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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

*** (out of 4)

The third film in the series has Clark (Chevy Chase) deciding to stay home and instead of going anywhere he invites all the family over for the holidays and sure enough nothing goes right. I must admit that I enjoyed the previous two films more than this one but there's still enough laughs here to make this one well worth seeing. I think the film certainly has some flaws in it but when there are so many laughs you really can't complain too much. I think Chase is in fine form as he goes more over-the-top here than in the previous installments. He's so wild here that at times he seems like he's playing a cartoon character. This certainly isn't a bad thing as Chase can handle this type of comedy but there were a few too many slapstick scenes early on. I think what really makes this film so memorable is the terrific supporting cast. Beverly D'Angelo is just fine as the supporting wife but we get terrific work from Diane Ladd, E.G. Marshall, Juliette Lewis, John Randolph, William Hickey, Brian Doyle-Murray, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss and Mae Questel. The stand out however has to be Randy Quaid returning as Cousin Eddie. The actor really does a terrific job bringing this character to life and the comic timing is just flawless no matter what he's doing. There are so many classic scenes here that it's hard to pick out the best but some of the highlights include the cat sequence, the walk through Wal Mart, the hilarious dog-under-the-table and of course the first appearance of Eddie.

This is probably the best Vacation film to come from the National Lampoon series. There are so many laughs to go around (thanks to writer John Hughes) that it boggles the mind (and it might be the final time Checy Chase brings belly laughs). Here, the Griswalds don't go on a vacation, but instead the family stays in Chicago where there relatives come to town and hell will come too. Randy Quaid makes this film a treat by having just laugh out loud moments on the screen. Great fun for the whole family (I think). A+

My Christmas is filled with ritual, as I guess most people's are. Part of that ritual is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, about which I have nothing but good things to say. This should be part of your Holiday season too, because despite it not seeming like it all the way through, the film as a whole is just so thoroughly festive, cheery and good-hearted.

It opens with a great set-piece, Clark taking his family out in the "front-wheel drive sleigh" to dig their Christmas tree out of the snow-covered ground. He's a desperate loser, but you have to love the guy, working his butt off to give his extended family the perfect Christmas. (That's the difference in this Vacation movie, by the way - the Griswolds don't go anywhere, their folks come to them).

So the shenanigans finding a tree set the pattern for a season of chaos, fighting in-laws, squirrels, stupid relatives, huge dogs, snooty neighbours and collapsing turkeys. And as if that wasn't stress enough for poor Clark, he's waiting for his Christmas bonus to come through to cover a cheque he's already written.

The script brims with festive jollity, enthusing the audience with Clark's excitement for the holidays. Stand out moments include the welcome (and hilarious) return of Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie, the uber-hick sponger with a trailer-full of weirdo kids and rubber sheets, and Mae Questel's appearance as Aunt Bethany. She used to voice Betty Boo, and plays the crazy old woman to perfection.

See this movie. Get it on video. I normally watch it the first time on a miserable October Sunday, when I start to think properly about Christmas. Nothing can replace this movie as the one thing guaranteed to get me looking forward to late December. Fabulous stuff, and as festive for me as tinsel and carols. Cuddle up with this one.

I think it's not necessary to write too much about this film.It's simply a masterpiece.In my opinion only Billy Wilder possibly-POSSIBLY-could have made an even better Christmas movie.For me that says a lot.

This is my second review.The first one was about "Rambo II" It's difficult to imagine something more contrasting than these two movies.

Whereas "Rambo II" represents (and shows) the bad,evil and disgusting things on earth,"Christmas Vacation" represents (and shows) the good,pleasant and beautiful ones.

For example the incredibly beautiful woman in the store.Chevy Chase's reaction is so funny!! And quite understandable as well.Who wouldn't have reacted similarly...

All characters-really ALL-in the movie are played excellently. Yes,also Audrey's.Juliette Lewis had to play the same character as,for example,Pamela Tiffin in "one,two three"-more or less a silly goose.

It's quite understandable If you don't like such characters-but-as in the case of "one,two,three"-why blame the actors for playing them convincingly? By the way,Griswold's yuppie neighbors also don't make a very pleasant impression- because (not although) they are played so well.

For me-and obviously for many others too-Christmas without "Christmas Vacation" cannot be a real Christmas.I would like to watch it more often than once a year,but I have the-unjustified,many may say-fear of liking this masterpiece somewhat less if I watch it "too" often.

It mayn't be one of my favourite Christmas movies, but it is one of the funnier ones for me. I agree some of it is silly, and when I say silly I mean silly, and the story is really quite predictable. But it at least looks good with some nice cinematography and scenery, and the music is fine too. The script has many funny moments and the sight gags while silly are respectable. The direction is competent and the performances from Chevy Chase and Beverley D'Angelo are likable while Randy Quaid gives some great relief as a decidedly obnoxious relative. So in conclusion, no masterpiece but it is entertaining, that's what matters to me. 8/10 Bethany Cox