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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

UpperWestside

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UpperWestside

UpperWestside 6170

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17 minutes ago, atomheartbevo said:

He’s trying to make it into the dead pool this week

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/chevy-chase-80-falls-off-193613750.html

 

His Instagram has videos of him and his wife and the places they travel to. He gets around almost exclusively in a cart when he’s out. He was at the Bronx Zoo awhile back and I don’t think any of the video had him walking. 

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Deej

Deej 76842

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9 hours ago, UpperWestside said:

His Instagram has videos of him and his wife and the places they travel to. He gets around almost exclusively in a cart when he’s out. He was at the Bronx Zoo awhile back and I don’

t think any of the video had him walking. 

Me, adjusting my 2024 death pool predictions.

Shark Tank Writing GIF

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YGIFS

YGIFS 19452

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Still gets me choked up.  Got home last night from work and took the oldest on a walk through the neighborhood to look at the lights.  And played "That Spirit of Christmas" by Ray Charles as we walked along.  And I got choked up because the song reminds me of the scene which reminds me of my own father in our old attic getting out Christmas stuff.  Years later after he died, we found some old B&W videos of his grandparents and aunts and uncles gathered around in their best outfits.  And it reminded me of Clark watching his ancestors celebrate Christmas.  And of course, Dad loved Ray Charles.  My daughter didn't understand why some cheap lights and inflatables and my little iPhone speakers could get me all misty eyed.  But one day she will.  And that makes me cry even more.  

Also, unlike Todd...would totally shower to bang Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  I was last year's old when i found out Todd was played by Christopher Guest's brother and holds a lower title in Great Britain.  But he makes a shitty margarita.  

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utxmike05

utxmike05 1828

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On 12/9/2023 at 10:47 PM, Baboontyme said:

Hey Russ, let's go find your sister. (mock punch, mock punch, mock punch)

Crazy to think Quaid was 39 when this was filmed and Chevy was...exactly my age. No wonder I understand Clark better every year as I age out.

Saw this then other day....

 

IMG_8735.jpeg

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YGIFS

YGIFS 19452

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7 hours ago, UpperWestside said:

Man have the years ever been unkind to him. He’s still around though at 73 so he’s at least above ground and still enjoying life now that he isn’t worried people are trying to kill him anymore.

Well, he did die trying to save the world as a pilot gone astray.  

That's fucking crazy to think about though from the above post.  clark watched those film reels from 1955 in 1989.  And now it's 34 years after that.  I've said it before on "A Christmas Story" threads, when you get older and have children and watch the films through the lens of the Dad just trying to put on a nice holiday for his family...the movies take on a whole new shroud of humor and emotion.  Y'all can have your 'miracle on 34th street' and bullshit, trope studio christmas movies.  It's the frustration of "The Old Man" in A christmas story, it's Clark Griswold, and drunken Bad Santas that bring the holidays home for me.  Imperfect men being crushed down for trying.  But in the end, a child smiles and for just a brief moment the world seems right and our savior did come to redeem us.  Just before the bills arrive in the mail, constipation sets in, and some relative starts their annual politically-charged bitch fest over a half-pack of marlboros and boxed wine.

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MNLonghornFUKM

MNLonghornFUKM 8817

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Well, he did die trying to save the world as a pilot gone astray.  
That's fucking crazy to think about though from the above post.  clark watched those film reels from 1955 in 1989.  And now it's 34 years after that.  I've said it before on "A Christmas Story" threads, when you get older and have children and watch the films through the lens of the Dad just trying to put on a nice holiday for his family...the movies take on a whole new shroud of humor and emotion.  Y'all can have your 'miracle on 34th street' and bullshit, trope studio christmas movies.  It's the frustration of "The Old Man" in A christmas story, it's Clark Griswold, and drunken Bad Santas that bring the holidays home for me.  Imperfect men being crushed down for trying.  But in the end, a child smiles and for just a brief moment the world seems right and our savior did come to redeem us.  Just before the bills arrive in the mail, constipation sets in, and some relative starts their annual politically-charged bitch fest over a half-pack of marlboros and boxed wine.

I’ve never seen or attempted to watch miracle on 34th St (the 94 version)…So my wife put it on this last Saturday night because she remembers liking it and her best friend was obsessed with it. My wife hardly ever rewatches movies so it’s been probably 25+ years since she’s watched it.

I had the NBA in season tournament on my phone, wife fell asleep on the couch, and my 8 year was bored out of her mind waiting for something cool to happen.

Was reminded why I never tried or never will try to watch that movie again. What a drag. We’ll do some home alone or Santa clause this weekend to make up for it. They’ve already seen grinch 19 times this season lol
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Kel Varnsen

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13 hours ago, YGIFS said:

Well, he did die trying to save the world as a pilot gone astray.  

That's fucking crazy to think about though from the above post.  clark watched those film reels from 1955 in 1989.  And now it's 34 years after that.  I've said it before on "A Christmas Story" threads, when you get older and have children and watch the films through the lens of the Dad just trying to put on a nice holiday for his family...the movies take on a whole new shroud of humor and emotion.  Y'all can have your 'miracle on 34th street' and bullshit, trope studio christmas movies.  It's the frustration of "The Old Man" in A christmas story, it's Clark Griswold, and drunken Bad Santas that bring the holidays home for me.  Imperfect men being crushed down for trying.  But in the end, a child smiles and for just a brief moment the world seems right and our savior did come to redeem us.  Just before the bills arrive in the mail, constipation sets in, and some relative starts their annual politically-charged bitch fest over a half-pack of marlboros and boxed wine.

YARN | As I rained blows upon him, I realized there had to be another way | Seinfeld (1993) - S09E10 The Strike | Video gifs by quotes | 4ee9538c | 紗

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UpperWestside

UpperWestside 6170

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My mom’s favorite scene in the movie is the march into the office of his boss and the underlings. My mom had my 4 year old niece watching the movie over the weekend with her for the first time. My mom apparently told her this was a funny scene. I hear my niece say right before Clark gives his greeting to all the underlings “Where’s the funny part?” She’s pretty familiar with the words that were said next thanks to my brother. 😂

I will be keeping this video of her first time seeing the movie and showing it to her once she gets older so she can remember what a fun sense of humor her Grannie has.

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YGIFS

YGIFS 19452

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2 hours ago, Red Five said:

He really needed a Christmas bonus to cover the down payment on a pool? 

yes, you over-privileged heathen!  Even in 1989, a down payment on a pool of that size would have to be at least $5k.  

The real plot hole is nobody except the criminally insane attempts to break ground on a swimming pool in Chicago in January.  And the cost of flying those same dozen dipshits back to christen the pool that summer would likely cost just as much for Clark as the down payment.  Nobody installs a pool and then fills it and thinks, "You know what would make this perfect?  All of my batshit insane in-laws who can't swim and think every body of water is a freezing cold death-trap."  

At Thanksgiving just recently in Fort Worth, all of my wife's family came down from Kansas to her other sister's place here in Texas.  And they all bitched and moaned about how cold it was and didn't want to take a walk to see any holiday lights because it was like 55*.  Meanwhile they go back home and call wife to say, "Oh weather back here isn't so bad, we'll be in the 20's...no hard freezes or nothing."  I feel like Clark sometimes just trying to put on a nice holiday vibe while people just find stuff to complain about.  

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utee94

utee94 15835

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Pretty sure Clark mentioned that the pool construction wouldn't break ground until the ground thawed.  I assume the down payment was to ensure he was first in line or early in the process.

As for flying everyone back for the pool christening, well, that's just the kind of dumb thing Clark Griswold tends to say in the moment.

But I'm hoping he came to his senses and limited it to a small gathering consisting solely of his wife Ellen, and Mary the sales girl.

 

 

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YGIFS

YGIFS 19452

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Well if you're gonna get all technical about it, the pool in his fantasy isn't anywhere close to his plastic model.  It's oriented differently and has a two-rung ladder instead of a single one.  But the underrated joke in that scene is Cousin Eddie, just like the faux turtleneck is wearing an undershirt tucked into what are very clearly not men's swim trunks.  What ever happened to that Mary broad, she was smoking hot?  

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utee94

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12 hours ago, Sgt Hulk said:

Now that my kids have aged out of Santa these movies hit the feels harder because the Christmas magic is gone 

Yeah it's definitely  not the same with two teenagers, as it was at ages 4 and 6.  

On the bright side, I don't have to stay up all night assembling bicycles plus I sleep in as late as I want, and I'm still up before the kids.

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BlueGreySky

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Too many people to quote on this so far but regarding the pool and the bonus...

 

Clark already put down a 7k deposit on the pool - he says it in the movie.  And he says he doesn't have enough in checking to cover that.

Bonuses back in the 80s were a huge chunk of changed that was an expected although not guaranteed part of a salary; from what I've read or heard from older family members, anywhere from 20-30% of the salary.  Eliminating it would have been a big deal.

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Francisco 2.0

Francisco 2.0 32395

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5 minutes ago, Planet Houston said:

I saw this guy in downtown Houston today. I was pretty confused when I saw the jersey before seeing the back. Now I want to find him and shake his hand. 

 

Edit - just went back a page, is this you @Francisco 2.0 ? 🤔😂

 

Dammit.  I thought my identity was concealed.

 

 

(Actually, no---don't live near Houston, or have hair that white-yet)

 

 

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UpperWestside

UpperWestside 6170

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22 hours ago, Planet Houston said:

I saw this guy in downtown Houston today. I was pretty confused when I saw the jersey before seeing the back. Now I want to find him and shake his hand. 

IMG_7900.thumb.jpeg.477922cd0cf56a9424b8d562a35de701.jpeg
 

Edit - just went back a page, is this you @Francisco 2.0 ? 🤔😂

I am on my way to see our good friend Chevy Chase tonight over in Jersey at the NJPAC for a screening and Q&A. I almost wore a “You Serious Clark?” shirt and this, but I went with the Jelly of the Month Club shirt and the “Bend Over and I’ll Show You” sweater. I think this will be pretty fun! 

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NWBuck

NWBuck 8571

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On 12/13/2023 at 8:56 AM, BlueGreySky said:

Too many people to quote on this so far but regarding the pool and the bonus...

 

Clark already put down a 7k deposit on the pool - he says it in the movie.  And he says he doesn't have enough in checking to cover that.

Bonuses back in the 80s were a huge chunk of changed that was an expected although not guaranteed part of a salary; from what I've read or heard from older family members, anywhere from 20-30% of the salary.  Eliminating it would have been a big deal.

Looks like someone on reddit calculated his bonus to be between $20k (expected) and $24k (realized after the kidnapping) 

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UpperWestside

UpperWestside 6170

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I thought it went remarkably well last night. Chevy can still tell some great stories and will zing people. One guy asked a question about how they filmed certain scenes and he says “Well, with a camera!” His wife had to help him remember a few things. I suspect this is due to probably taking some pain meds from that fall he had in Buffalo. Also he’s 80 and the memory has to be jogged sometimes. He moved around well and said the fall happened because there were two levels to the stage in Buffalo and he totally paid no attention to the drop-off. He was also very self-deprecating. Said Three Amigos is his favorite movie he did along with Fletch. His favorite Christmas movie is A Wonderful Life. He even read the rant to us and he got a long ovation for that. So many cool things.
 

 Overall it was totally worth it to watch it in a packed theatre with people who came dressed in everything you can think of, including two women wearing Ellen’s blouse. So many Griswold jerseys. Glad I went with the sweater instead!

IMG_9646.thumb.jpeg.bd1101a3945c5793ce039071d9db8f2a.jpeg

 

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wutang75

wutang75 449

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Too many people to quote on this so far but regarding the pool and the bonus...
 
Clark already put down a 7k deposit on the pool - he says it in the movie.  And he says he doesn't have enough in checking to cover that.
Bonuses back in the 80s were a huge chunk of changed that was an expected although not guaranteed part of a salary; from what I've read or heard from older family members, anywhere from 20-30% of the salary.  Eliminating it would have been a big deal.

I love these movie conversations. We were doing the same with Home Alone yesterday. How much it would cost to fly the extended family to Paris and how pissed the uncle must have been that the vacation was ruined. Round trip ticket to Paris in the late 80s for 15ish people? 50k?
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