Finally, after all this time, Warner Brothers have arrive to their senses. On October 7th, we will be treated to a heftly helping of one of the greatest Christmas films to ever grace the silver conceal…………in WIDESCREEN.
I was extremely disappointed with the previous DVD release of this film which contained a pan & scan presentation and nothing more than a theatrical trailer in the extras department.
What we have here is a special edition of this astronomical movie, which will hold audio commentary from both Beverly D’Angelo and Chevy Trek, a “making of” featurette, as well as other stocking stuffers which have yet to be disclosed at this prove time.
Buy,Download, Or Stream National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation! Click Here
Being a titanic fan of this movie, I honestly can’t wait for this release. “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” has become a holiday tradition in my home, and to be able to ogle it the blueprint it was intended to be seen is truly a treat for me.
Aside from the features of the disk, the film itself is the just gift. One of the funniest movies today which serene withstands the test of time even 15 years later. The premise is simple. Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Slump) is hell hooked on having an musty family Christmas in his home, relatives and all. Of course, the hilarity kicks in when things inaugurate to go awry. There are so many hilarious scenes in this movie, it would be difficult to list them all. You have everything from an electrocuted cat, to a house with the brightest Christmas light prove known to man. Let’s not forget the dried up turkey, the saucer sled and the dog/squirrel plug! There’s so remarkable more I could say to praise this movie, but if you haven’t already seen it, [I won't say more]
You really catch your life in your hands every time you sit down with a Chevy Streak film. Let’s face reality here: Chevy Breeze is responsible for several of the worst movies ever made. Does it choose more than a few minutes of viewing to sight the mind numbing folly of “Nothing But Exertion,” “The Three Amigos,” and “Spies Like Us”? Hasten has definite had his truly embarrassing moments on the tremendous hide. What redeems the guy, at least in my eyes, are several films that play up to the comedian’s knowing alecky, deadpan delivery. “Fletch,” of course, is the gold standard of Chevy Waddle films, but other movies showcase his talents unbiased as well. I always conception “Deal of the Century” a classic Go film, as well as “Cross Play” (although the latter was more of an ensemble relate) . But we need peer no further than the four National Lampoon Vacation films to truly assume the merits of this comedian turned actor. Actually, I should say three Vacation films since the second installment, where the Griswold family went on a tour of Europe, ranks as one of the most awful stories ever attach on film. Of the three successful entries, “Christmas Vacation” is the best, perhaps even eclipsing the first movie that started it all.
Buy,Download, Or Stream National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation! Click Here
You won’t hear the familiar strains of Lindsey Buckingham’s “Holiday Road” in “Christmas Vacation,” and there are no corpses strapped to the top of a dwelling wagon either. Instead, the film invites us into the Griswold home for an mature fashioned Christmas celebration the likes of which soon come catastrophic levels. Clark (Chevy Spin) and Ellen (Beverly D’Angelo) Griswold, along with their disinterested kids Audrey (Juliette Lewis) and Russ (Johnny Galecki), invite the whole family over for a season filled with happiness. Clark’s parents Clark Sr. (John Randolph) and Nora (Diane Ladd) demonstrate up, as does Ellen’s folks Art (E.G. Marshall) and Frances (Doris Roberts) . And yes, even Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) makes an appearance to put the day. Of course, along with the family comes the inevitable frustrations and stresses everyone who has ever dealt with a reunion dreads. Clark Griswold refuses, at least initially, to descend into a morass of cynicism and despair amidst the bickering and insults. His invention of a original milk preservative has our hero hoping his Christmas bonus will be extra vast this year, gargantuan enough so he can install an in ground swimming pool in the backyard. Unfortunately, his boss Frank Shirley (Brian Doyle-Murray) is a scrooge with plans to construct the company more fiscally conservative.
While he waits for the check to approach at the house, Clark embarks on several hilarious projects that haul in the belly laughs. His attempts to mask every square jog of his house with Christmas lights is a chore requiring several falls off a ladder, pointed verbal repartees with his snotty neighbors Margo and Todd Chester (Julia-Louis Dreyfus and Nicholas Guest), and repeated failures to gain the strands to light up. The acquisition and installment of the Griswold family Christmas tree is another chore handled in Clark’s inimitable style. Imagine the pine they string up in Rockefeller Square every year, subtract roughly five feet from its height, and you have the tree Clark insists on setting up in the house. This thing is so large that the branches knock out the windows when Griswold cuts the rope holding the branches together. No Yuletide season, however, would be complete without a mosey to the slopes for a sledding excursion, an event filled with disastrous implications when Griswold comes up with the colorful thought to conceal the bottom of his sled with a Teflon based substance. My well-liked scenario involves Clark trapped in his attic for a few hours. He spends his time dressed up in women’s clothing (to stop warm) watching extinct home movies of his childhood. His abrupt descend through the trap door had me laughing for hours afterwards.
Buy,Download, Or Stream National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation! Click Here
Buy,Download, Or Stream National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation! Click Here
The cast of “Christmas Vacation” gels fantastically, far better than any cast in the other three films. Kudos as always go to Randy Quaid as the squirrelly moocher Eddie; a film in this series objective wouldn’t be the same without this character driving Clark to fits of distraction. Beverly D’Angelo is one of those actresses who secure hotter and hotter with age. The linchpin of the film is, as always, Chevy Prance as the pain prone Clark Griswold. This is a role tailor made for his trace of clumsy, caustic humor. I don’t know about you, but Chase’s depiction reminds me in many ways of my enjoy father–he won’t listen to the advice of anyone else, his ideas are the best ideas, he tosses safety to the wind when working on unsafe projects, etc. But like my Dad–and probably countless other fathers–Clark is staunch and wants his loved ones to have fabulous family memories. The film works so well, I suspect, because most of us instantly witness his character traits in our fill beloved family patriarchs. Especially when Clark can’t stand the pressure anymore and launches into one of his over the top tirades, again a trademark of our acquire fed up fathers.
Although the DVD carries the “Special Edition” notice, the extras are surprisingly sparse. A trailer and a commentary constitute the sum total of goodies available on the disc. Moreover, the commentary doesn’t include Chevy Slouch. At least you hear Randy Quaid, Beverly D’Angelo, Johnny Galecki, Miriam Flynn (Eddie’s wife Catherine), director Jeremiah Chechik, and producer Marty Simmons, but why no Clark W. Griswold? Perhaps he wanted too worthy money. His absence is downhearted and mars what is otherwise a big commentary track. I don’t even wait until Christmas to perceive this movie; it’s fun works year round. If you haven’t seen it yet, you ought to immediately. You’ll like it.
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