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If ‘Christmas Vacation’ was a Thriller

Author Jade Springart
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 12: (L-R) Johnny Galecki, Juliette Lewis, Diane Ladd, Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo attend the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 30th Anniversary Screening of "National Lampoons Christmas Vacation" at the AMPAS Samuel Goldwyn theatre on December 12, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jean Baptiste Lacroix/Getty Images)

The holidays are officially here and that means our streaming services are filled with a slew of cheesy Hallmark-y holiday movies designed to put you in the holiday spirit. More often than not, these movies feature a chick who goes back to her hometown for the holidays either after getting engaged to the wrong guy, being dumped by the wrong guy, breaking up with the guy that was actually the one… You get the picture.

I know this because every year, I watch as many cheesy holiday movies as I can. I don’t know why I do it. If nothing else, they provide a good laugh because they are always poorly made with plots that make no sense and feature actors who can’t make it in the soaps or are on the decline of their success.

Then there’s the holiday classics we have to watch every year. ‘Home Alone,’ ‘How The Grinch Stole Christmas,’ ‘Bad Santa,’ the list goes on. One that’s always on everyone’s list is obviously ‘National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.’ A movie that is quote-worthy all year round, but what if, instead of a comedy classic, it was actually a thriller. Well, thanks to the internet we can see what those trailers look like. Yes, there’s a couple versions of ‘Christmas Vacation’ as a thriller and they’re glorious. Check them out below. Happy holidays!

 

 

15 Of The Best Christmas Movies Of All Time - From Rated G To Rated R

It’s that time of year! Want to get more into the holiday spirit in a way that isn’t listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on repeat? Check out this list of the best holiday movies of all time, and you’re sure to jingle all the way through the rest of the year, or turn into the Grinch — either way, you’re in for a good time.

  • Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town (1970)

    https://youtu.be/k7eEJH6yOlM

    The full stop-motion movie is available on YouTube. A postman (voiced by Fred Astaire) explains why Santa has whiskers, lives at the North Pole and brings presents once a year.

  • Mean Girls (2004)

    If you missed re-watching Mean Girls on Mean Girls Day (October 3), now’s your chance to get your dose of the cult classic. The talent show performance of “Jingle Bell Rock” is iconic and for that reason, earns a spot on our list.

  • Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

    What better time to binge the Harry Potter series than in December? Also, how adorable are they as kids in the first movie?!

  • The Shining (1980)

    All joyous Christmas movies and no play, make for a dull holiday. The Shining is the perfect Christmas movie for horror lovers, taking place at the isolated Overlook Hotel in Colorado over the winter.

  • Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

    https://youtu.be/BctWze2UMj4

    This stop motion film came out before Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, and has been telecast every year since 1964, making it the longest continuously running Christmas TV special. The whole movie is available on YouTube, too.

  • The Santa Clause (1994)

    Tim Allen makes a perfect Santa Claus in this 1994 classic. After he accidentally kills a man in a Santa suit, Scott (Tim Allen) and his son are magically transported to the North Pole, where an elf explains that he must take Santa’s place before the next Christmas arrives.

  • Edward Scissorhands (1990)

    When Winona Ryder’s Kim goes out into the backyard to find Edward making an angel ice sculpture, it creates a beautiful sprinkling of “snow.” Edward Scissorhands is a fantasy film all framed by an old woman telling the story to her granddaughter one late snowy night.

  • Christmas Carol The Movie (2001)

    In this animated retelling of Charles Dickens’ classic tale, Ebeneezer Scrooge (Simon Callow) remains the same old curmudgeonly hermit. As he tries to resist the Christmas cheer surrounding him, several ghosts appear to him to show him the error of his ways. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Jane Horrocks), the Ghost of Christmas Present (Michael Gambon), former partner Marley (Nicolas Cage) and an earnest mouse help him change his cold heart just in time for the holiday.

  • Die Hard (1988)

    At this point, you can’t possibly disagree that Die Hard is a Christmas movie — and if you do, you’re wrong.

  • How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)

    In this live-action adaptation of the beloved children’s tale by Dr. Seuss, Jim Carrey stars as the reclusive Grinch whose goal is to ruin Christmas for the cheery citizens of Whoville.

  • Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

    Halloween meets Christmas in Tim Burton’s claymation fantasy film. When Jack Skellington accidentally stumbles on Christmastown, all bright colors and warm spirits, he gets a new lease on life — he plots to bring Christmas under his control by kidnapping “Sandy Claws” and taking over the role.

  • The Polar Express (2004)

    Inspired by the beloved children’s book of the same name, Tom Hanks voices the narrator and conductor of The Polar Express. The story follows a doubting young boy who takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, embarking on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.

  • Bad Santa (2003)

    Billy Bob Thornton plays a miserable Santa conman with his Little Helper, played by Tony Cox to rob a department store. But that all changes when he makes an unlikely friend in a troubled kid. The movie also stars Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham and John Ritter.

  • Home Alone (1990)

    “KEVIN!” You absolutely have to watch Home Alone this holiday season. It never gets old watching Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) slap that aftershave on his face and torment house robbers (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) to protect his family’s home.

  • It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

    The best Christmas movie of all time is It’s A Wonderful Life. It’s message of how your life impacts all those around you and the significance of it all can be applied to anyone today. A truly touching film that shows us what the holidays are really all about: gratitude.

 

Jade was born and raised in Detroit Rock City and grew up listening to Led Zeppelin, The Who, Tom Petty, etc. In high school she tried multiple different styles from cheerleader to goth but couldn’t do gymnastics and couldn’t get her eyeliner dark enough. She settled on jeans and a t-shirt, playing sports and making normal situations overly awkward. When she’s not making bad jokes on the radio you can find her shanking golf balls into the woods on the golf course and drinking beers at the bar. She has a strict two shot limit when it comes to tequila. Jade enjoys writing and talking about everything happening in Detroit Rock City, our Detroit sports teams, golf, and her fear of robots.

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Author Jade Springart
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