As somebody who frequents his local drive-in theater on a regular basis, I’m a strong advocate for the double feature. For nine dollars, there’s nothing better than watching two completely different films that occasionally share an unintended thematic overlap.
My first drive-in experience was a back-to-back screening of War of the Worlds and Alien vs. Predator, two movies about extraterrestrial attacks and humanity’s fate hanging in the balance. At home, I like lining up titles for a similar effect, with my favorite unintended pairing starting with 1994’s PCU and ending with 2003’s Old School.
A Tale Of Two Pivens
Jeremy Piven as Pritchard in Old School (2003)
Both raunchy college comedies about campus life, PCU and Old School work perfectly as a double feature, not just because of their shared themes but also because of their casting choices.
The former stars Jeremy Piven as Droz, the chaotic cutup who rules the campus and drives the administration crazy with his raucous crew known as “The Pit.” In Old School, the tables turn, and Piven becomes the villain as Dean Gordon Pritchard, affectionately known by his rivals as “Cheese.”
Jeremy Piven as Droz in PCU
Watching both films through this lens makes the experience 10 times more enjoyable because it’s the role reversal you didn’t know you needed.
Jeremy Piven In PCU Is A Dean’s Worst Nightmare
Droz taking no guff from Rand McPherson (David Spade) in PCU (1994)
Centered around Greek life and campus chaos, PCU is a crash course in college conduct under the guidance of Droz, the leader of “The Pit.” He has no qualms about throwing raw meat at vegans, aggressively flirting with feminists, stealing copious amounts of alcohol from the board of trustees, and throwing a house party with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic just to infuriate his arch-rival, Rand McPherson (David Spade).
A true cutup, seven-year senior, and legend in his own right, Droz steals every scene in PCU because his only goal is dismantling the very system that lets him get away with everything until they’ve finally had enough. The irony is that the actor behind him, Jeremy Piven, would get a taste of his own medicine a decade later in Old School.
Dean Gordon “Cheese” Pritchard In Old School
Dean Gordon “Cheese” Pritchard in Old School (2003)
Our first glimpse of Dean Gordon Pritchard in Old School is a far cry from Piven’s previous persona, and that contrast is what makes this double feature hit so hard. When Vince Vaughn’s Bernard asks, “Didn’t we lock you in a dumpster one time?” Pritchard dryly replies, “I got out.”
It’s a perfect bit of karmic symmetry. Once a campus menace, he’s now the uptight dean trying to shut down the next generation of party animals.
Luke Wilson’s Mitch, post one-night-stand in Old School (2003)
Now on the receiving end of Mitch (Luke Wilson), Frank (Will Ferrell), and Bernard’s abuse, Dean Pritchard becomes the target of the same energy he once embodied. He uses bureaucratic red tape to take them down, but the group’s surprising knack for paperwork only fuels his frustration. As they throw KY wrestling matches, haze each other senseless, and build a frat from scratch despite not actually being students, Gordon’s authority crumbles.
The Perfect Role Reversal
While PCU and Old School each stand on their own as solid college comedies, pairing them together creates a strangely satisfying arc. It’s like watching the torch get passed from youthful rebellion to adult regression, showing what happens when the same kind of carelessness spills into adulthood.
With Jeremy Piven’s role reversal bridging both worlds, the connection becomes even funnier. He’s gone from campus anarchist to humorless disciplinarian without realizing he’s become everything Droz once mocked.
How we all look at Jeremy Piven for turning into everything Droz hated in Old School
As of this writing, PCU is available for on-demand purchase, and Old School can be streamed on Paramount+.