This will be my last post until 2008. Next Sunday I have a family-filled day and the Sunday after that I will be flying home from Chicago (weather permitting). To celebrate the coming weeks of family, food, and presents, I have four (that's right - I needed to make sure you all had plenty to occupy your time for awhile) final Christmas picks for you all to enjoy. For those of you I'll see in the coming weeks, have a safe trip to PA! For those of you I won't, have a season filled with cheer, peace, and love.
Film: It's a Wonderful Life
Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart, and Donna Reed at their best, folks. What more can I say? Yes, I know this is one of those sappy, post-WWII films that preached a family-oriented ideology, but I don't care. Imagine being able to see what the world would be like if you were never born. Spend a few moments this holiday season to think about the people you've touched. Every year I watch this film and it makes me smile. I do believe that every time a bell rings an angel gets his (or her) wings.
Television: A Charlie Brown Christmas
It's not Christmas until I've heard the angelic voices of the Peanuts gang singing, "New born king!" While the whole show is excellent, I personally love the illustrated dancing. How can you not get up and do a little side-to-side head bob or a mummy-like walk?
Honorable Mention 1: Emett Otter's Jug-band Christmas
Instead of literature this week I've decided to add a couple more holiday-themed works that I think everyone should make part of their holiday tradition. Emett Otter was released in 1977 by Jim Henson and, in my humble opinion, became an instant classic for Generation X. Although most youngins today won't know of it, they should. The story is pure Christmas cheer, but more important than that, the Riverbottom Gang ROCKS! I have fond memories of watching this as a child and even fonder ones of watching it in college. (Anyone out there remember a certain beer- and Dorito-imbibing evening with a collapsed beer pong table?)
Honorable Mention 2: A Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton and Christmas, who would have thought this pairing would make for an instant classic? There is something about Jack the Pumpkin King, Oogie Boogie, and Santa that really brings out the best in people. Ha! The music is excellent in this film and so is the animation. The settings, though, may be my favorite part of the whole experience. Although it may seem better placed in a Halloween-themed blog, I think it fits better here.
Well folks, I'm off to see I Am Legend. If it's any good, you'll see my recommendation here in a few weeks.
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17 comments:
Im glad to see that our "traditional" Christmas movies made the list that we watch almsost every year. It isn't Christmas until I see the Charlie Brown movie. See you in a few days...YAY!
Emmett Otter was released in 1977? Can that be possible?? Crap! I'm getting really really old!
Look at the birds up in the trees.
We're not birds, we're a jug band!
Classic. No no, I do not remember any Doritos and beer.
Emmett Otter may be my all-time favorite, or at least tied with Grinch and Peanuts. I am so glad that my dad insisted on getting HBO and cable in those early, early cable days - because I got to see Emmett Otter! I probably saw it in 1980 for the first time. (I also watched the first video ever on MTV.) Did it air anywhere else but HBO in those early days?
As for It's a Wonderful Life, I think it's much darker than people give it credit for. The schmaltzy ending, which is my least favorite part, sticks with people. But before that it is all about unfulfilled dreams, regret, greed, human weakness, etc. Pottersville is a pretty horrible place, but Mr. Potter wasn't solely responsible for it. All those people rushing the bank after the crash sure helped. And there didn't seem to be any charity or kindness in Pottersville at all. Is George Bailey the only inherently "good" person in that whole movie?
P.S. Mr. Potter = Dick Cheney
I actually find "It's a Wonderful Life" to be very dark and depressing as well. Yes, George Bailey did good things for the people in his life. But throughout the course of the movie, he gives up on all his life's dreams, and none of the people who supposedly care about him (Donna Reed, his brother) try to help him. They all just take advantage of his kindness (and weak-willedness). I find that truly depressing. Maybe I'm missing the point of the movie, but every year, these are things that strike me about it.
And correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Mr. Potter get away with everything? They never find that money and Potter gets off scot-free.
I guess that's why I just love the "lost ending" that SNL did in the '80s. Aside from Dana Carvey's absolutely astounding impression of Jimmy Stewart, it's very cathartic when Potter finally gets his in the end!
I don't think George gave up on his dreams - I think he did his duty to his family and the greater good. There's nothing weak-willed about that. But it seems he was the ONLY one who did anything for the greater good (well, I guess his brother did - outside of Bedford Falls, anyway). But Capra's movies always rely on a self-sacrificial hero shouldering the load for the rest of the do-nothings, who eventually come through after the hero suffers.
Everyone has some dream that goes unfulfilled. The feel-good part is that in the end he was happy for the life he had, despite the dreams he couldn't have.
I don't think it's clear what exactly happens to Mr. Potter. I would hope that Bert investigates and gets the bastard! Technically, he didn't steal it though.
Alfalfa of the Little Rascals is in the Charleston dance/pool scene!
Emmett Otter...clutch.
Indeed, Its a Wonderful Life is more complicated emotionally than most people give it credit. I hate to say it but I think part of its success lies in the fact that it was in the public domain for so many years and was always on TV. Also, I wonder if Mr. Potter's non-punishment was some kind of metaphor for what happened to some of the baddies who didn't pay for their crimes after WWII. Of course having been to Indiana, PA all Jimmy Stewart films are kind of dead to me.
Moxiecat took the question I meant to post on Sunday and moved it to the irrelevancy pile. The question was: What has been the best Its a Wonderful Life parody/plagarism/spin that has appeared over the years?
Now of course the SNL Mr. Potter beatdown is without question the absolute best. Though I think second place is still open and I would like to nominate the MTV Liquid Television "Stick Figure Theatre" rendition of George Bailey running from the bridge back into town.
I also remember Married with Children did an "Its a Wonderful Life" where Al learns that everyone had been better off. At our house we vaguely remember an animated take on the same idea but we can't remember which show did it.
I love that stick figure version. Zuzu's petals!
The Philadelphia Story is dead to you? For shame. Vertigo? Rear Window?
And who can forget his Lassie appearance? OK, that one can be dead to you.
Okay, Verdigo and Rear Window are still on the Xmas card list.
Yes, you cannot forget The Philadelphia Story - one of my all-time favs!
Krista, we had HBO really early on as well. I remember Emett Otter and The Worst Witch. I'm not sure when The Worst Witch came out - I'm thinking closer to mid eighties - but I do remember watching Emett Otter when I was still pretty young.
Capra is a little on the dark side. And yes, I also feel sad for George. But then, if he hadn't made all those sacrifices, there wouldn't be much of a story to tell. It's like the question we had in Shakespeare class in college, Jennica: Why didn't Hamlet just kill his uncle in the first scene? That girl (and I have no idea what her name was) was not the brightest bulb on the tree. George is the Christ-figure in the film. And Mr. Potter may not seem to get his, but he sort of does. His whole career Mr. Potter has been trying to destroy the Savings and Loan. He thinks he finally has but he ends up thwarted once again. That's the only thing Potter doesn't have and the only thing he probably wants. The greatest thing George does is keep Bedford Falls from becoming Potterville.
I have to admit, I've never seen most of the parodies you've mentioned. I might have to find them on You Tube.
The Philadelphia Story is a good film, however for reasons why I can no longer eat Boston Market (let's just say I caught a virus one night after dinner, nuff said.)the Indiana/Philadelphia connection to two locals of Pennsylvania Evil...I just can't. Especially since we just booked plane tickets to go there next week.
The Man Who Knew Too Much is another great Hitchcock / Jimmy Stewart collaboration. Doris Day is kind of annoying in it. But that symphony scene is awesome. I never saw the first version though (Hitchcock remade his own movie)
Also, a sentimental favorite of mine is The Shootist - John Wayne's last movie, with Jimmy Stewart supporting.
He was also in some of those first semi-dark Westerns, like Winchester '73. I saw most of them a while ago, but none of them particularly stuck with me.
If you want to see Jimmy Stewart later in life, check out the miniseries "North and South." (One of my favorites!) It was made in the mid-80s, and he plays a Charleston lawyer in the second half. I think it was one of his last roles. North and South has a ton of famous cameos, including Gene Kelly, Olivia DeHavilland, and Elizabeth Taylor as well.
The Worst Witch! Had to be the mid-80s, just going by how old Fairuza Balk was in it. If you want to see it again, it used to be available from Netflix!
Heather--I'm trying to remember what girl you were talking about. Which class was it?
Oh sure--I recognize the story of It's a Wonderful Life. I'm just saying that it's definitely not a sticky-sweet Christmas movie at its core. The majority of it is much darker and more complex than its famous ending.
Has anyone here seen "Bad Santa"? That's one of my new favorite Christmas movies. I just love the kid who's in it!
That kid from Bad Santa is great.
"Your name is Thurman Murman? . . Jesus Christ, kid."
And John Ritter :(
Bad Santa is my favorite Xmas movie. Of course the best line from the movie (ya know the one in the hot tub) is unrepeatable, here at least. Though I also love the "I turned a corner/I beat up some kids" speech towards the end.
I am also a fan of the Futuramas where Xmas has replaced Christmas and everyone spends Xmas Eve hiding from Evil Santa Bot.
Oh, and indeed its weird to watch that movie since John Ritter's passing.
Weirder at our house because for some reason John Ritter gives our housemate Lisa nightmares.
I like Jimmy in "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." I will also always have a place in my heart for "The Cheyenne Social Club." It was my first Jimmy movie and always a laugh.
Jennica, I can't remember her name. I think she was just taking the class for a requirement; she wasn't an english major.
Never seen "Bad Santa."
"Never seen 'Bad Santa.'"
What an outrage!
You need the Badder Santa DVD.
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