‘The Christmas Letter’: How to watch new CNY movie featuring ‘Christmas Vacation’ reunion

Looking for a new Christmas movie to watch this holiday season?

“The Christmas Letter,” a new film shot in Central New York featuring a “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” reunion, is now available to watch on DVD and digital (details below). The plot centers on an everyday man from Utica (played by Angus Benfield) who decides to top his wealthy friend’s annual Christmas letter by cashing out his 401K and taking his family on a year-long series of crazy adventures to create “the Christmas Letter to rival all Christmas Letters.”

The cast includes three actors who appeared in 1989′s “Christmas Vacation”: Chevy Chase, Randy Quaid (in his first movie in 6 years) and Brian Doyle-Murray. The holiday classic, written by John Hughes, starred Chase as family man Clark Griswold opposite Quaid as his Cousin Eddie and Doyle-Murray as his boss (whom Eddie kidnaps when Clark complains about his holiday bonus).

Scenes for “The Christmas Letter” were shot in January throughout the Mohawk Valley, including a home and church in Clinton, Utica’s City Hall, the Valley View Golf Course, the Woods Valley ski area in Westernville, Thrive Athletic Center in New Hartford, and The Stanley Theatre in Utica. Chase filmed scenes at the Fort Schuyler Club in Utica while Quaid separately filmed his role in Vermont, though Quaid still made a virtual appearance in Utica for a video call with Chase’s character that appears in the film.

The film, directed by Tori Hunter and written by Ilion, N.Y., native Michael Cunningham, premiered at the Stanley Theatre in Utica last month. Another screening was held at the Capitol Theatre in Rome, but now fans can watch the movie anytime at home.

Here’s how to watch “The Christmas Letter”:

— Amazon Prime Video: Rent ($4.99) or Buy ($12.99)

— DVD: Amazon ($22.49) or Walmart ($22.49)

— Apple TV+: Rent ($4.99) or Buy ($12.99)

— YouTube TV: Rent ($4.99) or Buy ($12.99)

— Fandango At Home: Rent $4.99) or Buy ($12.99)

— Hoopla Digital: Free streaming with public library account

Note: Video On Demand rental and purchase prices listed are for HD (High Definition). SD (Standard Definition) options are also available for cheaper prices.

“The Christmas Letter” is Quaid’s first movie role since 2018, according to his IMDb page. The Oscar-nominated actor had memorable performances in the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” franchise, “Independence Day,” “Kingpin,” “Major League II,” “Brokeback Mountain” and the “Elvis” TV miniseries, but fled to Canada in 2010 while facing criminal charges in California over vandalized property at a home he once owned. Quaid, 74, was arrested in Vermont upon returning to the U.S. in 2015, but as of 2021 the case in California was reportedly still active.

Chase, 81, is an Emmy-winning actor who was an original cast member on “Saturday Night Live” and starred in “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Caddyshack,” “Fletch,” “Three Amigos,” “Community,” and the Syracuse-set “Snow Day.” He previously visited Syracuse in 2019 and Utica in 2021 for screenings of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

Doyle-Murray, the older brother of Bill Murray, has appeared in more than 160 movies and TV shows, including “Groundhog Day,” “Caddyshack,” “Saturday Night Live,” “Wayne’s World,” “JFK,” “Scrooged,” “Veep” and “SpongeBob SquarePants.” Doyle-Murray, 78, also had a role in 1983′s “National Lampoon’s Vacation” alongside Chase and Quaid.

“The Christmas Letter” cast also includes Brian Posehn (“The Big Bang Theory”), Kristoffer Polaha (“Jurassic World: Dominion”), Sean O’Bryan (“The Princess Diaries”), Regina Schneider (“The Blacklist”) and Chevy Chase’s daughter, Caley Chase.

Producers included Benfield, through his company LAMA Entertainment, and Cunningham, who now lives in the Rochester area.

See more photos from the production: