[Film] A Christmas Story Christmas

[Rumpy]

The interesting thing about the original one is that I wouldn't have even been aware of it if TBS hadn't been doing a marathon showing each year. And ironically enough, it's not a channel we get any longer. It's good, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't necessarily call it an instant classic.

This is highly anecdotal.

I admit it is, but that's how I discovered it. I don't think I'd ever seen it on TV in Canada before then.

[FishPants]

The interesting thing about the original one is that I wouldn't have even been aware of it if TBS hadn't been doing a marathon showing each year. And ironically enough, it's not a channel we get any longer. It's good, don't get me wrong, but I wouldn't necessarily call it an instant classic.

This is highly anecdotal.

I admit it is, but that's how I discovered it. I don't think I'd ever seen it on TV in Canada before then.

Ehh it was a classic in my house when it came out, it was definitely on TV "back in the day".

[Rumpy]

I guess I was late in finding it and becoming aware of it.

[hepcat]

I would definitely call it an instant classic when it debuted. And its status decades later backs that claim up, I would say.

[Rumpy]

Wasn't it considered a flop though? It sounds like one of those movies that eventually became a "cult" classic over time.

[Octavious]

It wasn't a big hit in the theaters 19 million. It became popular afterwards which seems to be a thing with Christmas movies.

[hepcat]

According to its Wikipedia entry:

Initially overlooked as a sleeper film, A Christmas Story was released a week before Thanksgiving 1983 to moderate success, earning about $2 million in its first weekend. Roger Ebert, who gave the film four stars out of four and added the film to his "Great Movies" list, suggested the film had only modest success because holiday-themed films were not popular at the time.

But I still maintain it was an instant classic on debut. It received a lot of critical praise on release. That audiences didn't swarm to it is irrelevant. There are a lot of great films that don't get huge audiences on release.

I think a large part of your disconnect though is that as a Canadian, Christmas is sort of a meaningless Christian thing. Candianists believe that Christ wasn't the son of God, but rather a really good woodworker. As such, you don't have things like Christmas trees, Christmas presents, or Christmas goose...geese? You have "Boxing Day" where you give each other hand crafted, wooden storage chests. It really is a cultural thing.

[Rumpy]

I think a large part of your disconnect though is that as a Canadian, Christmas is sort of a meaningless Christian thing. Candianists believe that Christ wasn't the son of God, but rather a really good woodworker. As such, you don't have things like Christmas trees, Christmas presents, or Christmas goose...geese? You have "Boxing Day" where you give each other hand crafted, wooden storage chests. It really is a cultural thing.

While that's completely wrong, I do think you're right about it being a cultural thing. Ironically enough, most of the movie was shot in Canada. I don't think it has the same kind of cultural touchstone to us though.

Oh and Vanity Fair says:

Though the movie did respectable box office, it disappeared in just a few weeks. But over the years its popularity grew, and 14 years after its release, it had become such a staple of holiday fare that TNT began running it in a continuous loop at Christmastime.

Though I think they might have gotten the network wrong.

[hepcat]

While that's completely wrong

Sorry….”carpenter”.

[Blackhawk]

Ironically enough, most of the movie was shot in Canada. I don't think it has the same kind of cultural touchstone to us though.

That's why the sequel is being shot in Bulgaria. I bet they'll give it the appreciation it's due!

[Rumpy]

Sure, but it might not feel like 'America'

[hepcat]

Quite a bit of A Christmas Story was shot in Cleveland, Ohio in my birth state. We used to visit the Higbees featured in the movie as kids. For northern Ohioans it holds a special spot in our hearts because of that.

Also, isn’t Canada called America Lite?

Teasing aside, you are actually North Americans, you know.

[Rumpy]

As in the continent, yes. Technically that would make both Americans and Canadians North Americans. But we are different countries.

[hepcat]

Because we allow it, yes.

[Rumpy]

Here's a list of all the filming locations for the original movie.

https://screenrant.com/christmas-story- ... ns-trivia/

[hepcat]

They filmed more in Cleveland than I thought.

Also, they filmed the parade at 3 in the morning in Cleveland Public Square? Did they not have child labor rules for films back in those days?

[Rumpy]

And at 3 AM! Quite early for them when they should be in bed.

[YellowKing]

I took one for the team! And the verdict is.... it doesn't suck!

Is it filled with shameless nostalgia for the original? Oh absolutely. But having the original kid cast returning goes a long way, and Julie Hagerty fills in wonderfully for Melinda Dillon as Ma Parker.

But above all, Peter Billingsley gives the film the heart it needs to not feel exploitative. He does a great job embodying Ralphie once again, albeit in a middle-aged body.

While it doesn't come anywhere close to the original, there were a few laugh out loud moments and yes, maybe even a point where I got something in my eye.

[Daehawk]

Julie Hagerty

....The chick from Airplane is in it!?

[JCC]

I haven't watched this and have no plans to, as the odds of any new sequel being good are about as high as winning the Powerball. But any Xmas Story movie without Darren McGavin (who is a bit too dead to appear in this) is going to automatically pale in comparison. He is the source of 90% of the laughs in the original (which is a classic). There are other funny moments, but virtually every time McGavin is on screen he makes me laugh. Just his facial expressions are worthy of an Oscar. And I agree the ridiculous 24 hour marathon on 2 Turner networks has gone a long way to killing it for many - including to an extent me.

One of my funny memories of this, is that my youngest nephew (who is now 16) was terrified of the brief "teacher as a witch" scene to the point of being scared of watching even one second of the movie. This carried on to the point he still refused to watch a scene of the movie when he was way too old to have any right to be scared of this (or any other) movie. I'm glad he managed to get over this cinematic phobia before he got his driver's license!

[Inverarity]

I took one for the team! And the verdict is.... it doesn't suck!

Is it filled with shameless nostalgia for the original? Oh absolutely. But having the original kid cast returning goes a long way, and Julie Hagerty fills in wonderfully for Melinda Dillon as Ma Parker.

But above all, Peter Billingsley gives the film the heart it needs to not feel exploitative. He does a great job embodying Ralphie once again, albeit in a middle-aged body.

While it doesn't come anywhere close to the original, there were a few laugh out loud moments and yes, maybe even a point where I got something in my eye.

Hero!

I'm still not sure we can watch it, but this moved the needle ever so slightly to "eh, maybe"

[Carpet_pissr]

79% RT? Wow, I was expecting much less. Might actually watch it, but as mentioned upthread, to me at least, the comedic glue of the show was the Dad.

[YellowKing]

I don't consider this a spoiler since the entire trailer revolves around it, but one reason I wasn't too harsh on the film is that it serves as a loving tribute to Darren McGavin.

[Alefroth]

I believe it was called Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss.

That name sounds familiar.

[Isgrimnur]

[Octavious]

We just watched it and I loved it. Honestly the trailer doesn't do it justice. It's a loving tribute to the original movie.

[naednek]

I took one for the team! And the verdict is.... it doesn't suck!

Is it filled with shameless nostalgia for the original? Oh absolutely. But having the original kid cast returning goes a long way, and Julie Hagerty fills in wonderfully for Melinda Dillon as Ma Parker.

But above all, Peter Billingsley gives the film the heart it needs to not feel exploitative. He does a great job embodying Ralphie once again, albeit in a middle-aged body.

While it doesn't come anywhere close to the original, there were a few laugh out loud moments and yes, maybe even a point where I got something in my eye.

I told my wife, I think I like this version better.

[Octavious]

Julie Hagerty was flipping fantastic btw. Master of passive aggressive.

Spoiler:

And the whole scene with the christmas carolers. I was dying laughing. Hagerty was totally all in for that scene.

[Carpet_pissr]

Honestly the trailer doesn't do it justice.

So happy to read this, bc I love the OG and thought the trailer was barely ‘meh’.

[Octavious]

Seriously watch it. I'd be surprised if you were disappointed. There's a heart to the movie that shows pretty quickly. It does a lot of what you probably think it will, but in a way that makes you smile, not cringe.

[Scraper]

They filmed more in Cleveland than I thought.

Also, they filmed the parade at 3 in the morning in Cleveland Public Square? Did they not have child labor rules for films back in those days?

The house in the movie is fully restored and turned into a museum that you can tour. There is also a fairly big museum across the street from the house with all kinds of memorabilia and merch from the film. I took the kids there a couple of years ago in December and it was a fun family Christmas event. It's a little unusual because it is literally in the middle of an old Cleveland neighborhood with locals living all around it. There's also an old neighborhood bar across the street.

[Scraper]

Here's a link for the house. Apparently it's for sale as we speak.

https://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/

[Inverarity]

Weird timing. The goonies house is for sale too:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie ... 235268510/

Not sure I would ever want to live in a place where tourists just show up (even if it was affordable). That's basically my nightmare life scenario.


Back to the movie.... we're gonna give it a shot. And blame you folks.

[geezer]

Here's a link for the house. Apparently it's for sale as we speak.

https://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/

Controversy!

Anyway, put me down in the "it's actually a pretty enjoyable Christmas movie" group. Nostalgic and goofy, but comfortable and nice. (That said, I'm also the guy that's sad that they stopped making "A Christmas Prince" movies, so )

Also watched "Spirited." Loved it.

[Rumpy]

So, just watched this. It's good. They really did a great job on it, and I ended up enjoying it far more than I thought I would. In fact, dare I say it, I think I liked it better than the original? I never quite latched on to the original one like some others have, as I felt it was heavily cynical and mean-spirited, and something about it always rubbed me the wrong way.

But this was sweet without being schmaltzy and gets you into the holiday spirit nicely. As someone who doesn't have many ties to the original, with it being years since I've seen it, I still felt it was the kind of movie you could get into without a history of the original, as it feels like the kind of sequel that can stand on its own due to the way it's been written, ie would-be writer returns to hometown after parent passes away, which is kind of a standard. But it does enough of its own to put its own spin on things and it's a well-written story, sequel or not.

Yeah, I liked it. Quite a lot in fact. Wouldn't be surprised if this one were to become as much a classic as the original was.

[Carpet_pissr]

In fact, dare I say it, I think I liked it better than the original?

What in the actual hell. Has the world gone mad? You're the second person to say this. I better watch this thing before a third person says it, because the expectations are already through the roof for me at this point, given these comments.

Without the Dad?! Unpossible.

[Rumpy]

You better believe it, Mister!

I think it wins strong points for not heavily relying on that nostalgia from the original. It's there, It does make references, but it never tries to recreate it; never tries to recreate iconic scenes, like other famous sequels have ended up doing, and thank goodness for that. What it is is a well-written followup of an adult Ralphie and Family. And it pays a lovingly homage to the Old Man in the process. Part of what sells it is Peter Billingsley himself. He's grown as an actor and it's reflected a lot here. He's every bit as good as his old man was.

[Carpet_pissr]

He's every bit as good as his old man was.

Dude. Please. Just stop!

[Kraken]

In fact, dare I say it, I think I liked it better than the original?

What in the actual hell. Has the world gone mad? You're the second person to say this. I better watch this thing before a third person says it, because the expectations are already through the roof for me at this point, given these comments.

Without the Dad?! Unpossible.

Well, I hope you watched it because I'm that third person.

The sequel hits all the right notes to achieve the perfect tone. Heartwarming and nostalgic without being maudlin or saccharine, and it was a joy to see so many old characters updated by the original actors. I went in expecting disappointment and it didn't deliver.

[Rumpy]

One thing I noticed is that any references to the original don't linger. Other movies might be tempted to hammer at their references, but instead they're given subtle nods without overstaying their welcome. That ends up making the movie feel more grounded. Nostalgic in the right places, but not overdone.