National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
“Yule crack up!”
Synopsis
It's Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
Part of the National Lampoon's Vacation Collection
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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Theatrical TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2014-07-09
Top Cast
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Chevy Chase
Clark Griswold
Beverly D'Angelo
Ellen Griswold
Juliette Lewis
Audrey Griswold
Johnny Galecki
Rusty Griswold
John Randolph
Clark Griswold Sr.
Diane Ladd
Nora
E.G. Marshall
Art
Doris Roberts
Francis
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Margo Chester
Randy Quaid
Cousin Eddie
Miriam Flynn
Cousin Catherine
Mae Questel
Aunt Bethany
Nicholas Guest
Todd Chester
Cody Burger
Rocky
Ellen Hamilton Latzen
Ruby Sue
William Hickey
Uncle Lewis
Sam McMurray
Bill
Nicolette Scorsese
Mary
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 1, 1989
Wide Cinema Exhibition
November 1, 2022
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$27M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$74.5M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
2.76x
+$47.5M net gain
Theatrical Status
Profitable
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Jeremiah S. Chechik
- Screenplay & Story
- John Hughes
- Original Score
- Angelo Badalamenti
- Original Title
- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 37m
- Production Budget
- $27M
- Worldwide Gross
- $74.5M
- Production Studios
- Hughes Entertainment, Warner Bros. Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Jeremiah S. Chechik
John Hughes
Angelo Badalamenti
Thomas E. Ackerman, Eric Engler
Gerald B. Greenberg, Michael A. Stevenson
John Hughes, Tom Jacobson, Daniel Grodnik, Matty Simmons
Department Leadership Roster
Jeremiah S. Chechik
Director
Thomas E. Ackerman
Director of Photography
John Hughes
Screenplay
Angelo Badalamenti
Original Music Composer
John Hughes
Producer
Gerald B. Greenberg
Editor
Tom Jacobson
Producer
Michael A. Stevenson
Editor
Charlie Picerni
Stunt Coordinator
Stephen Marsh
Production Design
Michael Kaplan
Costume Design
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
Parental Guidance Suggested.
FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation about?
It's Christmastime, and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration. But things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen, and their two kids. Clark's continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going, knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon.
Who directed National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik.
Who stars in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
The principal cast of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation includes Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, John Randolph.
When was National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation released and how long is it?
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was released in 1989 with a total runtime of 1h 37m.
What was the box office and production budget of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation had a reported production budget of $27M and grossed $74.5M at the worldwide box office (2.76 return on budget, classified as a commercial hit).
Who composed the musical score for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
The original motion picture soundtrack for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation was composed by Angelo Badalamenti.
What is the age rating and content advisory for National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested.); DE: 6 (FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).