European Vacation (1985)

Director:

Amy Heckerling

Writers:

John Hughes (screenplay)
John Hughes (story)
(more)

Release Date:

26 July 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

For over two thousand years, Europe has survived many great disasters. Now for the real test. Chevy Chase & his family are coming from America!

Plot:

The Griswalds win a vacation tour across Europe where the usual havoc ensues.

Plot Keywords:

Germany | Italy | Vacation | Stonehenge | Tourist

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Ellen Griswold
Dana Hill	...	Audrey Griswold
Jason Lively	...	Rusty Griswold
John Astin	...	Pig in a Poke Host - Kent
Sheila Kennedy	...	Game Show Hostess #1
Paul Bartel	...	Mr. Froeger
Cynthia Szigeti	...	Mrs. Froeger
Malcolm Danare	...	The Froeger's Son
Kevi Kendall	...	The Froeger's Daughter
Tricia Lange	...	Game Show Hostess #2
William Zabka	...	Jack
Wendy Goldman	...	Stewardess
Angus MacKay	...	Announcer at Court
Julie Wooldridge	...	Princess Di
Peter Hugo	...	Prince Charles
Jeannette Charles	...	Queen Elizabeth
Derek Deadman	...	Taxi Driver
Mel Smith	...	Hotel Manager
Gwen Nelson	...	Hotel Manager's Mother
Robbie Coltrane	...	Man in the Bathroom
Maureen Lipman	...	Lady in the Bed
Paul McDowell	...	First English Motorist
Ballard Berkeley	...	Second English Motorist
Eric Idle	...	The Bike Rider
Elizabeth Arlen	...	Mrs. Garland
David Gersh	...	Mr. Garland
Jacques Herlin	...	Hotel Desk Clerk
Jacques Maury	...	Hotel's Assistant Manager
Philippe Sturbelle	...	Cafe Waiter
Alice Sapritch	...	Dowager on the Eiffel Tower
Isa Carol Horio	...	Blond Girl at Eiffel Tower
Isabelle Massaro	...	Brunet Girl at Eiffel Tower
Sylvie Badalati	...	Rusty's French Girl
Didier Pain	...	Video Camera Thief
Willy Millowitsch	...	Fritz Spritz (as William Millowitsch)
Erika Wackernagel	...	Helga Spritz (as Erica Wackernagel)
Claudia Neidig	...	Rusty's German Girl
Victor Lanoux	...	The Thief
Massimo Sarchielli	...	The Other Thief
Jorge Krimer	...	Unfortunate Express Agent
Moon Unit Zappa	...	Rusty's California Girl (as Moon Zappa)
Gloria Charles	...	Stewardess
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ennio Antonelli	...	Applauder (uncredited)
Salvatore Billa	...	Policeman (uncredited)
Bruno Di Luia	...	Beret'ed Man in City Square (uncredited)
Gary Owens	...	'Pig in a Poke' Announcer (uncredited)

Directed by
Amy Heckerling

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Hughes		screenplay
John Hughes		story
Robert Klane		screenplay

Produced by
Stuart Cornfeld	....	co-producer
Matty Simmons	....	producer

Original Music by
Charles Fox

Cinematography by
Robert Paynter		(director of photography) (as Bob Paynter)

Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring

Casting by
Marion Dougherty

Production Design by
Robert Cartwright		(as Bob Cartwright)

Art Direction by
Alan Tomkins
Leslie Tomkins

Set Decoration by
Simon Wakefield

Costume Design by
Graham Williams

Makeup Department
Nick Forder	....	makeup artist
Christine George	....	hair stylist: USA
Daphne Martin	....	hair stylist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist: USA

Production Management
Pino Butti	....	production manager
Franco Coduti	....	production manager: Italy
Edward K. Dodds	....	production manager: USA
William Lang	....	production manager
Dieter Meyer	....	production supervisor
Daniel Szuster	....	production manager: France

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gianni Cozzo	....	first assistant director: Italy
Remo De Angelis	....	second assistant director: Italy
Don French	....	first assistant director
Ian Higginbotham	....	second assistant director
Aldric La'auli Porter	....	second assistant director: USA
Chris Soldo	....	first assistant director: USA
Stefan Zürcher	....	assistant director: second unit (as Stefan Zuercher)

Art Department
Bénédict Beauce	....	art director: France
Dennis Fruin	....	property master
Anthony Mondell	....	set decorator: USA
Stefano Maria Ortolani	....	art director: Italy
Reg Richards	....	construction captain
Adrian Start	....	chargehand painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Wayne Artman	....	sound re-recordist
Tom Beckert	....	sound re-recordist
Tom E. Dahl	....	sound re-recordist
Gordon Daniel	....	sound editing supervisor
Tony Dawe	....	production sound mixer
Tony Dawe	....	sound
Nicholas Eliopoulos	....	sound editor
Greg Orllow	....	sound editor
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (uncredited)
Greg Dillon	....	sound editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Richard Richtsfeld	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Hoyt Yeatman	....	special visual effects: DQI (uncredited)

Stunts
Ottaviano Dell'Acqua	....	stunts
Chuck Waters	....	stunt advisor
Jacqueline Freda	....	stunt double (uncredited)
Stefano Maria Mioni	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Bremner	....	gaffer
Tom Brown	....	best boy gaffer
Mark Carolin	....	clapman
Colin Davidson	....	assistant camera
Victor J. Kemper	....	director of photography: USA
Stephen Morley	....	still photographer
John Payne	....	key grip
Peter Rome	....	camera operator: second unit
Bob Smith	....	camera operator

Animation Department
Sam Kirson	....	animator: "Pig in a Poke" animation

Casting Department
Patsy Pollock	....	casting advisor

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Rita Wakely	....	wardrober

Editorial Department
Dennie Chikte	....	assistant editor: USA
Mark Gill	....	assistant editor
Russ Woolnough	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Gillian Lynne	....	musical numbers
Tom Villano	....	music editor
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Jean-Yves Asselin	....	set manager: France
Julie Barnes	....	production secretary
Jean-Jacques Damiani	....	location manager: France
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Carrie Frazier	....	assistant: Mrs. Heckering
Pauline Granby	....	assistant accountant
Regina Gruss	....	publicist
Lilian Havlickova	....	continuity: second unit
Mario Pisani	....	production secretary: Italy
Stewart Richards	....	location manager: second unit
Ilse Schwarzwald	....	production coordinator
Heidi Stroh	....	script supervisor
Arthur Tarry	....	production accountant
Tom Lackey	....	location scout (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros.

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Bros. (1985) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1986) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1987) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (2000) (2007) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2010) (Germany) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1986) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1993) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• Duck Soup Studios  "Pig in a Poke" animation (as Duck Soup Produckions)
• Lee Lighting  grip and lighting equipment
• Modern Film Effects  titles

Also Known As:

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian | German | French

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Chile:14 | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 (re-rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Iceland:L | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | USA:R (rating later appealed) | Finland:K-7 (2006) | Finland:K-8 (1986) | Netherlands:6 | Portugal:M/12

Filming Locations:

Bressanone, Bolzano, Trentino - Alto Adige, Italy

Company:

Warner Bros.

Trivia:

The opening title sequence showing the character's passports was Chevy Chase's idea. He insisted his name be first in case the movie did well.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Obvious stunt doubles for the chase scene, both of Clark chasing after the bad guys on the bicycle and in the car, and also of the bad guys in their vehicle.

Quotes:

[In England]
Ellen Griswold:Clark, you're driving on the wrong side of the road!
Clark Griswold:I realize that honey. I'm also on the wrong side of the car.

Movie Connections:

Spoofs The Meaning of Life (1983)

Soundtrack:

New Looks

pretty good

even though it's not as good as the first,and 3rd it's still pretty good. it's also a bit better than the 4th one. there are some laughs in this movie,and it's entertaining. after this one the series started not to make sense. even though the 3rd vacation is better it has the kids younger,which makes no sense. all in all european vacation is not as bad as people say. i give this movie **1/2 out of ****