SINGAPORE — Everything is awesome. So goes that theme song from the LEGO Movie. But it could well have described actors Ed Helms and Christina Applegate’s experience shooting Vacation, the update of sorts to National Lampoon’s Vacation.

That movie hit the silver screen 32 years ago and muscled out sequels to Jaws and Star Wars for the top box office spot. It was 1983’s third highest-grossing comedy, based on a short story by John Hughes (The Breakfast Club) originally published by National Lampoon magazine and directed by Ghostbusters’ Harold Ramis. It was also a shot in the arm for the Lampoon film franchise, which was floundering after having their only major box office smash (Animal House) followed by two bombs (Class Reunion and Movie Madness).

The original Vacation featured comedy king Chevy Chase as the optimistic and well-meaning Clark Griswold, whose attempts to enjoy a family holiday are thwarted by continual disasters and cringe-worthy predicaments. This new feature, simply called Vacation, features G Griswold’s son, Rusty (played by Helms), who appears determined to surpass his father’s mistakes, as Rusty tries to recreate his formative childhood trip to Walley World with his wife, Debbie (Applegate), and their two sons.

For Applegate, the cult of the original Vacation film series was always on the back of their minds but it wasn’t a template that they followed too closely. “We want to pay homage (but) we don’t want to copy what has been done,” she said. “We want to be our own franchise but yet still provide a tone and a feeling that the people who love the original can hold on to, so that they feel safe when they’re watching it, yet are getting a new experience.”

“I purposefully did not go back and watch the original before I did this, so as not to be influenced in any way. Debbie Griswold is a brand new person to the audience of this particular franchise so I wanted to make sure that I kind of created my own universe.”

Helms concurred: “I watched the old films just for fun and just to get in the spirit of the Griswold’s mythology, but I didn’t look for acting cues in those performances from Johnny Galecki or Anthony Michael Hall or anyone else (who used to play Rusty). I just felt like adult Rusty is really a different character. So I looked at this as a pretty blank slate and an opportunity to just bring Ed Helms to Rusty Griswold - and I had a hell of a good time doing it.”

The pair said that getting that family rapport was easier than expected. “I’d never met her before but we’re both a little sarcastic ... and we both kind of started making fun of each other right away. So I think that our comfort just clicked instantly; and we had a blast. We started looking out for each other and it felt like a family. We’d get out of the car and find ourselves all sitting together over at craft services and hanging out — and Christina and I are making sure the kids have snacks and water. It was like these instincts kicked in.”

“The four of us spent a great deal of time together in that car, so if the personalities and the energies didn’t jive, it would have been a tedious process,” said Applegate. “We were a little family ... and we had so much fun. I wouldn’t have wanted it to be any other people than the ones that I got.”

Speaking of family fun, the original Griswold mum and dad, Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, make cameos in the film. For Helms, coming face-to-face with the original cast was “a dream come true”. “The original Vacation is one of a handful of movies that are the reason I do what I do. Chevy and Beverly are a huge part of that,” he said. “Meeting them was a huge thrill and then being able to work with them ... was incredible - just awesome.”

Vacation opens in cinemas here tomorrow. genevieve loh