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‘National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey, and Van Lathan

December 19, 2023 · National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989) · Comedy · 1:31:54

IMDb ↗Letterboxd ↗

Categories

Den of Thieves Benihana Award

Bill Simmons▶ 31:35The Christmas tree scene with all the trees
Chris Ryan▶ 32:00The Christmas tree scene
Van Lathan▶ 31:38The Christmas tree scene where they uproot the tree

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 32:34The tree changes sizes a couple times - the tree they're getting is bigger than his entire house but that's fine, it's a Christmas comedy movie
Sean Fennessey▶ 32:25How did they get the goddamn tree frozen? Don't give me an unanswerable question in the first three minutes of the movie

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 42:05Private Benjamin — Discusses Full Metal Jacket vs Private Benjamin in context of when movies were at their Apex Mountain, noting Private Benjamin was a phenomenon when it came out
Chris Ryan▶ 41:51Questions the application of Apex Mountain concept, mentions he invented it
Sean Fennessey▶ 41:34Basic Training
Van Lathan▶ 41:36Basic Training

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Bill Simmons▶ 48:06Clark slurping the eggnog after not getting his bonus and delivering the crazy monologue
Sean Fennessey▶ 49:11Clark's bonus meltdown scene with the eggnog slurp

Most Rewatchable Scene

Van Lathan▶ 50:31Clark and the model at the perfume counter scene

What's Aged the Best

Bill Simmons▶ 50:59Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Juliette Lewis as Audrey, 'Shitter is full' becoming a Twitter meme, Chevy Chase's physical comedy with the Christmas tree sap, and the movie representing the early sequel era of 1989
Chris Ryan▶ 51:10Torturing yuppies (Todd and Margo) as a late 80s/early 90s comedic element
Sean Fennessey▶ 53:25This becoming generationally the Christmas movie - the number one Christmas movie that no one expected would last 35 years
Van Lathan▶ 54:50Finding out your dad is a horny freak - the universal experience of realizing your father had a sexual past

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 57:39Christmas Vacation is the best number 3 movie and has the longest legs
Chris Ryan▶ 57:28Mentions other strong third movies like Lethal Weapon 3, Rocky 3, and prefers International Mobiary to this
Sean Fennessey▶ 57:44People just love this movie regardless of quality; supports it being the best third movie
Van Lathan▶ 58:14Back to the Future 2 hasn't held up as well as Christmas Vacation but has cultural impact with sports betting and hoverboards

Great Shot Gordo Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:26The closing credits shot that stays on Clark staring up, then pans back to reveal Snots one inch away from his crotch staring at him
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:18The network homage shot when they shoot Brian Doyle Murray down at the other end of the conference room table

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:01:41Discusses the changing kids across movies as a weakness, mentions Russ's kids going backwards in age and changing every movie
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:55Engages with the discussion of changing kids but frames it as a theory about the Griswolds replacing children rather than identifying it as the weakest element

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:06:56Wants to rename the award due to Dion Waiters being 'all time out of control'

Is There a Better Title?

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:04Prefers keeping 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' over just 'Christmas Vacation'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:08:08Acknowledges most people just call it 'Christmas Vacation' but doesn't express a clear preference for a better title

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:12Christmas is about resolving differences and seeing through the problems of petty life
Van Lathan▶ 1:09:11I can't even afford to be an elf

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:14:41Dave Chappelle — Suggested Dave Chappelle as Clark in a 2023 version, noting he's 50 and the right age, calling it a 'brain breaker'
Chris Ryan▶ 1:12:13Discussed various character actors and made Dion Waiters award suggestions but didn't provide clear recasting picks
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:13:39Discussed John Randolph's blacklist story and provided factual information about actors' ages but didn't offer specific recasting suggestions
Van Lathan▶ 1:14:22Dave Chappelle — Found recasting Clark very difficult, considered Will Ferrell but thought he's too old and 'oddly too goofy', was intrigued by Chappelle suggestion

Hall of Fame Plaque

Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:01The chainsaw scene where Clark tells Todd 'Bend over and I'll show you' while wearing a mask and waving a chainsaw
Van Lathan▶ 1:27:33White Girl on top of the piano scene

Best Double Feature

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:18Home Alone — The first Vacation or Home Alone
Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:26Four Christmases

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Bill Simmons▶ 1:30:26Nobody has an easy holiday season
Chris Ryan▶ 1:30:59If the dog starts humping your leg, slip him
Sean Fennessey▶ 1:30:38Don't invite people over for Christmas

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:31:04Chevy Chase — Chevy

Movies Referenced (61)

Home Alone (1990)

13 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 4:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 41:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Die Hard (1988)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 4:26IMDb ↗Lb ↗

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 4:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Private Benjamin (1980)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 41:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Back to the Future (1985)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 56:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

The Best Man (1999)

5 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 25:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Basic Instinct (1992)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 14:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Black Christmas (1974)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 24:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Funny Farm (1988)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Heat (1995)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 11:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (13)

John Hughes

8 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Breakfast Club▶ 10:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jeremiah S. Chechik

4 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation▶ 13:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Chris Columbus

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Help▶ 54:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sean Penn

3 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Mystic River, 21 Grams, Dead Man Walking▶ 1:13:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Roy Hill

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot▶ 12:07IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Amy Heckerling

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Look Who's Talking▶ 28:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ben Affleck

1 mentions · Van Lathan · Known for Argo, Gone Girl, The Town▶ 1:15:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

David Lynch

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 1:18:03IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Colorado

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Hancock▶ 1:24:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

John Frankenheimer

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey · Known for Seven Days in May▶ 1:14:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lee Dreyfuss

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 50:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sofia Coppola

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Virgin Suicides, Lost in Translation▶ 27:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (92)

Chevy Chase

36 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Chris Ryan · Known for Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Caddyshack, National Lampoon's Vacation▶ 4:02IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

34 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 6:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bill Murray

18 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Lost in Translation, Rushmore, Moonrise Kingdom▶ 11:30IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Randy Quaid

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, Van Lathan · Known for Independence Day, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation▶ 46:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Dave Chappelle

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for A Star Is Born▶ 1:14:41IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Goldie Hawn

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Private Benjamin▶ 40:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Ivana Basic

6 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey▶ 14:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jason Lively

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 5:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Wayne Newton

6 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Vegas Vacation▶ 29:04IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Adam Sandler

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey · Known for Big Daddy, Little Nicky▶ 35:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Will Ferrell

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan · Known for Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory▶ 12:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beverly D'Angelo

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Sean Fennessey · Known for Vegas Vacation, National Lampoon's Vacation▶ 52:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (2)

Roger Ebert

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:34IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Warren Leight

1 mentions · Sean Fennessey▶ 52:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (3)

Gordon Willis

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for The Godfather Part II▶ 1:00:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Richard Staff

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Doctor Strange, Fast X▶ 33:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Scott Clark

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Night at the Museum▶ 44:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗