Search - National Lampoon's Vacation [Special Edition]

Far superior to its sequels, National Lampoon's Vacation chronicles the trials and tribulations of the Griswolds (Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Dana Barron, and Anthony Michael Hall) as they trek cross-country in search of fun and recreation at the mythical WallyWorld theme park. Along the way, they get lost in East St. Louis (in what some may consider a racist scene involving black youths stripping the brand-new family station wagon clean while Clark Griswold [Chase] unwittingly asks a belligerent pimp for directions), stop to visit some hillbilly relatives (Randy Quaid is hilarious as the down-on-his-luck patriarch), pick up their cantankerous aunt Edna (Imogene Coca), dispose of her corpse after she passes away in the back seat, narrowly skirt death after crashing through a roadside billboard in the desert, and stay at a hotel where Clark is tempted by a seductive swimmer (Christie Brinkley). Having endured a journey more trying than Homer's -Odyssey, they finally arrive at WallyWorld -- only to find it is closed for two weeks for renovations. Wackiness ensues as Clark snaps and takes a security guard (John Candy) hostage. Chase is good as everyman Clark Griswold, as is D'Angelo as his wife, and Candy is a scene-stealer as a stodgy, dim-witted park security guard. Among the funniest scenes are Clark's swim at the motel, the visit to the Grand Canyon, and the encounter with the state trooper regarding Aunt Edna's missing dog. Much of the humor in National Lampoon's Vacation is indicative of the general lack of taste in '80s comedies (particularly their exploitation of racial stereotypes and incest humor), but a good portion of the film is still laugh-out-loud funny thanks to a game cast. ~ Jeremy Beday, All Movie Guide

Chevy Chase - Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo - Ellen Griswold
Anthony Michael Hall - Rusty Griswold
Imogene Coca - Aunt Edna
Randy Quaid - Cousin Eddie

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of its release, National Lampoon's Vacation has been fitted out with plenty of bells and whistles for its re-release on DVD. The movie has been given a letterboxed transfer at its original widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1, which has been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The original English-language soundtrack has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono, as are alternate audio tracks in French, Portuguese, and Spanish; the disc also includes optional subtitles in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese. Bonus material includes an introduction from cast members Chevy Chase and Randy Quaid, a "Family Truckster and Roof Rack" featurette, the original theatrical trailer, and a commentary track in which the "Griswold Family" discussing their onscreen adventures with director Harold Ramis. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

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4	Tex [Widescreen/Fullscreen] (PG)
21	Cadillac Man (R)
16	License to Drive (PG-13)
53	Major League (R)
5	Losin' It (R)
23	Revenge of the Nerds [Panty Raid Edition] (R)
45	Night Shift (R)
69	Stripes (R)
7	The Woman in Red (PG-13)
109	What About Bob? (PG)
21	Porky's/Porky's II: The Next Day (R)
4	The Chocolate War (R)
59	Porky's (R)
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40	National Lampoon's European Vacation (PG-13)
22	It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (G)
14	Wild at Heart [Special Edition] (R)
5	Losin' It (R)
2	Last Resort (R)
11	Used Cars (R)
14	The Sure Thing [Special Edition] (PG-13)
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4	The Hot Spot (R)
5	Sullivan's Travels [Criterion Collection] (NR)
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40	National Lampoon's European Vacation (PG-13)
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80	National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (PG-13)
86	Caddyshack (R)
40	National Lampoon's European Vacation (PG-13)
78	Sixteen Candles [Widescreen] (PG)
69	Stripes (R)
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39	Splash (PG)
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75	Home Alone (PG)
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17	Heavy Metal (R)
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70	Uncle Buck (PG)
106	Ferris Bueller's Day Off (PG-13)
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38	The Great Outdoors (PG)
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10	National Lampoon's Last Resort (PG-13)
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