National Lampoon’s Vacation (4k UHD + Digital HD)
Blu-Ray Reviews | Jul 3rd, 2023
Starring: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Imogene Coca, Randy Quaid, John Candy, Christie Brinkley, Anthony Michael Hall, Dana Barron
Written By: John Hughes
Directed By: Harold Ramis
Studio: Warner Bros.
Buy On Amazon.com
The classic comedy has been upgraded to 4k UHD, so now you can see “honky lips” written out more clearly on the family truckster.
I’m assuming at this point, everyone has seen this movie so there’s really no reason to explain the plot. The movie is celebrating its 40th anniversary, hence the release on 4k UHD. These movies are ones I always revisit, just about every year, especially Christmas Vacation. Vegas Vacation, not so much. Every time I watch these movies, I still laugh. Sure, there’s some stuff that is probably a little outdated and a sign of the times, but you have to admit that this movie is still a classic comedy. It’s one of the ultimate road trip movies. “Getting there is half the fun.”
I think the reason why this movie is still beloved is because people can relate to Clark with him wanting a family vacation to go smoothly, and sometimes they don’t. So it could be a nostalgic part of it. It could also just be that it’s a freakin’ funny movie, even after all these years.
The quality of the movie was the best I’ve seen, but still some noticeable grain in shots. I think the biggest concern I had was the audio. At first I thought my cables were messed up since I got new ones. I tested it out with a newer movie and it seemed fine. I guess it’s just a product of the time and the audio is what it is.
The only bonus feature is an old audio commentary that was previously released. The digital code was giving me problems since I previously owned this movie on HDX, so you might need to write to WB or Vudu if there’s issues with the digital code.
The main selling point is the updated video which looks great for a movie from 1983 but the audio felt like it wasn’t the best. Maybe it’s just my TV and setup? Either way, if you like owning everything on 4k then be sure to get this one too.
Features:
Audio commentary
Video:
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: HDR10
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio:
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 (192kbps)
Subtitles:
English SDH, French, Spanish
Bottom Line: The comedy classic continues to hold up after 40 years
Running Time: 98 mins
Rating: R
Extras Rating:
Overall Rating:
