‘National Lampoon’s Vacation’ 4K UHD Blu-Ray Review – Get Ready To Cruise Holiday Road In Style

Everything is planned, packed – and about to go hilariously wrong. The Griswolds are going on vacation. In the driver’s seat is Clark Griswold (Chevy Chase), an Everyman eager to share the open road and the wonders of family togetherness. Myriad mishaps, crude kin (Randy Quaid), encounters with a temptress (Christie Brinkley), financial woes, Aunt Edna (Imogene Coca) on the roof, one security guard (John Candy) and 2,460 miles later, it’s a wonder the Griswolds are together. There’s never been a family vacation like it. Except maybe yours. And that helps explain why National Lampoon’s Vacation remains so popular… and so very funny.

For thoughts on National Lampoon’s Vacation, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of National Lampoon’s Vacation offers a tremendous uptick in quality over the dated Blu-Ray from well over a decade ago. It is worth noting that this release only comes with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray, so impressions on this jump are based on previous releases. Based on the fact that this is a new 4K restoration, we are going to hazard a guess this is derived from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative due to the improvements you will spot in clarity, detail and stability. It is by far the best the film has ever looked on home entertainment. 

This transfer retains the lovely natural film grain that resolves favorably without being clumpy or unnatural. Thankfully, there does not appear to have been any major digital tinkering on this transfer, so this disc is free of unsightly DNR, compression artifacts and other encode issues. The clothing, production design and the scenery are replete with fine textural details that render without any issues. The production design containing many clever gags is presented with a good amount of dimension and perfect clarity. Nearly every stop along the journey contains a wide array of subtle details that are visible for the first time ever on disc. Skin tones appear natural with terrific detail apparent on faces such as pores and facial hair. 

The implementation of HDR is one of our favorite aspects of this 4K presentation. This disc has more nuanced natural colors that bring out a great richness in every environment. The HDR10 really gets the most out of the earthy environments and distinct elements of the production design like the green car they get stuck with in the beginning. Black levels are much stronger, staying deep and inky with great detail in elements such as the nighttime swim. The highlights are more firmly defined with whites more pure and balanced with no instances of blooming to be found under the blazing sun. This is a very natural looking transfer that offers up an unbelievable improvement that will buoy the experience of all who settle in to view this one. 

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with the original theatrical* DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio that offers a really pleasing sonic experience. The focus of the movie is on the dialogue, and it emanates with perfect clarity even when there is a bit of insanity on screen. The environmental flourishes and sound effects add a lot of great texture to some of the gags. The score and key songs permeate the room throughout the movie with enviable fidelity. The track does not go overboard with the low end activity, but it is supportive enough to remind you it exists. Warner Bros. has done a really nice job with the audio for this one. There are English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles provided. 

*The most meaningful criticism that can be lobbied towards this release is that it continues the trend on home video of replacing the song “I’m So Excited” by The Pointer Sisters with June Pointer’s “Little Boy Sweet” whenever Christie Brinkley drives by in her Ferrari. The song has been out of rotation due to music rights issues, but some streaming versions have popped up recently with the original song reinstated, so it is a shame could not be done for what is presumably the final release of the film. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: A lively track with director Harold Ramis; actors Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid, Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron; and Producer Matty Simmons. In this track the participants reminisce about their experiences on set and point out different small facets of the movie and any juicy behind the scenes details. This track is not nearly as rollicking as the one for Christmas Vacation, but it is a good effort all the same. 

Final Thoughts

National Lampoon’s Vacation is a comedy classic which makes you wonder if you really should be dreaming of going on that trip you have been planning for months. The film explores the folly of trying to cram a year of family bonding into a compressed amount of time, ultimately leaving you to reflect on the work-life balance. Of course, if you do not want to be too heady about it, it is just flat-out hilarious with more ridiculous gags revealed every time you revisit it. Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has given this comedy classic a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a top notch A/V presentation. Where it loses some points is in the baffling decision to drop the Blu-Ray from the package, effectively removing the great making-of documentary that was previously included. It is great to have the film looking and sounding so good, but we wish this really was the “ultimate” presentation of the film. Highly Recommended 

National Lampoon’s Vacation is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray and Digital. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.