National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

[BryceC]

 

[Lineup]

uncle Clark **** bricks oh I mean **** rocks

 

[Al_4_State]

I was just thinking about this: Imo the OG 'Vacation' (1983) might be the best 'Vacation'-y movie in how loose and random it is.

But Christmas Vacation is the better overall film. John Hughes didn't direct it but was a writer and producer and it has a lot of 'Hughes'-ness feel in how it's done that makes it more memorable.

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

 

[CloneFanInKC]

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

Asking for a friend.

 

[enisthemenace]

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

Asking for a friend.

Any age. There are a lot of adult themed jokes, but a kid won’t understand the context. A handful of swear words and one finger gesture.

I’d be fine with any aged child watching it, personally.

 

[aeroclone]

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

Asking for a friend.

I probably started watching this with the family by age 8. And I still turned out to be a functional adult member of society.... more or less.

 

[4cy16]

This scene has a few good ones in it. Eddie breaking the light bulbs, rearranging his junk.

I've seen this scene a zillion times and I never noticed him rearranging his junk. Now I can't unsee him doing that.

 

[Cyched]

It took me forever to realize why the “something real nice” part was so funny - it was after Clark said he’d buy gifts so the nice gift for himself was on his dime

 

[CloneFanInKC]

Any age. There are a lot of adult themed jokes, but a kid won’t understand the context. A handful of swear words and one finger gesture.

I’d be fine with any aged child watching it, personally.

I’m a father of 2 boys and 2 girls with the oldest child being a 10yo girl.

Maybe l’m still too naive to think I can raise a princess, but I feel there are too many cringe moments for her. I would for sure be uncomfortable with the scene of clark daydreaming about the pool and her swimming suit hits the window.

I fully admit there are plenty of “hidden” or adult humor moments. I know she would LOL at the scene of Clark going off on his family and asking for the Tylenol.

 

[DarkStar]

Surprised this one hasn't been mentioned yet.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

I've seen this scene a zillion times and I never noticed him rearranging his junk. Now I can't unsee him doing that.

Not that I want to see it but watched it several times and never see him do it?

 

[cyinne]

This scene has a few good ones in it. Eddie breaking the light bulbs, rearranging his junk.

I also like how it gives you a nostalgic look at late ‘80’s Walmart. They had that “Made in America” campaign at the time plastered on everything.

 

[throwittoblythe]

Pretty sure he's Bill Murray's brother. He's in a lot of movies with smaller roles - Caddyshack, Groundhogs Day a few that come to mind.

He is! He’s got some of my favorite lines in a couple of those movies.

“Don’t forget that report, Bill.” (Christmas vacation)

“Your honor, your honor. Heh.” (Caddy shack)

 

[Cmonwhatarewedoinghereman]

Any age. There are a lot of adult themed jokes, but a kid won’t understand the context. A handful of swear words and one finger gesture.

I’d be fine with any aged child watching it, personally.

The TV version cleans a lot of the bad parts out but leaves enough for the adults to enjoy it. We all know the scenes we like already.

 

[fsanford]

So when I moved to LA I got a job with the studios. I am one of the guys who climbed the roof and put on lights and took them off after shooting was done

Also if you look at the Griswald neighborhood, you will notice it is same as Danny Glover neighborhood in Lethal Weapon.

It was shot on Warner Brothers backlot

 

[ChiClone17]

This scene has a few good ones in it. Eddie breaking the light bulbs, rearranging his junk.

I always wondered how they screwed up the geography so badly in this scene. Eddie is from Kansas, and the Griswolds live in a suburb just north of Chicago. But Eddie says, “Gas money give out in Gurnee” while describing their trip in. Gurnee is way north of where the Griswolds live. There would’ve been no reason for Eddie to drive through Gurnee.

 

[Al_4_State]

I always wondered how they screwed up the geography so badly in this scene. Eddie is from Kansas, and the Griswolds live in a suburb just north of Chicago. But Eddie says, “Gas money give out in Gurnee” while describing their trip in. Gurnee is way north of where the Griswolds live. There would’ve been no reason for Eddie to drive through Gurnee.

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

 

[CyCoug]

I always wondered how they screwed up the geography so badly in this scene. Eddie is from Kansas, and the Griswolds live in a suburb just north of Chicago. But Eddie says, “Gas money give out in Gurnee” while describing their trip in. Gurnee is way north of where the Griswolds live. There would’ve been no reason for Eddie to drive through Gurnee.

Easily enough explained. Eddie has a metal plate in his head and this was pre-GPS days.

An RV like his had to have a dashboard compass. The metal plate interfered with the compass.

Plot hole solved.

 

[Al_4_State]

Easily enough explained. Eddie has a metal plate in his head and this was pre-GPS days.

An RV like his had to have a dashboard compass. The metal plate interfered with the compass.

Plot hole solved.

Yeah, plus they had driving around for awhile in that thing. It’s never stated that they were taking the direct path from Kansas to Chicago.

 

[AuH2O]

Any age. There are a lot of adult themed jokes, but a kid won’t understand the context. A handful of swear words and one finger gesture.

I’d be fine with any aged child watching it, personally.

If your kids ride the bus to school, there’s nothing in this that’s going to be shocking to them.

I think I saw the OG vacation at maybe 10. My parents were big fans and figured exposing me to such great art was important.