National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

[AuH2O]

I always like it when something from my childhood holds up for my kids. My son just turned 16 and he loves this and Home Alone. We even have a tradition where my wife’s mom has the kids get one of those Hallmark tree ornaments each year, and his latest is Clark on the saucer.

 

[Scruff]

Eddie, "Surprised to see me, Clark?"
Clark, "Eddie, I wouldn't be more surprised if I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet?"

This movie is the "gift that keeps on giving" every Christmas.

 

[CtownCyclone]

How about when they’re driving through the rugged mountains of eastern Illinois to get their Xmas tree?

Having driven throughout Illinois in various directions to visit the family, I have yet to encounter anything more then a hill.

 

[Al_4_State]

Having driven throughout Illinois in various directions to visit the family, I have yet to encounter anything more then a hill.

There are a handful of rugged spots in Illinois (a little corner of the Driftless Area, the Illinois Ozarks/Shawnee Hills) but none of that is very close to Chicago, and none of that looks like the Rocky Mountains either.

EDIT: I just looked it up and those scenes were actually filmed in the Rockies (Breckenridge area)

 

[CRcyclone6]

There are a handful of rugged spots in Illinois (a little corner of the Driftless Area, the Illinois Ozarks/Shawnee Hills) but none of that is very close to Chicago, and none of that looks like the Rocky Mountains either.

EDIT: I just looked it up and those scenes were actually filmed in the Rockies (Breckenridge area)

Ahh, just outside Chicago

 

[NorthCyd]

Saw this somewhete recently. The actress who portrays Aunt Bethany, Mae Questel, was the voice of Betty Boop and a bunch of other cartoon characters. Makes sense when you hear her voice.

 

[ChiClone17]

How about when they’re driving through the rugged mountains of eastern Illinois to get their Xmas tree?

I always justified it in my mind that they drove up to Wisconsin to get the tree. It’s a little more hilly the further you get north. But not remotely close to what is depicted in the movie!

 

[Al_4_State]

Saw this somewhete recently. The actress who portrays Aunt Bethany, Mae Questel, was the voice of Betty Boop and a bunch of other cartoon characters. Makes sense when you hear her voice.

I saw that this year as well. I had never made the connection, but even as Aunt Bethany she still looked like Betty Boop.

 

[tman24]

What age is it appropriate for a child to watch this with their father….?

Asking for a friend.

We watch the tv edited version, so that takes out most of the bad words. Only weird part is the swimsuit scene. We have 2 under 8 that we have watched it a few years now.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Saw this somewhete recently. The actress who portrays Aunt Bethany, Mae Questel, was the voice of Betty Boop and a bunch of other cartoon characters. Makes sense when you hear her voice.

yeah I had found this trivia a few years ago but slipped my mind to post it.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Gotta disagree. Christmas Vacation is funny as hell, but it has a lot more plot holes and suspension of disbelief than the OG Vacation.

biggest one maybe when they forget something to cut down the tree and supposedly dig it out by the roots.

 

[Al_4_State]

biggest one maybe when they forget something to cut down the tree and supposedly dig it out by the roots.

Or how far the saucer goes when they're out sledding.

There isn't really anything in Vacation as outrageous as either of those. Maybe how far the station wagon flies off the dead end road in the desert?

 

[baller21]

biggest one maybe when they forget something to cut down the tree and supposedly dig it out by the roots.

I always assumed they hooked a chain to it and pulled it out with the car.

 

[CloneFanInKC]

I always assumed they hooked a chain to it and pulled it out with the car.

….after walking the distance that is depicted in the movie?

 

[baller21]

….after walking the distance that is depicted in the movie?

Is that not more believable than digging it out of the frozen ground with their bare hands? My bad.

 

[CloneFanInKC]

Is that not more believable than digging it out of the frozen ground with their bare hands? My bad.

Easy baller.

I accepted the scene as traditional Hollywood at the time of production to expect the audience not to think how it happened.

These opening sequences of the movie are actually my least favorite of the movie; driving under the semi, harvesting the tree and anything else within the first 15/20minutes. The rest of the movie are what I enjoy.

Anyways, I appreciate that I learned today Betty Boop had a quasi role in the movie.

 

[Al_4_State]

The greatness in this movie comes from the dialogue and the interaction between the characters.

 

[CloneFanInKC]

The greatness in this movie comes from the dialogue and the interaction between the characters.

I.e. “let’s go find your sister” or the scene in the shopping center of when the light bulbs get smashed by another bag of dog food.

These two examples are many scenes that I didn’t notice during the first dozen or so times I first viewed the movie.

Once I finally picked up on these little nuances; it resulted in my increase of my enjoyment of the film.

 

[baller21]

Easy baller.

I accepted the scene as traditional Hollywood at the time of production to expect the audience not to think how it happened.

These opening sequences of the movie are actually my least favorite of the movie; driving under the semi, harvesting the tree and anything else within the first 15/20minutes. The rest of the movie are what I enjoy.

Anyways, I appreciate that I learned today Betty Boop had a quasi role in the movie.

Hey you came at me first bro. I agree it’s just a goofy comedy and the characters are what really make it great.

 

[Die4Cy]

John Hughes had a 15 year hit streak for iconic comedies that will probably never be matched. He understood how to draw something outrageously funny from the common, mundane experiences of Americans.