Almost the Griswolds?

This is a real find!  This is an unaired TV pilot that Chevy Chase made in 2002.  This Lorne Michaels produced pilot was about Andy Potts, (Chase) a Reporter and single father of 3 daughters.  From what I recall the pilot was made for NBC along with another Lorne Michaels pilot starring Norm Macdonald and Jon Lovitz.  I have looked everywhere for a copy of the pilot and was only able to find this quick clip from http://www.abigailmavity.com/ the official website of Chase’s daughter from the show.

Enjoy!

Harold Ramis and Beverly D’Angelo remember John Hughes

These articles are old but I thought somehow relevant with the return of the Griswold’s, The John Hughes Vanity Fair article and NBC’s Community’s recurring Hughes references.


Here we see how Harold Ramis and Beverly D’Angelo remember John Hughes.

Ramis: I read the screenplay. I thought it was very good. And John and I had some meetings, and I guess I probably made some notes, and then Chevy [Chase] and I did a rewrite, which I’m not sure John was happy with [Laughs]. And I didn’t see him much, and then the ending of the film didn’t work at all when we tested it, so I had a notion for a new ending for the film, and John very quickly scripted that.


I ran into him once in Chicago. I moved back there like 12 years ago, and I went to our local multiplex. The usher said, “Hey, John Hughes is in the next theater.” So I walked over and John is standing there in the tunnel [entry hall outside the theater], not going in, but standing where he can see the screen. I said, “What are you doing?” He said, “I want to see how my trailer plays.” I said, “John, you’ve got 100 million dollars. What do you care how this trailer plays?” [Laughs] And he said, “No, no, I care.” I thought, wow, that’s probably why he was so much more successful than I was—or at least productive. He really did care.

D’angelo: I always considered the Vacation movies a love story. I didn’t think of them as some kind of, you know, film with the fart as a punchline. There was a love story in every one of his movies, and the thing about those Vacation movies is that, he’s truly romantic. He told love stories. In Home Alone, it’s a love story: the parents and the child, ultimately. Boy loses girl, you know what I mean?


Chevy Chase [who played D’Angelo’s husband, Clark Griswold, in the Vacation movies] left Hollywood, too. Chevy left in the late ’80s. Hollywood’s not a place for the heart, unless you’ve got a really, really, really tough exterior. He never sold out. Never. Never. The key is that he considered the age of 12 to 21 sacred and kind of adult but without the power of [adulthood]. Cause that’s what those teenager characters struggled with: was being stuck in an adult world that they didn’t create and how to deal with that.


There aren’t any more Breakfast Clubs, there aren’t any more Ferris Buellers. We’ve gone a different way. John treated his teenage characters like the young adults that they were. They weren’t stupid and they weren’t useless. They powered the engine of his films.

Check out the full articles here:

http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/08/13/john-hughes-remembered-harold-ramis-director-of-vacation/

http://popwatch.ew.com/2009/08/13/john-hughes-remembered-beverly-dangelo-ellen-griswold-in-vacation/

John Hughes unpublished stories.

If you grew up in the 80’s you know and love John Hughes. The man gave us The Griswold’s and many other enduring characters that defined our generation.

As the 90’s hit he seemed all but to disappear becoming something of a recluse.

When he died this past year we all hoped that surely he continued to write and that one day soon tons of scripts and short fiction would be uncovered for us to treasure.

Well is seems it is slowly happening.

It seems that over the years since his 90’s disappearance from the public eye he continued to write using various pseudonyms.

The first of what he called Very, very short stories are being published at Vaintyfair.com.

Check it out and enjoy:

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2010/03/john-hughes-on-hudson-201003

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2010/03/john-hughes-slideshow-201003#slide=1

Passing the torch. Vacation reboot.

Hollywood is buzzing about the new Vacation film. Even though some were disappointed with the Griswold/Homeaway.com short, interest is still high for a return of the Griswold’s in some form.

Variety reports that John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein have been hired by Newline/Warner bros. to write the script. The two have mostly been involved in sitcom writing but both have in production films in the works.

Variety describes it as more of a Planes, Trains and Automobiles direction with Rusty taking his family on vacation. Chevy and Bev may make an appearance.

It is also believed to be more adult themed like the first Vacation.

Fingers crossed!

Check out these articles!
http://www.movieline.com/2010/02/will-vacation-reboot-save-the-flagging-griswold-name.php
http://www.cinematical.com/2010/02/11/vacation-reboot-heading-back-to-wally-world/
http://coronacomingattractions.com/news/new-vacation-movie-actually-sequel
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Screenwriters-Hired-For-Vacation-Reboot-17006.html

Chevy Chase Vacation short leaked early?

I don't know if this was leaked or if Homeaway.com posted this two days early but here is what looks like the full Hotel Hell Vacation short.

The 30 second ad (which cost 2.5 million by the way) will air during the super bowl's 3rd quarter teasing the short film that was supposed to be available the following day.  

Perhaps Homeaway.com has more planned.

Regardless be sure to check out the site Monday for Griswold planned fun and games.

The short is really funny.  It is a big commercial for Homeaway.com but has some great moments.  

Plus Beverly looks amazing and I got a little teary eyed seeing them together again and in the truckster!

Check out what I think is the full 15 minute short here!

The Griswold invasion sweeps America!

Well maybe not but news of the upcoming Homeaway.com marketing is all over the web.

Not only does Clark Griswold have a Twitter and facebook accounts:

http://www.facebook.com/griswoldclark

http://twitter.com/CkGriswold

But Homeaway has lots more planed including several Web Games featuring Clark and the Family Truckster.

EW.com has an quick article dropping some tidbits like Rusty will be played by a new actor (Sorry Anthony Michael Hall fan!)

Check it out at:

http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/02/04/vacation-griswolds-hotel-hell/

Preview of Hotel Hell Vacation starring Chevy Chase

Homeaway.com has added a youtube page to its marketing campaign with a ton of great video’s and behind the scenes footage of the new direct to the net Chevy Chase/Griswold vacation flick. That’s quite a mouth full.


Thanks again to Mark for this great tip!

Check out all the excitement on http://www.youtube.com/user/homeawayvacation and remember to check out Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo on the Super Bowl ad this Sunday. (Scheduled during the 3rd Quarter!)

Sneak peak at the Griswolds's HomeAway Super Bowl Ad!

Thanks to Mark for bringing us this bit of news. Entertainment tonight show us our first sneak peak at the Griswold's in the 21st century!


The commerical is scheduled to appear during the 3rd quarter!
The clip shows some interviews and some clips of the commercial it's self!

Check it out:

HomeAway Super Bowl Family Truckster Griswolds Entertainment Tonight 01-29-10