National Lampoon's Vacation

Directed by 80's director/actor Harold Ramis ("Caddyshack, "Stripes", "Ghostbusters 1" & "2") National Lampoon's Vacation tells the hilarious story of The Griswold's family trip from their leafy suburban Chicago home to Wally World Theme Park in sunny California.

The film commences at a sterotypically dodgy car dealership where Clark Griswold (Chase) has gone with son (Michael Hall) to trade in the "old gas guzzler" and pick up the new "Antarctic Blue Super Sports Wagon with CB and optional family fun pack". The dealer... with fantastic permed mullet!... informs that the car won't be delivered for another six weeks and thus offers a dated family wagon instead, Griswold declines the offer initially but after seeing that his 'gas guzzler' has been crushed beyond repair, has no choice but to reluctantly accept.

This first 'deviation' from inept but sincere Clark's carefully plotted route across the West is the first of... well, nothing goes according to plan... yet Clarke keeps cracking the goofy remarks regardless of his predictiment, be it lost in a Harlem-like neighbourhood, or when he accidentally kills the dog, then the sour Aunt Edna perishes, they lose all their holiday money and wreck the new car... of course they haven't got to Wally World yet for the hysterical conclusion where Clark finally snaps and the fun really starts!