EACH DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS, WE’LL PROFILE A TITLE WORTHY OF YOUR HOLIDAY VIEWING PLEASURE.
A CHRISTMAS STORY (PG)
Article by Adam Mast
Well, we’ve come to an end with our “Twelve Days of Christmas” column and I can’t help but feel a little bit sad that there are so many great holiday titles that we didn’t even get to touch upon. So many wonderful Christmas movies, not nearly enough time. Still, we’ve covered some great ones here, and we’re closing out with what I believe to be the absolute best of the best.
Listen, I know this stuff is all subjective and I also recognize that there are some folks out there who don’t think all the fuss surrounding A CHRISTMAS STORY is warranted. Not to sound like a movie snob, but I feel sorry for those people. I adore this flick on a monumental level. I enjoy it to the point that it’s not only my all time favorite Christmas movie (beating out the likes of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, and CHRISTMAS VACATION), but it also occupies a spot on my “Top 20 Greatest Films of All Time” list! Yes, I love it that much.
Why? A lot of reasons actually, but beyond the obvious nostalgia factor and the brilliantly unforgettable tiny little nuances peppered throughout, what I really love about Bob Clark’s affectionate adaptation of Jean Shepherd’s wonderful memoirs, is the creative way in which A CHRISTMAS STORY celebrates the spirit of youth. Honestly, this movie truly understands what it’s like to be a kid. Particularly during the holidays.
Peter Billingsley’s Ralphie is such a joy and his trials and tribulations over the course of a magical Christmas season are instantly relatable. Even though A CHRISTMAS STORY takes place during the 1940’s, it’s timeless because we all have a little bit of Ralphie Parker inside of us; That yearning for the perfect Christmas gift, the daydreaming, the daily challenges that come with being a kid, etc. It’s all in there.
What an iconic piece of filmmaking this is and it’s a mind boggling scrambler to consider that A CHRISTMAS STORY was directed by the same man who made the definitive 80’s teen sex comedy opus, PORKY’S. In fact, it has often been implied–playfully so– that the young boys in A CHRISTMAS STORY would grow into the rambunctious teens at the center of PORKY’S.
A CHRISTMAS STORY is sentimental, gentle, and filled to the brim with Christmas spirit, but it also has bite. Some folks find certain aspects of the movie to be on the mean-spirited side, but I’ve never looked at it that way. A CHRISTMAS STORY simply offers up an appropriately skewed perspective. Translation; Some things are considerably more dramatic and over the top when seen through the eyes of a child. Be it the importance of that all elusive Christmas gift, the sheer torture at the hands of the town bullies, or the intimidating crossing of paths with an overworked department store Santa and his pushy elves. To a kid, these things can leave quite an impression.
A CHRISTMAS STORY is one iconic moment after the next; The tongue sticking to the pole, the pink Easter bunny suit, “Be sure to drink your Ovaltine,” the Bumpus’ dogs, “Oh fudge,” Chinese Turkey for Christmas dinner, mom and dad arguing over the destruction of a most unusual lamp… The list goes on, and on, and on.
Of course, I can’t write about A CHRISTMAS STORY without mentioning the delightfully on point performances by sweet Melinda Dillon, the great Darren McGavin, and an undeniably lively Billingsley. In fact, the entire cast is pitch perfect. In fact, A CHRISTMAS STORY is comprised of performances so perfect, you couldn’t possibly imagine any other actors playing any of these roles.
As filmgoers, most of us have a handful of go-to-movies that speak to us on an almost indescribable level. Films that simply resonate with us and warm our hearts in all the right ways. A CHRISTMAS STORY is one of those titles for me. A movie I simply never tire of. A film that isn’t just for children but one that awakens the child in all of us. A CHRISTMAS STORY is a classic and I can’t think of a better note to end our “Twelve Days of Christmas” column on. Happy Holidays, everyone!
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
DAY 11- MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (1947) – CLICK HERE
DAY 10- NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION – CLICK HERE
DAY 9- THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS – CLICK HERE
DAY 8- HOME ALONE – CLICK HERE
DAY 7 – RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER– CLICK HERE
DAY 6- GREMLINS – CLICK HERE
DAY 5- MEET JOHN DOE– CLICK HERE
Day 4- IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – CLICK HERE
Day 3- DIE HARD – CLICK HERE
Day 2- ELF – CLICK HERE
Day 1- KRAMPUS – CLICK HERE
A very MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!
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