So, I just watched it, and it was funny, of course, and I didn’t take notes or anything, but I noticed a couple of things, so here goes.
- The Grizwolds as the average family.
Clearly, the family the movie centers on is meant to be perceived as your regular, relatable, American family. In 1989 (when the movie came out) the median family income for the US was 40k (adjusted to 2022, 95k) and the protagonist, Clark Griswold felt entitled to 7.5k (adjusted, 17k) for his Christmas bonus, therefore, if he were “average” he would be expecting almost 1/5 of his yearly salary as a bonus for a fricken in-ground Pool. I’m sure at the time there was some section of the “upper-middle class” (labor aristocracy) that could relate to such a thing, but around the world most people couldn’t dream of having a personal in ground pool, as all they could think about was the exploitation they were going through that allowed imperialists to give their pets such scraps (note a quick search couldn’t give me world stats on median income, just US). Even in the US, today the vast majority of USians wouldn’t dream of buying a whole in-ground Pool from a “Christmas bonus,” partially because inflation has shrunk salaries so much. Later, when Clark finds that the boss hadn’t given him a bonus, and he was skrewed, he was understandably upset, deprived of money he was counting on, just so the capitalist, who sat on his ass could make a bit more of a profit. And I saw a shred of class consciousness in him. But, of course when the boss is kidnapped and brought to the house, he’s nice after all and gives him extra on to the money he was already expecting, making his bonus at least 9k (adjusting to over 21k today). Obviously, Clark is no average worker.
- Cousin Eddy and classism
Clark’s cousin Eddy is clearly a classic stereotype of a poor white person, or “white trash.” He lives in a crappy RV, wears tacky clothes, has sick kids and pets, will eat nearly anything (but, not a squirrel because of the high cholesterol), and, of course, hasn’t worked in seven years, by choice or stupidity, in other words, a lazy bum (poor by choice). He’s also the butt of many jokes, as he plays the comedic relief so the audience can say “ha! Look how stupid and trashy he is.” One thing I did kind of like was Eddy’s daughter saying how she didn’t believe in Santa, because he hadn’t come the last few years (because her parents are broke), pointing out how only more wealthy families can afford to give their kids tons of crap and get them to believe in a being that gives them gifts because they’ve been “good” during the year.
So, yeah, that’s my thoughts on national lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, funny movie, but don’t think about it too hard.
This is absolutely conscious. American and west Euro movies purposly shown the upper labour aristocracy as “average people” to praise the capitalism. Then that crap flooded cinemas and TV of the socialist countries after revisionist governments opened more and more to the west.
And it was very effective, for example in Poland tons of people believed that.
Hell I believed that for a long while. Hearing stories about former colleagues and friends of my family that moved to USA and lived in “their own houses” didn’t help
Isn’t that the case with many such movies? A family that is portrayed as “average”, or even “struggling” is hardly that. Back to the future? Home alone?
The Home Alone house is in the single most expensive zip code in the entire United States, and is worth more then 10 million dollars with a property tax higher then double the national average income. So just your run of the mill “average” family house of course.
See, I didn’t know any of that as a kid. I just watched a buncha yanks in a clean looking suburbs and a big house, thinking it was how they all live. That scene where the kid tries to buy groceries and the cashier looks at him weird? I thought it was because he was trying to pay with cash, and nobody pays with cash in USA, because they’re so hi-tech.
Yeah.
There are Indeed many US movies where the subject is the “average upper-middle class” family. I remember remarking in home alone recently how they live in a literal mansion with so much crap he can destroy with no consequences, and it being perceived as normal. The newest home alone is extra fucked up, I’d suggest this on it if you haven’t seen it and don’t intend to (don’t blame you): https://yewtu.be/watch?v=0NYEVhcm6i0
I was blissfully unaware there was a new home alone at all. It was one of those quirky little movies I watched as a kid and remained in that era. Geez Louise
MAD magazine and SNL got started by rich white Ivy school kids. Don’t expect class consciousness from their movies.
Spy vs Spy, which while being a very entertaining series of shorts, is literally supposed to be a “both sides bad” argument for the Cold War, written by a Gusano.
On top of that, the Black spy is the pro-communist one, and statistically after counting all the strips. The White Spy who was pro capitalist won more engagements, even though the point of the skit was supposed to be that it was 50/50.
Griswalds, Simpsons, Griffins, McAlisters, Bradys…
Even in their time, these families werent average. MAYBE AT BEST by the numbers they were a not an insignificant minority.
👀 If your family owns a two story house with a semi finished basement, you are NOT average in America at any time ever.
True, but for some reason I feel the need to be a Simpsons apologist, they are meant to be absurd, they even make a joke of them somehow being able to afford all that on a single income a couple of times. I consider them like the Onion, imperfect, but often based humor. (I’m pretty sure Alan Moore likes the Simpsons far more than most things and he’s based)
I aint hating. The two shows that come maybe sorta close to the American experience is Futurama and Bobs Burgers. But I got no hate on Simpsons. I would like to think that someone who works at a nuclear plant and someone who works part time might be able to afford what the Simpsons has got. Maybe that’s what they should have? I dunno. 🤷♂️
Honestly the Frank Grimes episode is the perfect example of the absurdity of how the Simpsons lampoons average American arrogance
Lol I guess we’re supposed to feel bad for this guy for taking out money he didn’t have (without telling his wife too) in order to get a fucking pool when his actual family doesn’t even have a house anymore.
Also I guess the 80s were the time to dunk on dinks (dual income no kids) cause the writers treated their neighbors like shit for no reason.
And of course we need the obligatory forced patriotism for laughs and cops holding people, including kids, at gunpoint.
It really is better not to think about it too much lol I could go on and on
I was really hoping for a bit of an ACAB from the movie, but of course the pigs quickly accept it as a misunderstanding (if they weren’t white they would’ve been shot after literally kidnapping someone) and even had to be extra likable sounding. Imagine how great it would have been if grannie started singing the internationale or the Soviet national anthem rather than the songs of imperialist indoctrination.
I will say the Black cop telling the CEO he’d beat him with a rubber hose had me on the floor lol
