steinberg in the HBO television series Entourage in 2009-10, and his work in the recent Disney film Prom.-Background:...

     as Wesley, a member and the rush chair of the Beta House
  • Bradford Anderson
    Bradford Anderson
    Bradford William Anderson is an American actor best known for his role as the young hacker criminal Damian Millhouse Spinelli Bradford William Anderson (born September 21, 1979) is an American actor best known for his role as the young hacker criminal Damian Millhouse Spinelli Bradford William...

     as Jake Parker, a member of the Geek House

Production

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile, the second spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...

 to the American Pie film series, was a commercial success, and Universal Pictures
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....

 prepared for a sequel. The Naked Miles writer, Erik Lindsay, pitched the film by saying "Look, we're not going to top Animal House of course, but it's been 25 years. I was in a fraternity for six years. Let's just make a straight pledging movie." Universal gave Lindsay the green light to write Beta House, and also hired Andrew Waller and The Naked Miles producer, W. K. Border, as the film's director and producer, respectively. The film's executive producers were Craig Perry and Warren Zide.

The film's screenplay was based on characters by Adam Herz
Adam Herz
Adam Herz is an American screenwriter and producer. He founded the production company Terra Firma Films in 2003 with a first-look deal at Universal Studios....

, and on aspects of writer Lindsay's own life. Lindsay felt that Universal being unworried to make the film similar to Animal House provided "more opportunities to keep the story organic," which he found the challenge of writing a sequel.

The film features the same principal cast as The Naked Mile, minus Jessy Schram
Jessy Schram
Jessica "Jessy" Schram is an American actress who starred in several TV series including Veronica Mars, Life and Falling Skies.- Life and career :...

. John White
John White (actor)
John Michael White is a Canadian film, television and commercial actor. He began acting during the mid-1990s, appearing on the television series' Goosebumps where he acted on the second goosebumps episode The haunted mask 2 He potrayed the character, Steve. and The Adventures of Shirley Holmes,...

, Steve Talley
Steve Talley
Steve Talley is an American actor who played Dwight Stifler in later films of the American Pie film series.-Career:...

, Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald
Christopher McDonald is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Shooter McGavin in Happy Gilmore, Tappy Tibbons in Requiem for a Dream, and Mel Allen in the HBO film 61*.-Personal life:...

 and Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy
Eugene Levy, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, television director, producer, musician, and writer. He is known for his work in Canadian television series, American movies, and television movies. He is the only actor to have appeared in all eight of the American Pie films, as Noah Levenstein...

 reprised their roles from the previous film, with Levy returning to play Noah Levenstein for the sixth time in the series. Craig Kornblau, the president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment, said "we think he [Levy] is crucial to this franchise because his character represents the heart of the movie." Jake Siegel
Jake Siegel
Jake Siegel is an American actor best known for playing the role of Mike "Cooze" Coozemen in both American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile and American Pie Presents: Beta House.-Early life and education:...

, Jaclyn A. Smith
Jaclyn A. Smith
Jaclyn A. Smith is a Canadian actress from Toronto, Ontario. She has worked in television, film and theater. She has appeared as a guest-star on the hit sci-fi television series Eureka and most recently returned to the big screen as Jill alongside actor Eugene Levy in the latest entry of the...

, Dan Petronijevic
Dan Petronijevic
Daniel Petronijevic is a Canadian actor, who performed the role Thad Guerwitcz on ESPN's football series Playmakers and is also the voice actor of Geoff in Total Drama Island, Total Drama Action, and Total Drama World Tour, a role which he had to sing for, and even got an entire solo song. He...

 and Jordan Prentice
Jordan Prentice
Jordan Prentice is a Canadian dwarf actor. He is known for his portrayal of Rock in American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile and Jimmy in the Oscar-nominated In Bruges. He was also one of the actors to play Howard the Duck...

 also reprised their roles.

Principal photography began on June 4, 2007 and lasted about "seven, eight weeks." Neo Art & Logic
Neo Art & Logic
Neo Art & Logic is a Los Angeles-based film and television production company. Founded by producers Joel Soisson, W.K. Border and Michael Leahy, the company has an ongoing relationship with Miramax and Dimension Films.-Neo Art & Logic films:...

, Rogue Pictures and Universal Pictures produced the film on a budget of less than $10 million. The film was Waller's second full-length film; his first was the television film Taking Five
Taking Five
Taking Five is a 2007 movie about two high school girls who kidnap a pop rock band. It premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on Saturday, April 28, 2007. The movie was filmed at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper, Utah and at Hillcrest High School in Midvale, Utah...

 (2007). Pinewood Toronto Studios were used for filming, namely for interior shots of the Beta House. Some scenes were shot at the Brass Rail strip club in Toronto.

The film was intended to be the center of a trilogy beginning with The Naked Mile, with talks for a concluding sequel. However, the film has not yet materalised.

Release and reception

American Pie Presents: Beta House was released direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...

 internationally on December 10, 2007 and in the United States on December 26, 2007. It was rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...

, due to "pervasive strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, language and excessive drinking," and was marketed with the tagline
Tagline
A tagline is a variant of a branding slogan typically used in marketing materials and advertising. The idea behind the concept is to create a memorable phrase that will sum up the tone and premise of a brand or product , or to reinforce the audience's memory of a product...

 "the most outrageous slice of pie!" The film was released in two single-disc DVD editions. The R-rated edition included no special features, while the unrated edition included a commentary track, behind-the-scenes clips, deleted scenes and storylines, a fake public service announcement, featurettes, outtakes, a mock in-character interview with Noah Levenstein, music videos by God Made Me Funky
God Made Me Funky
God Made Me Funky is a Toronto-based funk group. The group started in 1996 as an "instrumental funk fusion experiment" and developed a popular following in the Toronto music scene.-Awards and nominations:...

, and a 30 Rock
30 Rock
30 Rock is an American television comedy series created by Tina Fey that airs on NBC. The series is loosely based on Fey's experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live...

 episode. Through its first four weeks the DVD sold over 534,000 copies in the United States, generating $12.25 million in sales. Universal Pictures
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....

 expected to sell more than a million units; sales have since totaled over 897,000 units in the United States, with $18.55 million in revenue.

While largely overlooked by critics, the film has garnered generally negative reviews. LaRue Cook of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...

 graded the film with a "D" and wrote, "what was once a fresh slice of teen comedy has become a slab of stale crudeness." Scott Weinberg of Moviefone
Moviefone
Moviefone is an American-based movie listing and information service. Moviegoers can obtain local showtimes, theatre information, film reviews, or advance tickets...

, in his negative review, found the film "slightly more amusing to sit through than the two previous entries", in particular praising the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...

 sexual roleplay scene as "extremely effective." DVD Talk
DVD Talk
DVD Talk is a website for DVD enthusiasts founded in January 1999 by Geoffrey Kleinman when DVDs and DVD players were first beginning to hit the market.The site started as an online forum, an email newsletter, and a page of DVD news and reviews...

's Jeffrey Robinson writes that "if anything, it will bore you and leave you wondering why you wasted an hour and a half of your life." Writing in JoBlo.com
JoBlo.com
JoBlo.com is a website primarily focused on the film industry.JoBlo.com was started in 1998 by Berge Garabedian , a movie reviewer who is known for critiquing movies from the perspective of an average movie-goer. The website's name is, in fact, a play on the term Joe Shmoe, and registered users of...

, Adam Quigley poked fun at the film's themes, declaring that "if there's a lesson to be taken from these films, it's that women are objects, and should always be treated as such". However, not all reviews were negative. IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

s Hock Teh gave the film 5/10, writing that it "stays very close to the American Pie formula," while criticizing the story as "devoid of anything remotely semi-compelling or even noteworthy." Peter Hammond of Maxim
Maxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....

describes American Pie Presents: Beta House as "loaded with sex, laughs and raunchy fun," writing that it "may be the most outrageous slice of pie yet!"

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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