Top Christmas Movies and TV Shows
The Holiday Season is a time to revisit some perennial favorites, both on TV and in the Movies. I have decided to call this list my CHRISTMAS favorites, for there isn’t a Hanukkah or Kwanzaa movie in the bunch. Here, then, are my top 5 Christmas movies and my top 5 Christmas TV Shows.
Starting with Movies:
5). Have to start with an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL. There are so many to choose from – the “Original” 1938 version starring Reginald Owen, there’s a George C. Scott version in the ‘80’s, a Patrick Stewart version (based on his one person show on Broadway, which I saw) in the ‘90’s. There is a MUPPET Christmas Carol and MISTER MAGOO’S Christmas Carol. There is the Jim Carrey/Robert Zemeckis motion capture version from the 2000’s. The Albert Finney 70’s musical version. Why, even good ol’ Bill Murray did a version, as did Matthew McConnaghey – who could forget GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST? But, for me, the quintessential version has to be the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim. Perhaps it’s because I saw it on late night TV growing up, but the image of Michael Hordern’s MARLEY when he goes “ballistic” on Scrooge to get him to agree to meet the ghosts haunts my dreams to this day.
4). IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – most of you know this as the one where the Angel comes down and let’s a person see what happens to the world if they never were born. But I would challenge you to sit down and watch this movie closer. I think it is a movie about the cost of putting other’s in front of yourself. Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey is frustrated and stopped short of his desires time after time and the raging anger underneath the “good guy” image is strong. The supporting characters are top notch – Lionel Barrymore, the underrated Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers and Gloria Graham all give memorable performances. Special note should be given to Ward Bond and Frank Faylen as BERT the Cop and ERNIE the cab driver. The inspiration to Jim Henson for his characters of the same name that populate Sesame Street to this day.
3). WHITE CHRISTMAS – Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera Allen and everyone’s favorite busybody – Mary Wickes in a timeless classic musical directed by the great Michael Curtiz. It is filled with Irving Berlin’s songs and spectacular production numbers. They just don’t make them like this anymore.
2). ELF – a modern classic that made me take a second look at the genius talent that is Will Ferrell. Buddy the Elf is the type of character that we need at this time of year – pure and unspoiled by the crass commercialism that some have come to view Christmas by. Once again, Ferrrell is ably aided with a cast that includes such troopers as James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, Zoey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris and Leon Redbone’s Leon the Snowman . Of course, you had me at: “ …And Bob Newhart as Papa Elf”.
1). HOLIDAY INN – This is my one “go to” movie to get me into the Holiday spirit. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire as one of the earliest incarnations of “frenemies” in the movies. Bing leaves the hustle and bustle of NYC Club Life to open a quiet Inn way out in the “country” of Connecticut that will just be open on Holidays. We spend a year jumping from Holiday to Holiday with Irving Berlin songs like Easter Parade, Be Careful It’s My Heart, I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For and, of course, the introduction of the song White Christmas. Bing’s singing and Fred’s dancing are at the top of the game and it is a glimpse into the past. Specifically, America in the 1940’s with their PATRIOTIC SONG, the depiction of Dinner Clubs and, most unfortunately, a Blackface number that shows we have come along way.
You are probably wondering where NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION, MIRACLE ON 34th STREET, the POLAR EXPRESS and A CHRISTMAS STORY are on my list. I like them all, but they just did not make my top 5.
TELEVISION:
5). RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER – Good ol’ Sam the Snowman, Yukon Cornelius, Hermey, Charlie-in-the-Box and, of course Rudolph. It gets knocked down a few pegs because both Donner and Santa Claus(!) are real jerks in this one.
4). A MUPPET FAMILY CHRISTMAS – The one Jim Henson special that was able to combine The Muppets, the Sesame Street Characters and the underappreciated Fraggle Rock folks! Well worth checking out if you haven’t seen it.
3). DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS – I, of course, speak of the “original” Chuck Jones cartoon from the ‘60’s with Boris Karloff as the narrator, not the Jim Carrey movie from a few years back that my kids seem to enjoy more.
2). A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS – Linus in the spotlight telling the real meaning of Christmas – ‘nuff said.
1). SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN – As a kid, I had a ton of questions as to the Origins of Santa Claus and along came this Rankin-Bass stop motion special that answered ALL of them, definitively for me. Need to know how Reindeer can fly? From the magic corn from the Winter Warlock (call me Winter). Who is Mrs. Claus? Why it’s Jessica the school teacher. Why did Santa start coming down the Chimney? To outsmart Burgermeister Meisterburger, of course. The only mystery it doesn’t solve is how did Jessica go from Barbie doll thin to Shirley Booth plump so fast as Mrs. Claus?
Now some of you may be asking me – how about THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS – the sequel to SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN which features Heat Miser and Snow Miser. Except for the part featuring those two, the rest of this special is pretty lame.
One other note – if you can ever find the Australian import A VERY BERRY CHRISTMAS starring the voicework of Colin Mochrie, check it out. It’s pretty dry and pretty funny. And that’s my top Christmas MOVIES and TV shows.
What’s yours? Happy Holidays!
Starting with Movies:
5). Have to start with an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL. There are so many to choose from – the “Original” 1938 version starring Reginald Owen, there’s a George C. Scott version in the ‘80’s, a Patrick Stewart version (based on his one person show on Broadway, which I saw) in the ‘90’s. There is a MUPPET Christmas Carol and MISTER MAGOO’S Christmas Carol. There is the Jim Carrey/Robert Zemeckis motion capture version from the 2000’s. The Albert Finney 70’s musical version. Why, even good ol’ Bill Murray did a version, as did Matthew McConnaghey – who could forget GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PAST? But, for me, the quintessential version has to be the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim. Perhaps it’s because I saw it on late night TV growing up, but the image of Michael Hordern’s MARLEY when he goes “ballistic” on Scrooge to get him to agree to meet the ghosts haunts my dreams to this day.
4). IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – most of you know this as the one where the Angel comes down and let’s a person see what happens to the world if they never were born. But I would challenge you to sit down and watch this movie closer. I think it is a movie about the cost of putting other’s in front of yourself. Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey is frustrated and stopped short of his desires time after time and the raging anger underneath the “good guy” image is strong. The supporting characters are top notch – Lionel Barrymore, the underrated Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers and Gloria Graham all give memorable performances. Special note should be given to Ward Bond and Frank Faylen as BERT the Cop and ERNIE the cab driver. The inspiration to Jim Henson for his characters of the same name that populate Sesame Street to this day.
3). WHITE CHRISTMAS – Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera Allen and everyone’s favorite busybody – Mary Wickes in a timeless classic musical directed by the great Michael Curtiz. It is filled with Irving Berlin’s songs and spectacular production numbers. They just don’t make them like this anymore.
2). ELF – a modern classic that made me take a second look at the genius talent that is Will Ferrell. Buddy the Elf is the type of character that we need at this time of year – pure and unspoiled by the crass commercialism that some have come to view Christmas by. Once again, Ferrrell is ably aided with a cast that includes such troopers as James Caan, Mary Steenburgen, Ed Asner, Zoey Deschanel, Peter Dinklage, Amy Sedaris and Leon Redbone’s Leon the Snowman . Of course, you had me at: “ …And Bob Newhart as Papa Elf”.
1). HOLIDAY INN – This is my one “go to” movie to get me into the Holiday spirit. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire as one of the earliest incarnations of “frenemies” in the movies. Bing leaves the hustle and bustle of NYC Club Life to open a quiet Inn way out in the “country” of Connecticut that will just be open on Holidays. We spend a year jumping from Holiday to Holiday with Irving Berlin songs like Easter Parade, Be Careful It’s My Heart, I’ve Got Plenty to Be Thankful For and, of course, the introduction of the song White Christmas. Bing’s singing and Fred’s dancing are at the top of the game and it is a glimpse into the past. Specifically, America in the 1940’s with their PATRIOTIC SONG, the depiction of Dinner Clubs and, most unfortunately, a Blackface number that shows we have come along way.
You are probably wondering where NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION, MIRACLE ON 34th STREET, the POLAR EXPRESS and A CHRISTMAS STORY are on my list. I like them all, but they just did not make my top 5.
TELEVISION:
5). RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER – Good ol’ Sam the Snowman, Yukon Cornelius, Hermey, Charlie-in-the-Box and, of course Rudolph. It gets knocked down a few pegs because both Donner and Santa Claus(!) are real jerks in this one.
4). A MUPPET FAMILY CHRISTMAS – The one Jim Henson special that was able to combine The Muppets, the Sesame Street Characters and the underappreciated Fraggle Rock folks! Well worth checking out if you haven’t seen it.
3). DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS – I, of course, speak of the “original” Chuck Jones cartoon from the ‘60’s with Boris Karloff as the narrator, not the Jim Carrey movie from a few years back that my kids seem to enjoy more.
2). A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS – Linus in the spotlight telling the real meaning of Christmas – ‘nuff said.
1). SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN – As a kid, I had a ton of questions as to the Origins of Santa Claus and along came this Rankin-Bass stop motion special that answered ALL of them, definitively for me. Need to know how Reindeer can fly? From the magic corn from the Winter Warlock (call me Winter). Who is Mrs. Claus? Why it’s Jessica the school teacher. Why did Santa start coming down the Chimney? To outsmart Burgermeister Meisterburger, of course. The only mystery it doesn’t solve is how did Jessica go from Barbie doll thin to Shirley Booth plump so fast as Mrs. Claus?
Now some of you may be asking me – how about THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS – the sequel to SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN which features Heat Miser and Snow Miser. Except for the part featuring those two, the rest of this special is pretty lame.
One other note – if you can ever find the Australian import A VERY BERRY CHRISTMAS starring the voicework of Colin Mochrie, check it out. It’s pretty dry and pretty funny. And that’s my top Christmas MOVIES and TV shows.
What’s yours? Happy Holidays!
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