Dana Barron Dives into National Lampoon's Vacation | 40th Anniversary

Hey, I'm Allison with FlickDirect and I am here with the very colorful and and Accessorized. Audrey number one. Accessorized Dana Baron. Now on today. I am having a great time. How are you? I'm very good. I love the outfit. Perfect. I have to be Audrey. Yeah, of course. Well, you are Audrey. And for my age, You are, Audrey, nobody else. So tell me, now that this movie is turning 40, what is, what makes it a classic in your mind?

- Thank you. Let me take off my glasses. Classic because obviously it's been around a while and it still holds up and people go, you remember when it makes you think about your family and vacations that you've been on that might've gone wrong, but the Griswolds went through it, so it wasn't so bad, right? You know, people are like-- and they all have their-- like, when I do the Comic-Cons and stuff, everyone has their great kind of vacation-esque horror story.

But it's so bad, it's so good. It's so much fun to hear their stories. I've been collecting them now, because I've written a book called "40 Years on Vacation." So it's now being in the works of publishing and editing and all that stuff. So people have-- I'm collecting their stories in this book to share with the public, just-- You know, 'cause Griswold stories are great, but their stories are fun too, so nostalgia.

- Yeah, I love that idea. I want this book. I can't wait till it comes out. - Thank you. - What was it like playing Audrey? What were some of your fondest memories of being on set? - Well, if you think about it, we were on vacation on vacation. And during that time, there was no cell phones, No iPads, no computer stuff. So we were all with each other all the time.

Like, we'd celebrate. You know, at dinner, we were together. When we had time off, we'd be going, doing fun stuff all the time. So I even went to Christie Brinkley's beach house, and her family was there. And we had a great time, like, in the ocean, and just stuff like that, being on vacation while filming. Who doesn't want to get paid, and film, and be on vacation with great talent around you laughing and joking.

And Christie Brinkley, who was like this crazy superstar icon, you know. - Yeah. - So, it was just a gift. - It sounds like it. It sounds like it was a wonderful experience. - It was. - What do you think younger generations, now that you mentioned cell phones and wifi and everything else, what do you think younger generations, if they watched this movie now, they would get from it?

- Their parents making them watch it. Because I have a fan that like makes us, he watches it all the time and he pulls this like, "Come on, watch it." And she's like, "I've seen it so many times, dad." So I think it's a parent's thing, but kids are enjoying it too in certain ways. Mind you, it is a R-rated film. And there's, you know, the dog dies, the ant dies, there's cursing when he loses it at the end.

So, and nudity? - Yeah. - I mean, come on. I mean, a lot of parents are like, "Should we show it to the kids?" No, it's nothing, it's so tame. I mean. - It honestly is, but do you think in today's day and age they could put the ant on the roof like they did? Do you think that would still be received well? Well, definitely when, you know, Janker, Kelsey, or my cousin, Vicky, shows me all that pot, that's okay these days.

But, you know, years ago, I'm like, "You can't do that now." You can. That's changed. At least in California, Colorado, you can. That's interesting. I, politically incorrect in certain ways, like when there's thieving in the car and the car scenes and they're stealing the hubcaps and stuff. And that bothered Harold, to be honest. He didn't like showing that down and out area.

But I think it's kind of benign for a rated R film. It's shocking that it is R, you know? - Yes, absolutely. Well, thank you for your time today. And thank you for this film, because it's part of me growing up and I loved it. So thank you. - See, you're one of the generations that will tell other people you gotta watch this movie. - Absolutely, I'm gonna make my daughter stepdaughter watch it.

You guys have to have horrible vacations to say see it's not so bad like them. Yeah exactly. Thank you. Thank you. Hit like, smash subscribe, and get notified for when our reviews, interviews, and news go live. (dramatic music) (explosion) [BLANK_AUDIO]