Hit the road with the Griswolds once again, as Fathom’s Big Screen Classics roll on with a pair of special screenings of the 1983 fan-favorite comedy “National Lampoon’s Vacation” returning to select theaters nationwide on Sunday, July 16 and Wednesday, July 19 in honor of its 40th anniversary.
For the Clark W. Griswolds of Chicago, 50 weeks of work and routine will soon be rewarded with a fortnight of frenzied freedom. Mom (Beverly D’Angelo) and the kids (Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron) would rather fly, but Dad (Chevy Chase) insists on driving west to Walley World.
He’s programmed everything on the family’s PC — from tire wear to best routes, from choice sights to the finest AAA-recommended lodgings. But what was supposed to be a perfectly planned getaway quickly takes a detour through Murphy’s Law, as the Griswold gang must overcome vandals, car wrecks, and even the LAPD SWAT Team to make it to their destination in one piece.
Directed by Harold Ramis with a script by John Hughes, Vacation also stars Imogene Coca, John Candy, Christie Brinkley in her acting debut, Randy Quaid, Miriam Flynn, Eddie Bracken, Brian Doyle-Murray, Miriam Flynn, James Keach, Eugene Levy and Frank McRae.
Each screening features an exclusive introduction by noted film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, discussing the enduring appeal and influence of the side-splitting road trip epic widely hailed as one of the finest comedies of all time.
Locally the film will be screened at AMC Loews Stony Brook, Island 16 Cinema de Lux in Holtsville and Showcase Cinema de Lux in Farmingdale on July 16 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. and on July 19 at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets in advance, visit www.fathomevents.com.
National Lampoon's Vacation returns to the big screen on July 16 and 19.
Fathom Events has announced its slate of titles for the upcoming first-ever Fathom’s Big Screen Classics series. The series will run throughout 2023, celebrating the anniversaries of 11 of Hollywood’s most beloved motion pictures and the debut of a newly restored print of the enduring 1942 classic Casablanca.
Fathom’s Big Screen Classics series has something for everyone in 2023, from the 25th anniversary of The Big Lebowski to the 70th anniversary of the classic Roman Holiday – plus 10 films representing decades in between.
Leonard Maltin
This special series will also feature film historian and critic Leonard Maltin who will provide insights into the films, sharing his one-of-a-kind expertise with fans. After thirty years on television’s Entertainment Tonight, he’s a familiar face as well as a familiar name to the millions of people who still rely on his paperback reference Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, which was published from 1969 to 2015, and the still-popular Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide. His many other books include The Disney Films, Hooked on Hollywood, and his autobiography Starstruck. He hosts a weekly podcast called Maltin on Movies with his daughter Jessie, and teaches a popular course at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.
The 2023 Fathom’s Big Screen Classics series includes (in order of screening date):
Roman Holiday 70th Anniversary
Groundhog Day 30th Anniversary
Casablanca newly restored presentation
The Big Lebowski 25th Anniversary
Grease 45th Anniversary
Hairspray (1988) 35th Anniversary
National Lampoon’s Vacation 40th Anniversary
Enter the Dragon 50th Anniversary
Rain Man 35th Anniversary
The Birds 60th Anniversary
Scarface 40th Anniversary
A Christmas Story 40th Anniversary
“We are so excited to bring this new slate of classics to theatres this year,” said Tom Lucas, VP of Studio Relations for Fathom Events. “Combining Maltin’s pedigree with this list of some of the greatest films ever made – and titles reflecting a wide mix of film genres, spanning six decades – is going to be an incredible experience for moviegoers. We hope audiences will love seeing these classics on the big screen again!”
Tickets for the Fathom’s Big Screen Classics 2023 series are on-sale now at www.FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices. For a complete list of events in the series and to purchase tickets, visit the Fathom Events website. Please continue to check the Fathom Events website for updates and to sign up for alerts.
Roman Holiday 70th Anniversary (1953) Date: January 22 & 25 Director: William Wyler Writer: Dalton Trumbo, Ian McLellan Hunter, John Dighton Producer: William Wyler Cast: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert
Nominated for a total of 10 Oscars®, including Best Picture, it’s the story of a modern-day princess who, rebelling against the royal obligations, explores Rome on her own.
Groundhog Day 30th Anniversary (1993) Date: February 2 & 5 Director: Harold Ramis Writer: Story by Danny Rubin, Screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis Producer: C.O. Erickson, Trevor Albert, Harold Ramis Cast: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott
Snowed in during a trip to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities, television weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) finds himself stuck in time, endlessly repeating February 2nd.
Casablanca(1942) Date: March 5 & 8 Director: Michael Curtiz Writer: Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein, Howard Koch Producer: Jack L. Warner Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains
Academy Award® winners Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman light up the screen in one of the most enduring romances in movie history– Casablanca. The new 2022 4K digital cinema master was restored and remastered from a new 16bit film scan of the best-surviving source — the nitrate fine grain film elements. The 4K scanned digital images went through an extensive digital restoration process to clean and repair the picture for an ultra-high resolution picture presentation. This work was meticulously handled by Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging.
The Big Lebowski 25th Anniversary (1998) Date: April 16 & 20 Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Writer: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen Producer: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen Cast: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore
From the Academy Award®-winning Coen brothers, The Big Lebowski is a hilariously quirky comedy about bowling, a severed toe, White Russians and a guy named…The Dude.
Grease 45th Anniversary (1978) Date: May 14 & 17 Director: Randal Kleiser Writer: Bronte Woodard Producer: Allan Carr, Robert Stigwood Cast: John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing
The kids are cool, the cars are hot, and the tunes are always rockin’ and rollin’ when one of the most beloved comedies of all time comes back to theaters to celebrate its 45th anniversary! Good girl Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) is new to school, but ready to join the Pink Ladies. Badboy Danny (John Travolta), the leader of the T-Birds, has just discovered their summer lovin’ wasn’t just a passing fling when they’re reunited at Rydell High School.
Hairspray 35th Anniversary (1988) Date: June 11 & 14 Director: John Waters Writer: John Waters Producer: Sara Risher, Robert Shaye, Rachel Talalay Cast: Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine
It’s Baltimore, 1962, and a rebellious teenager with the biggest bouffant on the block attempts to win the coveted “Miss Auto Show” crown as she fights against racial discrimination in this film created and directed by John Waters and featuring Divine in his/her last role.
National Lampoon’s Vacation 40th Anniversary (1983) Date: July 16 & 19 Director: Harold Ramis Writer: John Hughes Producer: Matty Simmons Cast: Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Imogene Coca
The all-American Griswold family just wants to go on an all-American vacation. Everyone is packed. The route is planned … And absolutely everything goes wrong as a simple trip quickly becomes a madcap cross-country odyssey and heroic quest in search of National Lampoon’s Vacation.
Enter The Dragon 50th Anniversary (1973) Date: August 13 & 16 Director: Robert Clouse Writer: Michael Allin Producer: Fred Weintraub, Paul Heller Cast: Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly
Recruited by an intelligence agency, martial arts student Lee (Fists of Fury, The Chinese Connection) participates in a brutal tournament at a remote island fortress in an attempt to gather enough evidence to convict the international drug-trafficker responsible for the murder of Lee’s sister.
Rain Man 35th Anniversary (1988) Date: September 17 & 20 Director: Barry Levinson Writer: Barry Morrow, Ron Bass Producer: Peter Guber, Christine Peters, Jon Peters Cast (max of 10): Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino
Charlie (Tom Cruise) just discovered he has an autistic brother named Raymond (Dustin Hoffman) and is taking him on the ride of his life. Or is it the other way around?
The Birds 60th Anniversary (1963) Date: October 22 & 23 Director: Alfred Hitchcock Writer: Evan Hunter Producer: Alfred Hitchcock Cast (max of 10): Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, Jessica Tandy
Alfred Hitchcock’sThe Birds is an unforgettable masterpiece that is considered one of the most terrifying films from the Master of Suspense.
Scarface 40th Anniversary (1983) Date: November 12 & 15 Director: Brian De Palma Writer: Oliver Stone Producer: Louis A Stroller, Martin Bregman Cast (max of 10): Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer
Starring Al Pacino as Tony Montana along with Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Robert Loggia, Scarface has become a cultural phenomenon brilliantly directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone.
A Christmas Story 40th Anniversary (1983) Date: December 10 & 13 Director: Bob Clark Writer: Leigh Brown, Bob Clark Producer: Bob Clark, Rene Dupont Cast (max of 10): Peter Billingsley Melina Dillon, Darren McGavin
It’s the final days before Christmas in early 1940s Cleveland, and 9-year-old Ralphie wants one thing from Santa more than anything else: a Red Ryder Carbine Action Air Rifle. Based on stories by Jean Sheppard.
For artwork/photos related to the Fathom’s Big Screen Classics series, visit the Fathom Events press site.
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About Fathom Events
Fathom is a recognized leader in the entertainment industry as one of the top distributors of content to movie theaters in North America. Owned by AMC Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: AMC); Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK); and Regal Cinemas, a subsidiary of the Cineworld Group (LSE: CINE.L)., Fathom operates the largest cinema distribution network, delivering a wide variety of programming and experiences to cinema audiences in all of the top U.S. markets and to more than 45 countries. For more information, visit www.FathomEvents.com.
