'Tis the Season
To be cranky, tired and broke. Fa la la la la! Seriously though, Christmas has become my favorite time of the year. It symbolizes that magical time of the year where people are actually kinder to one another. People say excuse me before they cut in front of you at Old Navy. It’s truly peace on earth.
I also look forward to my favorite Christmas offerings on TV. My taste runs the gamut from old school claymation to twisted holiday cinema. Below are some of my favorites:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
You have to love Charlie Brown. He’s such a depressed, anxiety-riddled, mopey little boy that is he lived today he’d be on Xanax. I love his colorful friends and cheecky dog. Snoopy rocks. My favorite is Pigpen. I went to grade school with a kid who could give Pigpen a run for his money. I even love his pitiful Christmas tree.
How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)
I adore the Grinch’s cranky persona. Dr. Seuss was onto something with this character. Even his dog is scared of him. This cartoon is my Dad’s favorite. We watched this gem together for years. The Grinch has the best theme song next to Shaft. He’s a mean one.
Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1970)
This has been my favorite since I was a budding Diva. My sister and I still laugh to this day because we always compared our mother’s hair to the Heatmeister’s. It’s a nostalgic pick for me.
Christmas Story (1983)
Funny story behind this movie. I went to the movies with friends back in the day. While at the theater, part of my delegation decided it would be a good idea to see Christine but I wimped out because it was rated R and I was afraid of scary movies. I made the right choice because this film is now a classic. I love its mid-western take on Christmas rituals. It’s on the money.
Scrooged (1988)
Bill Murray is perfection in this film. It’s not the best film overall but contains several brilliant scenes. I relish the scene where he gets knocked in the head with a toaster. Sounds silly and it is but it’s also hilarious.
Christmas Vacation (1989)
This is one of the funniest Christmas movies ever. The scene where the squirrel flies out of the tree is timeless. I laugh like an idiot each time. The movie is non-stop laughs. Chevy Chase is the perfect everyman that can’t get a break.
Love Actually (2003)
This might not be considered a proper holiday movie but it embraces the principles of the season and takes place around Christmas. Some of the stories hold up better than others but all are entertaining. Emma Thompson is outstanding as a perceptive wife who senses her husband is up to something. Hugh Grant is his usual charming self as the Prime Minister of England who likes to boogie.
What is your favorite holiday movie?
posted by Pop Culture Diva @ 12/08/2006
5 Comments:
My mom adores It's A Wonderful Life(I like it,too,even tho it gets played to death on TV this time of year)and I love Miracle on 34th Street,the b&w version with Natalie Wood. They once dared to colorize it-thankfully,that hideous trend quickly bit the dust!
My favorite version of Christmas Carol is the one with Alastair Sim. He's such a mean Scrooge.
I love the Christmas Carol with George C. Scott.
And Mickey's Christmas Carol? The tears just pour...
My favorites are two 70s dramas little seen these days and hard to find on DVD or video. First is JT, with Kevin Hooks as a Harlem boy who befriends a stray cat. Second is The House Without a Christmas Tree, with Jason Robards as a widower who bans celebration from his home after his wife's death. Would love to see these again. Anyone with leads on how to get, let me know.
Thanks, Jeff, for mentioning JT and House Without a Christmas Tree. I, too, remember them fondly from my childhood. Lost treasures!
Also loved Mister Magoo's Christmas Carol, from 1962, with a great score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, who would later collaborate on the score for Broadway's (and Hollywood's) Funny Girl.
And don't forget The Homecoming, so successful it led to the great '70s family drama The Waltons.
House Without a Christmas Tree is available commercially - pretty cheap, too.
JT is a tougher find. I got a copy through an auction site last year. It's a scab copy off of someone's homemade copy....but still better than nothing !
They're both pretty easy goggle hits to find resources for buying copies.
Make the effort. I was happy to watch them last year following Christmas and realize that they're pretty well done even as an adult viewer.
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