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Christmas Vacation (1989)
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writer (WGA):
John Hughes (written by)
Release Date:
1 December 1989 (USA)
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Tagline:
Yule crack up! more
Plot:
The Griswold family's plans for a big family Christmas predictably turn into a big disaster. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
NewsDesk:
(60 articles)
Sam Worthington’s Avenger’s T-Shirt is a Fire Starter
(From FilmSchoolRejects. 7 December 2009, 1:49 AM, PST)
My new Christmas classics
(From EW.com - PopWatch. 3 December 2009, 6:30 AM, PST)
(From FilmSchoolRejects. 7 December 2009, 1:49 AM, PST)
My new Christmas classics
(From EW.com - PopWatch. 3 December 2009, 6:30 AM, PST)
User Comments:
The Perfect Holiday Comedy
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US TV Schedule:
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| 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 |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (UK) (complete title) (USA) (complete title)
National Lampoon's Winter Holiday (UK)
Hilfe, es weihnachtet sehr (Austria) (TV title) (West Germany) [de]
Le sapin a les boules (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
¡S.O.S.! Ya es Navidad (Spain) (TV title) [es]
¡Socorro! Ya es Navidad (Spain) [es]
Ett päron till farsa firar jul (Sweden) [sv]
Fars fede juleferie (Denmark) [da]
Hjelp, vi må på juleferie (Norway) [no]
Joulupuu on kärvennetty (Finland) [fi]
Karácsonyi vakáció (Hungary) [hu]
Que Paródia de Natal (Portugal) [pt]
Schöne Bescherung (Germany) (video title) [de]
Un Natale esplosivo (Italy) [it]
Witaj swiety Mikolaju (Poland) [pl]
more
National Lampoon's Winter Holiday (UK)
Hilfe, es weihnachtet sehr (Austria) (TV title) (West Germany) [de]
Le sapin a les boules (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
¡S.O.S.! Ya es Navidad (Spain) (TV title) [es]
¡Socorro! Ya es Navidad (Spain) [es]
Ett päron till farsa firar jul (Sweden) [sv]
Fars fede juleferie (Denmark) [da]
Hjelp, vi må på juleferie (Norway) [no]
Joulupuu on kärvennetty (Finland) [fi]
Karácsonyi vakáció (Hungary) [hu]
Que Paródia de Natal (Portugal) [pt]
Schöne Bescherung (Germany) (video title) [de]
Un Natale esplosivo (Italy) [it]
Witaj swiety Mikolaju (Poland) [pl]
more
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
97 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
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:
Company:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
Chevy Chase appears in some scenes wearing a black Chicago Bears ball cap. He wears the same Chicago Bears cap throughout all four Vacation movies.
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Goofs:
Continuity: When Clark slides down the roof of the house, he grabs on to the rain gutter which rips off, but in the next shot of him crawling along the gutter, it is merely bent down.
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Quotes:
Soundtrack:
The Star-Spangled Banner
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FAQ
What is the Christmas gift that Clark gives his boss? It seems that everyone else has given the same gift as they all have a distinctive box shape.Who is the girl in the poster above Russ bed?
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The Griswold family is set to celebrate the holidays like never before, in `National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation,' directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik and written by John Hughes. Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase) has decided to have a traditional, old-fashioned family Christmas, and has invited his parents and in-laws to stay with them through the season. He has a surprise he wants to share with everyone this year; with his Christmas bonus from work, he's putting in a pool, to which he's already committed the down-payment money (so the bonus had better come through, big time, or he's `in it up to here'). To kick off the season, he takes Ellen (Beverly D'Angelo) and the kids, Audrey (Juliette Lewis) and Rusty (Johnny Galecki) to the mountains to find the perfect `Griswold family Christmas tree. And it's only the first of one hilarious scene after another, as we follow Clark and clan through one long laugh-fest, filled with surprises and fun. Chase is at his best here, in the most enduring (and endearing) character he's ever done; Clark the Everyman, who only wants the best things for his family and himself, but whose plans more often than not go awry, doomed to fall just short of realization. When he decorates the outside of the house, he uses 25,000 twinkle lights; they use enough juice to black-out an entire neighborhood, and they do (once he can get them to work). Then when cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and cousin Catherine (Miriam Flynn) show up unexpectedly in the `RV' they now call home, Eddie asks Clark if he's surprised to see him. Surprised? Eddie is the last person on earth Clark expected, or wanted, to see. `Eddie,' he tells him, `I couldn't be more surprised if I woke up tomorrow morning with my head sewn to the carpet.' Another memorable scene involves a wild squirrel who came in with the Christmas tree and proceeds to make his appearance during dinner, only to provoke a wild romp upstairs and down as they all pursue (and in some cases try to elude) the deadly invader. A terrific cast was assembled for this movie, but Quaid is the stand-out, and he perfects the Eddie character in this one; forever the lamebrain with the big heart, and the one who takes the situation in hand when Clark's bonus turns out to be an enrollment in a jelly-of-the-month club. Clark's parents are played by Diane Ladd (Nora) and John Randolph (Clark, Sr.), and Ellen's by Doris Roberts (Frances) and E.G. Marshall (Art). Other notable performances are turned in by Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Margo) and Nicholas Guest (Todd), as Clark's yuppie next door neighbors, and also by William Hickey (Uncle Lewis) and Mae Questel (Aunt Bethany). Rounding out the supporting cast are Nicolette Scorsese (Mary), Cody Burger (Rocky), Ellen Hamilton Latzen (Ruby Sue) and Brian Doyle-Murray (Frank Shirley). `National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' is timeless comedy, a must for every video collection. It can be watched over and over again, and the humor stays fresh while the laughs get even bigger. There's a little bit of every family in here, and this movie may be just the tonic you'll need some day to get you through your own `special' holiday season. I rate this one 10/10.