National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Review

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Release Date: 30th November 1989 - Australia

Production Companies

Warner Bros. Pictures (presents)

Hughes Entertainment

Distribution

Roadshow Films

Genre: Comedy

Rating: M

Runtime: 97 minutes

Budget: $25,000,000

Box Office Gross: $74,382,091 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

Clark Griswold yearns to celebrate the perfect family Christmas as the holiday season approaches. He pesters his wife, Ellen, and their two kids to have everything prepared for their seasonal celebration, including the Christmas tree and decorations. However, things don't go as smoothly for the Griswolds, and to make matters worse for Clark, his hick cousin Eddie shows up uninvited and unannounced

with his family and starts

living in their RV on the

Griswold property. Will

Clark keep it together

before the ultimate

Christmas Eve celebration

takes a more disastrous

turn?

Cast

Chevy Chase - Clark Griswold

Beverly D'Angelo - Ellen Griswold

Randy Quaid - Cousin Eddie

Juliette Lewis - Audrey Griswold

Johnny Galecki - Russ Griswold

Diane Ladd - Nora Griswold

John Randolph - Clark Griswold, Sr

E. G. Marshall - Art Smith

Doris Roberts - Frances Smith

Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Margo Chester

Miriam Flynn - Cousin Catherine

Cody Burger - Cousin Rocky

Ellen Hamilton Latzen - Cousin Ruby Sue

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 - Frank Shirley

Natalija Nogulich - Helen Shirley

Tony Epper - Bozo #1

Billy Hank Hooker - Bozo #2

Alexander Folk - Swat Officer

Jeremy Roberts - Cop

Woody Weaver - Cop

Michael Kaufman - Young Executive

Doug Llewelyn - Parade Announcer (Voice)

Devin Bailey - Young Clark Griswold

(Uncredited)

Crew

Director - Jeremiah S. Chechik

Writer/Producer - John Hughes

Associate Producer/Unit Production Manager -

William S. Beasley

Executive Producers - Matty Simmons
and Daniel Grodnik (Uncredited)

Producer - Tom Jacobson
Casting Directors - Risa Bramon Garcia,
Billy Hopkins and Heidi Levitt

Production Designer - Stephen Marsh
Art Director - Beala Neel

Set Decorator - Lisa Fischer

Costume Designer - Michael Kaplan

Director of Photography - Thomas Ackerman
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Charlie Picerni
Special Effects - Allen Hall and
Gary L. Karas

Special Visual Effects - Justin Klarenbeck

and Dave McCullough
Animator: Main Title - Bill Kroyer (Uncredited)

Editors - Jerry Greenberg and
Michael A. Stevenson

Supervising Sound Editors - Larry Kemp

and Wylie Stateman

Sound Editors - George H. Anderson,

David Baldwin, Neal Burger, Dan Hegeman,

Lou Kleinman, Glenn T. Morgan,

Victoria Rose Sampson and Mark P. Stoeckinger

Re-Recording Mixers - Doug Hemphill,

Chris Jenkins and Mark Smith

Foley Artists - Edward Steidele

and Gary A. Hecker

Music - Angelo Badalamenti

Review

Admittedly, I have never seen any of the Vacation movies, including CHRISTMAS VACATION, which I had the opportunity to view before Christmas Eve. CHRISTMAS VACATION is the last film of the series that John Hughes wrote and produced towards the end of his tenure. It celebrates the holiday spirit while keeping the movie fresh with slapstick comedy and a bit of crudeness to bring on the Yuletide laughter. A few actors from the two previous films return, like Chevy Chase, who once again portrays Clark Griswold - the optimistic father who frequently causes havoc to himself and his family instead of having a good time together. He has co-starred with the not-yet-famous actress Juliette Lewis as his daughter, future Big Bang Theory actor Johnny Galecki and Randy Quaid, who also returns as cousin Eddie.

I could never resist a good laugh when watching this film. CHRISTMAS VACATION is the comedy film of the holiday season, and it'll be good to watch it again by next December. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for those who enjoyed the movie!

Star rating: (10/10) Best Movie Ever

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