National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

"Oh, the silent majesty of a winter's morn... the clean, cool chill of the holiday air... an asshole in his bathrobe, emptying a chemical toilet into my sewer..."

It's sad to see what has become of the 'National Lampoon' name these days; it was sold off years ago and is now used pretty much as a 'cash in' only name on poor teen sex movies - a far cry from what was once a highly regarded moniker in American comedy. Having never read the magazine itself, I only have the films to go by, but my childhood wouldn't have been the same without the Griswold's hilariously sad attempts at going on holidays - be it Wallyworld, Europe or Christmas. There was always just something special about the films, the kind of comedy joy that made you tune in every time they were due to show on TV, no matter how often you had seen them. Even though time has dulled the edges on at least one of those films - European Vacation just doesn't hold up very well for me -  Christmas Vacation still gets a screening in this house every year.

Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase; Caddyshack, Vacation) is a man who wants nothing more than to ensure his family has a great time together, and for him, that means doing everything together. As December rolls in, he decides to get into the festive spirit, much of which brings about disaster to him and his loved ones. Everything from selecting a tree for the living room through to the Christmas lights seems to go wrong, but Clark remains optimistic that all his Christmas wishes will come true; the bonus he is due is going to pay for the swimming pool in his yard that his family have been aching for. Things take a turn for the worse when both his and his wife, Ellen's (Beverley D'Angelo; Vacation, European Vacation) parents come to stay, along with his hick of a cousin, Eddie (Randy Quaid; Caddyshack II, Vacation). With the house crowded, and Eddie hellbent on being as disgusting as humanly possible, Clark is about to crack. But still, the thoughts of that Christmas bonus keep him going... his boss surely wouldn't cancel it, so close to Christmas, would he?

What works so well about Christmas Vacation, and many other great comedies from the era, is that the film is just really a lose series of sketches tied together around the theme, and it never allows itself get too bogged down in storylines and plotting. It allows us to jump around from a variety of slices of humour, be it slapstick (Clark and his troubles on the rough with a ladder and staple gun, or his attempts to sled) through to vulgar character dialogue and one liners. It keeps the film feeling fresh, and allows it to hold up well to multiple viewings, as there's quite often moments that slip past you the first few times you watch it. Hell, I'm still finding new bits to laugh at, and I've seen it dozens of times. It's a style of comedy that seems to have died out after the early 90's, though a few writers such as Kevin Smith and Judd Apatow were clearly influenced by this era of plot-free chuckles.

The script was written by John Hughes, who is best known for his excellent work with films such as  Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Uncle Buck, to name but a few. The story was based off his own articles for National Lampoon magazine, and he really brings a great sense of character to the sketches, with both Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid getting the best moments. Quaid, in fact, threatens to steal every scene he's in; it was the same in the first Vacation, too, there's just something so utterly grotesque and blackly hilarious about the Eddie character that makes his revolting asides so quotable. Everything from the sight of Eddie in his pants and dressing gown, pumping shit into the sewer from his camper van, through to him kidnapping the boss in the finale... I often wondered if they'd give him his own film, but to be honest, I can't imagine it being as funny without Clark playing the straight man to his hick-schtick. 

It's well worth noting that the rest of the cast is great, and one of the unsung heroes in the 'Vacation' series is Beverley D'Angelo, who does a great job as the supportive Ellen. She has great comedy timing, and it seems like a bit of a pity that she didn't feature in more high-profile comedy roles in her extensive career. The parents are made up of screen veterans such as E.G Marshall, Diane Ladd and Doris Roberts, and we get Juliet Lewis taking on the role of the young daughter, Audrey. Some great moments even go to bit players ("He was a beastly, bulging man!") so everyone gets a fair shot at the spotlight, here. Elsewhere, there's a lot to like; from the opening animated titles through to the solid direction by Jeremiah S. Chechik, the film has a stylish sheen that is in keeping with the rest of the series. It also has one of my favorite seasonal film posters, even if it was released under the altered title of 'Winter Holiday' originally over here.

Clark might be short tempered with a somewhat sleazy mind, but he tries hard to keep everyone happy, and even when the shit is hitting the fan (or his storm drain) he tries to make the best of it. It's this sense of heart that has helped the character endure over all these years; someday I hope they can get back to making one more film in the series with Chevy, Beverley and Randy, but with the likes of John Hughes and Harold Ramis both deceased, it seems unlikely. Who knows, at one point Kevin Smith was trying to get Fletch 3 off the ground, but to little success. Maybe Chevy will one day come to his senses. Until then, just kick back, put the tree lights on, refill that glass of eggnog and enjoy another Christmas with the Griswold's.