Rating: 
Summary: At Long Last!!!!!!!!!!
Review: Finally, after all this time, Warner Brothers have come 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 screen............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 great movie, which will contain audio commentary from both Beverly D'Angelo and Chevy Chase, a "making of" featurette, as well as other stocking stuffers which have yet to be disclosed at this present time. Being a huge 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 see it the way it was intended to be seen is truly a treat for me. Aside from the features of the disk, the film itself is the true gift. One of the funniest movies today which still withstands the test of time even 15 years later. The premise is simple. Clark W. Griswold (Chevy Chase) is hell bent on having an old-fashioned family Christmas in his home, relatives and all. Of course, the hilarity kicks in when things start 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 display known to man. Let's not forget the dried up turkey, the saucer sled and the dog/squirrel chase! There's so much more I could say to praise this movie, but if you haven't already seen it, [I won't say more]
Rating:
Summary: Why haven't you bought this yet?
Review: If this film is not already a Christmas classic, it will certainly be in that group a few years down the road. Aside from the "Vacation" series, this movie stands on its own legs as a hilarious look into the life of Clark W. Griswold, trying to give his family the great American Christmas. There are very few slow moments in the film, which contributes to the fact that you can watch it over and over and over again, not getting sick of it (remember - a classic). It is also filled with countless memorable moments and one-liners, almost on par with "Caddyshack." This film succeeds on two levels of comedy. The first is that it manages to place its characters in funny *situations* as opposed to simply having them try to speak funny lines. This is the mark of a lasting movie. The second level of success is in the humor itself (the dialogue, the one-liners, etc.). It has what it takes to be a classic. As for the special edition, it's worth it because of the commentary, which includes Randy Quaid (Eddie), Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen), Johnny Galecki (Russ), Miriam Flynn (Catherine), Director Jermemiah Chechik and Producer Matty Simmons. They get off to a rough, slow start, but if you hang in there they eventually get it going. But where's Clark? I was very surprised that Chevy Chase didn't make an appearance on the DVD anywhere, and during the commentary the others spoke about him as though he were deceased. I wonder if there was a little falling out...? The transfer to DVD is wonderful. The picture quality is great, unlike other recent releases like the special edition of "A Christmas Story" which contains no film restoration whatsoever. All in all, this is one that you buy. You'll throw it in again and again starting around mid-November, and it will soon become part of your Christmas tradition.
Rating:
Summary: JELLY OF THE MONTH CLUB!
Review: its a movie about the griswalds that have all of his wifes famil over form christmas. Elane from seinfeld has a part in the movie as there neighbors. if you like the other National lampoons movies the seris you will like this one.
Rating: 
Summary: 4.5 stars - arguably the best entry in the series
Review: INTRODUCTION:
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was the third film in the Vacation series of films. For many years, the first film has been hailed as a comedy classic, but this one gets plenty of praise as well. Is it one of the better entries in the series, or one of the weaker ones? Read on for my review. BASIC PLOT:
The storyline of the film goes something like this. The Griswalds are staying home for Christmas, and their non-immediate family members are coming to stay with them for the holidays - including cousin Eddie and his family. Yes, believe it or not, this is a Vacation film that doesn't involve the Griswalds traveling! Soon enough Clark Griswald finds himself dealing with both an ungrateful boss, as well as his entire family - which more than has their share of problems. FILM OPINIONS:
This film is a masterpiece. I'm even going to go so far as to say this film is as good as the original Vacation. The acting, once again, is great. Like any entry in the Vacation series, you've got to see this one to appreciate it. DVD:
The DVD is severely lacking as far as extras go despite the "special edition" tag. We get commentary and trailers, and that's about it. There's really not much other than these things, things that every DVD should have. It's the lack of extras that cost this film half a star, not the film quality itself. Still, the actual film is good, and it makes up for this. OVERALL:
Overall this film is a comedy masterpiece - and don't you dare deny it! If you want to laugh, pick it up. You'll be glad you did.
Rating:
Summary: Top Notch Holiday Fare Despite Poor DVD Quality
Review: National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation has become a holiday tradition in my home. As many times as I've seen this movie I still laugh. There's good old cousin Eddie and his clan, the in-laws, the house covered with lights, (that don't light), an exploding turkey, and of course the squirrel. Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid play off each other perfectly. Then there's the long-suffering ever-faithful Beverly D'Angelo, who relates as Chevy's wife identically as Marge Simpson relates to Homer. The only advantage to owning this movie on DVD is the durability factor. As other reviewer's have mentioned, the DVD picture quality is poor. Besides a grainy picture, the DVD contains no extras, unless you consider a movie trailer to be a special feature. I certainly do not consider a movie trailer a big deal. There will most likely be a "Collector's Edition" released some day that will boast a better picture and added features; seems to be a trend with some of these DVD's. Patience is truly a virtue. Happy Holidays!
Rating:
Summary: The Griswalds are great
Review: The group at national lampoon have a real winner in this one. It is the christmas from hell, and about the greatest christmas comedy there is. It is decided to have an old fashion christmas... all the family on both sides gathering together to celebrate christmas, and the joy of family. Well, it is national lampoon, so you know thats not all together whats going to happen. When you mix in-laws, snooty neighbors, alcohol, and the less desirable part of any family, you get something great! It's 97 minutes of National Lampoons best!
Rating:
Summary: Why haven't you bought this yet?
Review: If this film is not already a Christmas classic, it will certainly be in that group a few years down the road. Aside from the "Vacation" series, this movie stands on its own legs as a hilarious look into the life of Clark W. Griswold, trying to give his family the great American Christmas. There are very few slow moments in the film, which contributes to the fact that you can watch it over and over and over again, not getting sick of it (remember - a classic). It is also filled with countless memorable moments and one-liners, almost on par with "Caddyshack." This film succeeds on two levels of comedy. The first is that it manages to place its characters in funny *situations* as opposed to simply having them try to speak funny lines. This is the mark of a lasting movie. The second level of success is in the humor itself (the dialogue, the one-liners, etc.). It has what it takes to be a classic. As for the special edition, it's worth it because of the commentary, which includes Randy Quaid (Eddie), Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen), Johnny Galecki (Russ), Miriam Flynn (Catherine), Director Jermemiah Chechik and Producer Matty Simmons. They get off to a rough, slow start, but if you hang in there they eventually get it going. But where's Clark? I was very surprised that Chevy Chase didn't make an appearance on the DVD anywhere, and during the commentary the others spoke about him as though he were deceased. I wonder if there was a little falling out...? The transfer to DVD is wonderful. The picture quality is great, unlike other recent releases like the special edition of "A Christmas Story" which contains no film restoration whatsoever. All in all, this is one that you buy. You'll throw it in again and again starting around mid-November, and it will soon become part of your Christmas tradition.
Rating:
Summary: Phenominal
Review: This has to be one of the best "Vacation" movies made yet. I cannot express this enough. It's definitly on my list of all time Christmas Classics, and you can still watch it throughout the year! The "Vacation" movies really dig into almost any typical American's search to make the perfect vacation, life, experience for their family. Chevy Chase and Beverly DiAngelo just highlight it and make it all funny. I have had many friends and neighbors we could dub "the Grizwolds" over the years because of the bumbling things they've tried to do and these movies hit home, especially Christmas Vacation. Buy it, love it!
Rating: 
Summary: The Griswold Family's Christmas From Hell
Review: It's amazing that Chevy Chase wasn't maimed or killed during the making of this movie. I know, there were plenty of stunt players who fell off the roof, crashed through the attic, were flung about into brick walls, etc.---but still! Chevy, who had a well-publicized stint in the Betty Ford Clinic for addiction to painkillers (due to extreme back pain caused by, of all things, his numerous falls on "Saturday Night Live" in the 1970's while spoofing then-President Gerald Ford---how ironic is that???), certainly took on a certain level of risk in reprising his role as the perpetually clumsy, but good-intentioned, WASP patriarch Clark Wilhelm Griswold, Jr. in this, the third installment of the VACATION series by Chase's old comedy troupe, National Lampoon. Having not seen (as of yet, believe it or not) either VACATION or EUROPEAN VACATION, I was a bit unfamiliar with the main characters; however, CHRISTMAS VACATION got me to know them real fast. I have to admit, I have not been a Chevy Chase fan since the '70's, during and immediately after his SNL days. (Let's face facts, the show made him an instant star, but he was never really one of the funniest members of the Not-Ready-for-Prime-Time Players.) However, I believe that he gives a truly inspired comedic performance in CHRISTMAS VACATION. I'm not even referring to the copious physical comedy he displays. I'm actually talking about his comedic acting! I love the manic energy with which Chase infuses his role, and the crazed look in his eye when his character is pushed over the edge. Beverly D'Angelo, as patient but frequently unamused wife Ellen, provides a good low-key foil for his over-the-top antics. She's well-cast and, I must say, beautiful. As far as acting talent goes, this film has no shortage in this department. A pre-stardom Juliette Lewis is welcome as Griswold daughter Audrey, and a very young Johnny Galecki is engaging as her kid brother Russell (three years before he was cast as Darlene's lazy boyfriend David on the hit TV show "Roseanne"). We also get memorable performances from E.G. Marshall, Doris Roberts, an unrecognizable Dianne Ladd, and a hysterically funny William Hickey. Rounding out the mix is Randy Quaid as filthy slob Cousin Eddie (who parks his trailer in the driveway), Nicholas Guest and Julia-Louis Dreyfus as the bland and stuck-up neighbors next door, and Brian Doyle-Murray who serves up good moments as Clark's old crabby boss. The problem with CHRISTMAS VACATION is that, while it does contain some very funny scenes with lots of great, memorable one-liners, it is marred by inferior direction on the part of first-time director Jeremiah Chechik. He tends to interlace the fast-paced physical scenes with long, slow ones that grind the movie to a dead halt every time. While I didn't expect the level of non-stop, lightning-paced zaniness a la AIRPLANE!, these extended slow breaks (that usually focus on a character staring dreamily into the sky) are awkwardly placed and paced, and thereby create an uneven viewing experience. However, John Hughes' smart and wickedly funny script pretty much saves the day. I wouldn't add this to the list of perennial must-see Christmas films (such as A CHRISTMAS STORY or IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE), but CHRISTMAS VACATION does offer a lot of fun for the whole family (except for kids under the age of 10, as the language is well-seasoned with four-letter words). If it does nothing else, this film should make you feel a lot better about your Christmas! MODERATELY RECOMMENDED
Rating:
Summary: SQUIRREL!!!
Review: Man, is this a funny movie. It has taken the place in our DVD collection along side "It's a Wonderful Life," "A Christmas Story," and "A Charlie Brown Christmas." It has all the right elements for the season: humor, a good storyline, and a lot of holiday spirt. And while I'm not a very big fan of Chevy Chase, he's perfect reprising his role as the befuddled Clark Griswold, trying to keep the relative happy during the holidays. I'm not going to be saying anything new that the 200+ people have already said regarding the storyline of this movie, but I will pull out a few favorite scenes: * Randy Quaid as Eddie emptying out his RV's toilet in the street. Eddie steals every scene he's in. * Clark meeting Eddie's dog Snots for the first time. * The squirrel attack. * Uncle Louis catching on fire The list can go on and one, but so do the laughs with this movie. This is simply just a great holiday film that you can watch anytime the mood strikes. It touches on all that can (and often does) go wrong during the holidays, but it all comes together with a happy ending. Highly recommended!
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