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| Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold |
Although they've never gotten the critical kudos they deserve, the original three films (I am choosing to ignore the abysmal Vegas Vacation) had a certain comedy magic which isn't all that easy to emulate.
The 1980s films starring Chevy Chase had real edge but also sincere moments too -- a delicate balance that worked because the films tapped into universal experiences while upping the comic ante.
I like Ed Helms and the early trailers for the new film looked good, but the more I've read about it (I no longer intend to see it) the more I've come to understand that it really missed the mark. Like too many modern R-rated comedies it puts an emphasis on crudeness instead of genuine laughs.
The original and best Vacation film was R-rated too, but it also was consistently hilarious in no small part because of the real thought that director Harold Ramis and Chase imbued into the project. Clark Griswold wasn't just some moron -- he was earnest to an extreme. And there are few comic vignettes in cinema more pleasurable than his character's inevitable meltdowns in the face of calamity.
National Lampoon's Vacation (1983) - A bonafide comedy classic. It's got great pacing and keeps the laughs coming from unexpected places -- the dog getting dragged behind the car, Christie Brinkley providing temptation on the road, the fate of Aunt Edna and of course, the infamous visit to Cousin Eddie's. Chase and Beverly D'Angelo have great chemistry as husband and wife and the kids here are standouts too, especially a young Anthony Michael Hall as the precocious Rusty (who is supposed to grow up to become Helms in the new film). This "quest for fun" really is a delight and the journey to the fictional Wally World really pays off in the end.
National Lampoon's European Vacation (1985) - The weakest of the original films is still really enjoyable, albeit a lot sillier. This film puts a priority on the physical gags -- which isn't necessarily a bad thing since this is one of Chase's specialties. The setting is used for a variety of visual and verbal puns, the best being a running gag where the Griswolds keep accidentally maiming the same innocent British man, played by my favorite member of Monty Python, Eric Idle. Is knocking over Stonehenge highbrow humor? No. But it still brings a smile to my face.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) - The most heartwarming of the Vacation films and the one with the most staying power thanks to its repeated showings around the holidays. This actually may be my favorite Christmas movie of all time because of the classic crazy bits mixed with its genuinely sincere spirit. Randy Quaid's Cousin Eddie almost steals the whole movie -- his byplay with Chase is comedic perfection. I also love the yuppie next door neighbors, one of whom is played by a young Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Although there is no actual trip in this film, the movie truly captures the madness of families during the season.
And finally, a word on reboots. They can't and won't stop coming. There are plans to remake my favorite Chase movie, Fletch, potentially with Jason Sudekis (a much better choice than the once-rumored Zack Braff) and we've all heard plenty about an upcoming all-female Ghostbusters. Hollywood has been doing this for a hundred years -- and yet, it seems like almost everything now is a sequel or a reboot or a remake.
Ideally, the films the industry chooses to update would be projects that could really be improved upon in some way, but naturally producers want more of a sure thing -- and making something based on something audiences already like is a guaranteed way to sell some tickets.
I just hope that in the future filmmakers realize they need more than a brand name to make their movies stand the test of time.
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