National Lampoon Vacation Movies - Page 2

No way Fletch is as good as Vacation.

In fact, it has a lot a lot to answer for. Damn near ruined a generation's comedic sensibilities.

And Chase is miscast.

You're correct, but CV is pretty much a standalone movie rather than part of the overall 'Vacation' series. I should have said disregard EV and VV

The original Vacation is one of a core group of films that were simply iconic in my family. We even referred to ourselves as The Griswolds when on holiday.

I can't believe no ones mentioned Clarke falling asleep while driving ("Sparky, why don't you turn off the TV and come to bed?") or the dog pissing on the picnic basket.

Great under-rated turn at the end from John Candy too.

There's just so much to love about this movie it's hard to pick any one moment.

"I'm going steady and I French kiss."
"So? Everyone does that."
"Yeah, but Daddy says I'm the best."

"Sparky, don't you want to look at the Grand Canyon?"

...or the entire dialogue free sequence of Chase trying to look cool and pick up women in the bar?

"Is this your idea of a good resteraunt? Dog killer!"

...or my favourite growing up...

"Excuse me, I wonder if you could tell me how to get back on the expressway?"
"Hey fuck your mama!"
"Thank you very much"

I have been watching this every year or two since I was six years old, and it never ceases to be funny.

Chases crowning achievement imo.

Holiday roaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad...

Dog Killer...I forgot about that whole sequence with the dog.

Motorcycle Cop: Here's the leash, sir. I'm going back to get the rest of the carcass off the road.

"Vacation" and "CHristmas Vacation"...drop dead funny classics.
"European Vacation" some good stuff but the misses far outnumber the hits joke wise.

"Las Vegas Vacation"...an abomination from hell.

BTW it's is not unusual during the holidays for any house which has overdone the Christmas Lights to be called "A Griswold House".

"I don't think I was speeding. Was I weaving or something?"

"Shut your mouth, sir! If I wasn't in uniform, I'd split your skull with the butt of this revolver faster than you could say, 'police brutality.'"

"Officer, whatever it is I've done, I'm sure I can explain."

"Explain this, you son of a bitch."

"Oh, my God!"

"Do you know what the penalty for animal cruelty is in this state?"

"No, sir."

"Well, it's probably pretty stiff!"

SO funny

Explain this and make it good or else leave the boards forever.

Am I really being called out by a guy who watches the new "Bev. Hills 90210"? Ouch! (I kid because I care)
Seriously, it's a fine line with a movie like this. Murray or Bogart could pull off asshole, and remain, if not likable, the guy we rooted for. They knew how to play the audience.
Chase just comes across as a dick. He never seems comfortable in his own skin, so he just hides behind being cynical. Paraphrasing Ebert, Chase undercuts his own movie, and prevents his interpretation of Fletch from having any dimensions, by resorting to/retreating into his SNL shtick/persona.
The rub is this cheap and easy cynicism got embraced. And run into the ground. (I acknowledge that I'm in the minority of this opinion. Saw the movie with grade school buddies, and I was the only one not bowled over)
It probably doesn't help that I was a big fan of the Gregory McDonald series.

One of my favorite sight gags from Vacation is when Clark and Ellen get caught by the kids when trying to have sex, and Clark tells the kids to go back to their room and points, not realizing he has Ellen's underwear on his finger.

Which is preceeded by the vibrating bed that goes wrong.

Wierd-o-rama!

The sad thing about Vegas Vacation is I think it squandered a shitload of ill-will. I've never seen a trailer get the kind of applause the trailer got when it first aired. I can't remember what it was in front of, but it was a packed theatre I was in, and this was just before the average person had regular internet access, so people weren't really aware of stuff coming out until trailers hit. When the screen started up and it was clear this was a fourth Vacation movie, the theatre just exploded.

Huh. That's 180 degrees from how I see his Fletch. He seems completely comfortable to me, and I think Chase did a good job of balancing his comedic strengths with actually bringing some weight to portraying the curious reporter side of the character. Granted, when you think back to the movie, more than likely you're remembering the most "Chevy Chase" bits, but I think there are strong moments throughout.

Chase's Fletch is a dick- but he's a dick because he was completely comfortable in his own skin. He's a great investigative reporter because he always has the right thing to say (no matter how smartass) to get deeper into his query.

RE: 'Fletch'

This was one of the few times where he was able to deliver decent one-liners with any kind of consistency. Rather than constantly mug for the camera, he actually delivered his lines in character and made them work within the structure of the story. Compare 'Fletch' and 'Fletch Lives' and you'll notice a difference, although FL does have its moments.

Vegas Vacation had such potential and was such a let down.

Christmas Vacation hit every note perfectly. It's easily the best.

If they ever did do a 4th (or 5th if you count that Cousin Eddie abomination) I would cast Anthony Michael Hall as Russ...again...to complete the circle.

Surprised noone's brought up the alternate ending to Vacation.

I didn't know that there WAS one. Please, enlighten us.

Yeah, I didn't know such a thing exsisted.

Some web research indicates that Chase has claimed to own a copy of the original ending. Apparently, it was much darker and test audiences hated it. Ergo, they brought the actors back and filmed an ending where the Grizwalds actually make it to Wally World. It explains why Russ is taller and Audra heavier in the last few scenes of the movie. Frankly, though, it sounds like they simply recycled the concept for Christmas Vacation.

I think anyone who has a conception of the Fletch character from the novels can be forgiven for not loving the movie. My idea of the character comes entirely from a copy of Fletch Lives that my family got from an uncle who sold videotapes to rental stores. It's got some good jokes.

For some reason one line that always sticks out in my head for European Vacation is "I spent it all on hats." I feel compelled to use it when asked to account for money. Clark comes back, having lost all theirs, asks D'Angelo if she still has the money he gave her. A very happy line reading. D'Angelo is a good straight man who, at least in Christmas, just wants some attention. Other nice touches are when she instinctively grabs Chase's crotch at gunpoint, and "It's Christmas: we're all in misery."

I love the Fletch books, but that doesn't mean that Chase's portrayal of Fletch isn't great as well.

Have you gotten to Vacation yet Ripoll?

And make sure the one you watch DOESN'T have Cedric the Entertainer, Bow Wow, and/or Steve Harvey...

Yeah, watched it last night. I was twittering my thoughts as it progressed:

Those "automatic slideshows" that Apple generates, based on music, is basically the intro to National Lampoon's Vacation.

Any movie that begins with Eugene Levy as a sleazy salesman is ok in my book. It's hard to believe there was a time he played any non-nebbish character outside of SCTV.

"Whoa! An airbag!"

"Thank yoooou. Good shot Audrey."

"Kid's, you noticing all this plight?" is even funnier because of this SNL end-theme sounding music that apparently indicates "ghetto".

"I wonder if these guys know the Commodores."

When Clark tries to indicate his wife's in the bathroom and she goes "right here kids!" and he starts to scratch his shoulder with his thumb, really great.

"Right Audrey, and when they ran out of sod, they used mud."

"Vicky can I help you with that Kool-Aid? Please?"

Beverly D'Angelo looks like Amy Poehler. Or Poehler looks like Beverly D'Angelo. Either/Or.



"It's given me a chance to spend a lot more time with you and..." "Audrey." "Audrey."

All in all, I really really liked it. So thanks for that, guys.

Glad that we steered you correctly, Patrick.

How would you rate it next to 'Fletch', by the way?

I think Fletch works better because it has a mystery as a backbone, so when you aren't laughing, there's still something to keep your interest. This is a series of setpieces, which works because the setpieces are very good, but that's pretty much all there is. Comedically speaking, I'd probably say Fletch is funnier just because it has more non-sequiturs, which Chevy Chase is the master of, but they're almost equal.

Kind of the definition of a "road movie" though (variation on the quest). Starting line and destination, and the crazy journey in between.

Chevy is best when he's playing a likeable asshole (like in 'Fletch' and 'Caddyshack'). He's too nice of a guy in 'Vacation', but he's surrounded with enough good set-pieces that he's still able to shine.

Right, which is why I side with Fletch, I just prefer the mystery angle.

I'd agree with Ripoll on this one. Fletch is Chase's best role. With his work in Caddyshack a close second.

Naw. I think he's best as the full of shit/ put upon guy. Unlike Murray and Belushi, we're laughing at him.

Don't make it a priority in life, but you might also like 'Foul Play' if you're ever in the mood for another Chevy Chase movie. He has really good chemistry with Goldie Hawn in this one, but it's not laugh-out-loud hysterical.

Christmas vacation just cracks me up, best of the series for me.

'well aint this just a real nice surprise Clark, a real nice surprise'


'And why is the carpet all wet Todd?'
'i don't know Margo'

I gotcha.

One of the things I like about VACATION, because of audience expectations (despite all the obstacles on the way, you figure the hapless Griswolds will make it to Wallyworld anyhow, it's a comedy), you don't predict that the park will be closed when they get there. So it doesn't contain a mystery per se like FLETCH, but the tragedies kind of pile on as they go, becoming too much for Clark to bear and he snaps. He takes it farther than the audience would by holding Candy hostage. Even though they've gotten out of trouble so far on their journey, at that point, you're thrown off and you don't know what will happen to them.

Ya know, I've seen Sonnenfeld's RV much more recent than VACATION, but I'll be damned if I can remember a single thing about it besides Robin Williams hanging onto the front of the out-of-control RV. One's a classic, while the other is fairly disposable.

You guys have convinced me to put Fletch at the top of my queue.

Swice: Have you never seen it, or has it merely been a long time since your last viewing? It holds up pretty damn well for an 80s comedy.

Also, the Harold Faltermeyer score for 'Fletch' is great.

Bits and pieces on television, that's it. Which is weird because I love Caddyshack, which is Chase at his smarmy best.

Hey, hey, let's not forget about Stephanie Mills classic, "Bit by Bit": "Have you heard the news coming through the grapevine/Fletch is working overtime..."

And now I'm off to Amazon to purchase Fletch. Thanks, thread.

Don't forget the Fixx with 'Letter to Both Sides'.

Seriously, the Harold Faltermeyer score is one of the catchiest things that you'll ever hear. I'm glad that they kept him for the sequel.

He's the master of ridiculously fat, juicy synthesizer lines. I mean, my God, the man gave us "Axel F"!

We got people to watch Fletch and Vacation for the first time in this thread. That's some nice work, everyone. Take a lap and hit the showers. Later, we'll go for pizza.

I figured it'd be SOMETHING like that (it's the inevitable climax), but Chevy Chase's response was much better than I was expecting. Especially John Candy's sweet-natured take on being taken hostage.

The smartest thing that they did for 'Christmas Vacation' was bring back Randy Quaid (but not let him overwhelm the story). A little of him goes a long way, but he does generate some of the biggest laughs in CV.

I like Fletch, but I think I saw it too late for it to occupy a place alongside the likes of ...Christmas Vacation.

I didn't realize until about two years ago that the other park attendant in Vacation was future "designated pissed-off Captain in police flicks" Frank McRae.

The original Vacation was for me, like someone else mentioned it was for them, a family staple growing up. I pretty sure my dad patterned his comedy "persona" after Chase in the film and David Letterman. He remains a goofball to this day, and Vacation remains a favorite.

Though you guys may be right about Christmas Vacation being funnier, I think Vacation is a better film overall.

Patrick, if you want another 1980s "road comedy" after this, I suggest Albert Brooks and "Lost in America" if you haven't seen it yet. I always think of one when I think of the other, maybe because of the scenes in each where the protagonists get pulled over by cops. The dog-related one in Vacation is great, but the bonding moment between Brooks and the motorcycle cop in Lost in America might be better.

I watched Blade Trinity a couple of years ago right after watching Vacation for the umpteenth time and am now convinced Ryan Reynolds' onscreen persona is a straight up imitation of Chevy Chase.

If you're going to steal, steal from the best.

This whole thread is making me wistful for a time when National Lampoon in front of something meant Funny.