National Lampoon's Vacation [Special Edition]

Director: Harold Ramis Harold Ramis

Overview

"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."

Product Details

Release Date:	08/19/2003
UPC:	0085392753529
Original Release:	1983
Rating:	R
Source:	STUDIO DISTRIBUTION SERVS LLC
Region Code:	1
Presentation:	[Wide Screen]
Sound:	[Dolby Digital Mono]
Language:	English
Time:	1:39:00

Special Features

Closed Caption;All new 20th anniversary digital transfer; All new introduction by Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid and producer Matty Simmons; Feature lenght Griswold family audio commentary by Chase, Quaid, Simmons, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron and director Harold Ramis; Family truckster featurette gallery

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Chevy Chase	Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo	Ellen Griswold
Imogene Coca	Aunt Edna
Randy Quaid	Cousin Eddie
Anthony Michael Hall	Rusty Griswold
Dana Barron	Audrey Griswold
Eddie Bracken	Roy Walley
Miriam Flynn	Cousin Catherine
James Keach	Motorcycle Cop
Eugene Levy	Car Salesman
Frank McRae	Grover
John Candy	Lasky
Christie Brinkley	Girl in Red Ferrari
Jane Krakowski	Cousin Vicki
John P. Navin Jr.	Cousin Dale
Nathan Cook	Man Giving Directions
Christopher Jackson	Pimp
Mickey Jones	Mechanic
John Diehl	Assistant Mechanic
Jeannie Dimter Barton	Dodge City Cashier
Randolph Dreyfuss	Wyatt Earp
Virgil Wyaco II	Indian
Gerry Black	Davenport
James Staley	Motel Desk Clerk
Adelaid Wilder	Car Hop
Tessa Richarde	Motel Guest
Fritz Ford	Neighbor
Eric Stacey Jr.	Neighbor
Scott Perry	Swat Leader
Dennis Freeman	Policeman
Michael Talbot	Cowboy
Brian Doyle-Murray	Kamp Komfort Clerk
Victor J. Kemper	Actor
Harold Ramis	Actor
Ralph Burns	Actor,Composer
Rick Alexander	Actor
Rocco Gioffre	Actor
Matty Simmons	Actor
Bub Asman	Actor
Martin Raymond Bolger	Actor
Les Fresholtz	Actor
Robert G. Henderson	Actor
Randy Lowell	Wyatt Earp
Eric Stacey	Neighbor
Henry B. Walthall	Actor
Denny Freeman	Policeman
Michael Talbott	Cowboy

Technical Credits

John Hughes

Harold Ramis	Director
Matty Simmons	Producer
John Hughes	Screenwriter,Producer
Marty Bolger	Sound/Sound Designer
Robert Grand	Producer

Editorial Reviews

Considering the number of talented people involved in this film, it is not surprising that the laughs are constant. Conversely, considering the number of talented people involved in this film, it is surprising it isn't a bit sharper and deeper with its comedy. Harold Ramis showed in subsequent comedies that he was capable of finding an emotional level to match the laughs (Groundhog Day, Stuart Saves His Family, and even, to a lesser extent, Ghostbusters), and screenwriter John Hughes invested the seemingly overworked teen film with some honest feelings in his screenplays for such '80s classics as Sixteen Candles, Breakfast Club, and Some Kind of Wonderful. There are easily two-dozen very funny scenes in this film. Chevy Chase does a fine job of modulating his performance so that he slowly becomes more and more unglued until all his pent-up frustrations are released in a hilarious monologue
ant to his family, and in his threatening of John Candy's park worker. There is no doubt that Vacation is funny, but watching the films mentioned before (as well as Animal House, another National Lampoon film which Ramis co-wrote) reveals that it is possible to make a slob comedy that is populated by characters with some depth. Vacation succeeds as a comedy, but fails to resonate emotionally.