Unreleased Christmas Specials on DVD. (1 Viewer)

Dear Guys:


I know it's still early for Christmas talk, but since my mother is putting out her holiday decorations in the next few days, perhaps I can re-start a discussion I bring up every year on different message boards.


What Christmas specials (that you've loved as a child) haven't make the transfer to digital yet?

There are a couple:


The 1971 Richard Williams version of A Christmas Carol. It won an Oscar for best short film, and re-cast Alastir Sim who portrayed the character in the 1951 British version. Loved the film, can't believe it hasn't come out to DVD yet. The VHS edition to this film already costs at least a hundred dollars on amazon. com and ebay.


The early seventies Australian version of A Christmas Carol, that was shown on Saturday afternoons on CBS, and sponsored by Kenner. Not so great version, but I loved it for nostaligic reasons.


Others?



James

I'd like to see these come out on DVD...


Christmas Comes to Pac Land

The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas

The Smurfs' Christmas Special

'Tis the Season to Be Smurfy

What about the Emmy-winning 1966 version of Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory starring Geraldine Page? The last time I saw it on TV was about 20 years ago on a PBS station. So obviously the special still exists, so why no DVD release while the remake with Patty Duke is readily available? It makes no sense!!!! There are dozens of different versions of A Christmas Carol on disc, so why not both TV versions of the Capote short story?


Someone must know!!!!!!


(BTW, I posted about this some years back!)

The remaining R/B specials

Yes, Virginia there is a Santa Claus (1974 animated Emmy-winner)

Muppet Family Christmas (complete version)

I'll Be Home For Christmas (1988 Eva Marie Saint/Hal Holbrook/Courtney Cox film)

The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas

The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas was great. Didn't it have Tommy Smothers and Barbara Feldon as voices? Great heart in that story.


And I think there was Noel, which had Charlton Heston narrating the story.


Also . . . the Art Carney special that was on Ed Sullivan I think, the Great Santa Clause something.


There are more seasonal treats out there.


James

You have a very good memory, James- yes, both actors were featured. In fact, I first watched that special as a kid because Ms. Feldon was in it!

Also forgot about the The Night the Animals Talked. It was re-run on the Family Channel in the 90's. Really wish this could come out on DVD, or on some re-run channel. It may have not ranked up there with the Grinch, Charlie Brown, or other Christmas specials, but it had it's own charm. I believe it was an Italian production and was run on ABC for two years in the early seventies.


I know at least one person a few years ago, tried to track it down. It had a pro-Christ theme to it, as opposed to Santa Clause with many seasonal specials these days.


James

The Man in the Santa Claus Suit with Fred Astaire. Unseen for many years here in the UK (about 1985 last seen I think on tthe BBC).


The TV version from the 1970s of Miracle on 3rth Street.

Would love to see "It Happened One Christmas" with Marlo Thomas.

I actually saw this made-for-TV-movie before I knew that Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" even existed! The last time I saw this was during it's original broadcast back in 1977.

There was also an animated version of "A Christmas Carol" that ran during the 1970s every year that has stuck in my mind but for the life of me I can't remember which version it was.

Hmm. I seem to recall Marie Osmond doing a version of O. Henry's "The Gift" which hasn't been seen in years.


James

That was The Gift of Love, based on "The Gift of the Magi".


Good news- it's available on DVD!

http://www.amazon.com/Gift-Love-Marie-Osmond/dp/B0000C2IQK/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1289765471&sr=1-1


Also, the O. Henry story was part of the all-star O Henry's Full House with Jeanne Crain and Farley Granger as Jim and Della, and that's also on DVD.


Like you, Brett, I had seen the Marlo Thomas version as a kid before the original! I agree that it should also be on disc.

A short film called "On the Twelfth Day" about what happens when a woman actually gets everything mentioned in the song The Twelve Days of Christmas-by the end her house is overrun with all manner of fowl (partridges, geese, hens), etc. From England,1955, was nominated for an Oscar for short subject. I used to have a VHS that was from a very beat up copy. Very funny as I recall, used to see it as a filler on local TV many, many years ago.

Also "Mr Willowby's Christmas Tree" CBS(?) 1995 from Jim Henson Productions (per IMDB) with Robert Downey, Jr; Leslie Nielsen and Stockard Channing. I loved the book as a kid. Mr. Willowby's tree is too big so they lop off the top and toss it out, it's picked up by one animal after another-each time it's too big, cut down & tossed, everybody get's a tree. Sweet.

I also would like the original "A Christmas Memory" paired with "The Thanksgiving Visitor" sequel, both with Geraldine Page. And the Astaire Santa movie for sure.

Originally Posted by Brett*H

Would love to see "It Happened One Christmas" with Marlo Thomas.
I actually saw this made-for-TV-movie before I knew that Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" even existed! The last time I saw this was during it's original broadcast back in 1977.

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I second this. I would love to have this in my collection this holiday season!

Amahl and the Night Visitors the late 50s early 60s version. I just remember my family watching it at Christmas. Black and White it was. I have a friend who wants all Captain Kangaroo Christmas shows. He also wants all the prime time christmas specials he can lay his hands on. He keeps his eye on Market Place pretty close.

Originally Posted by Mark Collins

Amahl and the Night Visitors the late 50s early 60s version. I just remember my family watching it at Christmas. Black and White it was. I have a friend who wants all Captain Kangaroo Christmas shows. He also wants all the prime time christmas specials he can lay his hands on. He keeps his eye on Market Place pretty close.

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From what I read, the 1950's Amahl and the Night Visitors no longer exists. It was taped over sometime in the 60's. At least that is the NBC Urban Legend.

The NBC Amahl would be a treasure. I remember hearing that the 1950s one was destroyed, too, but even though earlier is often better, in this case the early 1960s production would be my preference. It's one of the great recordings -- always an audiophile favorite, even though an RCA "Dynagroove" LP -- but aside from that, just a purely gorgeous musical performance.


Not much info on IMDB, just a couple of comments, but check out the two trivia notes:


This was the first production of "Amahl" to be videotaped. Composer-librettist Gian Carlo Menotti could not attend the taping because of prior commitments, and was furious when he learned that they had proceeded without him being present. He disapproved of the new production, and after the 1965 repeat of it, refused to allow it to be shown again. As of 1965, no one has seen this production of "Amahl and the Night Visitors". However, there was a record album made with the cast of the 1963 production.

This production was originally presented as one of the first videotaped episodes of "NBC Television Opera Theatre". It was also one of the last episodes of that series. In 1964 and 1965, it was presented on the "Hallmark Hall of Fame".

WANT!

OK, then how about a new version for this century? Maybe someone at NBC (or better yet, PBS) should consider the the idea of a new production. From what I've heard it was pretty much the first operatic work written specifically for television, and a new high definition color version with multichannel sound would just be the perfect way to keep this early TV effort around for new generations.

"A Smoky Mountain Christmas" with Dolly Parton and Lee Majors, and a Region 1 release of "The Box of Delights". Those would make my Christmas.

Originally Posted by Charles Ellis

OK, then how about a new version for this century? Maybe someone at NBC (or better yet, PBS) should consider the the idea of a new production. From what I've heard it was pretty much the first operatic work written specifically for television, and a new high definition color version with multichannel sound would just be the perfect way to keep this early TV effort around for new generations.

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That's an excellent idea. In fact I was thinking the same thing, that one thing that might help re-light the Christmas Spirit. Is doing some sort of annual production LIVE, and get everybody involved like they used to do with Amahl, but considering the politically correct envirnoment today, I doubt it.


Still a great idea, it's something the higher ups at NBC, ABC, CBS should consider if they want to get back in people's good graces. At least I think that.


James

I also would kill for a decent release of Richard Williams' CHRISTMAS CAROL. I have a DVD made from an old VHS copy to tide me over, but it absolutely screams out for a restored release. It's one of the creepiest and finest versions of the story I've seen. I adore it.


I'd also like to have Nelvana's animated special about the aliens. I can't remember the title. It's been decades since I've seen it.