Christmas Vacation (1989)

Director:

Jeremiah S. Chechik

Writer (WGA):

John Hughes (written by)

Release Date:

1 December 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Yule crack up!

Plot:

The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Christmas Bonus | Boss | Neighbor | Incest Joke

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Ellen Griswold
Juliette Lewis	...	Audrey Griswold
Johnny Galecki	...	Russell 'Rusty' Griswold
John Randolph	...	Clark Wilhelm Griswold, Sr.
Diane Ladd	...	Nora Griswold
E.G. Marshall	...	Art Smith
Doris Roberts	...	Frances Smith
Randy Quaid	...	Cousin Eddie Johnson
Miriam Flynn	...	Cousin Catherine Johnson
Cody Burger	...	Cousin Rocky Johnson
Ellen Hamilton Latzen	...	Cousin Ruby Sue Johnson
William Hickey	...	Uncle Lewis
Mae Questel	...	Aunt Bethany
Sam McMurray	...	Bill
Nicholas Guest	...	Todd Chester
Julia Louis-Dreyfus	...	Margo Chester
Nicolette Scorsese	...	Mary
Keith MacKechnie	...	Delivery Boy
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Mr. Frank Shirley
Natalia Nogulich	...	Mrs. Helen Shirley
Tony Epper	...	Bozo #1
Billy Hank Hooker	...	Bozo #2 (as Hank Hooker)
Alexander Folk	...	Swat Officer
Jeremy Roberts	...	Cop
Woody Weaver	...	Cop
Michael Kaufman	...	Young Executive
Doug Llewelyn	...	Macy's Parade Announcer (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Devin Bailey	...	Clark (age 9) (uncredited)
Frank Foti Jr.	...	SWAT Team Sargeant (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeremiah S. Chechik		(as Jeremiah Chechik)

Writing credits (WGA)
John Hughes		(written by)

Produced by
William S. Beasley	....	associate producer
Mauri Syd Gayton	....	associate producer
John Hughes	....	producer
Tom Jacobson	....	producer
Matty Simmons	....	executive producer
Ramey E. Ward	....	associate producer
Daniel Grodnik	....	executive producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Angelo Badalamenti

Cinematography by
Thomas E. Ackerman		(director of photography) (as Thomas Ackerman)

Film Editing by
Gerald B. Greenberg		(as Jerry Greenberg)
Michael A. Stevenson		(as Michael Stevenson)

Casting by
Risa Bramon Garcia		(as Risa Bramon)
Billy Hopkins
Heidi Levitt

Production Design by
Stephen Marsh

Art Direction by
Beala Neel		(as Beala B. Neel)

Set Decoration by
Lisa Fischer

Costume Design by
Michael Kaplan

Makeup Department
Lee Harman	....	makeup artist
Kaye Pownall	....	hair stylist
Stephen Robinette	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
William S. Beasley	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Matt Earl Beesley	....	first assistant director
Frank Capra III	....	second assistant director
Bryan Denegal	....	second second assistant director
Vicki Jackson-Lemay	....	second assistant director: second unit (as Vicki Lemay-Jackson)
Eric Jewett	....	first assistant director: second unit
Charlie Picerni	....	second unit director (as Charles Picerni Sr.)

Art Department
Barbara Adamski	....	property master
Glen Cooper	....	stand-by painter
Kenneth J. Gagnon Sr.	....	construction coordinator (as Kenneth J. Gagnon)
David P. Newell	....	assistant property master (as David Newell)
Neil David Pontecorvo	....	greensman
Richard Dean Rankin	....	construction coordinator (as Richard Rankin)
John Rozman	....	leadperson
Dale Gordon	....	stage foreman (uncredited)
David J. Negron Jr.	....	illustrator (uncredited)
Timothy W. Tiedje	....	property master: Chicago (uncredited)
S. Bruce Wineinger	....	construction coordinator (uncredited)

Sound Department
Greg Agalsoff	....	boom operator (as Gregg Agalsoff)
John Agalsoff Jr.	....	cable person (as John Agalsoff)
James R. Alexander	....	sound mixer (as James Alexander)
George H. Anderson	....	sound editor (as George Anderson)
David Baldwin	....	sound editor
Neal Burger	....	sound editor (as Neal R. Burger)
Joe Gilbert	....	adr editor
Stan Gilbert	....	supervising adr editor
Gary A. Hecker	....	foley artist (as Gary Hecker)
Dan Hegeman	....	sound editor
Doug Hemphill	....	sound re-recording mixer (as D.M. Hemphill)
Chris Jenkins	....	sound re-recording mixer
Larry Kemp	....	supervising sound editor
Lou Kleinman	....	sound editor
Glenn T. Morgan	....	sound editor
Victoria Rose Sampson	....	sound editor (as Vickie Sampson)
Mark Smith	....	sound re-recording mixer
Wylie Stateman	....	supervising sound editor
Edward M. Steidele	....	foley artist (as Edward Steidele)
Mark P. Stoeckinger	....	sound editor (as Mark Stoeckinger)
Karen M. Baker	....	first assistant sound editor (uncredited)
Dino Dimuro	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)
Mark Lanza	....	sound effects editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Allen Hall	....	special effects
Gary L. Karas	....	special effects (as Gary Karas)
Dieter Sturm	....	special effects snow maker: Chicago (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Bill Hansard	....	process projection (as Bill Hansard Sr.)
Justin Klarenbeck	....	special visual effects
David McCullough	....	special visual effects (as Dave McCullough)
D. Kerry Prior	....	special effects artist/storyboards: DQI (uncredited)
Hoyt Yeatman	....	special visual effects: DQI (uncredited)

Stunts
Gregory J. Barnett	....	stunts (as Greg Barnett)
Janet Brady	....	stunts
William H. Burton	....	stunts
Erik Cord	....	stunts (as Eric Cord)
Tim A. Davison	....	stunts (as Tim Davison)
Annie Ellis	....	stunts
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandy Gimpel)
Harold Jones	....	stunts
Steve Kelso	....	stunts
Bill MacIntosh	....	stunts
John Meier	....	stunts (as John C. Meier)
Noon Orsatti	....	stunts
Charlie Picerni	....	stunt coordinator
Steve Picerni	....	stunts
Chad Randall	....	stunts
John Robotham	....	stunts
Philip Romano	....	stunts (as Phil Ramano)
Sammy Thurman	....	stunts
Cheryl Wheeler-Dixon	....	stunts
Scott Wilder	....	stunts
Dick Ziker	....	stunts
Kenny Bates	....	stunts (uncredited)
Leslie Hoffman	....	stunt double: Doris Roberts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mike Amorelli	....	assistant chief lighting technician (as Michael Amorelli)
Craig Asato	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Charles John Bukey	....	best boy grip (as Charles J. Bukey)
Richmond G. Cogswell	....	video assist (as Rich Cogswell)
Eric Engler	....	director of photography: second unit
Kevin Kelly	....	chief lighting technician: second unit
Douglas Knapp	....	camera operator (as Doug Knapp)
David L. Parrish	....	first assistant camera (as David Parrish)
Ron Phillips	....	still photographer
Ted Rhodes	....	key grip
Scott M. Robinson	....	key grip: second unit (as Scott Robinson)
William Silic	....	chief lighting technician (as William M. Silic)
William Silic	....	gaffer (as William M. Silic)
Tama Takahashi	....	first assistant camera: second unit
John Wagner	....	second assistant camera
Kurt Young	....	dolly grip
Kirk Bales	....	assistant camera (uncredited)
Albert Hood	....	electrician (uncredited)
Ron Kunecke	....	musco light operator (uncredited)
Randy Nolen	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bill Kroyer	....	animator: main title animation (uncredited)
Bob Scott	....	animator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Juel Bestrop	....	casting assistant
Franklyn Warren	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mari Grimaud	....	costume supervisor: women
Eddie Marks	....	costume supervisor: men

Editorial Department
Kathryn Camp	....	assistant film editor
Carlyn Montes De Oca	....	assistant film editor
Richard Currie	....	apprentice editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Angelo Badalamenti	....	orchestrator
Andrew Barrett	....	orchestrator (as Andy Barrett)
Jim Harrison	....	music editor
Ron Payne	....	music supervisor
Charles Samek	....	orchestrator
Gary Wasserman	....	assistant music editor
Shirley Walker	....	conductor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dan Marrow	....	transportation coordinator
Gaston Veilleux	....	transportation captain
Robert E. Dingle	....	driver (uncredited)
Robert Bruce Robertson	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Ellen Adolph	....	production accountant
Katherine E. Beyda	....	assistant: Tom Jacobson
Kim Bodner	....	production aide
Lisa Boss	....	production aide
Thomas J. Busch	....	location manager (as Tom Busch)
Chris Ciaffa	....	production aide
Craig Dietrich	....	production aide
Marcia 'Mavis' Girard	....	script supervisor (as Mavis Girard)
Scott E. Hart	....	animal handler (as Scott Hart)
Chris Hilsabeck	....	production aide
Christie Johnston	....	production associate
Eileen Peterson	....	unit publicist
Shirley Randles	....	craft service
Angel Trujillo	....	caterer (as Angel Trujello)
Kirsten Welles	....	assistant: Jeremiah Chechik
Stephen Andrzejewski	....	assistant location manager (uncredited)
Robert C. Decker	....	location manager (uncredited)
Ralph Eggleston	....	title designer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures (presents) (as Warner Bros.)
• Hughes Entertainment (as A Hughes Entertainment Production)

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical) (as Warner Bros. Pictures A Warner Communications Company)
• Warner Bros. (19??) (UK) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1990) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (Finland) (TV)
• Sandrew Metronome Distribution (2003) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2006) (USA) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1995) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Special Effects

• Dream Quest Images (special visual effects) (as Dreamquest Images)
• Sturm's Special Effects International (snow making) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• D. Bassett & Associates  negative cutting (as D. Bassett & Assoc., Inc.)
• Kroyer Films  main title animation
• Pacific Title  end titles and opticals

Also Known As:

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)
National Lampoon's Winter Holiday (UK)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Finland:K-3 (2003) (DVD) | Finland:K-7 (2007) (DVD) (as part of Vacation Collection) | Finland:S (1990) (VHS) | Netherlands:6 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Spain:7 | Sweden:7 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Breckenridge, Colorado, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

When shopping with Clark Eddie asks Clark if it was his company that "killed all those people in India". He is referencing the Bhopal disaster, also known as the Union Carbide disaster in which leaks from a Union Carbide pesticide plant escaped into the air. Thousands of people died and many more were sickened.

Goofs:

Plot holes: At the beginning, the Griswolds are driving home with their new Christmas tree, roots and all, yet they brought no tools with them. All four of the Griswold's together could not uproot a 25-foot tall tree, let alone strap it to the roof of their vehicle without tools or equipment.

Quotes:

Uncle Lewis: Hey Gris, if you're not doing anything constructive, run into the living room and get my stogey.
Clark: Is there anything else I can do for you, Uncle Lewis?
Ellen: He's an old man. This may be his last Christmas.
Clark: If he keeps it up, it WILL be his last Christmas.

Movie Connections:

Spin off Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Christmas Vacation

Holidays are only complete with this movie

My Christmas is filled with ritual, as I guess most people's are. Part of that ritual is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, about which I have nothing but good things to say. This should be part of your Holiday season too, because despite it not seeming like it all the way through, the film as a whole is just so thoroughly festive, cheery and good-hearted.

It opens with a great set-piece, Clark taking his family out in the "front-wheel drive sleigh" to dig their Christmas tree out of the snow-covered ground. He's a desperate loser, but you have to love the guy, working his butt off to give his extended family the perfect Christmas. (That's the difference in this Vacation movie, by the way - the Griswolds don't go anywhere, their folks come to them).

So the shenanigans finding a tree set the pattern for a season of chaos, fighting in-laws, squirrels, stupid relatives, huge dogs, snooty neighbours and collapsing turkeys. And as if that wasn't stress enough for poor Clark, he's waiting for his Christmas bonus to come through to cover a cheque he's already written.

The script brims with festive jollity, enthusing the audience with Clark's excitement for the holidays. Stand out moments include the welcome (and hilarious) return of Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie, the uber-hick sponger with a trailer-full of weirdo kids and rubber sheets, and Mae Questel's appearance as Aunt Bethany. She used to voice Betty Boo, and plays the crazy old woman to perfection.

See this movie. Get it on video. I normally watch it the first time on a miserable October Sunday, when I start to think properly about Christmas. Nothing can replace this movie as the one thing guaranteed to get me looking forward to late December. Fabulous stuff, and as festive for me as tinsel and carols. Cuddle up with this one.