NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION
US, 1989, 97 minutes, Colour.
Chevy Chase, Beverly D' Angelo, Randy Quaid, E.G.Marshall, Diane Ladd, Doris Roberts, Julia Louis- Dreyfuss, William Hickey.
Directed by Jeremiah S.Chechik.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is the third in the series after the Vacation and the European Vacation. It is in the same vein. It was written by John Hughes, who wrote the other Vacation stories as well as movies like Mr Mom and the films that he directed, included The Breakfast Club, She's Having a Baby, Uncle Buck. He also wrote the superior Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Chevy Chase is still eccentric as Clark Griswold - prone to pratfalls, full of inventions, full of American traditions. Beverly d' Angelo is his long-suffering wife. This movie gives a strong supporting cast for the in-laws including E.G. Marshall, John Randolph. Randy Quaid is the crass cousin.
The film has a lot of expected jokes, a lot of slapstick, a lot of farce - very amusing for Americans. It is not so certain that the humour will travel well. Nevertheless, it is all fairly straightforward and amusing.
1. Expectations of the Comedy? The previous movies? A piece of Americana, Slapstick and farce, sentiment?
2, The impact of the series, national lampoon and its background? The cast? The type of humour?
3. The winter season, the town, the snow, the countryside, the house and the house next door? Musical score?
4. Chevy Chase and his deadpan style, verbal humour, slapstick, the ordinary citizen, put upon, the inventor, sentiment ? The humour in the shop? The shop assistant? His dream at the pool?
5. Dylan and the kids, more pleasant than in the previous movies? Support, exasperation?
6, The parents of Clarke? The memories, their styles, interactions, fights, grandparent behaviour idiosyncrasies?
7. Eddie and the kids, the rough style, Eddie with the plate in big head, out of work, the dog and it's crudeness, the vulgar jokes? Trailer, emptying the toilet? The kids and their wondering about Santa Claus? Eddie and his abducting the boss?
8. The business background, the inventions, the staff and their following, literally, the boss? Gifts to the boss, no bonus? Clarke and his expectations, investing in the swimming pool? The abduction, the army and their weapons, the siege of the house? The boss and his relenting, his wife and her concern, turning on him? The happy result? The Christmas humour: The drive in the country, under the truck, the crash, the comedy about the Christmas tree, the setting up of the lights, the gifts, Clarke trapped in the roof, watching the old home movies, the smashes, the disasters for the couple next door, the spray on the sled, the tree and the fire, the meal and the turkey, the Cat and the dog, the squirrel, the explosion?
10. The sketch of the couple next door and their disasters?
11. The American tradition of celebrating Christmas? Funny, spoof
