- Joined
- Jul 3, 1997
- Messages
- 66,750
- Real Name
- Ronald Epstein
I think this is a film that became great through the editing. There’s really no single story, but it is assembled marvelously.Even though I have never (yet) set foot in America, this is one of my favourite seasonal films. Melinda Dillon has rarely received her due as an actress - she's a natural in front of the camera - and she is great here. Darren McGavin gives a fantastic comic performance as well (his interactions with that prize-winning le-, er, lamp has me in stitches every time!). Of course, a film of this kind will rely heavily on the talents of its younger cast - but nothing to worry about here, as Billingsley and Co. acquit themselves very well indeed. Most of all, though, my fondness for the film probably rests more on Shepherd's wonderful humour and his own delivery of the playful narration. Hard to credit that Black Christmas and A Christmas Story - two extremely different Yuletide offerings - were directed by the same man!