Vacation (1983)

Director:

Harold Ramis

Writers:

John Hughes (screenplay)
John Hughes (short story "Vacation '58")

Release Date:

29 July 1983 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Every summer Chevy Chase takes his family on a little trip. This year he went too far.

Plot:

The Griswold family's cross-country drive to the Walley World theme park proves to be much more arduous than they ever anticipated.

Plot Keywords:

Vacation | Arizona | Kansas | Cross Country | Death

Cast

Chevy Chase	...	Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo	...	Ellen Griswold
Imogene Coca	...	Aunt Edna
Randy Quaid	...	Cousin Eddie
Anthony Michael Hall	...	Russell 'Rusty' Griswold
Dana Barron	...	Audrey Griswold
Eddie Bracken	...	Roy Walley
Brian Doyle-Murray	...	Kamp Komfort Clerk
Miriam Flynn	...	Cousin Catherine
James Keach	...	Motorcycle Cop
Eugene Levy	...	Car Salesman
Frank McRae	...	Grover
John Candy	...	Lasky, Guard at Walleyworld
Christie Brinkley	...	The Girl in the Ferrari
Jane Krakowski	...	Cousin Vicki
John P. Navin Jr.	...	Cousin Dale (as John Navin)
Nathan Cook	...	Man Giving Directions
Christopher Jackson	...	Pimp
Mickey Jones	...	Mechanic
John Diehl	...	Assistant Mechanic
Jeannie Dimter Barton	...	Dodge City Cashier
Randy Lowell	...	Wyatt Earp (as Randolph Dreyfuss)
Virgil Wyaco II	...	Indian
Gerry Black	...	Davenport
James Staley	...	Motel Desk Clerk
Adelaide Wilder	...	Car Hop
Tessa Richarde	...	Motel Guest
Fritz Ford	...	Neighbor
Eric Stacey	...	Neighbor
Scott Perry	...	SWAT Team Leader
Dennis Freeman	...	Policeman
Michael Talbott	...	Cowboy
John Craigmile	...	Camel Rider
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Popeye the Dog	...	Dinky (uncredited)
Harold Ramis	...	Cop at Wally World (voice) (uncredited)
Violet Ramis	...	Daisy Mabel (uncredited)
Lorenzo Salviati	...	Bar Piano Player (uncredited)

Directed by
Harold Ramis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
John Hughes		screenplay
John Hughes		short story "Vacation '58"

Produced by
Robert Grand	....	associate producer
Matty Simmons	....	producer

Original Music by
Ralph Burns

Cinematography by
Victor J. Kemper		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Pembroke J. Herring		(as Pem Herring)

Casting by
Susan Arnold
Phyllis Huffman

Production Design by
Jack T. Collis		(as Jack Collis)

Set Decoration by
Joe D. Mitchell		(as Joe Mitchell)

Makeup Department
Frank Griffin	....	makeup artist
Adele Taylor	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Robert Grand	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carl Barth	....	second unit director
Ross Brown	....	second assistant director
Robert P. Cohen	....	second assistant director
Bradley M. Gross	....	first assistant director: second unit (as Brad Gross)
Dick Ziker	....	second unit director

Art Department
Richard J. Bayard	....	construction coordinator (as Dick Bayard)
Karen Lee Holley	....	leadwoman (as Karen Holley)
Robert J. Lattanzio	....	paint foreman (as Bob Lattanzio)
Sonny Van Hecke	....	assistant property master
Robert J. Visciglia Sr.	....	property master (as Robert Visciglia Sr.)

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound effects mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Bub Asman	....	sound editor
Martin Raymond Bolger	....	sound mixer (as Marty Bolger)
Les Fresholtz	....	dialogue mixer
Robert G. Henderson	....	sound editor (as Bob G. Henderson)
Tom Mar	....	cable person
Alan Robert Murray	....	sound editor
Brooke H. Ward	....	assistant sound editor (as Brooke E. Henderson)
Hal Whitby	....	boom operator
Caryl Wickman	....	dialogue editor

Visual Effects by
Rocco Gioffre	....	matte artist: DQI
Kathleen Quaife-Hodge	....	special effects animator (uncredited)
Hoyt Yeatman	....	matte photographer: DQI (uncredited)

Stunts
Pamela Bebermeyer	....	stunts (as Pam Bebermeyer)
Jophery C. Brown	....	stunts (as Jophery Brown)
Cheré Bryson	....	stunts (as Chere Bryson)
William H. Burton	....	stunts (as Bill Burton)
Jim Connors	....	stunts
Mike De Luna	....	stunts (as Michael Deluna)
David R. Ellis	....	stunts (as David Ellis)
Tony Epper	....	stunts
Fritz Ford	....	stunts (as Fritz Apking)
Hugh Hooker	....	stunts
Don Pulford	....	stunts
J.N. Roberts	....	stunts
Kenny Studer	....	stunts
Jules Sylvester	....	stunts (as Julian Richard Sylvester)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunts
John M. Woodward	....	stunts (as John Woodward)
Dick Ziker	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Salvatore Bognanni	....	clapper loader: action unit
Earl L. Clark	....	assistant camera (as Earl Clark)
Earl Gilbert	....	gaffer
Rhio Haessig	....	best boy electric
Kevin Jewison	....	second assistant camera
Robin P. Knight	....	second grip (as Robin Knight)
John Margolies	....	still photographer: main titles
Elliott Marks	....	still photographer (as Elliot Marks)
Patrick Marshall	....	rigging gaffer (as Pat Marshall)
Gaylin P. Schultz	....	key grip (as Gaylin Schultz)
Bernie Schwartz	....	dolly grip
Robert M. Stevens	....	camera operator (as Robert Stevens)
Paul Vombrack	....	director of photography: second unit (as Paul Vom Brack)

Animation Department
Sam Kirson	....	animator

Casting Department
Jo Doster	....	location casting
Olivia Maggard	....	location casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Harris Jr.	....	costumer: men
Barbara Siebert	....	costumer: women

Editorial Department
Donah Bassett	....	negative cutter
Tim Board	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
Eugene Marks	....	music editor
Arthur Piantadosi	....	music mixer

Transportation Department
John M. Woodward	....	transportation coordinator (as John Woodward)

Other crew
Trevor Albert	....	production associate
Carol Bahoric	....	assistant: Matty Simmons
Bill Borden	....	location manager: Colorado/Arizona
Jayni Chase	....	location secretary
Karin Dew	....	animal trainer (as Karen Dew)
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	title designer
Alan Greedy	....	script supervisor
Tom Massmann	....	production assistant
Amy McElhenney	....	production secretary
Sam Mercer	....	location manager
Al Sand	....	caterer
Jules Sylvester	....	animal trainer (as Julian Richard Sylvester)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (1984) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1985) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD) (20th anniversary edition)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1983) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fazer Musiikki Oy/Fazer Video (1987) (Finland) (VHS)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1998) (2000) (Finland) (TV)
• Warner Home Video (1999) (2007) (Finland) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1994) (Finland) (TV) (TV2)

Also Known As:

National Lampoon's Vacation (UK) (USA) (complete title)
American Vacation (Europe: English title) (video title)

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Germany:16 | Finland:K-7 (2006) (DVD) | Finland:S (1983) | Netherlands:AL | Australia:M | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | UK:15 | West Germany:6 | USA:R (certificate number 27018)

Filming Locations:

Alamosa, Colorado, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

Apparently, it was originally scripted that after Aunt Edna was tied to the roof of the car, there was a shot of her fingers moving implying she was, in fact, still alive. This was considered "cruel" to have a live person on the roof of a car by the ratings board, so it was cut and she remained dead.

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of Ellen's head when Clark sees the girl in the Ferrari for the second time changes between shots.

Quotes:

[Clark has just been pulled over by a Colorado motorcycle cop]
Clark: Hi officer, what's the problem?
Motorcycle Cop: Get out of the car!
[Clark exits from the car]
Clark: I don't think I was speeding. Was I weaving or something?
Motorcycle Cop: Shut your mouth, sir! You know, if I weren't in uniform, I'd split your skull with the butt of this revolver faster than you can say, "police brutality!"
Clark: Well whatever I did, I'm sure I can explain...
[the motorcycle cop forcibily takes Clark by the arm and leads him to the rear of the car, which has a dog leash still tied to it]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wadd: The Life & Times of John C. Holmes (1998)

Soundtrack:

Chariots of Fire

Chevy is, a very funny lad.

National Lampoons Vacation is an absolute classic Chevy Chase film. Chevy (as Clark) is, a very funny lad. Americans are capable of comedy, although are yet to master the British and their achievements in this genre. Each time I watch this film the delivery in Chevy's lines becomes funnier. The absolute classic for the movie is when Clarke talks about the Mississippi River and then the St Louis Arch.

The cross country adventures are taken to extremes with great characters such as cousin Eddy at times stealing big Chevy's thunder. Don't be fooled, I'm not suggesting anyone deserved an Oscar. However, when you watch a comedy and it is comical then they have to be doing something right. If your a fan of Chevy then you will have seen this film so i suggest you go and watch it again.