You take that back about Muppet Christmas Carol! It is meant to be watched with undivided attention, under many blankets, with the kids on either side of you on the couch, on like November 30. And then you are meant to hide your real tears at Caine's performance at the end of the movie, and endure several days of Rizzo impressions from your 5yo. (At least that's what happens at my house 😂)
Ha! It’s very much become a Christmas Eve tradition here - although we’re very tempted by some of the sing-along showings happening in London this year
I think the interesting thing about category three is that I rarely remember these are even set at Christmas with the notable exception of Die Hard. I would say this backs up the assertion that the inclusion of Christmas in these films is often just a cynical move to profit from the season.
The more I think about it, the more I would argue that most Christmas stories are actually a combination of the first two categories. I find it much more fun to break them down into smaller sub-genres though. This is what makes all those rubbish Christmas films comforting (and still enjoyable imo) Is Christmas being saved, or just one family’s Christmas? Is it a story about charity or familial relationships? Is Santa’s son looking for a wife? Is a bakery/ department store/ tractor factory about to close? Etc, etc. You are right though. It is part of the ritual of Christmas more than anything - and I love it!
I suspect you’re right about the cynical set dressing of Christmas, there are only a few that actually use it well. I probably should have at least mentioned When Harry Met Sally, for instance, if only because, like Shane Black, Nora Ephron loves using Christmas as a setting. And there’s also The Apartment, probably the only seasonal film that is also one of the truly great works of cinema, which uses the season perfectly as a way to dramatise C. C. Baxter’s and Fran Kubelik’s isolation in the teeming city. Mind you, those are both New Year films too. As is The Hudsucker Proxy.
And I reckon I could build a pretty good argument defending Batman Returns, too
You take that back about Muppet Christmas Carol! It is meant to be watched with undivided attention, under many blankets, with the kids on either side of you on the couch, on like November 30. And then you are meant to hide your real tears at Caine's performance at the end of the movie, and endure several days of Rizzo impressions from your 5yo. (At least that's what happens at my house 😂)
Ha! It’s very much become a Christmas Eve tradition here - although we’re very tempted by some of the sing-along showings happening in London this year
Also, very much looking forward to checking out these podcast stories. Thank you so much!
Oh, I hope you enjoy them!
I think the interesting thing about category three is that I rarely remember these are even set at Christmas with the notable exception of Die Hard. I would say this backs up the assertion that the inclusion of Christmas in these films is often just a cynical move to profit from the season.
The more I think about it, the more I would argue that most Christmas stories are actually a combination of the first two categories. I find it much more fun to break them down into smaller sub-genres though. This is what makes all those rubbish Christmas films comforting (and still enjoyable imo) Is Christmas being saved, or just one family’s Christmas? Is it a story about charity or familial relationships? Is Santa’s son looking for a wife? Is a bakery/ department store/ tractor factory about to close? Etc, etc. You are right though. It is part of the ritual of Christmas more than anything - and I love it!
I suspect you’re right about the cynical set dressing of Christmas, there are only a few that actually use it well. I probably should have at least mentioned When Harry Met Sally, for instance, if only because, like Shane Black, Nora Ephron loves using Christmas as a setting. And there’s also The Apartment, probably the only seasonal film that is also one of the truly great works of cinema, which uses the season perfectly as a way to dramatise C. C. Baxter’s and Fran Kubelik’s isolation in the teeming city. Mind you, those are both New Year films too. As is The Hudsucker Proxy.
And I reckon I could build a pretty good argument defending Batman Returns, too