Just finished watching National Lampoon’s Vacation 20th Anniversary DVD, and I noticed a few things about the flick I hadn’t realized before. First of all, Chevy Chase was perfect for that role. Now, please understand- I’m not a big Chevy Chase fan. He’s made enough crappy flicks that I can do without him, most of the time. But he IS Clark W. Frickin’ Griswold. Second, Beverly D’Angelo is a pretty good straight role to the slapstick of Chase. Didn’t hurt that she was hot back then too, but she shines as the calm center of the family.

The third thing I noticed is how, well… reality-based the movie is. Now, I don’t mean that the events are based on anything resembling real life. But a lot of the humor in the movie comes from truth (albeit in a smaller sense). Clark is the overworked, underappreciated father figure who overcompensates for the time he spends away from his family by overdoing everything he does with them. While it’s played for comedic effect here, think about it- if you’re a working parent and you get to spend time with your family in limited periods, don’t you try to make the most of it? Also, when you were a kid and you saw your father or mother only a few minutes or so in the evening or in the morning, at least one of if not both sides of the equation were making the most of the time there.

It’s kinda funny- I used to see my father as a version of Clark Griswold, and I figured out why a few years back. My father works swing shifts at a chemical plant in Louisiana, and he wasn’t always around when we were growing up. When he was able to enjoy time with his family, we spent the time together and did family things. At times, it would seem like both he and my mother were trying their hardest to enjoy the time they spent with us. Our vacations would be grand affairs lasting more than a week and taking us to some scenic location with the other familes we were close with. Often my father would try to get us boys in the family together to try things he enjoyed- hunting, fishing, sports, etc. It was unfortunate for me, in that I wasn’t into the same things he was into. I tried hard when I was younger, but eventually we both kinda gave up and drifted apart. In a sense, it made hating him easy I suppose.

It’s only been in the last few years that my father and I have reconnected. Now, we’re closer than we were in my youth- by a pretty sizeable ways, too. We don’t have to try as hard as we used to, because with maturity came understanding and with understanding came recognition of how much he really did for me and my siblings in our youths.

Tel you what- think back to the times you had with your parents. If you’re lucky, they were good times. If they were, thank them. They were doing their best, after all- even if the park was closed for maintenance for two weeks.

Out.

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