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

Videos (see all 2 NEW)
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   9,035 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 14% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Howard Deutch
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:
Comedy more
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:
(7 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:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Eastmancolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby
Filming Locations:
Bass Lake, California, USA more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The scene where Chet and Roman are trying to catch the Bat, The Bat lands on Chet's face and Roman (Dan Aykroyd) hits it with his broom weapon, the bat falls on the floor and Roman screams out: "We got it, We got it." Dan Aykroyd uses that same line in Ghost Busters (1984) after catching the Slimer in the Hotel. He comes out with the trap screaming: "We got it, We got it". more
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Roman is about to get in his car at the end of the movie, it is already running, yet when he closes the door, the car is heard starting off-screen. more
Quotes:
Chet: Sixty-six times? That's gotta hurt. more
Movie Connections:
References The Exorcist (1973) more
Soundtrack:
Hip Hug Her 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
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
voice of the guy that does the trailer? wonderfall
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