National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a Christmas classic known for its hijinks, edgy-humour, and outright unabashed ridiculousness – a hallmark of the “Vacation” series as well as National Lampoon’s off-beat brand of comedy.
This holiday, spend time with the Griswold family as their yuletide plans fall apart amid all sorts of shenanigans. It’s an oldie but a goodie; Chevy Chase is at peak performance with his pratt-falls, sharp wit, and outrageous physical comedy.
The film stars Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid, Beverly D’Angelo, John Galecki, and Juliette Lewis.
I have always held most of the “golden-era” SNL alums in high regard, but I have a personal love for Chevy’s acerbic delivery and his ease at evoking Chaplin’s flair for slip-and-fall antics; his mastery of slapstick comedy far surpasses some of the other comic greats. In ‘Christmas Vacation’, the actor manages to make joke after joke land – while performing with a physicality that oozes hilariousness.
Bill Murray, Eugene Levy, Rodney Dangerfield, John Candy, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and the like are inarguably some of the greatest comedic talents of the 80’s and 90’s. If the National Lampoon magazine (and film production company) hadn’t paved the way for ‘Saturday Night Live’ to do its thing – well, it’s safe to say the world as we know it would be far less funny. ‘A Futile and Stupid Gesture’ is a good examination of the relation between these two comedy syndicates, a satirical comedy film from the POV of Doug Kenney – co-creator of National Lampoon, originally ‘The Harvard Lampoon’.
The two smash-hit films: Caddyshack & Animal House were produced and co-written by Kenney.
But let’s get back to talking about this film directly – now a rundown on the plot and two lead characters:
Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) is the well-intentioned patriarch of the Griswold clan, he means well but his family outings always devolve into an endless series of mishaps. A veritable circus of lunacy extends from the man’s very touch – like an absurdist King Midas; creating comedy-gold in the process.
Simply setting up the Christmas lights proves to be an endurance trial for the head of the Griswold family. Clark is beset on all sides by obstacles and danger; a Christmas tree catches fire, an annual slide down a snowy hill turns to a stunt worthy of Evil Kineval himself, and perhaps the most unavoidable: Clark’s uninvited cousin (Randy Quaid) shows up with wife and kids in tow – to crash the holiday – just for good measure.
It seems Clark Griswold cannot catch a break during the holiday season, even Jack Frost and Ol’ Saint Nick must be conspiring against him.
So, if you haven’t yet experienced Chevy Chase’s comic stylings, or you just want to return for more good old-fashioned zaniness, ‘Christmas Vacation’ is a perfect place to start.
Ellen Griswold (played by Beverly D’Angelo) is the ever dutiful wife; abiding by her husband’s wishes, even while his increasing shortsightedness and ineptitude prove to be the undoing at every family excursion. Ellen’s frustration – at her man Clark’s incompetence is illustrated smartly through subtle changes in her tone. The comedy comes more from what isn’t said than what is. Although she has some beautiful one line deliveries, it’s often her reaction to her husband’s spectacular failures that really amuse.
Beverly D’Angelo stays on as “Ellen Griswold” for all four of the ‘National Lampoon’s’ movies and ends up providing the onscreen “straight woman” to Chevy Chase’s funny man routine.
And it works – sublimely.
Sidenote: Vegas Vacation, the fourth film, [is produced by NL but in a more limited capacity], hence the title change and omission of the National Lampoon moniker.
So, I hope I’ve convinced you to make it your annual tradition, watching the Griswold family battle their way through a holiday full of challenge, after strenuous challenge.
At the very least; it should make you feel slightly better about your own holiday stresses.
Maybe.
Quote from the film:
“Ellen: Clark, I think it’d be best if everyone went home… before things get worse.
Clark: WORSE? How could things get any worse? Take a look around here, Ellen. We’re at the threshold of hell.” [1] IMDb.com
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation was written & co-produced by filmmaker John Hughes (16 Candles, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science).
Rating 8.5/10
HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM WDM(C)
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Sources:
[1]https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0097958/quotes/