Director Chris Columbus mentioned actor Chevy Chase was so disrespectful to him that he stop 1989’s “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” after he’d begun filming it.
The world is rife with folks having beef with the “difficult” Chase, however Columbus’ “Christmas” story is excessive.
In an interview with Vainness Honest posted Tuesday, Columbus recalled first assembly Chase after second-unit taking pictures had already begun in Chicago.
“Even given my situation at the time, where I desperately needed to make a film, I realized I couldn’t work with the guy,” Columbus mentioned. “I was one of the many who couldn’t work with him.”
It took two conferences with the previous “Saturday Night Live” star to seal his determination.
“He had to know I was directing the movie,” Columbus advised the journal. “I talked about how I saw the movie, how I wanted to make the movie. He didn’t say anything. I went through about a half hour of talking. He didn’t say a word. And then he stops and he says — and this makes no sense to any human being on the planet, but I’m telling you. I probably have never told this story. Forty minutes into the meeting, he says, ‘Wait a second. You’re the director?’ And I said, ‘Yeah … I’m directing the film.’ And he said to me the most surreal, bizarre thing. I still haven’t been able to make any sense out of it. He said, ‘Oh, I thought you were a drummer.’”
Columbus mentioned he tried to veer the bizarre change again to a dialogue in regards to the movie, however after 30 seconds Chase declared, “I got to go.”
(Readers famous that the drummer comment might have been a reference to jazz percussionist Chris Columbus) amid a potential hazing of the director by Chase.
The second encounter resulted in about the identical quantity of communication, Columbus mentioned.
“I thought, ‘There’s no way I can make a movie with this guy. First of all, he’s not engaged. He’s treating me like shit. I don’t need this. I’d rather not work again. I’d rather write.’”
Columbus fared simply nice afterward. John Hughes, who wrote “Christmas Vacation,” despatched him his screenplay for “Home Alone” (1990), and Columbus helped make it a vacation traditional. He additionally directed “Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993) and a number of the “Harry Potter” motion pictures.
He’s at present selling the brand new “Nosferatu,” which he produced.
We Want Your Help
Already contributed? Log in to cover these messages.
HuffPost didn’t instantly hear again in a request for remark from a listed rep for Chase.
