Holliday Films

[Chadzilla]

Fearless Freep wrote:
>
> It makes me laugh so hard I cry and then I just cry when
> The Old Man points out the hidden gift
>
> Which always amused me because the hidden gift was not
> visible from where the guy said he saw it.
>

Well since he himself had PUT it there [implied through his dialogue and behavior], deliberately hiding it for the final gift surprise (Ye Olde Sadistic Parent Trick pulled on me on more than one or two Christmas or Birthday celebrations) it made that moment even more sweet.  Also, on a repeat viewing, note The Old Man's knowing way of reassuring his son that he was certain Santa HAD heard his wish, he knew his son was getting that stupid BB gun in the morning BECAUSE HE HAD GOTTEN IT FOR HIM ALREADY!

And having CARL KOLCHAK for a DAD!!!

"Deck the Harls with Berls of Horry!"

That's it, I'm watching it again - ASAP!!!

[J.R.]

Ah, Scrooged and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Good stuff. SNL veterans should stick to holiday films. Oh, wait, there's also Eight Crazy Nights, Jingle All The Way and Home For The Holidays. Sorry.

[Dano]

...the Peanuts gang is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to Christmas.

I am also a huge fan of Mr. Magoo's version of A Christmas Carol.  

Movies: Obviously a Christmas Story is awesome - whoever wrote it really had a keen grasp of how a 10-year old's mind works.

I also confess a very very very guilty pleasure: Home Alone.  I just find it very funny, I think the kid (as repugnant as he later became) was cute, and the ending really broke me up.  Sorry everyone, but it just did.  Do I sound defensive?  Anyway, I saw it in the theater the week it came out (shortly before Christmas), before all the hoopla jaded everyone and I just had a great time watching it.

[Scottie]

I just learned this awesome bit of movie knowledge as I was looking up this movie. They're remaking the old 70's movie this year! Same plot, same name too. It's gonna be one of the few movies I ever go out to see in theaters. In fact, it'll be the first I'm going to see in a movie theater in over 3 years. I'm almost hesitant to do so because I've developed such a distaste for the multi-plex theaters, but with a remake of such a famed bad movie (and a Mst3k movie too!), I might just set my conviction aside, and let this one experience decide if I ever go back to a theater again.

-Scottie*

[Fearless Freep]

Movies: Obviously a Christmas Story is awesome - whoever wrote it really had a keen grasp of how a 10-year old's mind works.

That was Gene Sheppard, who was also the narrator.  Based on a book called "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash"  He used to right collections of short stories in very similar style.  I particularly remember one about serving in the army on a troop transport doing K.P..  Also one where he talked about being in the back of class and going through school never hearing anything, except one day he happens to hear "Brazil exports tin", so for the rest of his life he was using this one fact to get through conversations.

[Bernie]

I like the original "Miracle on 34th St" precisely because it isn't sentimental; it tries very hard to place Santa in a then-contemporary setting, which is where much of the humor comes from.

I have no such similar excuse for "It's A Wonderful Life" -- it's just a great movie and I'm a complete sucker for it.

"A Christmas Story" -- having been a big fan of Jean Shepherd since the 60s (sigh, yes, I'm that old) -- it's a thrill to have at least one good translation of his material to the screen -- and look fast for his cameo -- besides doing the narration, Shep is the big bearded guy on line for Santa at the department store!

Nighmare Before Christmas -- one of my wife's faves.

The original Grinch (as far as I'm concerned, the ONLY Grinch!)

When I was a kid, I LOVED Magoo's Christmas Carol -- haven't seen it in years tho.

The 1951 Alistair Sim Scrooge is likewise the ONLY film version as far as I'm concerned.

Charlie Brown (saw it as a little kid the first time it aired, always try to catch it).

And last, but not least, the MST3K episode featuring the Mexican "Santa Claus" -- what demented nightmare produced this!  The theology alone is mind-boggling....

And AndyC -- PLEASE WHERE O WHERE CAN I COP A COPY OF THE STAR WARS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL!!!!!!!

[AndyC]

I found the Star Wars Holiday Special for rent in a local independent video store that specializes in rare, hard-to-find stuff. Unfortunately, it has never had a proper release, and only exists in bootleg form. It's my understanding that George Lucas would love to hunt down every last copy and smash it with a hammer.

It's worth seeing, just because it is so bizarre, but it is also really long and painfully bad. Imagine an entire scene with dialogue entirely in Wookie, or Harvey Korman wooing Bea Arthur in the Mos Eisley cantina, or Art Carney distracting stormtroopers with a recording of Jefferson Starship, or Carrie Fisher singing. The thing is well over two hours long, but seems like a lot more.

Two things are actually cool: an animated adventure featuring the first appearance of Boba Fett, and an original Kenner toy commercial that was thoughtfully left on at the end by whomever taped the special in the first place. From what I've read, the latter seems to be on a lot of the bootlegs.

[Bernie]

Yes, I once read a detailed, scene-by-scene description of this "classic" on the web and it only whetted my appetite to see the thing.  Yes, I know it hurts but since I'd also love to find un-MST'd versions of Coleman Francis's Red Zone Cuba and his parachute movie (senior moment -- I just went blank on the title), well, like so many here, I've obviously got an S&M thing going on with bad movies (and TV)!

What is it about the holidays that inspire so much media drivel?  Is it just that it's an easy hook?  Or do they actually think they're making something good?

[Dano]

I actually recall SEEING this when I was seven years old and it aired on TV!  I have heard that it aired once and George Lucas refuses to allow it to be shown any more.  Man, I'd kill for a copy of the tape, but if it only aired once, then doesn't that mean that the only copies out there were made from originals taped by people who actually had VCRs in 1978?  Anyone know where I can get a copy of this movie??

My only memories really are of the cartoon with Boba Fett fleeing by jetpack at the end, and of Han throwing a storm trooper through the railing of Chewie's family's treehouse.

[JohnL]

>I was just reminiscing about Opus and Bill comics, but couldn't remember the
>name. Thanks!

Actually, the comics were called Bloom County, which ended and then he moved some of the characters to an even weirder comic called Outland.

>having been a big fan of Jean Shepherd since the 60s (sigh, yes, I'm that old) --
>it's a thrill to have at least one good translation of his material to the screen

 You do know about "It Runs In the Family", don't you? Stars Charles Groden and Mary Steenburgen as the parents. Not quite as good as A Christmas Story, but not bad.

>My only memories really are of the cartoon with Boba Fett fleeing by jetpack at
>the end, and of Han throwing a storm trooper through the railing of Chewie's
>family's treehouse.

I remember the scenes where Han was trying to get Chewie home in time for the holidays, and the Falcon flying over the jungle, but that's about it.

 Anyone here seen the Wonderful Life clone with Marlo Thomas, called It Happened One Christmas?

[Andrew]

I loved "Bloom County" dearly.  I keep threatening to get a tattoo of Opus.  The Christmas special is also a treasured artifact; I think this is my second VHS (the first was worn out), if not the third.

Also on the list:

"The Year Without A Santa Claus"
"The Nightmare Before Christmas"
"The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" (Rankin and Bass)

In the realm of bad movies:
"Silent Night, Deadly Night"
"Jack Frost"
"Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"

Oh, and Katie cannot watch "Frosty the Snowman" anymore.  She always thinks of "Microwave Massacre" and thinks of Jackie Vernon saying, "I'm so hungry, I could eat a WHORE!"

[J.R.]

I believe I had the Opus And Bill Christmas Special on tape at one point. Doesn't Opus go into a costume shop and a little guy comes out saying he's something, Opus says he doesn't look like it, so the little guy says, "I'm a water buffalo!" and runs away? I also read the book of it for a school oral report, complete with the voices I imagined Opus and Bill having. Opus sounded a bit like Rocko from Rocko's Modern Life and BIll was Bobcat Goldthwait. Got a good reaction.

[Vermin Boy]

That one's been in development for years, but last I heard, it was still on track. The mastermind behind it is Ben Edlund, creator and writer of The Tick.

[Mofo Rising]

I know it sounds great, what with the Bea Arthur and the painfully long wookie scenes.  Like a party movie, right?

Nooooooooo.  I do not recommend the Star Wars Christmas Special.  It's bad.  Painful and boring, even with all the b-list cameos.  Just because George Lucas says it's bad doesn't mean it isnt.

What's ironic here is that this probably only makes you want to see it more.

[AndyC]

Yeah, I saw it when it aired too, but didn't remember until I watched the video a couple of years ago. Perhaps I simply repressed the painful memory. Seeing Harvey Korman pour a drink into the top of his head brought it all flooding back.

As a kid during the original Star Wars craze, I remember this actually being anticipated and well watched. I remember discussed it with my friends afterward. I also recall that it didn't seem that bad at the time, although I was only 7 or 8 when it aired. I seem to remember the older members of my family groaning a bit.

I suppose it was not all that different from the usual network comedy-variety specials of the time. Celebrities of Love Boat calibre get together for songs, sketches and a lot of shmaltzy sentimental crap. Television was obviously going through some transitions at that time. It was the incorporation of Star Wars elements that made the special uniquely weird - a half-assed attempt to blend this hot new sci-fi phenomenon with the old-fashioned TV variety format. A bunch of network suits must have seen the success of Lucas and wanted a piece. Without really understanding Star Wars, they mashed it into their mold. The result was so bad, so twisted, that you simply can't stop watching, even when you are bored out of your mind.