tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post1354880112026426729..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: My Christmas movies recommendationsBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger92125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-92077716693905063342016-12-23T16:04:26.615-08:002016-12-23T16:04:26.615-08:00Holiday Inn- Bing and Fred. Introduces "White...Holiday Inn- Bing and Fred. Introduces "White Christmas"<br /><br />Miracle on 34th st. (1947)<br /><br />Christmas in Connecticut (Stanwyck, Greenstreet)<br /><br />Bishop's Wife (Grant, Niven, Young)<br /><br />Remember The Night <br /><br />The Santa Clause<br /><br />The Night They Saved Christmas (Cheesy 1980's movie with Jacklyn Smith, Paul Lemat, Paul Williams, Art Carney, June Lockhart)<br /><br />White Christmas<br /><br />3 Godfathers (Wayne, Carey, Jr. Armendariz)<br /><br />It's A Wonderful Life<br /><br />Going My WayDon K.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-40352803585812981482016-12-20T11:20:53.681-08:002016-12-20T11:20:53.681-08:00I didn't get the reference by Ken to Keira Kni...I didn't get the reference by Ken to Keira Knightley's body image change. Anybody?Jon B.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76936271617767634412016-12-20T10:37:39.918-08:002016-12-20T10:37:39.918-08:00Don't laugh, Ken. . .how about Reindeer Games?...Don't laugh, Ken. . .how about Reindeer Games? Ben Affleck, Charlize Theron, Gary Sinise, Clarence Williams III, Donal Logue, Danny Trejo, Dennis Farina. . .even bit roles for Ashton Kutcher and Ron Jeremy (!). How can you go wrong?Joel Perrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-90014594031302240972016-12-19T12:34:12.367-08:002016-12-19T12:34:12.367-08:00White Christmas
Its a Wonderful Life
Scrooged
A Ch...White Christmas<br />Its a Wonderful Life<br />Scrooged<br />A Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen 1938(with a very young and uncredited June Lockhart and her parents)<br /><br />My dad loved A Christmas Story. We would watch it every year.<br /><br />Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays, everyone<br /><br />Pam, St. LouisAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1647791811158075862016-12-19T12:23:20.537-08:002016-12-19T12:23:20.537-08:00Everyone should watch The Ref - its genius! Everyone should watch The Ref - its genius! Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05265753244583100064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58624665688155103972016-12-19T11:38:56.353-08:002016-12-19T11:38:56.353-08:00I'm one of the few people who can't stand ...I'm one of the few people who can't stand "A Christmas Story." It just drags on FOREVER. <br /><br />Like a couple of people above, I think my favorite version of Dickens is "Mr. Magoo's A Christmas Carol" but I also like the Albert Finney "Scrooge." <br /><br />Our local theater plays a Sunday matinee of "White Christmas" every year, so my daughter and I have a tradition of going to that - despite its many flaws. <br /><br />While wrapping presents this year we watched "Auntie Mame" and "Love, Actually" and my favorite, "Bell, Book, and Candle." And now I'm in the mood to see "Die Hard" but I don't think I own it (yet - think I'll be hitting up Amazon later today).Bettyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08361592930703627190noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21266803885571034622016-12-19T09:54:24.824-08:002016-12-19T09:54:24.824-08:00When you consider the talent involved, 'Mixed ...When you consider the talent involved, 'Mixed Nuts' is a contender for worst movie ever made.Question Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00267485396018087075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-28474877499169220682016-12-19T09:50:09.948-08:002016-12-19T09:50:09.948-08:00Nightmare Before Christmas. Wonderfully oddball a...Nightmare Before Christmas. Wonderfully oddball and fun.David Pnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-51727146026082270682016-12-19T09:22:27.608-08:002016-12-19T09:22:27.608-08:00WE'RE NO ANGELS (1955) a good old-fashioned Ch...WE'RE NO ANGELS (1955) a good old-fashioned Christmas Story about three convicts who escape Devil's Island, starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray as the convicts. Ustinov and Ray steal the show with their excellent performances. Supported by Leo G Carroll, Joan Bennett, and Basil Rathbone. <br /><br />Also, MEET JOHN DOE.JonCowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16803624302502293556noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43943593163811223202016-12-19T07:54:54.328-08:002016-12-19T07:54:54.328-08:00Andrea, "The Godfather" love it!! Great ...Andrea, "The Godfather" love it!! Great call!<br /><br />Scrooged "Look it up in the phone book. If it's not under A then look under P"<br /><br />The Family Man with Nicholas Cage but the true star of the movie is Tea Leoni and the daughter<br /><br />And of course Die Hard just for Rickman's "Clay, Bill Clay"Johnny Hyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16487001395875343699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76317709333937172972016-12-19T06:52:16.456-08:002016-12-19T06:52:16.456-08:00Another vote for THE ICE HARVEST. Outstanding blac...Another vote for THE ICE HARVEST. Outstanding black comedy from an even better book.<br /><br />If reference to the above comment from the person whop hated A CHRISTMAS STORY, I watched it again last night with The Beloved Spouse. I don't find it treacly at all. I look at it as more of a gentle satire.Dana Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01350344882342624735noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35680499029178071802016-12-19T02:39:46.981-08:002016-12-19T02:39:46.981-08:00The best Christmas movies all came out in the 40s....The best Christmas movies all came out in the 40s. They all have moments of screwball and earnestness that really resonate: Remember the Night, Holiday Inn, Christmas In Connecticut, Miracle on 34th St, It Happened on 5th Avenue, The Cheaters (really obscure, but as a lover of comedy SEEK IT OUT).<br /><br />The guilty pleasure I allow myself is Spielberg's _1941_, taking place at Christmastime, with some outrageous set pieces that incorporate the iconic themes of Christmas.Nick Alexanderhttp://www.nickalexander.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78813352619344551632016-12-19T01:34:23.589-08:002016-12-19T01:34:23.589-08:00There's no Christmas Holiday without these:
-...There's no Christmas Holiday without these:<br /><br />- National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation<br />- Die Hard (plus Die Hard 2)<br />- Love, Actually<br />- Bad Santa<br />- Christmas with the Kranks<br /><br />Plus a movie nobody except for Germany and Poland may know of: Drei Haselnüsse für Aschenbrödel (A very neat Cinderella story)Marcohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02383330899990240753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-15096297830090776242016-12-18T22:12:39.465-08:002016-12-18T22:12:39.465-08:00If you're interested in "Rudolph" an...If you're interested in "Rudolph" and all those Rankin/Bass specials, there's a radio retrospective about the studio that's streaming for the next two weeks at stusshow.com. Scroll about 3/4 down the home page and look for "Baby Boomer Favorites."Greg Ehrbarhttp://www.gregehrbar.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-75153961118414873872016-12-18T22:09:18.226-08:002016-12-18T22:09:18.226-08:00Ginger does in fact dance in 'Bachelor Mother&...<br />Ginger does in fact dance in 'Bachelor Mother' and wins a dance contest for her efforts (though this clip is too short to show the awarding of the trophy):<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDfjaoichR8Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-81222474728915909632016-12-18T19:57:35.373-08:002016-12-18T19:57:35.373-08:00The best Christmas movie for me is the original Mi...The best Christmas movie for me is the original Miracle on 34th Street. I loved it as a kid and as I get older, I don't ever lose that joy. It's just too good.<br /><br />And I'm sorry but I LOATHE Christmas Story with a fiery passion. Partially because I really don't like treacly "weren't things just simpler back then in the small towns..." because I am from a small town and I must have had that particular part of my brain disengaged at birth. I also can't stand the casual cruelty. That kid should grow up to be a mass murderer.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07159294212873576818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23179373770458651302016-12-18T18:54:24.963-08:002016-12-18T18:54:24.963-08:00Greg, that's very interesting. Thanks.
I like...Greg, that's very interesting. Thanks.<br /><br />I like how in the shower scene one of the violins, instead of screeching, is playing "Deck the Halls."Andrewnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-9783206061635233432016-12-18T18:42:01.342-08:002016-12-18T18:42:01.342-08:00What about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the sto...What about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, the stop motion animated version? It's worth it alone for Bumbles, the abominable snowman, and Yukon Cornelius.<br /><br />There's also The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, also stop motion animation, based on Frank L Baum's wonderfully pagan Christmas story.Kaleberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05283840743310507878noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-78588647261857242582016-12-18T17:27:12.111-08:002016-12-18T17:27:12.111-08:00A couple of things:
• Reportedly, Hitchcock delib...A couple of things:<br /><br />• Reportedly, Hitchcock deliberately added the Friday, December 11 date to the titles at the opening of "Psycho" because he saw the Christmas decorations in the footage that the second unit had filmed in Phoenix. <br /><br />• Six years before "Psycho," Bernard Herrmann wrote the music for perhaps the first-ever musical adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" starring Frederic March for CBS's "Shower of Stars" live anthology.<br /><br />https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ih5NNa6PEvAGreg Ehrbarhttp://www.gregehrbar.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-12494559175541683552016-12-18T15:20:19.604-08:002016-12-18T15:20:19.604-08:00Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol
And on that nobody...Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol<br />And on that nobody has mentioned and may even be out of circulation -O'Henry's Full House. Great stars, great stories, great performances.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-58643305953913954932016-12-18T14:32:21.139-08:002016-12-18T14:32:21.139-08:00Preston Sturges' THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S C...Preston Sturges' THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, and Denis Leary's black comedy THE REF.Steve Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07460010481523481647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1389057783308373042016-12-18T14:32:06.700-08:002016-12-18T14:32:06.700-08:00Preston Sturges' THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S C...Preston Sturges' THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK, and Denis Leary's black comedy THE REF.Steve Baileyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07460010481523481647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-20648405832250823842016-12-18T11:01:23.727-08:002016-12-18T11:01:23.727-08:00Great topic. Thanks for all the recommendations. I...Great topic. Thanks for all the recommendations. I watched "Christmas With The Kranks" yesterday. If you haven't seen it, I recommend reading the book, "Skiping Christmas by John Grisham before watching it. They are both hilarious. <br /><br />And another vote for Christmas Vacation. Best part is when Clark looses it.<br />Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00760229533287495672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-5345529937347218602016-12-18T09:48:19.276-08:002016-12-18T09:48:19.276-08:00A few that haven't been mentioned yet:
ARTHUR...A few that haven't been mentioned yet:<br /><br />ARTHUR CHRISTMAS: Hands down the best animated Christmas movie ever, from the Aardman folks. Despite excellent reviews, it got buried by the competition, and Sony has made zero effort to even rebook it for holiday shows. Give it a spin, and remember: There's always time for a bow.<br /><br />CASH ON DEMAND: Hammer Films made this Christmas-set bank-heist thriller starring Peter Cushing as the bank manager and Andre Morell as the head robber. But it quickly becomes apparent that what we're watching is a travesty of "A Christmas Carol," with Cushing's character as Scrooge. A small gem even without that connection.<br /><br />DONOVAN'S REEF: John Ford's South Seas comedy starring John Wayne and Lee Marvin as brawling frenemies features a lengthy section set during the holidays,, highlighted by Dorothy Lamour and a group of children beautifully singing "Silent Night."<br /><br />I don't think the 1994 MIRACLE ON 34th STREET is so bad. Attenborough makes a perfect Santa, Mara Wilson was one of those few kid actors who weren't cloying or obnoxious, and the altered "proof" is actually quite clever.<br /><br />Finally, I've never understood why IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE is considered a Christmas movie. It's essentially a two-hour film noir with a happy ending that just happens to take place at Christmas. (Has anyone ever noticed that Potter never returns the stolen money?) I'm usually depressed after seeing it.<br /><br /><br />cadavranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-62940727535754258242016-12-18T05:36:57.404-08:002016-12-18T05:36:57.404-08:00"Monty Python's Lfe of Brian" (Bless..."Monty Python's Lfe of Brian" (Blessed are the cheese makers)Steve McLeannoreply@blogger.com