Written by James M. Tate / 2/25/2013 / No comments / beverly d'angelo , chevy chase , comedy , diane ladd , e.g. marshall , franchise , randy quaid , sequel
NATIONAL LAMPOON'S CHRISTMAS VACATION
![]() |
year: 1989 rating: *** |
Daughter Audrey is more bitter and frustrated than ever, and somehow Rusty, now with brown hair instead of blonde, is thirteen-years-old again...
The kids and mom don’t amount to much anyway, merely witnessing Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase at the tail-end of his comedic peak) and his clumsy misadventures as the host of an overcrowded holiday home: including both sets of in-laws. The only real input for family’s sake is Randy Quaid’s white trash Cousin Eddie: A scene-stealer in the first film given his own fifteen minute layover, Eddie becomes Clark’s partner-in-crime. But Quaid seems to be doing an exaggerated imitation, turning Eddie into an over-the-top comic book character. Meanwhile, Clark's reactionary disdain for his cousin-in-law's gross-out personality becomes redundant, especially after the first ten times.
![]() |
Chevy Chase & Randy Quaid |
The direction, including handheld camera and intentionally awkward moments, flows pretty well with the John Hughes script that, as usual, mixes semi dark comedy with pathos and hijinx. While the soundtrack can be spooky and ominous, befitting what’s going on in Clark’s troubled mind, successfully contrasting with the old fashion Norman Rockwell house and backdrop.
Touted as a Holiday classic, this is really a hit-and-miss outing. The most family oriented Lampoon venture keeps some of the blue humor hidden yet it’s implied throughout.
Glimpses of a brooding Clark at work in the office, hoping for a bonus check to buy a swimming pool, and the intrusion of a put-upon yuppie couple who live next door – victims of whatever Clark’s doing outside – are distractions to get us out of the crowded house. Yet with these sporadic reminders of real life, we often forget we’re on vacation.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
All Time Popular
-
Robyn Hilton enters into an eclectic exploitation comedy career in Wonder Women circa 1973 As mentioned a few posts ago, ROBYN HILTON, b...
-
year: 1978 cast: Allen Garfield, Leif Garrett, Kathleen Lloyd, Tony Alva, Pam Kenneally rating: ***1/2 Although promoted as a Leif Garr...
-
Mary-Louise Weller in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE ANIMAL HOUSE, directed by John Landis and produced by Ivan Reitman, stars John Be...
-
Kari Michaelsen in Saturday the 14th year: 1982 In LOVE AT FIRST BITE, a popular comedy that took the vampire genre by satire, Richard ...
-
Robyn Hilton on STARSKY AND HUTCH Model/Actress ROBYN HILTON played Mel Brook's secretary in BLAZING SADDLES and turns up in an epis...
-
Cornelia Sharpe in BUSTING Year: 1974 Rating: **** Starring Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as determined vice cops BUSTING hookers, makin...
-
WILLIAM SMITH AS FALCONETTI ON RICH MAN POOR MAN The baddest of all TV bad guys… Matt Dillon’s character in BEAUTIFUL GIRLS calls Antho...
-
Susan Dey in Skyjacked YEAR: 1972 Some of the best elements of hijacking, plane crashing, ship sinking, building burning or any other di...
-
Kristine Debell as A.L. from MEATBALLS In MEATBALLS, actress KRISTINE DeBELL played a camp counselor in a classic movie that's liv...
-
Doc Savage YEAR: 1976 Just when you thought you'd seen everything, up comes something you missed because of being too young at the time...
Featured Post
MARLON BRANDO AND GEORGE C. SCOTT IN 'THE FORMULA'
Title: THE FORMULA Year: 1980 Rating: ** Most cult films start out generally unknown and unsuccessful till gaining a dedicated following but...

No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.