A Christmas Story is a perfect period piece, a beautiful invocation of the American nature of Christmas (ie, God and Jesus don't come up for discussion once), has a great ensemble cast, the best cameo dogs in the history of cinema and of course Jean Shepherd's narration. Its brilliance is clear.
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation has a doped out lazyass Chevy Chase grinding his face into the crunchy underwear that his pseudocelebrity has made of his life.
There, we can begin.
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 7 November 2003 16:57 (twenty years ago) link
― NA (Nick A.), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:01 (twenty years ago) link
Disclaimer: Granted, these two gags have been done to death, but they still get a cheap laugh. YMMV.
― Lord Custos Omicron (Lord Custos Omicron), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:03 (twenty years ago) link
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:05 (twenty years ago) link
A Christmas Story makes me laugh every year. The damn father in that kills me. "Ahhh fra-gil-ay, must be italian."
― Chris Hungus (Chris V), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:11 (twenty years ago) link
― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:15 (twenty years ago) link
― lyra (lyra), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:23 (twenty years ago) link
"It's...uhm...STARING at me!"
"OHhhh! *CHOP*"
― Jay Dee Sah Mon (Kingfish), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:25 (twenty years ago) link
― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:25 (twenty years ago) link
― Sarah McLusky (coco), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:25 (twenty years ago) link
C+You'll shoot your eye out
― robster (robster), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:27 (twenty years ago) link
― Marcel Post (Marcel Post), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:32 (twenty years ago) link
― Jay Dee Sah Mon (Kingfish), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:32 (twenty years ago) link
You can buy the lamp online, too. It's a Major Award!
Christmas Vacation wins because of the Scathing Social Commentary, which *always* wins over Heartwarming Family Fun.
― Catty (Catty), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:35 (twenty years ago) link
― Catty (Catty), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:37 (twenty years ago) link
A Christmas Story has that! As you say yourself, the need for Major Awards! The war between the sexes! Gender roles! (ie the pink bunny suit)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 7 November 2003 17:38 (twenty years ago) link
― David Beckhouse (David Beckhouse), Saturday, 8 November 2003 02:19 (twenty years ago) link
― scott seward, Saturday, 8 November 2003 02:27 (twenty years ago) link
― Applepie Baseball, Saturday, 8 November 2003 03:10 (twenty years ago) link
Home Alone II, however...
― Annouschka (Jody Beth Rosen), Saturday, 8 November 2003 03:17 (twenty years ago) link
yes, but he also directed Black Christmas. surely that was Margot Kidder's finest hour! to say nothing of Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, and John Saxon. and last but not least, the wonderful performance of Second City Television's greatest genius, Andrea Martin!!
and annouschka, you are wrong about the first vacation movie. it's not as good as you remember. even if you are watching it right now.
― scott seward, Saturday, 8 November 2003 04:20 (twenty years ago) link
― scott seward, Saturday, 8 November 2003 04:36 (twenty years ago) link
― Justyn Dillingham (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 8 November 2003 05:57 (twenty years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 27 November 2004 16:48 (nineteen years ago) link
― n/a (Nick A.), Saturday, 27 November 2004 17:13 (nineteen years ago) link
My family, as well, holds both movies very dear around the holidays. The TBS Christmas Story marathon is always on the whole day (thankfully, it replaced the Yule Log several years ago). We all have our favorite parts. Mine, for some reason, is when the dad says "What a great lamp!" - makes me crack up every time. I don't believe there has been a movie since that portrays kids as they really are, rather than portraying them as the 'miniature wisecracking adults' we've unfortunately become accustomed to. When Flick cries 'uncle' and whines like a little bitch after gettintg his tongue stuck on the pole (watch his hands, helplessly flailing around - very real), it's exactly how a little kid would act.
Christmas Vacation is more of a 'cult' film in the Fidelity house, in that a few members of the family merely endure it, rolling their eyes at the menfolk pissing themselves over the Griswald Supersled, the nostalgic-time-alone-with-film-projector-ending-in-slapstick-mayhem, or Aunt Bethany in general ("I like riding in cars!"). But it's an indisputable classic as well.
I tried reading the Jean Shepard book A Christmas Story was based on a few years ago, and, in a spoiled rotten, post-Sedaris way, found it incredibly dull and not very funny.
― Roger Fidelity (Roger Fidelity), Saturday, 27 November 2004 19:19 (nineteen years ago) link
I'd say The Muppet's Christmas Carol ranks higher than Christmas Vacation as far as favourite Xmas movies go. But Christmas Story is the best.
― Jonathan (Jonathan), Saturday, 27 November 2004 20:28 (nineteen years ago) link
― J.D. (Justyn Dillingham), Saturday, 27 November 2004 22:34 (nineteen years ago) link
― Dave B (daveb), Saturday, 27 November 2004 22:52 (nineteen years ago) link
Christmas Story by a nose. Aunt Bethany kills, but the Santa slide scene is genuinely terrifying. Great use of the fish-eye lens.
― Daniel Cohen (dayan), Saturday, 25 December 2004 15:29 (nineteen years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:18 (eighteen years ago) link
Saw this bit last night. In fact, I don't ever think I've seen the actual film all the way through in one sitting. Still, `tis a classic.
I remember enjoying Christmas Vacation (i.e. the last respectable piece of work by Chevy Chase?), but only saw it once.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:20 (eighteen years ago) link
― oooh, Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:22 (eighteen years ago) link
― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:27 (eighteen years ago) link
― oooh, Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:43 (eighteen years ago) link
― oooh, Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:44 (eighteen years ago) link
A Christmas Story is infinitely better. "I LIke the Wizard of Oz""Leave me alone, kid. I'm thinking."
...that film is nearly perfect.
― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Thursday, 1 December 2005 17:59 (eighteen years ago) link
more
ovaltine
― andrew m. (andrewmorgan), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:06 (eighteen years ago) link
― slow jamz and white guy indie acoustic shit (Chris V), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:16 (eighteen years ago) link
― righteousmaelstrom (righteousmaelstrom), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:29 (eighteen years ago) link
― Emilymv (Emilymv), Thursday, 1 December 2005 18:54 (eighteen years ago) link
― jim wentworth (wench), Friday, 2 December 2005 05:04 (eighteen years ago) link
― o. nate (onate), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:01 (eighteen years ago) link
"It's, uh, STARING at me!"
― kingfish hobo juckie (kingfish 2.0), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:05 (eighteen years ago) link
― latebloomer: The Corridor (Yes, The Corridor) (latebloomer), Friday, 2 December 2005 16:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Saturday, 17 December 2005 23:31 (eighteen years ago) link
even though gremlins has phoebe cates it is still a distant third in a three man race.
― keyth (keyth), Sunday, 18 December 2005 02:28 (eighteen years ago) link
― geoff (gcannon), Sunday, 18 December 2005 02:53 (eighteen years ago) link
― Ned (donut), Sunday, 18 December 2005 07:26 (eighteen years ago) link
"shitter was full"
― haitch is the realest topic alive (haitch), Sunday, 18 December 2005 11:33 (eighteen years ago) link
"Wonder Years" influenced by it.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 26 December 2014 23:05 (nine years ago) link
Minor, but I noticed a logistical problem where old-Ralphie continued to narrate events after he'd fled the scene (the part where his friend gets bullied out on the yard).
― clemenza, Friday, 26 December 2014 23:13 (nine years ago) link
D'Angelo: Did you catch when the police came in and there's a freeze frame where my hand was (on Chevy's crotch)? I did that spur of the moment and told Chevy, just to see if anyone on set noticed. But we did a couple takes and no one mentioned it.
Yes, Ms. D'Angelo, having turned 16 the month before this movie was released, I did happen to catch that take.
― pplains, Friday, 26 December 2014 23:39 (nine years ago) link
EVERYBODY caught that, Bev.
― kate78, Friday, 26 December 2014 23:52 (nine years ago) link
I could have done without the narration.
It's Jean Shepherd!
― kate78, Friday, 26 December 2014 23:54 (nine years ago) link
Didn't know that...Doesn't change my mind, though; I honestly felt it would have been a better film without it.
― clemenza, Saturday, 27 December 2014 00:20 (nine years ago) link
I'm with you regarding voice-over in 99 percent of movies, especially anything directed by Woody Allen, but this movie's an exception (and there was too much of it in "The Wonder Years").
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 27 December 2014 02:56 (nine years ago) link
would be a lesser film w/o narration no question
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:08 (nine years ago) link
yeah, otm. this is one of the very few movies i can think of where the narration is absolutely essential. the tone of the movie would be completely different without it.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:39 (nine years ago) link
It's not really fair to say "better film" without it; it would have to be a different film, as the narration fills in a lot of the story. But I just found the narration too folksy.
One thing that was eye-opening for my students was seeing Peter Billingsley as an adult--turns out most of them had seen him in Elf.
http://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/img/editorial/2011/09/09/44459961-SS_Child_Star_Successes_Billingsly_Peter.jpg
― clemenza, Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:43 (nine years ago) link
Seriously--completely subjective reaction. I realize how beloved the film is.
― clemenza, Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:44 (nine years ago) link
i have never seen christmas vacation
― mookieproof, Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:48 (nine years ago) link
:o
― Jeff, Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:51 (nine years ago) link
also i didn't see 16 candles until i was 22
I never really learned how to love.
― mookieproof, Saturday, 27 December 2014 03:55 (nine years ago) link
never seen either of these
(no, not ACS in its entirety; i did listen to Jean Shepherd on the radio some)
― touch of a love-starved cobra (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 27 December 2014 04:19 (nine years ago) link
RedLetterMedia did an episode on Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure -- apparently it is a truly terrible movie.
http://youtu.be/3plH6M1LadY
― jmm, Saturday, 27 December 2014 04:28 (nine years ago) link
Isn't "Christmas Vacation 2" like calling a movie "Return of the Jedi 2" or "Rocky III 2: Clubber's Revenge"?
― pplains, Saturday, 27 December 2014 05:12 (nine years ago) link
No one's mentioned Melinda Dillon's kooky, original perf as the mom in ACS: an odd mix of authority and a child trapped in an adult's body. I like the bit where she and the kids are shouting "Jingle Bells" in the car and caps it with a loud fart noise and a delighted laugh.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 27 December 2014 13:27 (nine years ago) link
i love her!
― difficult-difficult lemon-difficult (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 27 December 2014 16:45 (nine years ago) link
never seen any of the Vacations, was made to watch ACS last year for the first time bcz America
― Gland Of Horses (sic), Saturday, 27 December 2014 23:29 (nine years ago) link
and bcz filmed in clevo, i'll bet
― mookieproof, Saturday, 27 December 2014 23:35 (nine years ago) link
Guy whose house is at the end of my neighborhood's off-ramp always features one of those leg lamps front-and-centeri in his picture window during Christmas. How I hate him so.
― pplains, Saturday, 27 December 2014 23:44 (nine years ago) link
For the theme song, Prince was a Warner artist and he produced it. He's the one who brought in Darlene Love.
Is Darlene Love so synonymous with Christmas that even the director of the film can't remember that it was Mavis Staples who did the theme?
― MaudAddam (cryptosicko), Sunday, 28 December 2014 04:50 (nine years ago) link
― mookieproof, Saturday, December 27, 2014 8:05 PM (Yesterday)
I'm saving Major League for next xmas.
― kate78, Sunday, 28 December 2014 14:18 (nine years ago) link
have never watched either bcz I prefer Preston fucking Sturges
(I have of course seen ACS scenes all out of order across the years bcz my sister always has it on)
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 04:19 (six years ago) link
https://media.giphy.com/media/l0ErVFsJs8cIH59fO/giphy.gif
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 05:35 (six years ago) link
Vacation
― AdamVania (Adam Bruneau), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 05:37 (six years ago) link
Is Rusty still in the Navy?
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 12:18 (six years ago) link
butchered on uk tv right now, so my Facebook feed tells me
― piscesx, Tuesday, 26 December 2017 16:04 (six years ago) link
overwhelming in its melancholic nostalgia. The last scene with the mom and dad bathed in Christmas tree light and watching snow plays completely different at the tail end of Christmas Day than it does Christmas Eve.
Still believe this, tbh. The end of Christmas and the start of three to four months of winter is always a killer.
― Fred Klinkenberg (Eric H.), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 16:44 (six years ago) link
the 50 days til the start of baseball spring training, really
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 17:00 (six years ago) link
I've never seen Preston Sturges because I prefer Charles fuckin Dickens
― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Tuesday, 26 December 2017 18:56 (six years ago) link
hello everybody!
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 20 December 2019 13:45 (four years ago) link
Happy POLLidays! (Happy POLLidays!) It's the ILX Holiday Movies Poll Results Thread
― temporarily embarrassed thousandaire (Eric H.), Friday, 20 December 2019 15:27 (four years ago) link
christmas story sequel is dreadfully cornball with little of the OG's charm
― Fash Gordon (Neanderthal), Saturday, 26 November 2022 16:30 (one year ago) link
there's even a scene that's actually a watered down version of a Christmas Vacation scene
― Fash Gordon (Neanderthal), Saturday, 26 November 2022 16:36 (one year ago) link
Watched the preview and I will be passing
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Saturday, 26 November 2022 17:04 (one year ago) link
I just love riding in cars!
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 01:31 (one year ago) link
GRACE
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 01:32 (one year ago) link
Don't drop me down, Clark!
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Monday, 19 December 2022 03:21 (one year ago) link
Something sort of perverse that any single frame of film would center on Chevy Chase, given the galley of assassins making up the entire rest of the cast
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Monday, 19 December 2022 03:23 (one year ago) link
The bless-ing!
― Paul Ponzi, Monday, 19 December 2022 03:28 (one year ago) link
No one in the movie pulls focus harder than Doris Roberts. She has maybe 4 lines of actual dialogue and somehow gets maybe three dozen laughs.
― عباس کیارستمی (Eric H.), Monday, 19 December 2022 03:29 (one year ago) link
I’ve seen it too many times, but some small moments still get me. When Clark sticks his head out of the attic window and you see the lunatic application of Christmas lights. And “If I had a rubber hose I would beat you…”Randy Quaid’s “You serious, Clark?” after he tells the kids about Santa is still probably my all time though.
― circa1916, Monday, 19 December 2022 03:58 (one year ago) link
otm!
It's a goddamn stupid line, but last night I lost it when Randy Quaid said, "Better take a rain check on that, Art, he's got a lip fungus that ain't been identified."
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 10:24 (one year ago) link
― Paul Ponzi
Whenever someone in the family says they can't hear, we whip out this line.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 December 2022 10:25 (one year ago) link
i don’t KNOW, margo
― na (NA), Tuesday, 20 December 2022 03:45 (one year ago) link
that’s my most quoted line
My carpet! *sobs*
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 20 December 2022 10:26 (one year ago) link
EDDIE
It's a crying shame the older kids couldn't make it. Yeah, I got the daughter in the clinic, getting cured off the Wild Turkey. And the older boy, bless his soul, is preparing for his career.
CLARk
College?
Carnival.
CLARK
You gotta be proud.
Yeah, last season he was a pixie-dust spreader on the Tilt-O-Whirl. He thinks maybe next year he'll be guessing people's weight or barking for the Yak Woman. You ever see her?
No.
She's got these big horns growing right out above her ears. Yeah, she's ugly as sin, but a sweet gal. And a hell of a good cook.
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 23 December 2022 19:09 (one year ago) link