Keep It Oldskool Presents 
Oldskool Movie of the week


National Lampoon's Vacation was released in 1983 the movie written by 80s movie master John Hughes and directed by Harold Ramis was an instant smash and starred Chevy Chase,Beverly D'Angelo, Randy Quaid, Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall. The movie which spawned a franchise is considered one of the funniest movies ever. The movie was shot on location meaning that the cast had to travel cross country during the filming.


The movies tells the story of food additives salesman Clark Griswold (Chase) taking his family Ellen (D'Angelo) Rusty (Hall) and Audrey (Barron) cross country to Walley World an amusement park in California. The trek is beset by problems such as the hideous station wagon,a sojourn into the inner city and of course relatives. We see Clark handle each situation with a clumsy abandon. This family unit is pushed to a breaking point with hilarious results. From the Grand Canyon to the desert the Griswold's seem to travel  all over the map.

There was of course a cameo as supermodel Christie Brinkley is tooling around in a red Ferrari that seems to be stalking the family. Also Cousin Eddie ( Randy Quaid) whose daughter says that she was told by her FATHER that she french kisses the best. and Aunt Edna who wines and insults her way along for the ride. In any odyssey there are casualties and this movie is no different. But even the deaths are played up for comedy.

This movie is a "click and stop movie" meaning while flipping channels if you run across it,  you have to stop and watch for a while. The movie spawned 4 sequels: 

National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985)

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)

Vegas Vacation (1997)

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003)

The best of being the National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. The Old Navy clothing line had commercials feature Chase and D'Angelo and several of the different actors that portrayed Audrey and Rusty over the course of the 4 films. Some unknown tidbits on or about the movie include:  

(courtesy of http://news.moviefone.com/2013/07/29/vacation-movie-trivia-25-things-you-didnt-know/)

*The original ending had the Griswolds, livid over the closing of Walley World, invade Roy Walley's house, hold him and his associates hostage, and force them to entertain them by dancing and singing Marty Moose songs. 

*As the ending had to be re shot Rusty (Anthony Micheal Hall) had grown 6 inches and in final draft of movie Rusty goes from a few inches shorter then Chevy Chase to a few inches taller then him.

*A reboot has been in the works that would star Ed Helms ("The Hangover") as the grown Rusty, taking his own wife (Christina Applegate) and family on vacation to Walley World, with Chase and D'Angelo to return as his parents.

KEEP IT OLDSKOOL