The Great Outdoors: Revisiting a John Candy & Dan Aykroyd Comedy Classic

People forget how movies were consumed in the eighties and nineties. Now, you can stream millions of titles, which are available at the click of a button. But, back in the day, you had to rely on whatever was playing on TV or, if you were lucky, a trip to the local video store. One of the films that were ubiquitous was The Great Outdoors, a John Hughes-penned family comedy, which paired his favorite actor, John Candy, with the great Dan Aykroyd. The story of two feuding fathers spending time at a summer cabin, it has all the hallmarks of a great John Hughes movie. It has the slapstick, the silliness (the subtitled raccoons crack me up), and yes -even some heart in the unexpected climax.
Indeed, this became a staple of cable tv, and in fact, AMC still shows this movie pretty frequently. There’s something endlessly rewatchable about Hughes at his best, and given how tragically young Candy was when he passed, there are precious few of his movies to choose from. In this episode of John Hughes Revisited, which is written, narrated and edited by Matthew Hacunda, we dive into Hughes’s process, which included collaborating with director Howard Deutch, who had helmed Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful for him. We explore how the film was a decent-sized hit in theaters, but became a juggernaut thanks to video and cable tv and how dear of a collaborator Candy was to Hughes. By all accounts, once Candy passed away, the flame went out for Hughes, who mourned his loss tremendously. The Great Outdoors also offered an early role for Annette Bening, who would break out in The Grifters just two years after this was released.
Do you have fond memories of The Great Outdoors? Let us know in the comments.
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#johncandy #johnhughes #danaykroyd

[@calebwinfield1403]

John Candy was one of the most lovable people ever.

[@bnferguson9827]

Yes he was

[@ericseitzler81]

Not one of but the most loveable guy ever!!

[@josiahtekira5114]

Isn’t a coincidence that Dan made a movie with John Belushi John candy And Chris Farley Then the 3 mens died

[@ericseitzler81]

@@josiahtekira5114 you forgot Harold ramis too,maybe he is a serial killer??

[@Scottrob20]

@@bnferguson9827

[@bradley163]

My mom and I watched this one morning on a whim. I was 10 or 11 at the time. We had recently been able to get cable television, and mom even shelled out the extra money to get HBO. Having HBO in 1991 was a huge deal, too. We made pancakes, bacon, and over-easy eggs, sat down in the living room, flipped on our Curtis Mathis TV set to HBO, and The Great Outdoors happened to be the film that was about to play. We had a great time watching and enjoying our breakfast. It was one of those fond, nostalgic memories of my childhood which immediately brings me back to the exact moment, remembering every single detail like it was yesterday. Good times.

[@D-Fens_1632]

My mom once yelled at me for saying "suck my wake" at the dinner table. She hadn't hadn't it.

[@jdenoe69]

One of my favorites. A Very underrated John Hughes written film.

[@djcastano1180]

Grew up watching this with my dad (his favorite comedy), and we still watch it together to this day. A comfort movie that never gets old to me.

[@Psilocybin77]

Came to say the same thing. This is such a great comfort movie. I'm lucky enough to still have my dad and these "silly" movies have become so important to us.

[@rosemaryfarell5264]

First saw with my dad too on vhs in 1989/90 times.

[@CubbieBlue902]

My experience with this movie is pretty much the exact same lol. Seeing your comment brought a smile to my face!

[@seanbrazell7095]

You and me both!

[@infobahnpirate9713]

Same here. Love this movie.

[@joe_8699]

It's a fourth of July month movie for me. I watch it every year. My folks used to take my brothers and I camping around that time of year. I'm in my 40s and still love this movie. Never gets old

[@AnnieBoBannie421]

Remaking /rebooting any John Hughes movie should be a damn crime…. I loved ‘Summer Rental’ too ♥️♥️

[@haletosis1380]

Agreed, they need to stop with all the remaking garbage and come up with their own fresh ideas.

[@Pfisiar22]

Some of John Hughes films haven't exactly aged well anyway. The ones that haven't aged badly are generally good enough that remaking them would be pointless.

[@wstine79]

I remember watching this at my Uncle's house. John Candy and Dan Aykroyd were hilarious. My favorite scene was the 96er Steak scene. The bear was great.

[@81tattooed]

“YOU BASTARD!” “What’s he saying?” “I think he said faster.” 😂😂😂😂😂

[@CubbieBlue902]

My dad always had us watch this movie before we went on our Northwoods vacations when we were younger. I’m in my thirties now and we still watch it together long after I moved out of the house. There’s something comforting about John Hughes movies.

[@lolbored801]

You can never go wrong with a John Candy film.

[@JTISREBORN]

This is one of my all time favorite John Hughes productions. It’s extremely quotable and one of my favorites.

[@glassmonkeyface8609]

Big bear chase me, big bear chase me.... I get to use it every once in a while lol

[@CubbieBlue902]

My family and I have watched this so many times that we (mostly my dad lol) regularly quote it without even realizing.. “A pontoon boat? What the hell you gonna do with a pontoon boat, retake Omaha Beach?” is a favorite of his. EVERY time our family rents a pontoon boat, he just has to say that, and I wouldn’t have it any other way lol.

[@JTISREBORN]

@@glassmonkeyface8609 “You know what they make those things out of huh Chet? Lips and assholes.” So many memorable lines.

[@Runningdeering]

Growing up in WI we always loved watching this in the summer. I’ve been to that Paul Bunyan place on a family trip when I was younger. Very under rated for how solid this one is.

[@cblord5]

I was just at the Pines Resort a few weeks ago. I have visited Bass Lake since the mid-80’s. I remember those classic days at the lake. Love this film!

[@kevinvogler2380]

Loved this movie growing up! The bear scared the hell out of me and the raccoons were (and still are) my favorite parts

[@Nmdixon-cu7vm]

Lobster tails and a shitload of raw hotdogs! You know what hotdogs are made of? Lips and a**holes!

[@kosher8720]

Two of my favorite actors. I miss John Candy😽

[@trinaq]

This is a very underrated Hughes movie, I have fond memories of watching it as a child, especially the bear scene and the "Land of 1000 Dances" scene in the end credits.

[@skyden24195]

Fyi: the "Land of 1000 Dances" scene was shot one night after filming was complete. The scene shown is actually footage of a party that was being held at the location tavern, hence why John Candy is not present in the sequence. I believe he may have been too exhausted from the day's filming and so didn't attend the party.

[@virgil3241]

Such a fun and harmless movie for families. Have watched a lot over the years. One of those, "what should we watch tonight" movies. And this comes up, and everyone is happy.

[@dutchvantassell3147]

I still love this movie. One of my all-time favorites.

[@shaunsteele6926]

loved this movie since I was a kid... reminds me of those trips to the mountains with my family when I was young

[@seanbrazell7095]

Loved the all too brief John Candy and Dan Aykroyd collaborations!

[@tjppop2192]

I still remember the launch of this in the video store. Such a great movie.

[@Jabberstax]

John Candy was one of a kind 👌

[@adamtoronibyrne1086]

My brother ordered this and Uncle Buck from Columbia House when I was a kid. We wore those tapes out. Memories, and one I have on Blu-ray now!

[@jeromemeiners3595]

I love this movie. Candy & Aykroyd are comedy gold. I have fond memories of watching this as a kid with grandpa. My wife bought this for me last year on DVD and all those wonderful memories came flooding back. I plan on making it a yearly tradition to watch

[@felixcortez7604]

John Candy, the icon of comedy in the 80s!

[@Huspree2011]

I really like this movie, and own it. For me it is a statement on 80s culture vs old fashioned family man. May not be Hughes best film but it has plenty of rewatchability.

[@jacobscarberry4799]

It's like it was fate that I was born the day it opened. I love this movie and glad I was born on release day.

[@erichanson3356]

Thanks for revisiting this john candy gem. I first watched it many years ago with my family as a child while on a summer vacation at a cabin one of my uncles had up in northern wisconsin, oh and my family was from illinois too, so it all really hit home for us. Over the years i've gone back and re-watched the film numerous times and have always enjoyed it and never really got the backlash it recived from critics. Sure it's not the greatest comedy or john candy movie ever made, and it does have some issues and short comings, but it's still an entertaining and enjoyable for what it is and well worth a watch.

[@karllager2214]

Childhood classic. 10/10.

[@craigugulini3409]

I watched this movie and summer rental so much as a kid

[@barryhebert5839]

Best movie ever miss these kinda movies rip john candy

[@patstock21483]

Grew up on this as a kid on HBO in the late eighties. Recently bought it on Blu-ray to always have it. This movie is special to me

[@danielmarcus420]

One of my favorite movies as a kid!

[@anthonycerulli5524]

I had the biggest crush on the actress who played Cammie in this

[@vincentthekeeper2163]

I must've watched this movie 100 times as a kid. I absolutely loved it.

[@fletcherhamilton3177]

I was thrown into a kids’ room when Mum and Dad went to a fancy restaurant close to our house. I was the only kid in the whole joint. In the kids’ room there was a VCR and a VHS copy of _The Great Outdoors._ Even the cover looked epic!

[@BuckeyeStormsProductions]

This was on AMC the other night. Such a great movie.

[@caffeineadvocate]

One of my favorite homemade drinking games is for this film. Careful… it’s dangerous. Here are the rules: Drink for the following: - An animal is on screen - Dan Aykroyd insults John Candy, his family, or his way of life - Someone screams (drink two) Good luck! 😊

[@jerkychew899]

This movie has been playing almost nonstop on cable tv this past week. Nice timing.

[@skyden24195]

In late August 2006, I went on a camping trip with my family to Bass Lake, CA, the lake (mentioned) where filming was done for "The Great Outdoors." This trip would lead to my learning of the lake's contributions to the film of which I already knew and loved. Here's a couple of extra bits of trivia not mentioned in the great video provided by "JoBlo Originals." #1. Despite being at Bass Lake in late August, the water was extremely cold, too cold for swimming for sure. That gave me perspective of what John Candy had to endure when filming scenes in the frigid water during the fall season. He's definitely a trooper! #2. The film's production sought permission to build a replica (production) cabin on the grounds of the lake. The production was eventually granted this permission, however because of the fact that Bass Lake is part of the CA State Parks system, the permission came with a lot of restrictions as well as a special stipulation. The restrictions were mostly based on keeping the "carbon footprint" of the cabin construction to an absolute minimum, and the special stipulation was that the cabin had to be a minimally, but fully functional cabin that could be used as a rental after production was complete. The cabin was used as such in the following years as well as being re-used for a limited-few other productions. (To date, the cabin may no longer be there at Bass Lake, likely due to fire or just through the erosions of time.)

[@shaunsteele6926]

I don't think anyone cared about "carbon footprints" in the 80s

[@skyden24195]

@@shaunsteele6926 the state parks' system did, conservation of the park that is, although they likely didn't refer to it as "carbon footprint," I just used the term as to relate the required restrictions, for building the cabin, to a modern audience. (Hence the quotation marks around carbon footprint.)

[@CRITTERBUSTERS]

I remember watching this when it would air on TV. One of Candy’s best and Akroyd’s best.

[@williamblake2962]

I grew up watching this and my kids do now. The bear getting his butt hair blown off is still the funniest single scene ever filmed in the history of filming.

[@r0bw00d]

The raccoon's line of her being bald at both ends now is the one that still cracks me up all these years later.

[@TheJonboix]

I kept waiting for the bear to get shot with the lamp. My dad would rewind that part repeatedly and laugh and laugh.

[@loganholmberg2295]

This is a great family comedy. Any family that has done camping trips relate to this movie and find it hilarious.

[@donstuie]

I have a list of films I consider 'comfort movies'. They're not the best films, or even my favourites, but I'm guaranteed to smile every time I put them on, regardless of my mood. This is one of them.

[@anotherpeasant]

One of my true favorites from childhood. I lived off the beaten path in a small Northern Ontario town so wilderness, and bears lol, were a way of life

[@Omar-wq9dz]

The good thing about the AMC channel, on tv, is how this movie is on a lot, alongside Uncle Buck

[@D-Fens_1632]

My favorite moment is John Candy wearing the Grateful Dead t-shirt in the flashback scene with the bear.

[@blakimus13]

One of my favorites! To this day, my dream vacation is to rent a big cabin on the lake in this town.

[@mychunkyjordi7585]

This film is great, I love John Candy films. He was an amazing actor 😊🐾💜 No remakes should be made of his fims 👍

[@Darknight127]

One of my childhood classics

[@cloudbloom]

My family would watch this all the time when I was a kid it's hilarious

[@glassmonkeyface8609]

I honestly thought everyone forgot this film. This was a classic for me.. maybe because my family had it on VHS or that it was always on TBS or TNT. I grew up loving it and wanted to go to a lake town resort because of it. Candy and Akroyd were perfect in this movie, critics be damned, lol. I'm glad the bear payoff replaced the fish, I don't think it would have been NEARLY as good.

[@trublu71]

Very underrated film! Enjoyed this video!

[@WARPATH_45]

I used to go to bass lake regularly for camping trips and would drink at that bar... Such a great movie.

[@shallendor]

It was such a great and fun film with a great cast!

[@borisbabich]

I translated Great Outdoors for the then Yugoslav market - bootlegged VHS, of course. I laughed and laughed until I was in pain over the leaches and the bear shot in the ass scenes. Thank you for this.

[@petebotGSD]

Grew up with this film, love it

[@benjaminparkinson5255]

I love this movie it is a classic John candy was,a very good actor rip you will be missed

[@lonreed9743]

“You bastard!”……”What’d he say?…..go faster?” My favorite line in the movie! Hahaha

[@radfatdaddy4169]

I may be biased, being from a small village in Wisconsin surrounded by resorts, but this is actually my favorite Candy movie. Akroyd perfectly captured how my "Chicago" city relatives dressed, acted, and looked when they used us as free fishing/tourism guides. And Eau Claire is pronounced closer to "Oh" Claire, not "Ewe" Claire.

[@tastycodlover4082]

my two favourite scenes were the part where they got covered in leeches and the part where john candy shot the bear in the butt with the lamp shotgun 😂

[@j.a.1785]

So underrated. 4 outta 5.

[@triggeredcat120]

The “Why don’t you get yourself a spin cycle!!” and “Why don’t you blow it out your ass.” always get me laughing. I quote it all the time.

[@patrickkavanagh7371]

Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty is in Wisconsin Dells, it's a cool place we go there once a year in the summer on vacation, it's basically like The Great Outdoors in the town with boat rides and things. The restaurant has lumberjack all you can eat breakfasts and dinners. I hope they find some deleted scenes and release them the movie is great. Never knew they were in she's having a baby at the end.

[@MrBoyYankee]

I LOVE THIS SUMMER COMFORT MOVIE.

[@elijahperez6506]

This is my jam! Found a combo pack at Target for $5.00 with Uncle Buck. Shiiiiit, directly in to my cart.

[@christinehorror8178]

My family's favorite scene is the the bear butt shot .. my dad would rewind that scene every time we watched it lol I also love the dead guy kiss lol

[@rig-zag]

This is an all time classic from my childhood with so many golden moments... But my favorite part is by far the Skunk-haured, stuttering lightning strike victim, Reg. "Six-six-sixty six times" lmfao

[@hrsey71]

this movie is amazing! its a classic feel-good film

[@GutturalReef]

Good god, I loved me some Cammie back in the day!

[@Reo805]

I love this movie. That's why I'm scared of bears and camping with other people 😅😅😅

[@81tattooed]

I remember when me and my family used to watch Christmas vacation every year on a recorded VHS off HBO (everyone under 30 reading this probably has no idea what the hell I’m talking about) and this was on right before it, and it caught the post credit scene of the raccoons talking about the bear being bald on its ass getting shot again. That minute is probably funnier than the whole movie, and the movie itself was funny as hell!

[@kamesanj0]

Still love this movie. That bear was OG scary as a kid lol.

[@PaNDaSNiP3R]

I miss John Candy

[@Paul77ozee]

There’s one goof that’s hard to ignore. After Candy runs to the bathroom to throw up after eating all that steak. You can see Dan Ackroyds shadow giving the rest of the cast a 321 with his hand and they all run out.

[@TheScaleTech]

Filmed at Bass Lake California. Great place.

[@GREGpdx20]

I have been waiting so long for this! My absolute favorite movie of all time!

[@charlieanddadreviewsandcha2243]

It’s a Classic! Love this one.

[@danielmankowski922]

Great movie watched it on HBO a ton as a kid. Love the trash pandas , I mean raccoons! BA BA BA BOOM!😂

[@johnnynitetrain32379]

I remember seeing this house on the Universal back lot, right next to the Psycho house.

[@ctcards2636]

I grew up watching tapes of SCtv my parents had recorded and movies with Akroyd, Candy, Murray, Chase etc the list goes on. I dont find anything that comes out these days can touch some of the movies these actors and actresses were in back at this time. I wish we'd have Candy around longer for sure. For any of ya folks who dont know what SCtv is, google it. You probably will recognize a few folks and you will discover some of the best comedians this planet has ever seen or heard. ;-)

[@jackhackett80]

This is a great escapist film I still like to watch every couple years. Not too artsy or overwritten just a fun movie

[@BrickBay917]

One of my favorite comedies of all time,

[@Psilocybin77]

Howard Deutch is married to Lea Thompson and father to the actress Zoe Deutch. Lucky guy to have collaborated with legends like John Candy and John Hughes and married to one of the most iconic actresses of the eighties.

[@edwardbloecher4563]

I recently found out this was filmed in California! Lol I could have sworn it was northern Wisconsin/ Upper Michigan where I grew up.

[@Sawlon]

Love this movie!

[@lukekuykendall6366]

After SCTV Candy kinda had a pedestrian start going into the 80's, but after Stripes and Splash he started getting more leading roles and showed how funny he could really be, just look at his resume from 1985-1990. Summer Rental, Brewster's Millions, Little Shop of Horrors, Space Balls, Plane's Trains & Automobiles, The Great Outdoors, Uncle Buck, and Home Alone. It was clear in the 90's his health was catching up to him and while he still starred and a share of major films, I can think of many projects he was likely attached to for 1995-2000.

[@mikemenendez2046]

The bear chase at the end were check runs through the door is talking about how big the bear is chasing makes me piss myself laughing every time I watch it the whole movie really does this

[@leeweesquee]

Love this flick. Wore my vhs out

[@tylertilwick6852]

This film is so engrained in my nostalgia that every time I see lightning I always think of Reg getting struck in the head lmao

[@georgemetcalf8763]

Paul Bunyan's Cook Shanty is in the Dells, 40 miles north of Madison. My best friend had an October wedding in the Dells and we all wanted to eat there but they were closed for the season. And it's pronounced like "oh Claire." Sorry to be that guy.

[@johngore5127]

Still in the summer movies cycle even if the kids aren't around anymore.

[@drewcorry5056]

Completely Awesome

[@adamwiggins9865]

Huge fan of Bart the bear!! I watched The bear in Theatres when I was very young..

[@analogfuture1805]

Didn't they also co-headline "Nothing But Trouble?" In either case, love this movie.

[@Catweazel1976]

I loved this film when I was a kid, it's still pretty funny, but if I had to choose my favourite scene it would be the dude struck by lightning six, six, six. Wow! Six times. Six, six, sixty six times......inaninaninaninanina head!

[@georgemetcalf8763]

Ooooo, Bart the Bear Revisited sounds fun.

[@myrnalaboy2840]

R.I.P. John Candy OC

[@j.sterling9167]

In reference to the Old 96er, we did the math. As 16 ounces is one pound, it figures out to roughly 8 1/2 pounds of meat, I don't think I know of anyone capable of consuming that much steak in one sitting, no matter how hungry you are. Plus it would take some time to cook a piece of meat that size. Its a great running joke as we have used it on many a server at different steak places, when asked, you get many different reactions by the servers, some take it too seriously and others are surprised at the request. When you explain it to them , they are usually interested as to it's origin. When told they usually are directed to see the film to get an idea of what it's all about.

[@travismiles5885]

Depends on how you like your steak.