I finally finished National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation!
The last weekend, I watched a part of this before falling asleep halfway through. Its been happening a lot. Work stress tends to do that. I made time for it last night and wrapped it up. This is my first time seeing this so I’m not exactly sure what to expect. I have been avoiding it because it really doesn’t look like my sort of movie. Like I’m sure I’ll appreciate it but I won’t be in love with it or anything.
Lets see if its what I expected!
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik
Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, Randy Quaid, Doris Roberts, John Randolph
This year, Clark Griswald and his family are hosting the Christmas celebrations for the rest of the family. Clark has everything planned for the holidays except as the family arrives, things start going off track. With his mind set on the annual bonus, he tries to keep his spirits high and bring the Christmas spirit to his family.
I’m not exactly sure how to review this one. What to talk about?
For one, maybe because I watched it in two sittings, I’m wasn’t exactly impressed with anything. It was exactly what I would expect. Wait, that makes me sound like I didn’t like it. Its more like I was entertained for the most part but also slightly indifferent. Maybe its just not my type of humor? It was a little silly and witty. John Hughes did write the script and I’m a huge fan. There’s quirky humor that I really like. It was pretty fun. I guess its kind of crazy to watch how a family can be dysfunctional to that extent. There is A LOT of foreshadowing so by the end, you you guess what disaster is going to happen next and still the reactions are funny.
Christmas movies really don’t get any more Christmas-y than this one. There’s the whole chopping down the tree to the impressively lit house, eggnog, family dinner, waiting for Santa Claus, Christmas shopping and the likes. That is pretty great. We’ve exactly had a really out of control Christmas so I’m not exactly sure this happens but I mean, we do watch movies to break out of our normalcy. Even if I could see what was going to happen in that scene, there is still an irresistible laugh out loud moments.
I’m guessing now is a good time to end this because its really going nowhere.
Point is: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a very festive Christmas movie and it has some laugh out loud moments. I’m not incredibly impressed by it nor will it go on my absolutely favorite must-watch Christmas movie but it has its own charm and I do have to admit that at various parts between the weird and quirky moments, I did buy into that charm.
Do you like National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation? What are your thoughts?
Tranquil Dreams 
I love this movie! Poor old Clark, his reason for being is his family and he has these idealized visions of vacations or Christmas etc and it all falls apart spectacularly . He gets more and more crazed until he breaks and the family runs the other way and then they finally all come together in the end. His schemes are hair brained and usually not too clever with expected results.
There are some dark humour moments in his (the cat frying, the turkey bursting) that crack me up.
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Totally! The cat and turkey got me also 😉 Silly as it may have been. There are definitely a few laughs. Glad you love the movie 🙂
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One of my top Christmas movies ever! 🙂
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Awesome! 🙂
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Christmas Vacation is one of my all-time favorites, but perhaps growing up with it is partially responsible for that. Still, I think the interrupted viewing may have had a little to do with your reaction besides just different tastes in humor (which is always valid, of course). This is one of those films which really benefits from the continuous build-up of the jokes and the rapid-fire nature of the gags, and an interruption kind of brings that to a halt and makes your mood start over, if you see what I mean.
Also, one of the things I like about it is just how relatable it is to me. I’ve seen the over-done lights, had any number of Christmas tree disasters (no fires though, thankfully!), unexpected and unwelcome relatives, and other assorted Christmas mishaps. The lack of perfection in the holiday is very, very familiar to me. 🙂
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I think its really a different humor. I compare this to say like Elf, where I enjoy it to a certain extent. Not like my boyfriend who absolutely loves it and HAS TO watch for Christmas every year. I’m okay with it. I don’t mind it at all but its not one I’d pick up and choose to watch if I was by myself. It definitely is very festive and that makes it worthy as a Christmas movie also 🙂
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That’s true! Clark really wants everything to be * perfect * , doesn’t he???
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Yup. He really builds it all up in his head. But the film manages to keep him sympathetic because he doesn’t want it perfect for his own sake, but for the sake of his family.
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watch every year!…laugh every year!…the BEST!
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Awesome! 🙂
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I kind of enjoyed it. Chevy Chase’s physical humour (like the scene in the attic) made me laugh out loud plus his PROBLEM is all because he’s just really a total over-doer on every score. That’s so ME. And who DOESN’T have at least ONE embarassing or irritating relation? So I related to this crazy story somehow, if that makes any sense.
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Total over-doer is definitely how I’d describe him 🙂 I haven’t had a lot of family here in a while. Now its just mostly my boyfriend’s family here for Christmas and they are “peculiar” in their own adorable ways 😉
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One of my all time favorites! I try to watch it every year around this time. Funny, funny movie.
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