It’s a happy time for those of us who still have fond memories of the Vacation movies because we choose to pretend the Vegas film never happened: Clark and Ellen Griswold are back! Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo have reprised their characters for a 15-minute short film, Hotel Hell Vacation, for HomeAway.com, an online vacation rental marketplace. The short will premiere after a 30-second mock trailer for the film during the third quarter of Sunday’s Super Bowl. What’s the plot? “Clark surprises Ellen with a romantic second honeymoon before meeting up with their son Rusty and his family for an extended vacation. In classic Griswold family tradition, they run into plenty of travel mishaps along the way.” (In classic Vacation tradition, Rusty will be played by a new actor.)
The HomeAway.com campaign has other components, too, like Clark’s Facebook page (he has close to 77,000 fans) and Twitter account, as well as a forthcoming interactive ‘Griswolds Getaway’ Online Game that allows players to try their hand at stacking luggage on top of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. “As luggage falls from the sky, players have to grab and stack the different items while avoiding flying obstacles that can knock the luggage off the top of the car,” the press release says. “Players, and the Truckster, journey through five tricky levels (including a stop at Cousin Eddie’s house) to the final pay-off at a spacious vacation rental.”
We’ll see on Sunday if this campaign is as genius as it sounds. Any bets?
They couldn’t convince Anthony Michael Hall to play grown up Rusty?!? Was he too busy not doing Dead Zone to be a part of this…
I know, seriously! They probably didn’t even ask him.
While “Vegas Vacation” is far from the best Vacation movie, “European Vacation” is the one I am trying to forget. By far.
I agree. “Look kids…Big Ben…Parliament.” That is really the only funny part of European Vacation.
the best film, hands down: christmas vacation (or at least for me). too many classic moments that have since been replicated during our family christmases.
babyjin, you are dead on. European Vacation was totally lame.
“Ruuuuuuuuuusty!”
I’ll be there.
Yeah, the Vegas film may not be deserving of an Oscar, but it’s got some classic moments.
I love chevy and latinloversmatch
i am happy for the chevy chase resurgence thats goin on
Ditto. He kills in ‘Community.’
hevy is Elvis here on the island..we can’t wait…plus we get to do it over and over and over…
I liked all the Vacation movies.
This is all sorts of awesome! Can’t wait for the comercial.
Not really impressed. That hasn’t been my experience with hotels, and the nickle and diming HAS been my experience with vacation rentals both in Florida and North Carolina. While I love the Griswolds, this commercial (and movie on their website) was just plain boring.
So I checked out the “short film” and thought it was hilarious. I’m so glad to see anything Griswolds again.