Bill Murray headlines 40th-anniversary screening of ‘Stripes’

Above : The comedy “Stripes” will celebrate its 40th anniversary with screenings on Sunday and the following Thursday. (Photo/Columbia Pictures)

Time was, Bill Murray was known as just another member of the “Saturday Night Live” cast. A talented member, sure, but then those early years boasted a wealth of talent .

It wasn’t until Murray started making movies that he gradually became the character actor, the phenomenon, that we know today – comedies such as “Meatballs,” “Caddyshack” and “Stripes.”

Murray fans all have their favorites among his movies, and “Caddyshack” ranks near the top – as do, in a far different vein, his more dramatic turns such as “Lost in Translation” or Michael Almereyda’s “Hamlet.”

“Stripes” is in the mix somewhere. Released in 1981, directed by Ivan Reitman and written by a team that included Harold Ramis, “Stripes” is enjoying its 40th-anniversay release . And the Regal Cinemas theaters at Northtown Mall and Coeur d’Alene’s Riverstone Stadium will be among those screening it.

Showings will occur at 3 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, 7 p.m. only the following Thursday (Sept. 2).

Just in case you’ve never seen “Stripes,” at least in a theater, here are some critical comments:

Gene Siskel , Chicago Tribune: “Murray is completely democratic in this film: He taunts the strong and the weak alike.”

Roger Eber t, Chicago Sun-Times: “An anarchic slob movie, a celebration of all that is irreverent, reckless, foolhardy, undisciplined, and occasionally scatological. It’s a lot of fun.”

Finally, this from Janet Maslin of the New York Times, in the perfectly muted phraseology that used to be an NYT tradition: “Mr. Murray hasn’t yet reached the point at which his routines can be sustained for more than 10 minutes at a time. But he has achieved a sardonically exaggerated calm that can be very entertaining.”

As a contrast to Maslin, I’ll add this: Be careful. Not every joke in “Stripes” works. But those that do just might make you bust a gut.