National Lampoon’s Vacation is a vintage comedy franchise beginning in the 1980s, though the lack of numerals makes it tricky to know which order to view them in. Chevy Chase is a comedy icon, which was clear from his appearances on the first season of Saturday Night Live. Chase went on to a string of movie hits, including Foul Play, Caddyshack, and Fletch. Unfortunately, Chase also has a reputation for being difficult to work with, so after a string of duds in the ’90s, he was largely relegated to supporting roles or cameos.
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Still, his movie star heyday yielded some classics, including National Lampoon’s Vacation. Directed by Harold Ramis (Groundhog Day) and written by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club), the film detailed a disastrous family vacation, led by Chase’s optimistic patriarch, Clark Griswold. The Vacation movies became a reliable franchise for Chase and co-star Beverly D’Angelo, with both returning for every subsequent installment – bar one entry of the saga.
4 Vacation Movies In Release Order
The Films Were Released In Chronological Order
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John Hughes based National Lampoon’s Vacation on a short story he penned for the titular magazine, and the film proved to be a huge success upon release. For Chase,Vacation proved to be a franchise he could dip in and out of periodically throughout the ’80s and ’90s. Of the six entries in the franchise, the fourth and sixth outings Vegas Vacation and the 2015 reboot are notable for lacking the National Lampoon branding.
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|
Film |
Release Year |
|---|---|
|
National Lampoon’s Vacation |
1983 |
|
National Lampoon’s European Vacation |
1985 |
|
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation |
1989 |
|
Vegas Vacation |
1997 |
|
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2 |
2003 |
|
Vacation |
2015 |
According to a 2015 article by Slate, Warner Bros opted to remove the National Lampoon title from Vegas Vacation due to a falling out between the studio and that sequel’s producers. As for the 2015 film, National Lampoon had nothing to do with its development. Like any long-running franchise, it has its share of weaker outings, though the quality is kind of consistent for the most part.
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3 Vacation Movies In Chronological Order Of Events
National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)
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6/10 National Lampoon’s Vacation R
National Lampoon’s Vacation is a 1983 comedy directed by Harold Ramis and written by John Hughes. The film follows Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, as he embarks on a cross-country road trip with his family to reach the fictional amusement park, Walley World. Along the way, they encounter a series of comedic misadventures that test their resolve and family bonds.
Director Harold Ramis Release Date July 29, 1983 Cast Chevy Chase , Beverly D’Angelo , Anthony Michael Hall , Imogene Coca , Randy Quaid
The first entry is the quintessential family road trip movie, where Clark and Ellen take their children on a cross-country outing to visit the suspiciously Disneyland-esque theme park Walley World. Despite their best-laid plans, the family is beset by a series of disasters, which includes their Aunt Edna dying along the way and Clark having to force his way into Walley World at gunpoint.
It’s chronologically the first entry in the series but these aren’t the kind of movies that need to be watched in any specific order to work.
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Those kinds of shenanigans became par for the course for the franchise and has become a staple of road trip movies ever since. The Harold Ramis-directed movie balances dark humor with some genuine sweetness, which made the Griswold family oddly endearing. It’s chronologically the first entry in the series but these aren’t the kind of movies that need to be watched in any specific order to work.
National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985)
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National Lampoon’s European Vacation PG-13ComedyAdventure
Director Amy Heckerling Release Date July 26, 1985 Writers John Hughes , Robert Klane Cast Chevy Chase , Beverly D’Angelo , Dana Hill , Jason Lively , Eric Idle , William Zabka , John Astin , Mel Smith , Maureen Lipman , Robbie Coltrane , Paul Bartel , Cynthia Szigeti , Jacques Herlin , Jacques Maury , Willy Millowitsch , Erika Wackernagel , Moon Unit Zappa , Claudia Neidig Character(s) Clark Griswold , Ellen Griswold , Audrey Griswold , Russell Rusty Griswold , The Bike Rider , Jack , Kent , Hotel Manager , Lady in the Bed , Man in the Bathroom , Mr. Froeger , Mrs. Froeger , Hotel Desk Clerk , Hotel’s Assistant Manager , Fritz Spritz , Helga Spritz , Rusty’s California Girl , Rusty’s German Girl Runtime 95 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand
Box Office: $49 million | Runtime: 1 hour, 34 minutes
Cast: Chevy Chase (Clark Griswold), Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen Griswold), Jason Lively (Rusty), Dana Hill (Audrey), William Zabka (Jack), John Astin (Kent), Paul Bartel (Mr. Froeger), Cynthia Szigeti (Mrs. Froeger), Eric Idle (The Bike Rider), Jeannette Charles (Queen Elizabeth II), Peter Hugo (Prince Charles), Julie Wooldridge (Princess Diana), Willy Millowitsch (Fritz Spritz), Erika Wackernagel (Helga Spritz)
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The original was produced during an era where sequels to hit movies weren’t exactly a given, but work quickly pressed ahead on National Lampoon’s European Vacation. This entry sees the family winning a two-week trip to Europe on a game show and visiting London, Germany and Italy. Neither Ramis nor Hughes returned for the follow-up, with Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s director Amy Heckerling taking over. National Lampoon’s European Vacation leans heavily on farce but while it scores some laughs it’s not as funny as its predecessor.
The movie also recast the Griswold children, which proved to be the case with every sequel. Dana Hill took over as Audrey from Dana Barron, while Jason Lively inherited “Rusty” from Anthony Michael Hall. The sequel was a success but still grossed less than the original. European Vacation is now regarded as something of a middling entry, but compared to some of the movies in the series, it at least has some memorable gags.
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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
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8/10 10/10 National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation PG-13
The third installment in the National Lampoon’s Vacation series, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, stars Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold, father of the Griswold family whose intentions to have a good Christmas with his family face several setbacks. Between his arguing parents, the uncooperative decorations, and the unexpected arrival of some unwanted distant relatives, Clark’s dreams for a wonderful Christmas seem to be fading, forcing him to take some comedically drastic measures.
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*Availability in US Director Jeremiah S. Chechik Release Date December 1, 1989 Cast Chevy Chase , Beverly D’Angelo , Randy Quaid , Juliette Lewis , Johnny Galecki , John Randolph , Diane Ladd , E.G. Marshall , Miriam Flynn
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation saw Hughes return to pen the screenplay, while Jeremiah S. Chechik took over the director’s chair. This third adventure for the Griswolds was originally supposed to be helmed by Chris Columbus, who apparently begged to exit the film due to issues with Chase; Hughes later gave Columbus the screenplay for Home Alone instead. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation sees Clark attempt to give his family an incredible Christmas, but as is the franchise’s formula, his plans go awry, leading to comic hijinks.
Related 10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Making Of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
The classic Christmas movie was released 30 years ago, so here’s some fun trivia to go along with this comedy’s milestone anniversary
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While the first film is held in high regard, Christmas Vacation is now considered the high point of the saga. It’s an entry where everything clicks, from the perfectly pitched comic performances to the writing and the capturing the feel of a classic Christmas movie. It also features the starriest duo to take on the roles of the Griswold children, with Juliette Lewis (Cape Fear) and The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki playing Audrey and Rusty respectively.
Vegas Vacation (1997)
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Vegas Vacation PGComedy
Director Stephen Kessler Release Date February 13, 1997 Writers Elisa Bell Cast Beverly D’Angelo , Chevy Chase , Randy Quaid , Ethan Embry , Marisol Nichols , Miriam Flynn , Shae D’Lyn , Wayne Newton , Wallace Shawn , Siegfried Fischbacher , Roy Horn , Sid Caesar , Corinna Harney , Christie Brinkley , Juliette Brewer , Zachariah Moyes , Shannah Laumeister Stern , C.C. Costigan , Wendy Kaufman , Jerry Weintraub , Larry Hankin , Hayley Mortison , Billie Perkins , Vanessa Bednar , Alana Austin Character(s) Ellen Griswold , Clark Griswold , Cousin Eddie , Russell ‘Rusty’ Griswold , Audrey Griswold , Cousin Catherine , Cousin Vicki , Himself , Marty , Siegfried , Roy , Mr Ellis , Girl at Blackjack Table , Woman in Ferrari , Cousin Ruby Sue , Cousin Denny , Mariah , Kelli , Wendy , Jilly , Preacher , Girl in Hot Tub , Casino Guest (uncredited) , Hot Pool Model (uncredited) , Tourist (Uncredited) Runtime 93 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Glx7g8YtdI Expand
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Box Office: $36 million | Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes
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Cast: Chevy Chase (Clark Griswold), Beverly D’Angelo (Ellen Griswold), Ethan Embry (Rusty), Marisol Nichols (Audrey), Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie), Wayne Newton (Self), Wallace Shawn (Marty), Miriam Flynn (Cousin Catherine), Sid Caesar (Mr. Ellis), Christie Brinkley (Girl in Red Ferrari), Juliette Brewer (Ruby Sue Johnson), Jerry Weintraub (Jilly from Philly)
This fourth installment marked the end of the Chevy Chase-fronted era, and the first to drop National Lampoon from the title. As the title indicates, the Griswolds head to Vegas and get involved in a tiresome series of events. Hughes had no involvement with this sequel’s development and only learned it was happening when reading about it in the trades.
Vegas Vacation cast Marisol Nichols and Ethan Embry as Audrey and Rusty, while Christie Brinkley returned as “Girl in the Red Ferrari” from the original film. Arriving nearly a decade on from the third film and at the tail end of Chase’s movie star career, Vegas Vacation was a box office letdown that received largely poor reviews. It also largely marked the end of the franchise as only a straight-to-video follow-up arrived a few years later and then a requel in 2015.
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National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2 (2003)
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Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure Comedy
Director Nick Marck Release Date December 20, 2003 Writers Matty Simmons Cast Randy Quaid , Miriam Flynn , Dana Barron , Jake Thomas , Fred Willard , Ed Asner , Eric Idle , Rodger Bumpass , Sung-Hi Lee , Julian Stone , Stephen Furst , Beverly Garland , Kate Simmons , Trish Suhr Character(s) Eddie Johnson , Catherine Johnson , Audrey Griswold , Third Johnson , Professor Doornitz , Uncle Nick , English Victim , Lab Visitor , Muka Laka Miki , Melbourne Jack , Hospital Doctor , Aunt Jessica , Paige Runtime 83 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand
Box Office: N/A | Runtime: 1 hour, 23 minutes
Cast: Randy Quaid (Cousin Eddie), Miriam Flynn (Cousin Catherine), Jake Thomas (Clark), Dana Barron (Audrey), Ed Asner (Uncle Nick), Beverly Garland (Aunt Jessica), Fred Willard (Professor Doornitz), Sung Hi Lee (Muka Luka Miki), Eric Idle (English Victim)
The black sheep of the franchise in more than one, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure is a TV movie spinoff from the third movie. As the title suggests, Randy Quaid’s Cousin Eddie is the main character, while neither Chase nor D’Angelo return as Clark or Ellen; that said, Dana Barron returns as Audrey for the first time since the original.
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Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure is a cheaply made affair with almost no laughs and some terrible greenscreen effects. Eddie works best as a supporting player, which his promotion to main character only underlines. No matter how disappointing some of the main entries might be, none ever sank as low as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2. It also remains, to date, the last outing with National Lampoon in the title.
Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo also reunited for 2010 short film Hotel Hell Vacation.
Vacation (2015)
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5/10 Vacation R
Set decades after National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation, Vacation is a 2015 sequel and continuation of the popular franchise. The film now focuses on the eldest son, Rusty Griswold, and his new family as they decide to head on to their usual vacation spot – but when unpleasant memories surface, Rusty makes a last-minute change and decides to take them to the site of the first film – Wally World. Now on a road trip across the country, Rusty and his family are guaranteed to follow in his father’s footsteps in a series of ludicrous detours and encounters.
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*Availability in US Director Jonathan M. Goldstein , John Francis Daley Release Date July 29, 2015 Cast Chevy Chase , Christina Applegate , Leslie Mann , Ed Helms , Chris Hemsworth , Beverly D’Angelo
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As has been the case with many classics from the 80s, Vacation was redone in the 2010s. This all-star revival of the Vacation series sees The Office’s Ed Helms play the adult Rusty, who is taking his own family on a trip to Walley World. Leslie Mann plays Audrey this time with a hilarious Chris Hemsworth cameo as her husband Stone, while Chase and D’Angelo make guest appearances as Clark and Ellen.
Christina Applegate plays Rusty’s wife Debbie and she gets some of the best moments in the film. While Vacation did solid business, its oddly mean-spirited tone and lack of wit saw it greeted with mixed reviews, and it has yet to receive a sequel. For now, it marks the end of this iconic franchise and this 2015 iteration doesn’t seem to get the consistent replay value that the originals do.
1 Which Vacation Movie Is The Best?
Fans Seem To Agree On Franchise’s Greatest Installment
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With a lot of long-running franchises, fans typically find the first entry to be the best, as is the case with The Matrix, Jurassic Park, and Scream. The second film is also often viewed as the best, as in Star Wars, The Dark Knight, and Shrek. However, this is a series that is rare because most fans agree that the third entry, Christmas Vacation, is the best. The holiday film is considered a classic and tends to be watched annually by fans.
The fact that it’s perfect for such a beloved time of year helps but it also holds up remarkably well decades later and has some hilarious gags. The original film is the one usually mentioned most as also being in contention for the top of the list, while the straight-to-video Christmas Vacation 2 is viewed as the worst of the franchise. The three movies in the middle are a bit more difficult to place.
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European Vacation, Vegas Vacation, and 2015’s Vacation all have their merits but all also feature plenty of flaws that keep them from the top. They’re all very close on places like IMDb, while scores on Rotten Tomatoes have them as European, 2015’s Vacation, and Vegas Vacation, in that order. Regardless of where specific fans rank these three, the consensus seems to be that 1989’s Christmas Vacation is the peak of this franchise.
Source: Slate