Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Juliette Lewis in the Jeremiah S. Chechik movie ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation’

An aspiringly comedic and decidedly Midwestern United States notion of Christmas came to life in suburban Chicago, Illinois a while back. This notion was brought to us with the Jeremiah S. Chechik directed movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989). Big plans for a glorious family holiday, as are the fare that this franchise plays in, gave way to comedic disaster with the movie written by John Hughes.

(From left, William Hickey as Lewis Griswold, John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr., Mae Questel as Bethany Griswold, Diane Ladd as Nora Griswold, Julliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold, Chevy Chase as Clark W. ‘Sparky’ Griswold Jr., Beverly D’Angelo as Ellen Griswold, Johnny Galecki as Rusty Griswold, E.G. Marshall as Art Smith, Doris Roberts as Francis Smith, Cody Burger as Rocky Johnson, Ellen Latzen as Ruby Sue Johnson, Randy Quaid as Eddie Johnson, and Miriam Flynn as Catherine Johnson in the Jeremiah S. Chechik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

The movie opens with Clark ‘Sparky’ Griswold Jr., his wife Ellen, and his children Audrey, and Rusty awkwardly singing carols of the season as they drive to the country to walk through tightly packed snow to find and cutdown an evergreen tree to bring into their home for the holiday. It wasn’t until after venturing too far into the experience with misadventures to boot that the family realizes that tools were forgotten in pursuit of the endeavor. The family found success after much effort. Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki portrayed Clark, Ellen, Audrey and Rusty, respectively.

(From left, Nicholas Guest as Todd Chester and Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Margo Chester in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

Each pair of Clark and Ellen’s parents arrive a short time later, arguing as they arrived at the front door of the Griswold house ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Clark takes on a mission to keep things on a positive keel by setting out to put an extraordinary amount of external lights and festive decorations outside the house with his son, Rusty. Clark Griswold Sr., Nora Griswold, Art Smith and Francis Smith, as the parents of Clark and Ellen, were portrayed by John Randolph, Diane Ladd, E.G. Marshall and Doris Roberts, respectively.

(From left, Chevy Chase as Clark W. ‘Sparky’ Griswold Jr. and Nicolette Scorsese as Mary, a lingerie counter clerk in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

The effort to illuminate the house leads to a series of comedic wrong turns, some of which go horribly wrong for the Griswold’s. Todd and Margo Chester, as portrayed by Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, had a suspicious dislike of the Griswold’s before the exterior illumination project provoked a series of calamity’s that were visited upon the Chesters. Meanwhile, an afternoon of familial shopping commences where Ellen’s mother trips Clark in the attic because of how well heated the family home is throughout the home, save the attic.

(From left, Brian Doyle-Murray as Frank Shirley and Natalija Nogulich as Helen Shirley in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

An additional storyline about Clark’s relationship with leadership at his work leads to questions for how big or small the annual bonus will be this year. Randy Quaid as Eddie Johnson arrives at about this time with his wife, Catherine and their kids. A sad storyline presents itself here, incorporating a scene of fantastic revelry by Clark with thoughts aimed at the lingerie clerk, Mary, as portrayed by Nicolette Scorsese. Miriam Flynn portrayed Catherine Johnson. Lewis and Bethany Griswold, and their cat, make an additional appearance to help bring the full humorous treatment for the film its fullest impact.

(Aunt Bethany’s cat in the Jeremiah S. Checkik movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation).

While many of the humorous points of the movie National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation are suggested above, there’s much more than meets the eye beyond what has been raised. In raising some of the realities for how families can make the full range of emotions come to the surface during the holidays is where the drama and humor many see in this movie rests. As National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation as directed by Jeremiah S. Checkik and written by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Saturday, December 10, 2022

Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Schoeffling in the John Hughes movie ‘Sixteen Candles’

We turn to writer and director John Hughes with his directorial debut movie. The coming-of-age comedy looks into the experiences of a handful of high school kids, themed around a girl whose family has forgotten to celebrate a girl on her sixteenth birthday. Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall and Michael Shoeffling star in the movie Sixteen Candles (1984).

(From left, Molly Ringwald as Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker and Liane Curtis as Randy in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Molly Ringwald stars as Samantha ‘Sam’ Baker, whose sixteenth birthday opens with a telephone conversation with her good friend Randy. Liane Curtis portrays Randy, who offers encouragement through the events of a weekend where embarrassing event after embarrassing event greet Sam. The events escalate from forgotten birthday wishes before school to an embarrassing admission, passed during study hall, that falls into the hands of Sam’s secret crush.

(From left, Haviland Morris as Caroline Mulford and Michael Schoeffling as Jake Ryan in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Michael Shoeffling portrays Jake Ryan, Sam’s older secret crush who has been seeing Caroline Mulford, as portrayed by Haviland Morris. The age difference plays a role in Sam’s reluctance to approach Jake, let alone her unawareness of Jake having read the note and considering a response that would make Sam happy. It is while riding the school bus home that we learn ‘Farmer Ted’, also known as Ted Farmer, is also interested in Sam.

(From left, Anthony Michael Hall as Ted Farmer, John Cusack as Bryce and Darren Harris as Cliff, also known as ‘Wease,’ in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Anthony Michael Hall portrays Ted Farmer. Farmer Ted either is Sam’s age, or slightly younger. In approaching Sam Baker in multiple awkward and embarrassing ways of his own, he uses trust within his own social group while using self-assurance to connect at separate points with Sam, Jake Ryan and Caroline Mulford. Much of the film’s humor and sweetness gets expressed through situations Farmer bridges. Parallel humor surrounds the character of Long Duk Dong, who bridges separate points in the familial and high school stories expressed within Sixteen Candles.

(From left, Gedde Watanabe as Long Duk Dong and Debbie Pollack as Marlene, also known as ‘Lumberjack’ in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

Gedde Watanabe portrays Long Duk Dong, a foreign exchange student living with one set of Sam Baker’s grandparents. Dong connects with Marlene, as portrayed by Debbie Pollack, at a school dance. Dong’s introduction was intended for a series of promiscuity-based jokes that overlapped with the appearance of Sam Baker’s sister and extended family for what would be the marriage of Ginny Baker, Sam’s sister, the day after Sam’s sixteenth birthday. Blanche Baker portrayed Ginny Baker.

(From left, Blanche Baker as Ginny Baker, Carlin Glynn as Mrs. Brenda Baker and Zelda Rubinstein as Organist in the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

The events surrounding Ginny Baker’s wedding, including the family introductions, the ceremony itself and the immediate aftermath offer embarrassments of lighthearted humor for the family, friends and celebrants in attendance. The bringing together of this event as well as the larger movie offer a nice tying together of the movie, if not the knot of marriage itself.

(From left, actress Molly Ringwald, writer/director John Hughes and actor Michael Schoeffling on set of the John Hughes movie Sixteen Candles).

The movie Sixteen Candles offered lighthearted comedy in the spirit of coming-of-age comedy. Not all jokes have aged well, yet nothing significantly over-the-top from a gender or culturally mean-spirited perspective, at least to my listening, is a legacy here. The perspective is largely an awkward, teenage one. In this sandbox, the movie is appropriate and appealing. I offer Sixteen Candles as written and directed by John Hughes 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.

Matt – Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell and the Harold Ramis movie ‘Groundhog Day’

The last in a line of collaborations between actor Bill Murray and film writer and director Harold Ramis, Groundhog Day (1993) offers a sweetly comedic romantic comedy of a cynical television weatherman stuck in a repeating loop of a single day experienced over and over again for what seems like forever. The further kicker is that day is Groundhog Day, a holiday in Canada and the United States, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.

(From left, Andie MacDowell as Rita Hanson and Bill Murray as Phil Connors in the Harold Ramis movie Groundhog Day).

At the midpoint of winter, a celebration of that midpoint is celebrated in the rural town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to celebrate that cold weather, diminished daylight and sometimes cloudy days will give way to spring. Phil Connors, weatherman that misses the prediction of an impending snowstorm in this town the day before, visits the town where tradition has it that the town’s groundhog (or woodchuck) can predict if spring will come early. Traveling to Punnxsutawney from Pittsburgh with Phil are producer Rita Hanson, portrayed by Andie MacDowell, and cameraman Larry, as portrayed by Chris Elliott.

(From left, Chris Elliott as Larry the cameraman and Marita Geraghty as Nancy Taylor in the Harold Ramis movie Groundhog Day).

The beginning concept of the movie Groundhog Day began with Danny Rubin‘s script of Phil Connors inexplicably living the same day over and over again. Harold Ramis spirited the movie in a more straightforward comedy with less of a philosophical, moody bent than perhaps lead actor Bill Murray preferred, at least at the time. What wasn’t at first apparent within the movie was that, with the repetition of the same day over and over again, what Connors would actually experience.

(From left, Rod Sell as Groundhog Official, Scooter as Puxatawney Phil and Brian Doyle-Murray as Buster Green in the Harold Ramis film Groundhog Day).

The repetition of the same day offers Phil several interactions with the locals in Punnxsutawney, from old schoolmate Ned Ryerson, as portrayed by Stephen Tobolowsky, to Nancy Taylor, as portrayed by Marita Geraghty, to innkeeper Mrs. Lancaster, as portrayed by Angela Paton. With humor there and with the scene including Gus and Ralph, the movie really hits some marks on setting a comedic tone. Rick Ducommun portrayed Gus as Rick Overton portrayed Ralph. The scenes with the older man and begger, as portrayed Les Podewell, show some of the more tender and philosophical side of the movie and keeping a tone of the comedic.

(From left, Stephen Tobolowsky as Ned Ryerson and Angela Paton as Mrs. Lancaster in the Harold Ramis movie Groundhog Day).

As the movie continues, we do come to learn that Groundhog Day in fact is a comedy with a romantic soul that matches a man finding his humanity through his heart. The cynicism melts into a marriage of a sense of the philosophical wedded to finding true love in focusing on more than oneself while feeling the tedium and heartaches of disappointment along the way. That there’s a pinch of orneriness to boot gives the movie charm. My rating for Groundhog Day as directed by Harold Ramis is 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 stars.

Matt – Saturday, January 30, 2021

Bill Murray in the Richard Donner movie ‘Scrooged’

Mingle the notions of the Charles Dickens classic book A Christmas Carol with a selfish, cynical television executive portrayed by Bill Murray, you get a preview of the better executed Groundhog Day (1993) in the form of Scroooged (1988) as directed by Richard Donner.

(From left, Karen Allen as Claire Phillips and Bill Murray as Frank Cross in the Richard Donner directed movie Scrooged).

Bill Murray portrays the character Frank Cross, who in his selfish ways plays the Ebenezer Scrooge role that makes the comedic take on Christmas, named Scrooged, a movie title and a transitive verb. The movie is unique in furthering the notion of making Frank a cynical character who cannot see that he has the chance for sustained love in Claire Phillips, who grants Frank the nickname Lumpy. Karen Allen portrays Claire Phillips.

(From left, Alfre Woodard as Grace Cooley and Nicholas Phillips as Calvin Cooley in the movie Scrooged).

Grace Cooley, as portrayed by Alfre Woodard, serves as the assistant to Frank Cross. Cooley is the Bob Cratchit of Scrooged, with her son Calvin Cooley serving in the equivalent to Tiny Tim. Nicholas Phillips portrays Calvin Cooley, the son of Grace Cooley through the movie. The Cooley family does serve a role in helping uplift the feeling of Scrooged come the movies conclusion, though the resonance of their purpose in the film loses something in for me in the comedic story that the film means to offer.

(From left, John Forsythe as Lew Howard and John Glover as Brice Cummings in the movie Scrooged).

Where Scrooged earns its marks lands moreover in the commentary about the cynical, partly dark, and the sometimes slapstick execution of the commentary made about executive leadership, love, the meaning of Christmas, and the sacrifices made in choosing to pursue certain parts of these competing priorities in the face of other points. Lew Howard, as portrayed by John Forsythe, speaks to the character of Jacob Marley. Frank Cross misunderstands the meaning Lew Howard’s example has for him. Cross and the audience begin the ghostly visits, in fact, with a visit by Frank’s former boss.

(From left, David Johansen as Ghost of Christmas Past and Carol Kane as Ghost of Christmas Present in the Richard Donner directed movie Scrooged).

David Johansen and Carol Kane both inject a brilliant sense of character in their portrayals of the Ghost of Christmas Past and the Ghost of Christmas Present opposite Bill Murray‘s Frank Cross. The sense of taking Cross through his paces both kicking and screaming offer charming examples of comeuppance for Frank Cross that speak well for the movie. The execution of these points reflect the parts of Scrooged that I enjoyed the most. The bringing about of Frank’s change, and the closing contrast of that storyline against Robert Mitchum‘s Preston Rhinelander and Bobcat Goldthwait‘s Eliot Loudermilk were part of where, as mentioned earlier, the movie Groundhog Day exceeds the movie Scrooged.

(From left, Robert Mitchum as Preston Rhinelander, Bill Murray as Frank Cross and Bobcat Goldthwait as Eliot Loudermilk in the movie Scrooged).

Scrooged as a film works as a Christmas movie, mostly for an older audience than films you would want as a first choice for young children. The point there is suggesting an audience that would most appreciate the humor of this film rather than the inherent sophistication of the film. As a comparison, Scrooged today hits me in a way that is similar to the television series Night Court (1984-1992). My rating for Scrooged as directed by Richard Donner is 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 stars.

Matt – Saturday, December 18, 2020