The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster.
Ellen Latzen
- Ruby Sue Johnson
- (as Ellen Hamilton Latzen)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAfter failing to get the Christmas lights to work one last time, Clark Griswold takes his frustration out on the plastic decorations in the front yard. Chevy Chase actually broke his pinky finger while punching Santa Claus. He resorts to kicking and clubbing the decorations after that. The film kept rolling, and the take was used.
- GoofsAt one point when Snots the Dog is chasing the squirrel through the house, they run over the top of the dining table, and the food, plates, and silverware get demolished. A moment later, Clark is walking past the hallway leading to the kitchen with the table visible in the background. The tablecloth and setting are in pristine condition.
- Crazy creditsThe opening credits feature a cartoon of Santa delivering the Griswold family's Christmas presents while also getting electrocuted, hit by bricks, setting his pants on fire, falling into the snow and being chased by a rolling snowman head
- Alternate versionsTo receive a PG certificate in the UK all cinema and video versions were cut by 2 secs to remove the swearing from 'We're gonna have the happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye.'
- SoundtracksChristmas Vacation
Written by Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann
Performed by Mavis Staples
Courtesy of Paisley Park Records
Review
Featured review
Fairly strong comedy with Chevy Chase on top form
Clark Griswold plans an old fashioned family Christmas.
I enjoyed this one for it's humour and Chevy Chase's hilarious performance.
The story is pretty thin but contains a little nod to Dickens' A Christmas Carol with the Griswolds in place of the Cratchits and Brian Doyle-Murray playing a Scrooge-like Frank Shirley. The main focus is Clark's mission to have a big, joyful family Christmas and everything associated with this that goes spectacularly wrong.
As a comedy it is reasonably strong and the jokes come thick and fast. From the start we see Clark's visual buffoonery in a plethora of disastrous actions, decisions and situations. There is a fair bit of slapstick and one-liners that worked well for me. Also the family dynamics involving the children, grandparents and other eccentric relatives are easily recognisable.
Christmas Vacation is probably best known for Clark's ridiculously over the top exterior light show that he plasters all over the house. These are the strongest scenes in the movie and Chevy Chase has some of his most memorable moments here.
Chase's performance for me is superb. He can make me laugh with facial expressions, physical awkwardness and one-liners. It is him and his characters that carry most of his movies and this is no different. Clark is a control freak who has everything planned out and we have the pleasure of seeing him unravel as the plans backfire. He has good support from Beverly D'Angelo and the remaining cast but it all revolves around him. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has some funny moments as one half of a couple of Yuppie neighbours.
My only negatives are that it does contain a few too many recycled concepts from the original Vacation movie for my liking, such as 'the girl', the car-jump, animal death, Clarke's meltdown and heart to heart with a child. Also for me, the comedy dips in quality a bit in the second half, particularly with the protracted squirrel sequence and the repetition of fire/explosion related gags.
As 'Christmas movies' go it's pretty good. How many have a cultural impact you can actually see when driving around suburban housing estates after dark during the month of December?
I enjoyed this one for it's humour and Chevy Chase's hilarious performance.
The story is pretty thin but contains a little nod to Dickens' A Christmas Carol with the Griswolds in place of the Cratchits and Brian Doyle-Murray playing a Scrooge-like Frank Shirley. The main focus is Clark's mission to have a big, joyful family Christmas and everything associated with this that goes spectacularly wrong.
As a comedy it is reasonably strong and the jokes come thick and fast. From the start we see Clark's visual buffoonery in a plethora of disastrous actions, decisions and situations. There is a fair bit of slapstick and one-liners that worked well for me. Also the family dynamics involving the children, grandparents and other eccentric relatives are easily recognisable.
Christmas Vacation is probably best known for Clark's ridiculously over the top exterior light show that he plasters all over the house. These are the strongest scenes in the movie and Chevy Chase has some of his most memorable moments here.
Chase's performance for me is superb. He can make me laugh with facial expressions, physical awkwardness and one-liners. It is him and his characters that carry most of his movies and this is no different. Clark is a control freak who has everything planned out and we have the pleasure of seeing him unravel as the plans backfire. He has good support from Beverly D'Angelo and the remaining cast but it all revolves around him. Julia Louis-Dreyfus has some funny moments as one half of a couple of Yuppie neighbours.
My only negatives are that it does contain a few too many recycled concepts from the original Vacation movie for my liking, such as 'the girl', the car-jump, animal death, Clarke's meltdown and heart to heart with a child. Also for me, the comedy dips in quality a bit in the second half, particularly with the protracted squirrel sequence and the repetition of fire/explosion related gags.
As 'Christmas movies' go it's pretty good. How many have a cultural impact you can actually see when driving around suburban housing estates after dark during the month of December?
helpful•81
- snoozejonc
- Jan 1, 2021
Details
Box office
- 1 hour 37 minutes
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Top Gap
What was the official certification given to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) in Germany?
Answer