IMDb > The Great Outdoors (1988)
The Great Outdoors
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The Great Outdoors (1988) More at IMDbPro »

Videos (see all 2)
The Great Outdoors (1988) -- A Chicago man's hope for a peaceful family vacation in the woods is shattered when the annoying in-laws drop in.
The Great Outdoors (1988) -- Trailerfan.com - Trailer (Flash)

Overview

User Rating:
6.0/10   9,061 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 80% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writer (WGA):
John Hughes (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Great Outdoors on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 June 1988 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
This holiday's no picnic. more
Plot:
A Chicago man's hope for a peaceful family vacation in the woods is shattered when the annoying in-laws drop in. full summary | add synopsis
NewsDesk:
(8 articles)
Reject Radio – Episode 13: Still? Lucy Lawless?
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 10 August 2009, 9:54 AM, PDT)

John Hughes, An Appreciation
 (From PopStar. 7 August 2009)

User Comments:
A limp 10 for poor Candy more (64 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Dan Aykroyd ... Roman Craig

John Candy ... Chet Ripley
Stephanie Faracy ... Connie Ripley

Annette Bening ... Kate Craig

Chris Young ... Buck Ripley
Ian Giatti ... Ben Ripley
Hilary Gordon ... Cara Craig
Rebecca Gordon ... Mara Craig
Robert Prosky ... Wally
Zoaunne LeRoy ... Juanita
Lucy Deakins ... Cammie

Nancy Lenehan ... Waitress
John Bloom ... Jimbo
Lewis Arquette ... Herm
Britt Leach ... Reg
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Big Country (USA) (working title)
more
Runtime:
91 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The lakeside restaurant used in this movie was Ducey's Bar and Grill in Bass Lake, California, which burned to the ground shortly after filming due to a gas fire. The rebuilt restaurant today has posters and memorabilia from the film hanging on its walls as a reminder of the old restaurant. more
Goofs:
Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): When Chet is throwing up, Roman (Dan Aykroyd) can be seen giving a cue for the other actors in the scene to run away. more
Quotes:
Wally: [the Chesters are great by a snarling, barking dog that's been attacked by a porcupine upon check in at the cabin] Don't mind Wormer folks, she hates people.
[Dog still barking and snarling]
Wally: Wormer, shut the frig up! What can I do ya for?
Buck Ripley: What happened to that dog's, uh, dog's face?
Wally: Porcupine quills. Hates people, loves porcupines. She's in heat too. Too bad you're not a dog. What can I do ya for?
more
Movie Connections:
References The Exorcist (1973) more
Soundtrack:
Cabin Fever more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
A limp 10 for poor Candy, 28 October 2000
Author: t_brown_17 (t_brown_17@yahoo.com) from Wapakoneta, Ohio

John Candy was his funniest playing the sweet simpleton type who always found a way to humiliate himself. Akroyd was only funny when he did the cocky, suave, self-sufficient type who always found a way to humiliate others. Now when these two are cast in their ideal roles for a comedy and the thing isn't funny at all, ya' know that there's something wrong. Seriously wrong. Just like in SUMMER RENTAL, John Candy is wasted amidst a trifle of a movie. He was just one of those performers, too, that never got blamed for his movies being so bad. We as an audience always felt sorry for the guy when we saw him in an awful movie. I think here, though, he may have been at fault just as all the others. But not as much. The directing certainly didn't help. I won't rate this film on a general scale, for I don't want to sound too cruel. So I'll rate it on a scale of one to ten in terms of limpness. A 10! A perfect 10!

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Great Outdoors (1988)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Classic. mjr8-1
Why'd they stick a teenage love story between the lines? wizzaroot
ol' 96er foshobro
Could you have seen John Belushi play the role of Chet? Kelski1974
Brother In Law???? njs76655
about Roman's confession (spoiler) jockc
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