What are you watching on "Little Christmas" - the 25th of each month (1 Viewer)

[Dr Griffin]

Merry Christmas in July, by the way.

Maybe I wasn't clear, but the comparison I spoke of before, sounded better to me through my processor, which doesn't have as good a DAC as my OPPO 95. When I watch Blu-rays with lossless soundtracks I bypass my pre/pro because of the better DAC in the OPPO. When I watch DVDs and Blu-rays with lossy soundtracks, I run it through the pre/pro with the various decoders - Dolby Pro logic, Dolby Digital, DTS etc. I know the digital out of the OPPO player is set hot and unaffected by the OPPO's volume control. I am assuming the hotter signal, even though I match the levels between the two inputs, is the reason.

By the way, I had a modest Laserdisc collection, but got heavily into DVD when it appeared. I ended up selling my LD collection, along with my player to another collector in 2001. I have recently regretted that decision.

 

[davidmatychuk]

Matching levels is always tricky. Sometimes the louder connection sounds "better", but it wears on the ears. I'm always trying to listen for smoothness and dynamics, but I think the trend these days is to master audio tracks in a compressed fashion, so you don't miss as much listening on earbuds. I still have around 200 laserdiscs, mostly non-DVD or Blu-Ray items, or the nice box sets, and my Pioneer 704 likes to get used regularly (if I leave it for a couple of weeks it takes a few tries to load a disc for some reason). But for real snob appeal, nothing beats kicking back to enjoy my 12-disc Selectavision collection! Anyhow, on with "Little Christmas In July", and yes, I did watch the DVD of "Christmas In July" last night - it isn't the beans; it's the bunk!

 

[davidmatychuk]

And here's what we watched for July "Little Christmas": "Rent" on DVD (I bought this when it was released but I'd never watched it in the ten years since), "Catch Me If You Can " on DVD, "Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas" on the SRO DVD, and last but not least, the Blu-Ray of "Deck The Halls" (which one of my guests was in the crew when they filmed it here). We had fun, and we'll see you here in August!

 

[davidmatychuk]

Tomorrow is August 25th, and for this month's "Little Christmas" it's possible no one but me and my dog Ozzy (born December 25!) will be here, in which case I'll be going all 3-D on my Sony VAIO laptop and headphones, which provide an absorbing 3-D experience. I'll choose from "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Disney's A Christmas Carol", "Iron Man 3", "A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas", and "The Polar Express", and maybe the DVD of "Santa Vs. The Snowman". However, if I'm not alone, I'm going with something 2-D and less obvious, like DVD's of "Three Godfathers" or "Love Affair" (the underrated Warren Beatty remake), or Blu-Rays of "The Proposition" or "Brazil" or "The Long Kiss Goodnight". Or something else. I'll play it by ear, and report later. It's 2/3 of the way to Christmas!

 

[Mike Frezon]

Is Ozzy fitted for 3-D glasses, Dave?!?

 

[davidmatychuk]

Tomorrow is August 25th, and for this month's "Little Christmas" it's possible no one but me and my dog Ozzy (born December 25!) will be here, in which case I'll be going all 3-D on my Sony VAIO laptop and headphones, which provide an absorbing 3-D experience. I'll choose from "The Nightmare Before Christmas", "Disney's A Christmas Carol", "Iron Man 3", "A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas", and "The Polar Express", and maybe the DVD of "Santa Vs. The Snowman". However, if I'm not alone, I'm going with something 2-D and less obvious, like DVD's of "Three Godfathers" or "Love Affair" (the underrated Warren Beatty remake), or Blu-Rays of "The Proposition" or "Brazil" or "The Long Kiss Goodnight". Or something else. I'll play it by ear, and report later. It's 2/3 of the way to Christmas!

After being joined by guest cat Znajda, visiting with us for the next month, I decided to go 2D. This proved to be a good thing, because I ended up fielding two long phone calls from friends, so I kept switching discs as background and atmosphere, and I played a few things I hadn't played from my collection in some time; DVD's of "Jingle Babies", "The Junky's Christmas", "The Muppets Christmas Carol" (extended full screen version), the 2 Sopranos Christmas episodes, "Hope For The Holidays", and "Bad Santa" (theatrical cut), and the Blu-Ray of "The Holiday". I spent most of the afternoon digitizing an old Christmas concert I'd recorded in 1993, so that took care of the music portion of August's "Little Christmas". And leafing through "Christmas In Tinseltown" in bed at the end of the day, I reflected upon all the "Little Christmases" past and all the "Little Christmases" yet to come (to semi-quote Sandra Bernhard's great "White Christmas"). See you (maybe in 3D) next month!

 

[Mike Frezon]

They don't make 3-D glasses for cats?!?


I don't know about that...

 

[Dr Griffin]

I have two cats, and there is no way they would sit still long enough for a photo like this. You have my admiration Mike.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Just an image I stole off the 'net, Stanley.


No cats for me. We're a dog household!


Here's what I watched on August 25th! (Or, was I the one being watched?!?)

 

[davidmatychuk]

Ozzy is cool with 3-D, but Znajda has issues:

 

[Dr Griffin]

Ozzy is cool with 3-D, but Znajda has issues:

IMG_2643.JPG

IMG_2646.JPG

HAHAHA That's what I'm talkin' about.


I've had dogs too, and don't let cats fool you, they are just as big moochers/beggars as dogs.

 

[davidmatychuk]

"Little Christmas" kind of snuck up on me this month, but tonight I'm going VistaVision with "We're No Angels" (DVD) and "White Christmas" (50th Anniversary Blu-Ray), and later I'll give the 3D Blu-Ray of "The Nightmare Before Christmas" a look on my laptop, Znajda the cat having relinquished the 3D glasses at last. Last night, inspired by a posting elsewhere on HTF, I played the DVD of "A Child's Christmas In Wales", which I usually save for Christmas Day, as well as DVD's of "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All!" with that new "Late Show" guy, and "Beavis and Butthead Do Christmas", for my Little Christmas Eve dose of "A Christmas Carol". No doubt about it though: in September we're transitioning from Little Christmas into plain old Christmas.

 

[KPmusmag]

I am watching the Twilight Time blu of "Oliver!". Not exactly Christmas, but it's Dickens and there is a scene with snow and Nancy dies but is redeemed by her kindness to Oliver.

 

[davidmatychuk]

I am watching the Twilight Time blu of "Oliver!". Not exactly Christmas, but it's Dickens and there is a scene with snow and Nancy dies but is redeemed by her kindness to Oliver.

Good call! That's the essence of "Little Christmas": suggesting the spirit of Christmas when it's not Christmas. If there's an author that is most associated with Christmas, it's Dickens. I only have the DVD of "Oliver!, but I think I'll watch it on October 25th this year, maybe with the DVD of the excellent, underrated Roman Polanski "Oliver Twist", to contrast and compare.

 

[andySu]

DIE HARD (1988) for December THX Laserdisc blows bluray out the water as this has the theatrical release mix in six-track DOLBY STEREO AC-3 with sound effects placed in there correct positions.

We're both professionals. This is personal.

I am an exceptional thief, Mrs. McClane. And since I'm moving up to kidnapping, you should be more polite.

 

[KPmusmag]

Good call! That's the essence of "Little Christmas": suggesting the spirit of Christmas when it's not Christmas. If there's an author that is most associated with Christmas, it's Dickens. I only have the DVD of "Oliver!, but I think I'll watch it on October 25th this year, maybe with the DVD of the excellent, underrated Roman Polanski "Oliver Twist", to contrast and compare.

I did not know there is a Polanski Oliver Twist, thanks for mentioning it. Maybe I will watch it on Oct 25. In searching for it, I found that I had forgotten there was a Disney Oliver Twist with Richard Dreyfuss and Elijah Wood. I have no memory of it, but according to Netflix I rented it in 2005. I don't know if that is more a comment on my memory or the movie.

 

[davidmatychuk]

"Die Hard" is, in my opinion, one of the very best Christmas movies ever made, and also one of the best "Little Christmas" movies ever made. You can play it any day of the year, and no one will ever complain that "it's too early for Christmas".

 

[davidmatychuk]

Last night, on October Little Christmas Eve, I played DVD #1 of the 2-disc "Miracle On 34th Street" set and listened to Maureen O'Hara's commentary. I'd never heard it before, and it was delightful. Any fans and admirers of Maureen O'Hara who haven't heard it yet have a real treat in store.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Last night, on October Little Christmas Eve, I played DVD #1 of the 2-disc "Miracle On 34th Street" set and listened to Maureen O'Hara's commentary. I'd never heard it before, and it was delightful. Any fans and admirers of Maureen O'Hara who haven't heard it yet have a real treat in store.

Hi David!


I have played Maureen's beautiful "Miracle On 34th Street" commentary, and I share your sentiment regarding this!


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[davidmatychuk]

And so, in mind of Maureen O'Hara, I watched the 75-minute 1997 "Ballykissangel" episode "Happy as a Turkey on Boxing Day" on DVD, the Chieftains laserdisc of "The Bells Of Dublin" (the side that has nothing on it is snowy white), and "Spencer's Mountain" on DVD (it's a shame that the subsequent Christmas-themed "The Homecoming" TV movie, which led to the "Waltons" series, didn't have Miss O'Hara reprise her role as Livvy). I also played her "Miracle On 34th Street" commentary again, in black and white from the Blu-Ray this time. And that was my October "Little Christmas", a bit different and melancholy, but very Irish and very pleasurable. God bless Maureen O'Hara.