Thanks for this great list. I think Holiday Inn with Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby is so much better than White Christmas. I also love all the 1940s Christmas classics you noted, as well as Shop Around the Corner with Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, and Frank Morgan as well as Holiday Affair with Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh, and from the 1950s Susan Slept Here with Debbie Reynolds and Dick Powell and especially Glenda Farrell🎄
It's A Wonderful Life is not a great Christmas movie. In fact when I was young it had sunk into well deserved obscurity. Sometime in the mid-70's somebody failed to renew the copyright on it and suddenly one year it was on every station all the time. Those of us under the age of 40 had never heard of it. My father introduced us to the term Capra-Corn, which he claimed was widespread in 1946. Eventually some lawyers came up with a scheme to reassert the copyright, but by then people had been brainwashed into thinking it was part of Christmas by constant exposure.
The Christmas gem that didn't make your list is The Shop Around The Corner (1940) with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan. It's been remade a few times, most notably as You've Got Mail, but never as good.
I have learned of a few new (old) movies to watch, especially Remember the Night. Thank you! But ... how could you leave out The Holiday?? It's the family favorite (although I still insist on watching IAWL first, as the gold standard; sorry to disagree, Bruce). The Holiday has so much going for it: great cast, interesting plot, Pinterest-worthy English cottage, Jack Black crooning "Mrs. Robinson" while a disgusted Dustin Hoffman shakes his head in the video store. Ah, so satisfying! I will also vote for the 1970 Scrooge with Albert Finney and Alec Guinness as the best Christmas Carol adaptation. If you like musicals, this one's terrific.
a personal favorite is the wonderfully wistful "A Christmas Memory" teleplay based on Truman Capote short story (the original 1967 version, not the 1997 Hallmark mftv). Emmy and Peabody winning, starring Geraldine Page and narrated by Capote. p.s. in the other direction, no mention of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"?
My favorite is "Hogfather" from 2006. My (new) wife is a huge Terry Pratchett fan and our annual viewing is now part of our holiday tradition. It's so strange, like so much of Sir Terry, but the visuals are so great, in an updated "5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" kinda way. You can't beat Ian Richardson as Death and Michelle Dockery as his granddaughter. And yes, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie.
How lovely to have a conversation about Xmas movie memories! I love crowning new modern Christmas classics, that “must” be watched every season. For many years, it was Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, Judy David and the incomparable Glynis Johns in “The Ref.” Why didn’t screenwriter Marie Weiss become a superstar? It is one of the best comedies ever.
Then, in 2017, “Tangerine” rocked my Christmas consciousness forever. I loved it SO much that I found the director’s name on Twitter, (Sean Baker), WROTE him a letter (never done that before), he answered me, and long story short, I introduced him to the folks at the Criterion Collection, and the timing was perfect.
But back to Tangerine. “I PROMISE NO DRAMA!” So many great lines. Singing “Toyland” with Mya Taylor, so aching, so beautiful. James Ranson’s pimp is IT. Kiki and Mikey O’Hagen’s entire wild ride. The second story with Razmik, the cab driver. Best taxi movie ever, too. Best movie about sex work. Best movie about getting high. Best movie about a donut shop. Best movie about a car wash. Best movie ever shot on a motherfucking iPhone. I could go on and on! And you cry real tears about Christmas and friendship at the end.
A Christmas tv segment I’ve always loved is Edward G. Robinson in the Messiah on Main Street from Rod Sterling’s Night Gallery. One of the last performances of this great actor.
One short my brother tipped me off to: A Christmas Dream, done by Karel Zeman - 11 minutes, last year’s toy regains its rightful place with a great variety act. It’s available on Criterion and we’ll worth 11 minutes.
Thanks for this great list. I think Holiday Inn with Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby is so much better than White Christmas. I also love all the 1940s Christmas classics you noted, as well as Shop Around the Corner with Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, and Frank Morgan as well as Holiday Affair with Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh, and from the 1950s Susan Slept Here with Debbie Reynolds and Dick Powell and especially Glenda Farrell🎄
“Gremlins” begins with Darlene Love and includes that great chimney story. But my vote, other than Sim, is “Bad Santa.”
It's A Wonderful Life is not a great Christmas movie. In fact when I was young it had sunk into well deserved obscurity. Sometime in the mid-70's somebody failed to renew the copyright on it and suddenly one year it was on every station all the time. Those of us under the age of 40 had never heard of it. My father introduced us to the term Capra-Corn, which he claimed was widespread in 1946. Eventually some lawyers came up with a scheme to reassert the copyright, but by then people had been brainwashed into thinking it was part of Christmas by constant exposure.
The Christmas gem that didn't make your list is The Shop Around The Corner (1940) with Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan. It's been remade a few times, most notably as You've Got Mail, but never as good.
I have learned of a few new (old) movies to watch, especially Remember the Night. Thank you! But ... how could you leave out The Holiday?? It's the family favorite (although I still insist on watching IAWL first, as the gold standard; sorry to disagree, Bruce). The Holiday has so much going for it: great cast, interesting plot, Pinterest-worthy English cottage, Jack Black crooning "Mrs. Robinson" while a disgusted Dustin Hoffman shakes his head in the video store. Ah, so satisfying! I will also vote for the 1970 Scrooge with Albert Finney and Alec Guinness as the best Christmas Carol adaptation. If you like musicals, this one's terrific.
My all-time favorite Christmas movie is "12 Monkeys." 😊
Great discussion, personally I thought 1984 “Christmas Carol” with George C Scott was terrific. Always liked his energy.
a personal favorite is the wonderfully wistful "A Christmas Memory" teleplay based on Truman Capote short story (the original 1967 version, not the 1997 Hallmark mftv). Emmy and Peabody winning, starring Geraldine Page and narrated by Capote. p.s. in the other direction, no mention of "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians"?
My favorite is "Hogfather" from 2006. My (new) wife is a huge Terry Pratchett fan and our annual viewing is now part of our holiday tradition. It's so strange, like so much of Sir Terry, but the visuals are so great, in an updated "5,000 Fingers of Dr. T" kinda way. You can't beat Ian Richardson as Death and Michelle Dockery as his granddaughter. And yes, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie.
How lovely to have a conversation about Xmas movie memories! I love crowning new modern Christmas classics, that “must” be watched every season. For many years, it was Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, Judy David and the incomparable Glynis Johns in “The Ref.” Why didn’t screenwriter Marie Weiss become a superstar? It is one of the best comedies ever.
Then, in 2017, “Tangerine” rocked my Christmas consciousness forever. I loved it SO much that I found the director’s name on Twitter, (Sean Baker), WROTE him a letter (never done that before), he answered me, and long story short, I introduced him to the folks at the Criterion Collection, and the timing was perfect.
But back to Tangerine. “I PROMISE NO DRAMA!” So many great lines. Singing “Toyland” with Mya Taylor, so aching, so beautiful. James Ranson’s pimp is IT. Kiki and Mikey O’Hagen’s entire wild ride. The second story with Razmik, the cab driver. Best taxi movie ever, too. Best movie about sex work. Best movie about getting high. Best movie about a donut shop. Best movie about a car wash. Best movie ever shot on a motherfucking iPhone. I could go on and on! And you cry real tears about Christmas and friendship at the end.
I have to add (not a happy movie), Mon Oncle Antoine.
A Christmas tv segment I’ve always loved is Edward G. Robinson in the Messiah on Main Street from Rod Sterling’s Night Gallery. One of the last performances of this great actor.
One short my brother tipped me off to: A Christmas Dream, done by Karel Zeman - 11 minutes, last year’s toy regains its rightful place with a great variety act. It’s available on Criterion and we’ll worth 11 minutes.