Sleevenotes:

If it's a Tuesday, it must be Bavaria for the globe-trotting National Lampoon's crazy gang on a whirlwind car trip through Europe. From London to Paris, Germany to Italy, accident-prone Chevy Chase sightsees foreign culture as each country cites his family a disaster area in a capital caper.

Review:
Following up one of the top comedies of the decade was never going to be easy and European Vacation has received a fair amount of criticism which really isn't fair. The movie has some magic moments and matches it's predecessor for quality lines for pretty much the first hour before going off the boil. The scenes in England and France are particularly good but the German section is a little light on laughs and the Italian finale rather sours an otherwise funny film. If you enjoyed the original Griswald outing (or is that Griswold? - the spelling seems to change between movies) then you'll certainly find some laughs in here. I have great memories of watching this when it first came out and thoroughly enjoying it so it deserves a good rating.

Funniest scenes:
The Griswalds win a trip to Europe on TV gameshow 'Pig-in-a-poke' - "I believe the pyramidical tracks are a housing development outside of Cairo"

Clark films Ellen dancing to 'Hey Big Spender' with just a towel wrapped around her - "I promise I'll erase the tape..."

The Griswalds each dream their vision of Europe - "The hills are alive with the sound of Griswald, This shit's been around for a very long time..."

Clark gets to grips with driving in England to the detriment of several other road users including a Python on a bike - "It's just a flesh wound"

A Frenchman kindly offers to video the Griswald's in the fountain - "You erased the tape right?"

A Franch waiter takes the Griswald's lunch order - "Your wife has wonderful, big tits and your daughter has a great little ass."

Clark and Rusty discuss the American couple at the next table - "Dad, I think he's gonna pork her!"

The Griswald's stop over at Fritz and Helga's place in Germany - "Long time never seen" - where Clark brushes his teeth in a bed pan.

Clark starts a riot during the German face-slapping dance.

The Griswald's take to the Italian fashion stores - "And it's no, and it's old and the World could use new look..."

Clark meets the ex-Python again, this time in a revolving door in Rome.

Ellen spots a poster advertising her bathroom video shoot - "The Wet Hot Wife."

Top lines:
Clark: "As president of the Griswald republic I vote we go to Europe. Jack, you wait here."

Clark: "I'll have a coke."
Air stewardess: "Do you want that in the can?"
Clark: "No, I'll have it right here."

Ellen: "Clark, there's no bathroom."
Clark: "Of course there's a bathroom. The Europeans go to the bathroom don't they? ... Maybe they don't."

Rusty: "Audrey, I think we'd better call the front desk - something's wrong with this thing. We've only got four channels and no MTV!"
Audrey: "I think that's all there are Rus'."
Rusty: "No. No. Noooo!"

Clark: "Hey there's Buckingham Palace kids. That's where the Queen lives and works."
Audrey: "Works? What does she do Dad?"
Clark: "She Queens. And vacuums."

Not Fritz: "Who the hell were they?"
Not Helga: "Beats the shit out of me."

Fletch UK Rating: 8 out of 10

Links:
imdb.com
yahoo movies
laker jim's griswold world
walley world