Favorite "lost" TV Christmas special? (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

Rod Serling's Carol for Another Christmas. Aired 12/28/1964. Directed by Joseph Mankiewicz, and with a cast to die for.

If you have HBO Max, there’s a restored/remastered version on there that went up last year I believe - one of their companies must have held the rights and elements. Much better looking than any version I had checked out previously.

 

[Polbroth]

But probably not in the States.

--jthree

Alas.

Whether live action or animation, unless you're speaking to true aficionados, an enormous amount of earth-shaking cinematic brilliance is left to rot unnoticed.

But the French masterpiece Wonderbird/Mockingbird - also a HUGE influence on Miyazaki - was finally completed and given a proper hard release in many countries where animation is treasured...

...except the United States!

I don't know if this situation will improve if Disney buys Criterion (which I assume it will), but it could just as likely worsen.

You mention Williams in your OP, and his staggering vision in Thief has, incredibly, yet to be honored in any proper way, and he has of course now passed.

But at least with Thief - as with certain Orson Welles projects - the very real possibility of a proper release exists due to the creator's reputation.

 

[Polbroth]

Nice to hear your opinions Polbroth.

What appeals to you personally about the Snow Queen? I've given you some of my reasons. There is some thing very interesting in the SQ about the heroine's chasing after Hans. The Snow Queen herself seems a force of nature, rather than something human. She's aloof and seems like ice and is quite mysterious.

I'm not necessarily a fan of the films' animation.

Moving to Horus, I wish there had been more research into the film; or at least as much as Miyazaki's later films. Do have the soundtrack. It really is beautiful music, and seems quite a contrast to the music of today. Hilda's two-sidedness and betrays of Horus is quite unique. It makes here quite a complex character, and I wonder if Disney could try something like that. Granted, Disney and American animation have had turncoat characters in their stories before, but not necessarily like Hilda's. At the beginning she seems so indifferent to the damage done to the first village, and is quite willing to do the evil thing, until the end.

It's great that you have such an interest in the films. I'm always hoping the US networks would bring back past holiday specials rather than just forgetting about them.

--jthree

I'm not sure what appeals to me personally about Snow Queen, but objectively speaking, it's masterful.

The somewhat amorphous design of the kids' faces is the only thing I find lacking, but otherwise, it's just breathtaking.

And while I'd love to see works like Snow Queen restored to greater prominence (or placed in that prominence for the first time!), it is kind of fun to stumble on works like this, and be utterly astonished.

For instance...

There's a 1975 Little Mermaid by Toei that was tough to locate for decades, but which now has a decent hard copy release, and it's light years better than the Disney version; gems abound everywhere!

 

[Harry-N]

For those of us who grew up in the Philadelphia area, there was a special produced and sponsored by the Bell Telephone Company and featuring the Mabel Beaton Marionettes. There were two stories: the first a retelling of "The Night Before Christmas", the second is the story of the birth of Christ.

The special used to air on all of the three stations in Philly at one time or another, and we kept an eye on the TV section of the newspaper to plot out its appearances. Back then, anything with puppets or animation was what we little kids looked for on the TV.

About two decades or so ago, the PBS station in Philly found a copy in its library and began airing it yearly once again. It was a treat to see after all of those years, and - as a bonus - it's in color! Someone's posted it to YouTube.

 

[mskaye]

For those of us who grew up in the Philadelphia area, there was a special produced and sponsored by the Bell Telephone Company and featuring the Mabel Beaton Marionettes. There were two stories: the first a retelling of "The Night Before Christmas", the second is the story of the birth of Christ.

The special used to air on all of the three stations in Philly at one time or another, and we kept an eye on the TV section of the newspaper to plot out its appearances. Back then, anything with puppets or animation was what we little kids looked for on the TV.

About two decades or so ago, the PBS station in Philly found a copy in its library and began airing it yearly once again. It was a treat to see after all of those years, and - as a bonus - it's in color! Someone's posted it to YouTube.

That marionette sh-t is the stuff of nightmares! I think that's why they sear themselves into the brains of kids. they are traumatized by it ! Like they are with the early Disney films! Pinocchio, Bambi and Dumbo. All terrifying sad and so memorable. It was one of Disney's great instinctual touches.

 

[Harry-N]

That marionette sh-t is the stuff of nightmares! I think that's why they sear themselves into the brains of kids. they are traumatized by it ! Like they are with the early Disney films! Pinocchio, Bambi and Dumbo. All terrifying sad and so memorable. It was one of Disney's great instinctual touches.

Sorry that you can't see what many of us did back then.

 

[moviebuff75]

I have decided to continue collecting Christmas specials throughout the year. I am going to be 48 this fall and if I don't start discovering more, I will run out of time. As it stands, I have hundreds right now.

 

[JamesSmith]

I have decided to continue collecting Christmas specials throughout the year. I am going to be 48 this fall and if I don't start discovering more, I will run out of time. As it stands, I have hundreds right now.

Bless you Sir.

 

[RobertMG]

I have decided to continue collecting Christmas specials throughout the year. I am going to be 48 this fall and if I don't start discovering more, I will run out of time. As it stands, I have hundreds right now.

Watched this and loving it --- now I see it is available on the new Christmas Episode Collection from MPI of Ozzie and Harriet - just wish I knew where it originally aired -- ABC?

 

[MartinP.]

just wish I knew where it originally aired -- ABC?

The opening indicates it was produced by KTLA Golden West Broadcasters. KTLA is Los Angeles' Ch. 5, Gene Autry founded and was co-owner of Golden West Broadcasters, so it may have been a local production and syndicated. Tom Hatten, one of the cast of this program, hosted many movie nights on KTLA.