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theory

Thornton Melon's College: A Secret Society Hotbed?

Okay, so I was rewatching Back to School last night – yeah, I know, it's not exactly Blade Runner levels of sci-fi, but hear me out! – and I started thinking. Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield!) enters this super WASPy, traditional college like a freakin' meteor. Right? He’s all loud suits and hiring Kurt Vonnegut for English class. But what if his presence wasn't just random chaos? What if Grand Lakes University, for all its preppy veneer, was actually hiding something much deeper... a secret society? Think about it. The Dean pulls serious strings to keep Melon in (despite the cheating! The illegal dorm party!). He seems almost relieved to have him stir things up. Maybe the college (or a faction within it) needed someone like Thornton to shake things up, to expose some hidden corruption or challenge the old guard. Like, that whole diving competition scene? Total distraction maneuver, right? Maybe Thornton was unknowingly being manipulated, his antics used as cover for something else entirely going on behind the scenes with the professors and stuff. I know, it sounds crazy, but wouldn't it be wild if the reason he ends up winning the graduation spech (despite not graduating) is because he's really on to something? Like, think about the 'trickle-down economics' rant - it's pretty deep for a comedy, right? What if it's coded? What if it's the key? I'm just sayin', rewatch it with this conspiracy in mind, and tell me it doesn't add a whole new layer of intrigue to this totally underrated 80's classic. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but world-building is my jam and you can find patterns EVERYWHERE!!

kevinmovies
4 months ago
5 comments
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