5 National Lampoon’s vacation movies ranked – in order of funny

Critically acclaimed American parody magazine National Lampoon was most popular in the 1970s and became known for its edgy wit and crass sense of humour. This outrageous mix of humour, nudity and anarchy translated into National Lampoon’s Vacation, a road movie starring the one and only Chevy Chase.

A box office hit, the movie spawned a National Lampoon’s vacation series with Chase reprising his role as reckless father and husband Clark W Griswold. The screwball comedy series offers a slightly more mainstream brand of National Lampoon’s comedy, taking just as many risks as its star. We rank the National Lampoon’s vacation movies in order of funny.

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)

It must be a National Lampoon’s vacation movie if it stars Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. The Griswold kids may change into Johnny Galecki and Juliette Lewis, but this married on-screen couple sticks it out despite Clark’s wandering crazy eyes. Now a holiday staple in many households, Christmas Vacation is a high point for the bawdy Vacation series. Leading from the get-go, the undeterred Chase becomes the family kick ball as things go from bad to worse.

Centred around a stuffed Christmas gathering, lighting the house and humouring unwelcome oddballs, this slapstick dark comedy balances the best and worst of the Vacation series. Kitsch decor and gross out humour just make sense as Clark tries to ramp up a staycation without any assurance of a much-needed 13th cheque. It’s a full tilt and over-the-top escapade that trades its National Lampoon’s edge for more family-friendly Yuletide shenanigans.

National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983)

Chevy Chase’s unabashed straight-faced schtick served him well in Caddyshack and set the stage for the comedy star to commandeer an outrageous road movie comedy. Skipping an obvious flight, the hapless schmuck races to get his family across America to the Walley World theme park.  Essentially a crass slapstick family comedy, its coarse language, innuendo and insinuations give it a subversive National Lampoon’s sense of humour with its star quality shining through. Chase is an absolute goofball who somehow manages to charm his family out of harm’s way.

This “quest for fun” is a total gas, directed by original Ghostbuster Harold Ramis and written by the legendary John Hughes based on National Lampoon’s sketch Vacation ‘58. Between dead relatives, the Mockingbird song and road trip misadventures, you can see Vacation’s dark comedy influence today. Look out for the legendary John Candy, Eugene Levy and a young Jane Krakowski.

Vacation (2015)

This remake takes the concept shell of National Lampoon’s Vacation and gives it an overhaul with Ed Helms taking the wheel from Chevy Chase as a next generation Griswold. Still aiming to get to Walley World, a family road trip turns into a misadventure of epic proportions. The 1979 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon was basically a co-star to Chase as it slowly disintegrated due to comical bad driving and a series of calamities.

Serving as a bridge, the “Honda from Albania” gets even more attention in the remake, which steers away from a simple rinse-and-repeat. Vacation may not have the heart and soul of its predecessor but it does serve up some uproarious and crass comedy when it kicks into overdrive with a game, charming cast and some amazing cameos from Chris Hemsworth, Charlie Day, Keegan-Michael Key and Chevy Chase.

National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985)

The second comedy in the series, European Vacation makes the classic move of transplanting a sequel in Europe. Influenced by Monty Python’s popularity at the time, the edgy comedy makes reference to the troupe with quotes, a tip of the hat to the cheese shop and Fawlty Towers with an actual Python and a cameo from the Major.

While amusing and shot on location in the punk 80s, this sequel is a bit out of its depth with royal family satire and hitting typical European landmarks and cliches. Using subtitles and terribly nice British culture, it has some moments and features the second funniest Stonehenge joke of all time after This is Spinal Tap. It’s also curious to see Nuns on the Run co-stars Eric Idle and a young Robbie Coltrane.

Vegas Vacation (1997)

Picking up almost a decade after Christmas Vacation comes Vegas Vacation. Sin City is a popular comedy diversion for American humour, almost as popular as the Christmas-themed episode for most sitcoms. So it seemed like a natural progression for Chase and D’Angelo to venture forth to Las Vegas to renew their wedding vows in a new misadventure.

The first sequel not to feature a writing credit from John Hughes or the National Lampoon’s title, it shows. Vegas Vacation is colourful, upbeat and energetic with the Holiday Road theme but it pales in comparison to its predecessors. While corny, it’s still fun to see Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo with a host of unexpected cameos from Wayne Newton, Wallace Shawn and vacation regular Christie Brinkley with a scene-stealing supporting role from Randy Quaid.