Christmas movies and TV episodes (1 Viewer)

[jperez]

Well, to be honest, I think perhaps you're making an unwarranted assumption if your contention is that the author's criticism of the Dick Van Dyke episode supposedly represents an affront to "the season and the people who celebrate it".

From what I read, he just mentions it as what he considers a frequent example of a TV show incurring in 'cheap sentimentality' when producing episodes related to a holiday season,

Anyway, its obvious the "unhappy tradition" he refers to is certainly not Christmas. Now THAT would be really offensive.

 

[Jack P]

The phrase "pander to the season with religiosity" is where the affront to the season comes in from my perspective, just to clarify.

 

[LouA]

I watched the 1954 black and white TV version of Babes in Toyland today . It was fun seeing it for the first time , but what really made it for me was seeing a lengthy performance by the crazy comedian, the Banana Man. Not much vintage footage available on him , so it was really enjoyable to watch what appeared to be an almost complete

skit .

Tomorrow I'll watch the 1955 version, and I hope he's in that one as well!

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Today I watched:

"Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" (2006)

"A Christmas Story 2" (2012). This movie was not as bad as some critics think it is.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Today I watched:

"Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" (2006)

"A Christmas Story 2" (2012). This movie was not as bad as some critics think it is.

 

[Tony Bensley]

I was alerted to the fact that the 2005 Ryan Reynolds movie "Just Friends" was a Christmas movie, so I picked up a copy of the movie. It's a lively romantic comedy, a bit incoherent and random about plot and character, but it does have a very pleasant snowy Christmas setting (I think they filmed it in Saskatchewan), and it's way better and funnier than those newer Christmas TV-movie rom-coms that seem to be everywhere on cable nowadays. The Blu-Ray is one of those ones with no extras or subtitles that just starts up when you put it in, but it was cheap ($5) so why shouldn't it seem cheap? In an unrelated Christmas Blu-Ray matter, fans of the classic cartoons "Christmas Comes But Once A Year" (the one from the 30's where Uncle Grampy invents toys for the orphanage kids) and "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (the 40's Fleischer brothers cartoon) might like to check out the excellent-quality versions of them on the "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians" Blu-Ray from a couple of years ago. They're easily the best versions I own, and "Christmas Comes But Once A Year" even has the proper opening credits instead of a generic graphic. Actually, there's about 45 minutes of great vintage Christmas stuff on that disc. The transfer of the movie itself is also the best I know of, and it's the most complete version of the movie I own. I just can hardly stand watching the damn thing.

Hi David!


According to information posted on IMDB, most of the cast members of SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS left Broadway shows of the time to be in this Film--Truly one of life's great head scratchers!


The "Hooray For Santy Claus" theme (In which S-A-N-T-A is ironically correctly spelled several times before the kids sing "Santy!") is probably the best thing about the whole Movie!


CHEERS!


Tony

 

[davidmatychuk]

Today I watched:

"Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause" (2006)

"A Christmas Story 2" (2012). This movie was not as bad as some critics think it is.

My friend Mike McAree worked on "A Christmas Story 2" AND on "Jingle All The Way 2". He'll be glad to hear that you didn't think "A Christmas Story 2" was THAT bad. With his permission (I am bigger than him, but in a fight he would never give in so it would end badly for both of us) I made the following poster for my 2015 Christmas show (using actual screen shots from my actual TV):

 

[cajunhillbilly]

"A Christmas Snow" (2010) with Muse Watson, Catherine Mary Stewart, et al. A good moving about forgiveness at Christmas time

 

[GMBurns]

Christmas is well past (though it's snowing as I write this), but last night I watched a touching Christmas episode of "The Restless Gun". Dan Blocker played a "brute" who was softened by the compassion of a young boy at an orphanage. If it is cheap sentimentality, then keep it coming.

 

[AndrewCrossett]

I watched the "Jennifer's Home For Christmas" episode of WKRP last night. The weather is a lot more Christmasy now than it was at Christmas.

 

[davidmatychuk]

I just got Olive's new Blu-Ray of the 1947 movie "Christmas Eve". I recorded it from TCM a few years ago, but it was never available on home video before now. It's no great lost Hollywood Christmas classic, being more on the level of something like "Beyond Tomorrow", but it's still enjoyable. Likewise, the Blu-Ray quality is okay, but it isn't a Warner Archive or Criterion restoration. I'm just happy that these minor Christmas treasures continue to pop up on video, and I hope that some company releases "The Cheaters", a pretty good but obscure Hollywood Christmas production from the 1940's, sometime soon.

 

[davidmatychuk]

Coming soon. Cumberbatch?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/bennett-miller-tom-stoppard-team-872333

 

[Rodney]

Today I watched:
"Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors" (2015) Hope this comes out on dvd

This has a release date of May 3, 2016. Enjoy!

 

[davidmatychuk]

The very best quality version of the 30's cartoon "The Shanty Where Santy Claus Lives" is on the DVD of the James Cagney film "Lady Killer". The cartoon often appears on those cheap collections of Public Domain stuff, but this is the real, complete deal.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

bump

 

[davidmatychuk]

bump to you too! I've been posting once a month (or more) on the "What are you watching on 'Little Christmas'?" thread, but I expect things to pick up here shortly. I'll just say that "Love The Coopers" has a lovely Christmas setting and a great dog, and "The Night Before" is everything you'd expect from Seth Rogen and friends in an urban Christmas stoner comedy. I liked them both, but I'd be careful about recommending "The Night Before" to religious people or children.

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Did not notice your thread. I am about to start my Christmas watching in a few days

 

[cajunhillbilly]

Started my Christmas watching with
"Mork's First Christmas" (1978)
"Christmas on the Bayou" (2013)

 

[MartinP.]

A few odds & ends some could comment on:

I have a limited knowledge of the sci-fi genre of TV series, so I'm wondering if there are any of these type series that have a Christmas themed episode? Or any holiday episode for that matter? Movies, too. (I think I recall that in Brazil [1985] there's a scene or two where decorations are part of the set, but the holiday isn't directly mentioned or part of the story.)

David, thanks for mentioning the films Christmas Eve and The Cheaters, I always like to look out for something beyond the well-known.
How do you feel about the 1949 RKO film Holiday Affair? It's one I find appealing. It was remade for a cable channel in 1996.

Do you know the film Christmas Holiday (1944)? It stars Gene Kelly and Deanna Durbin. You wouldn't think it was a film noir, directed by Robert Siodmak. I saw it once in a movie series in a theater and was completely bored by it, but a lot of people on imdb seem to appreciate it for one reason or another. I might have given it another chance at one time here or there, but it never seems to show up anywhere.

"The Ref?"

 

[Tony Bensley]

A few odds & ends some could comment on:

I have a limited knowledge of the sci-fi genre of TV series, so I'm wondering if there are any of these type series that have a Christmas themed episode? Or any holiday episode for that matter? Movies, too. (I think I recall that in Brazil [1985] there's a scene or two where decorations are part of the set, but the holiday isn't directly mentioned or part of the story.)

David, thanks for mentioning the films Christmas Eve and The Cheaters, I always like to look out for something beyond the well-known.
How do you feel about the 1949 RKO film Holiday Affair? It's one I find appealing. It was remade for a cable channel in 1996.

Do you know the film Christmas Holiday (1944)? It stars Gene Kelly and Deanna Durbin. You wouldn't think it was a film noir, directed by Robert Siodmak. I saw it once in a movie series in a theater and was completely bored by it, but a lot of people on imdb seem to appreciate it for one reason or another. I might have given it another chance at one time here or there, but it never seems to show up anywhere.

"The Ref?"

Another Film that stars Deanna Durbin (Along with Ralph Bellamy), LADY ON A TRAIN (1945), includes a scene which Deanna sings a Christmas Hymn, though I'm a bit hazy as to which one (Silent Night, I think?), in an otherwise non Christmas themed Film. A very decent mystery thriller, in my opinion.

CHEERS!