It’s no stretch to say that Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip has solidified its popularity as a beloved vacation traditional, with the Chevy Chase-led ensemble profitable over audiences each Christmas season since its launch in late 1989. An equally compelling story, nevertheless, is the story behind the movie’s creation itself, which proved to be an eclectic and most unpredictable ordeal for the filmmakers.
From a director becoming a member of and leaving the mission to Brando-esque line practices from Chase, the manufacturing of Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip is chock-full of behind-the-scenes hijinks that add to the mythos surrounding the Griswolds’ heartwarming vacation journey. A few of these information are eye-opening, and a few are downright weird, however all of them assist form a fuller image of how the Christmas traditional got here to be.
So, as we settle into the latter half of the vacation season, sit again and chill out with a snack or tasty beverage as we discover how essentially the most festive entry within the Trip collection got here to fruition – warts, eggnog, and all.
5
Christmas Trip Was Based mostly On A John Hughes’ Quick Story
A lot of John Hughes’ dominance of the ’80s—which started in 1983 with the primary Trip movie and was then bookended in 1990 with fellow Christmas traditional Dwelling Alone—got here from his devotion to nostalgia and household, values which might be mirrored within the very origins of Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip, which emerged from a brief story Hughes wrote for Nationwide Lampoon within the late ’70s referred to as “Christmas ’59.”
Earlier than he turned a filmmaker, John Hughes labored as an promoting copywriter and contributor for Nationwide Lampoon journal, the place he would creator a number of quick tales that may ultimately turn into the Trip collection.
Like its predecessor, “Trip ’58” (which might even be tailored into the screenplay for ’83’s Trip), “Christmas ’59” follows most of the similar beats from Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip, with the primary throughline being a father hellbent on crafting the proper Christmas season for his household amid the absurdities of the vacations.
The similarities between the 2 works aren’t that stunning, contemplating that Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip is yet one more certainly one of Hughes’ screenplays that he famously crafted in speedy succession all through the last decade. Consequently, regardless of taking a step away from directing the mission, Hughes’ nostalgic, Midwestern affect is laden all through the whole thing of the Griswolds’ wacky, heartening festivities.
4
Chris Columbus Virtually Directed Christmas Trip
John Hughes wasn’t new to penning screenplays he would not direct: the ’80s auteur had executed the identical with Some Form of Great and Fairly in Pink; Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip was poised to be no totally different, with Chris Columbus of Harry Potter and Dwelling Alone fame initially pegged to direct the third Trip movie.
Nevertheless, a tense encounter between Columbus and Chevy Chase led the director to depart the mission earlier than completion, with the previous describing the SNL alum as “a whole jerk” as he recounted departing the movie regardless of being in critical want of labor on the time. This then led the manufacturing to rent Canadian music video director Jeremiah S. Chechik to step into the director’s chair.
Likewise, to say this wasn’t Chase’s first time butting heads in a movie manufacturing can be a gross misstatement: in all fact, the actor is probably going remembered at present as properly for his physique of labor as for the feuds he is famously shared on set with stars like Donald Glover and Invoice Murray, a pattern proving that Columbus possible received off simple.
3
Chevy Chase’s Co-Stars Wore Cue Playing cards Throughout Clark’s Meltdown Scene
One of the crucial memorable sequences in Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip arrives when Clark Griswold, the movie’s clumsy, affable household man protagonist, lastly snaps after discovering that his supposed Christmas pension examine is, in actuality, a subscription to the “Jelly of the Month Membership,” resulting in a hilarious, expletive-rich breakdown.
Nevertheless, this scene proved to be one of many hardest to movie for Chase, who had issue remembering his character’s explosive flurry of quips and outbursts; subsequently, in accordance with a number of of Chase’s co-stars, the crew received round this impediment by having the Fletch actor learn his traces off of cue playing cards worn by a number of members of the forged.
This wasn’t the primary time this system had been used to help a famend actor. Whereas filming The Godfather, director Francis Ford Coppola famously used the identical technique with Marlon Brando, whose issue remembering traces was so legendary that the Alongside the Waterfront star had reportedly been using comparable ways since his efficiency as Mark Antony in Julius Caesar.
2
Christmas Trip’s Squirrel Met An Unlucky Destiny
One other legendary second nearing the movie’s climax is the notorious squirrel scene, wherein Clark Griswold—having simply chopped down the neighboring pine to switch the tree that Uncle Lewis (William Hickey) set ablaze along with his cigar—unintentionally lets the furry critter unfastened in his house in certainly one of Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip most gut-busting, standout moments.
Nevertheless, an unlucky incident occurred on set whereas filming the enduring sequence; in accordance with Beverly D’Angelo, the actress behind the Trip collection’ Ellen Griswold, the squirrel initially skilled for the scene sadly died of a coronary heart assault throughout manufacturing, main filmmakers to make use of an untrained squirrel to finish the sequence.
Though particular results performed an element in creating the squirrel sequence in Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip—most notably in a number of close-ups of Clark’s shoulder that had been captured utilizing a stuffed squirrel prop—most of the forged’s reactions had been the truth is real, because the untamed squirrel’s actions had been swift and wildly unpredictable for the crew.
What’s extra is that not all forged members had been conscious of this switch-up, most notably Juliette Lewis—the actress portraying the Griswolds’ daughter—who was solely 16 years previous on the time of filming. Furthermore, it would not be till practically 40 years later that Lewis would really uncover the reality throughout a Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip forged reunion this yr.
1
The Griswold Dwelling Has Been Used In Different Hollywood Productions
Lastly, the Griswold household house—the dazzling, suburban hearth hazard positioned exterior of Chicago (as most of Midwestern native John Hughes’ settings are) internet hosting Christmas and its familial hijinks. Although the hundreds of lights draped throughout its roof, partitions, and chimney would possibly distract from the set’s design, eagle-eyed viewers will discover that the outside will not be distinctive to Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip.
In actuality, the residence is definitely a part of Warner Bros.’ “Blondie Road” suburban backlot on the studio’s ranch in Burbank, California, the place every thing from Frank Capra movies to Younger Sheldon has been shot throughout practically a century of filmmaking. Another notable titles shot at Blondie Road throughout the years embody Father Is aware of Finest, Bewitched, Deadly Weapon, WandaVision, and Denis the Menace.
Sadly, most of the properties on Blondie Road (together with the Griswold house) had been torn down two years in the past to make manner for brand new soundstages, ending one of many studio’s longest-running suburban units. Actually, as of December 2023, there is just one construction remaining on the lot (although technically adjoining to Blondie Road): the “Little Egbert Home,” which was featured prominently in a number of episodes of The Three Stooges.
However, its place in Nationwide Lampoon’s Christmas Trip stays a outstanding and hilarious emblem of the vacation season, and a reminder of not solely the Hollywood of yesteryear, however our personal customs and traditions as we navigate the winter months, household and all of the chaos and festivities that come together with it. Really, as Mavis Staples sings within the movie’s iconic animated opening, “Hip-hip-hooray for Christmas trip.”
Sources:
- Launch Date
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November 30, 1989
- Runtime
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97 minutes
- Director
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Jeremiah S. Chechik
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Beverly D’Angelo
Ellen Griswold
