MY REALLY BIG LIST OF THE GREAT CHRISTMAS MOVIES BY
DJ MR ED MULLEN
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
-1965, cartoon, Charles M. Schulz, writer and animator. First Charlie Brown comic strip in 1950. Cast over the years includes: Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus and Lucy Van Pelt, Schroeder (piano player), Violet, Sally Brown (Charlie’s sister), Peppermint Patty, Marcie (who called PP “sir”), Franklin and Pig-Pen. School teacher with the unintelligible voice.
Group sings “Hark The Herald Angels Sing” while around the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
The Beethoven song that Schroeder plays is “Fur Elise”.
Music Bonus: The most familiar song in this show is called, “Linus and Lucy”. Jazz piano player and composer, Vince Guaraldi hit the musical jackpot with the 1963 Grammy Award for “Cast Your Fate To The Wind”. It was a b-side of the 45 rpm, “Samba de Orpheus”. It was discovered by local jazz DJ’s. This hip San Franciscan beatnik had become a busy but, unknown session player, to a Grammy winning pianist to Schroeder’s best friend in just 2 years. Schulz lived in a small town called Sebastopol is a California town just 50 miles north of San Francisco. (Schulz lived there from 1958-1969, then Schulz moved to Santa Rosa CA for he rest of his career) Guaraldi was the toast of the SF Bay jazz scene, so their paths connected.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL by CHARLES DICKENS.
EBENEZER SCROOGE, main character. Published in 1843.
See rare movie shorts of this classic (1908 AND 1910).
1935, Seymour Hicks
1938, Reginald Owen
1949, Taylor Holmes (Narrated by Vincent Price)
1951, ALASTAIR SIM ( **. My Favorite! .** )
1962, Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol (Jim Backus, voice.
See “Yes, Virginia” -below-)
1970, Albert Finney
1983, Mickey Mouse’s Christmas Carol
1984, George C. Scott
1988, Bill Murray. “SCROOGED”
1992, Muppets Christmas Carol, Michael Caine as Scrooge
1999, Patrick Stewart
2009, Jim Carrey
A CHRISTMAS STORY
-1983, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon and Peter Billingslay as Ralphie.
Quick info: The Parker’s hometown is set in Hammond, Indiana but is shot in Cleveland, Ohio… but, they live on Cleveland Street. There were some Ontario, Canada sets. The secret decoder ring that Ralphie got from the Little Orphan Annie show was used to reveal his secret message which was an unsatisfying,
“Be sure to drink your Ovaltine”.
However, Ralphie’s most-wished for Christmas gift is the Red Ryder BB gun.
Go ahead, say the parental excuse for not having one.
“You’ll put your eye out”.
-The first 24-hour marathon was in 1988 on TNT (now shown on TBS). This helped place the film into the top shelf of American Christmas movie traditions. Its high ratings now make it a commercial success, too.
-Most of the film is shot in Cleveland and Toronto. Filmmakers tried to find a city, in 1983, that closely resembled a city in the 1940’s.
-The “snow” used in many of the scenes were soap flakes which made it (intentionally) slippery to walk on.
-The 1940 radio show that offered the secret decoder was “Little Orphan Annie” (1931 to 1942). In 1977, the story was revived on Broadway with the smash, ” Annie”.
DJ MR ED MULLEN :
My favorite all-time Christmas Movie is “A Charlie Brown Christmas”.
1Q-What did Lucy, as psychiatrist, diagnose Charlie Brown with?
2Q-Who won a Christmas decoration contest?
3Q-Charlie Brown complimented and criticized Pigpen by saying what?
4Q-Lucy self-appointed herself to what holiday royalty?
5Q-What gospel writer is quoted often by the Peanuts?
6Q-What two songs are played by Schroeder, in rehearsal. One difficult/one easy.
7Q-How does Lucy motivate Linus to learn his lines.
8Q-Who kisses Lucy?
9Q-What traditional Christmas carol is sung by the whole cast in the finale?
10Q-Who is the Peanuts legendary cartoonist?
11Q-Who is the jazz pianist that plays the famous Charlie Brown theme music.
1A-Lucy said that Charlie Brown may have “pantophobia”, the fear of everything.
2A-Snoopy won a best “Christmas light decoration” contest that steamed Charlie Brown.
3A-Pigpen is the only person who can raise a cloud of dust in a snow storm, says Charlie Brown.
4A-Lucy appointed herself the ‘Christmas Queen’
5A-The gospel that is referenced by the Peanuts was the Gospel of Luke.
6A-Piano-playing Schroeder played “Fur Elise” by Beethoven and one other slightly easier Christmas song, Jingle Bells
7A-Lucy told Linus to learn his lines for the play. Here is five good reasons. She counts her fingers as she makes a fist.
8A-Lucy is kissed by Snoopy. Cue Lucy for her ‘dog germ’ fit!
9A-“Hark The Herald Angels Sing”, the finale.
10A-Charles Schultz, cartoonist
11A-Vince Guaraldi, jazz pianist.
ELF
-2003, Will Farrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner as Santa.
FESTIVUS
-1997 (Seinfeld episode). Frank Costanza celebrates Festivus, for the rest of us. This holiday includes an undecorated Festivus Pole, the “Airing of Grievences” and the “Feats of Strength”. Laughing? I hope.
FROSTY THE SNOWMAN
-1969, cartoon, Jimmy Durante (narrator), Jackie Vernon (Frosty).
Q1- What are Frosty’s first words?
A1-As that hat is placed upon his head his first words are: “Happy Birthday”.
THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS
-1966, cartoon. written by DR. SEUSS
(a.k.a. Theodore Geisel from Springfield Massachusetts)
The dog’s name was Max. The town was Whoville.
Narrated by Boris Karloff (the most famous horror movie actor)
The theme song is sung by baritone, Thurl Ravenscroft. Ravenscroft was a singer whose career began in the 1940’s and sang many Disney classic’s like “Everybody Wants To Be A Cat” from ‘The AristoCats”.
Voice of Tony The Tiger (Frosted Flakes, cereal) beginning in 1952. “They’re Great!”.
(see www.allthingsthurl.com)
THE GRINCH WHO STOLE CHRISTMAS
-2003, Jim Carrey. Ron Howard-Director.
HOLIDAY INN
-1942, Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire.
This movie features the debut of the song “White Christmas”.
The film’s sequel is released in 1954, it is called “White Christmas”.
HOME ALONE
-1990. Macauley Culkin. Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern.
Written/Produced by John Hughes (prolific writer, director, producer).
1992, Part 2
1997, Part 3
2002, Part 4
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
(Is this the greatest Christmas Movie of all-time?)
-1946, Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore (his grand-daughter is Drew Barrymore).
Director – Frank Kapra
American Film Institute ranks it: #11 of the century’s best.
Internet Movie Data Base ranks it #29 (users of IMDB.com, a.k.a. avid movie lovers) and top Christmas film.
Q1-What is Zuzu’s famous quote when she hears a bell ring?
Q2-How many Academy Awards did the film/actors win? It was nominated in 5 categories.
Q3-Name the town.
Q4-Name Jimmy Stewart’s (George) guardian angel.
Q5-Name the local police officers. These first names later appear on Sesame Street.
Q6-How much money did Uncle Billy misplace?
A1-Zuzu says: “Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings”.
A2-The film did not win any Oscars.
A3-Bedford Falls
A4-Clarence
A5-Bert and Ernie (when asked, Jim Henson denies it as coincidence)
A6-The lost deposit was $8000.00
JOYEUX NOEL
-2006, The topic is the 1914 Christmas Eve Truce in World War I France. Based on a real story, German and British soldiers briefly stop their trench war.
Johnny Marks (The greatest Christmas pop songwriter?)
(1909-1985) born in Mt. Vernon, New York. Inducted onto the Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1981.
-Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer sung by Gene Autry in 1949.
-I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day (Marks put his 1956 music to the 1863 poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow).
-Run Rudolph Run by Chuck Berry in 1958.
-Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree in 1958 by Brenda Lee.
The 1964 “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer” TV Special included :
-A Holly Jolly Christmas
-Jingle, Jingle, Jingle
-The Most Wonderful Day of the Year
-Silver And Gold
-We Are Santa’s Elves
-There’s Always Tomorrow
-The Island Of Misfit Toys
-We’re A Couple Of Misfits.
MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET
-1947, Maureen O’Hara, Edmund Gwenn (Kris Kringle) and the 9-year old, Natalie Wood
NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
-1989, Chevy Chase. Written by prolific John Hughes (see “Home Alone” above)
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
-1993, Stop motion, cartoon musical. Tim Burton, co-written/co-produced. Also, Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects, 1994. Music/words by Danny Elfman.
-2006, (re-released original in 3-D)
THE NUTCRACKER , (1892) Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
The Nutcracker Ballet is based on the book called “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” written by E.T.A. Hoffman.
In 1891, the legendary choreographer Marius Petipa commissioned Tchaikovsky to write the music for the Nutcracker Ballet. Also, in May 1891 Carnegie Hall opened featuring Tchaikovsky, himself, as conductor. (Originally called “Music Hall”). (www.nytimes.com , “The Artifacts of Tchaikovsky’s Visit”)
In 1892, the first showing of the Nutcracker took place at the Mariinsky Theatre of Russia, home of the Kirov Ballet.The Nutcracker made its way to Western Europe in the 1930’s and to America by 1940, performed by Ballet Russe. (www.nutcrackerballet.org)
-The Nutcracker Suite (Opus 71a) contains several classical pieces that the non-classical music lover knows. The Nutcracker’s Overture, the March, the Waltz of the Flowers, the Russian Dance, the Dance of the Reed Pipes and the Waltz of the Sugar Plum Fairy are easily recognized by many even though the titles may seem mysterious.
It is ironic that the Russian Tchaikovsky plays such a big part of the American musical spectrum. The beloved Nutcracker has been an American staple since its debut in the 1940’s. But no Fourth Of July celebration would be complete without Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, just ask the Boston Pops.
THE POLAR EXPRESS
-2004, C G I cartoon. Tom Hanks, voice. Steven Tyler (Aerosmith) sings, ” Rocking On Top Of The World”.
RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER
-1964, Stop-Action figures in a cartoon setting. Stop-motion aninamtion. Burl Ives.
Characters: Sam the Snowman (narrator), Rudolph, Hermy, Yukon Cornelius, Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Clarice, Donner (Clarise’ father), Charlie In The Box.
Sponsor: Norelco Electric Shavers.
Music Bonus: Johnny Marks wrote the original music:
“Jingle Jingle Jingle”, “We Are Santa’s Elves”, “There’s Always Tomorrow”,
“We’re A Couple of Misfits”, “Fame and Fortune”, “Silver and Gold”,
“The Most Wonderful Day of the Year”, “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and
“Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”.
In 1949, Gene Autry hit Number One with “Rudolph”.
In 1958, Marks also co-wrote “Run Rudolph Run” performed by Chuck Berry.
SANTA CLAUS, the creation of his modern image.
– c.300 A.D. – ST. NICHOLAS of Myra. (Now Demre, Turkey; then Myra, Greece) Patron saint of children in the Western Hemisphere. Patron saint of sailors and ships in Europe, Africa and Asia.
– 1844 – Professor CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE published “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas” (1822 published anonymously)
– 1863 – Caricaturist THOMAS NAST (Harper’s Weekly) portrayed “Santa” in his artwork.
( www.history.com
See www.History.com (A&E) “The History Of Christmas”, 4 min. video)
SANTA CLAUSE IS COMING TO TOWN
1970, cartoon. Fred Astaire (narrator), Mickey Rooney (Kris Kringle)
SNOOPY.
On Christmas Eve 1914, World War I battlefield soldiers declared a Christmas truce depicted in many movie such as Joyeux Noël (2006). Snoopy and the Red Baron depict this touching Christmas moment in cartoon fashion. (see also www.1914-1918.net)
What special did Snoopy fight the Red Baron in?
1 – “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” is probably the one most people remember. It has a sequence where Snoopy gets on his Sopwith Camel (his doghouse), fights the Red Baron, is shot down behind enemy lines, escapes through no-man’s land, and eventually reappears at Violet’s Halloween party.
2 – The movie “A Boy Named Charlie Brown” has a very similar scene to “Great Pumpkin” of Snoopy imagining he’s in a dogfight, but it’s shorter and doesn’t have the crawl through No Man’s Land.
3 – “He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown” also has an extended World War I flying ace theme; Snoopy fights the Red Baron in the beginning, and later imagines he’s on leave in Paris, is a prisoner of war, and throws a grenade.The above Q+A (One Q and three answers) from www.fivecentsplease.org www.fivecentsplease.org .
Music Bonus: In 1966, THE ROYAL GUARDSMEN had hit records called, “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron” and “Snoopy’s Christmas” that loosely deal with WWI, the 1914 Christmas truce, the real Baron Von Richthofen and Snoopy. Note at 1:45 the funky break, recalls the McCoys hit, “Hang On Sloopy” (funny, not Snoopy).
The record’s chorus:
“Ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty or more,
the bloody Red Baron was rollin’ up the score.
Eighty died tryin’ to end that spree,
to stop the bloody Red Baron of Germany”.
(You Tube video: {www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oxzg_iM-T4E}
THE SANTA CLAUSE
-1994, Tim Allen.
-2002, Part 2.
-2006, Part 3. (The Escape Clause).
‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
-1823 – The poem is published anonymously in the Trenton Sentinal (NY).
Its title was : A VISIT FROM ST. NICHOLAS. (Was Major Henry Livingston the real author?)
-1844 – The poem appears in a collection by CLEMENT CLARKE MOORE. There are 4 hand-written copies in existance. Moore was an American of Dutch descent and was inspired by Washington Irving’s “Knickerbocker History” and “The Children’s Friend”.
(www.reasontobelieve.com and urban legends in www.about.com)
A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS
-1988, The Brady Bunch (all original characters, except CINDY) Original show 1969-74.
WHITE CHRISTMAS (sequel to “Holiday Inn”)
-1954, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney.
A YEAR WITHOUT SANTA CLAUS
-1974, Stop Action cartoon. Shirley Booth (Mrs Claus), Mickey Rooney (Santa), Dick Shawn (Snow-mizer) and George Irving (Heat-mizer)
YES VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS
-1974, Jim Backus (see Gilligan’s Island:Thurston Howell III, voice of cartoon: Mr. Magoo)
-1991, Richard Thomas
Most movie information is collected from the Internet Movie Data Base
(www.imdb.com )
Please comment. See right column.
Written by DJ Mr Ed Mullen (2009)
