martytdx's Full Review: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Note: Mine was a VERY early entry in this write-off. Please go read all of the great opinions in it (see below)
There are many traditions around the holidays. Decorating your Christmas tree. Baking cookies. Losing assembly instructions. Wrapping presents. Long lines at the mall. And watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. What? This isn’t one of those traditions in YOUR house? Let me guess – you actually put coal in stockings, too – DON’T YOU?
Well, even if you haven’t become addicted to this ravaging of all that is sacred about Christmas, it is still my favorite Christmas movie of all time. It barely edged out the hilarious classic A Christmas Story (”You’ll shoot your eye out!), the brilliant Bill Murray movie Scrooged and The Grinch (the original version). But when it comes to Christmas movies, I just have a thing about laughing enough to make my belly jiggle like ol’ St. Nick himself (of course, without the massive blubber).
Anyhoo, I was sitting back thinking of what I could really say about this movie – I mean, who hasn’t sat back and laughed at it, picking out scene after scene that was embarrassingly familiar. Chevy Chase leads his wacky family (who always seem to change ages dramatically – maybe this is Vacation – Episode I: The Cousin Eddie Menace?) through the toils of getting ready for a family Christmas.
From the opening scene of looking for a tree, you just know that there is going to be trouble. Clark has never been one for understating his ambitions, and thus – as usual - he picks the biggest tree he can find. Illegally, of course. You see, this year Clark has a big surprise for the family in the form of a large, in-ground pool to be installed that summer. It’s been a great year for Clark, and the bonus dollars should be rolling in, so he has decided to have the PERFECT CHRISTMAS. That is, if he can survive his visiting relatives.
Yep, that’s right. To add to the mayhem that every Christmas presents anyway, it’s the Griswold’s turn to host the family asylum. The aunts, the uncles, the parents, the kids and the dog – all under one roof. Think Animal House all grown up, and you get the idea. Randy Quaid provides most of the humor this side of Chevy as Cousin Eddie, the hapless relative that everyone ignores for the majority of their lives, except as such joyous occasions as Christmas. Not only that – but Eddie has traded his home for a trailer, and plans on ‘sticking around for a bit’. To give you an idea of Clark’s fondness for Eddie:
Clark: Can I refill your eggnog for you? Get you something to eat? Drive you out to the middle of nowhere and leave you for dead?
Cousin Eddie: Naw, I'm doing just fine, Clark.
Oh, the love.
As can be expected, regardless of Chase’s undying enthusiasm and attempts to make this the best Christmas ever, the man is cursed. While stapling Christmas lights to the roof, he staples himself. While grabbing decorations from the attic, he gets locked in there – only to find and explore the various ‘items’ he finds (you have to see it to understand). The relatives argue, Eddie’s dog - Snots - slobbers, and vicious squirrels terrorize the attempts at a true, perfect Christmas. Even the neighbors (including Julie Louis Drewfus!) get into the act with Clark’s cursed attempts at holiday spirit. And the imp that tops this Christmas tree is Clark receiving a “Jelly of the Month” gift certificate in lieu of his bonus, an event that drives him over the edge. The scenes that follow are a bit slower but also pretty funny, as Clark begins to exact his revenge on his cheap boss.
John Hughes (of Sixteen Candles fame) has a field day with his chance to go over the top on this one. The light display on the Griswold’s place is a site to behold (although I swear one of my parents’ neighbors is trying to outdo him – scary!), and the scenes involving Eddie’s family are fantastic. The finale, in true Vacation style, is a great finish to a hilarious movie.
Overall, this movie isn’t very intelligent – but it isn’t supposed to be. It makes fun of Christmas, of relatives and even of itself. Chevy Chase is the perfect bumbling “I want to make this perfect” father, and the cast around him lend themselves to the film in a great way. I watch this with family yearly, and we never seem to stop laughing at the same jokes – and the new ones that we seem to find every time we watch it. For example, a bit of trivia – if you notice, the glasses that they drink from are the Marty Moose glasses from the original movie. Didn’t see that one for a long, long time.
If you want a true measure of what Christmas SHOULD be – avoid this. But if you have ever had to deal with Aunt Gertrude and her Pomeranian running around the place while Uncle Fenster screamed at the kids to quiet down during It’s a Wonderful Life, this will just seem like a little piece of home at Christmas.
This holiday season Clark Griswold vows his clan will enjoy the most fun-filled old-fashioned family Christmas ever. Before you can sing Fa-la-la-la-l...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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