Holiday Classics: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
Director: Jeremiah S. Chechik Run Time: 97 min. Rating: PG-13 Release Year: 1989
Starring: Beverly D'Angelo, Chevy Chase, John Randolph, Johnny Galecki, Juliette Lewis
Country: United States
Language: English
Presented as part of the 2023 edition of Holiday Classics.
About the film:
Clarke Griswold does his best to orchestrate a traditional happy family Christmas, but is thwarted by odious relatives, bah-humbug neighbors, and plain old bad luck.
“If it doesn’t make you at least giggle, then you clearly don’t understand the true meaning of the festive season”
—William Thomas, Empire Magazine
A comedy classic, Christmas Vacation was written and co-produced by John Hughes based on his short story “Christmas ’59” that was published in the December 1980 issue of National Lampoon magazine.
About the filmmaker:
Jeremiah S. Chechik was a notable fashion photographer in the 1970s before entering the world of music videos. He worked with bands like Van Halen and Hall & Oates in the burgeoning MTV era before making his feature film debut with National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989). Chechik continued with work on films ranging from heartwarming romantic comedies like Benny & Joon (1993) to psychological thrillers like Diabolique (1996) before transitioning to work in television.
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