Wezzo's DVD Reviews> Christmas Vacation: SE

Wezzo's DVD Reviews > Movies > National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation Special Edition


National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation: Special Edition
(aka Christmas Vacation)

Main Feature:
This seasonal film is, in my house at least, as much of a Christmas tradition as a roast dinner and presents. Any Christmas, come rain, snow or shine, this will be watched on either Christmas Eve, Day or Boxing Day, at least once - this year, i watched three times. And I admit to often watching it around the year too - April, August, whatever.
Why? I hear you ask. Well, if you've seen it, you'll know why. It is comedy perfection. In my opinion, the best of the varying "Vacation" series, starring Chevy Chase as lead man of the house, husband and dad Clark W Griswold; with Beverly D'Angelo as his worrying wife Ellen, Randy Quaid as country bumpkin cousin Eddie, and a further supporting cast of many great acting talents.
You want a summary? Well, in traditional fashion, I'll steal one from elsewhere; this is by Julian Reischl (with a few minor edits), from www.imdb.com:

"It's Christmas time, and Clark has decided to invite all the family over, to have 'the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny dancing Kaye', which nobody shall ever forget. When the first relatives arrive, Clark soon flees to the roof to rig the lighting.. unfortunately, at the big switch-on, the 25,000 lights refuse to work.
The one thing the loving father wants to surprise the whole family with is the installation of a pool, which he already ordered. Unfortunately, the bonus check Clark expects any minute is overdue - and tempers rise, but not only because of the check. A big event is the arrival of uninvited cousin Eddie with his family in their mobile home, as well as a little sledding afternoon with a new lubricant from Clark's company, or his shifting relationship with the very hip and clean neighbours. Cousin Eddie chooses to top off all presents with his very own special creation, only intending to deliver a real reason to be jolly."
Couldn't say it any better if I tried :). The film is a comic masterpiece; to give you an idea of the content, here are 5 of my favourite quotes:
  • Clark: Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no! We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here! We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny (dan-king) Kaye! And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of a$$holes this side of the nuthouse!
  • Clark: Hey! If any of you are looking for any last-minute gift ideas for me, I have one. I'd like Frank Shirley, my boss, right here tonight. I want him brought from his happy holiday slumber over there on Melody Lane with all the other rich people and I want him brought right here, with a big ribbon on his head, and I want to look him straight in the eye and I want to tell him what a cheap, lying, no-good, rotten, four-flushing, low-life, snake-licking, dirt-eating, inbred, overstuffed, ignorant, blood-sucking, dog-kissing, brainless, d*ckless, hopeless, heartless, fat-ass, bug-eyed, stiff-legged, spotty-lipped, worm-headed sack of monkey $hit he is! Hallelujah! Holy $hit! Where's the Tylenol?
  • Ruby Sue: Rocky bit my thumb. He's nervous.
    Clark: Nervous or excited?
    Ruby Sue: $hittin' bricks.
    Clark: You shouldn't use that word.
    Ruby Sue: Sorry. $hittin' rocks
  • Eddie: You surprised to see us, Clark?
    Clark: Oh, Eddie... If I woke up tomorrow with my head sewn to the carpet, I wouldn't be more surprised than I am now.
  • Eddie: Every time Catherine would turn on the microwave, I'd pi$$ my pants and forget who I was for about half an hour.
    There's a little taster for you.. it really is the perfect family film (though I wouldn't recommend it for kids under 10). Comedy perfection. 10/10

    Packaging:
    A typical snapper case. No inserts, but the disc is held very well. 8/10

    Audio:
    Fairly good 2.0 Dolby Surround. It's good, but a 5.1 would be perfect. 6/10

    Video:
    1.85:1 Widescreen, looks very good. No grain or anything like that; the picture is very clear. Well done. 9/10

    Price:
    Mine was £10 or so from www.play.com, £10 is the perfect price for this. Don't settle for more than £13. 9/10

    Extras:
    Not a massive selection, certainly not enough to warrant the special edition title - no documentaries? Whaaa?!, but there's enough to warrant purchasing at £10.
    Firstly, there's the
  • Audio Commentary. Unfortunately there's no Chevy Chase, dammit, but there's still Randy Quaid (Eddie), Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen), Johnny Galecki (Rusty), Miriam Flynn (Cousin Catherine), Director Jeremy Chechik and Producer, Matty Simmons. It's fairly informative and entertaining, but there's far too many silent gaps in the film, as if they'd rather just watch it, instead of comment.
  • The only other 'extra' of any note is the trailer - 3 minutes or so. Quite interesting, especially if you've never seen the film, but it's hardly spellbinding.
  • There's also scene selections, menus (hardly extras) and subtitles in English (film only).
    5/10

    Overall:
    A brilliant film on a less-than-brilliant disc. 7/10

    Family-Friendly Rating:
    The BBFc gave this a mere PG, but I'm going to give this Teen, for the frequent use of moderate language and one moderate sex ref, as well as a little mild violence. Note that in the original version, Clark says '..Danny f**king Kaye', the 'f**king' has been overdubbed with 'dancing' rather badly, to obtain a PG.

    ~Wesley Mead, aka Wezzo

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