Product Details

• Actors: Chevy Chase, Beverly D'Angelo, Dana Hill, Jason Lively, John Astin
• Directors: Amy Heckerling
• Writers: John Hughes, Robert Klane
• Producers: Matty Simmons, Stuart Cornfeld
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: July 28, 1998
• Run Time: 95 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 0790734605
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #214,092 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After winning a tour package in a game show, the bickering Griswald family carve a trail of destruction through England (where they knock over Stonehenge), France, Germany, and Italy. Somehow Ellen (Bevery D'Angelo), the mom, gets kidnapped by gangsters, leading to a car chase that reunites the family, despite their differences. It's hard to believe that National Lampoon's European Vacation is only the second of the Vacation movies; it has the exhausted pallor of the last of a long series of sequels, drained of all zest or original ideas. The charmless smirk of Chevy Chase, mechanical in its idiocy, hangs over European Vacation like a death mask. It's hard to believe that this hack was once the funny and sexy hero of Foul Play. D'Angelo keeps her chin up and gives the movie whatever class it may have; she deserves better. --Bret Fetzer

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 70 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars NOT the original theatrical version!, September 19, 2003

By 

T. Charlton (CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: National Lampoon's European Vacation (DVD)

This is NOT the original version!!! I'm very disappointed that Amazon.com didn't disclose this information. Scenes are missing and parts are dubbed over. Funny parts are still funny but it's just not the same. I feel duped.

56 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Zero stars. Please don't buy this., March 5, 2003

By 

Richard Bennett (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: National Lampoon's European Vacation (DVD)

I'm flabbergasted that they put the dumbed-down tv version of this movie on dvd and not the theatrical version. They took scenes out, changed scenes and dubbed dialog to create this mess of a dvd. Not only that, but the movie looks funny. The aspect ratio they used makes the movie look weird. I was eagerly waiting for this funny, well-done movie to be released on dvd and I am bitterly disappointed at this made-for-tv garbage. This tv version will only appeal to an unsophisticated mass audience.

Attention Warner Home Video: If you are reading this, you need to issue a press release in which you apologize for this garbage and then announce that you will release an uncut version of the movie on dvd.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Rating the disc, not the movie., October 5, 2010

By 

Dr. Sam Beckett "Hoping for that last leap home" (Huntsville, AL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: National Lampoon's European Vacation [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I of course love the first two "Vacation" movies and I always will. So I was excited to see this come out on Blu-Ray. Sadly, this is yet another "cas grab" Blu-Ray that is nothing more than an upconverted DVD in disguise - grainy picture, mediocre sound. You're better off saving a few dollars and getting the DVD instead, as you'll get the exact same home theater experience.