If you’re looking for some great stuff to put on the DVD player while you’re wrapping and decorating, or just enjoying a mug of hot chocolate, Dirty Harry has a terrific list, WITH appreciative quickie reviews. I agree with most of the films and the ratings (although I am a forever fan of A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sims). Check it out - excellent work.
December 21st, 2007 at 11:21 am
I will confess, I don’t get the whole Alistair Sim Christmas Carol thing. My family loves the George C. Scott version; we have a family tradition of reading A Christmas Carol every year. The GCS version of the film is most accurate to the story (followed closely by Muppet Christmas Carol, oddly enough), plus has a wonderful cast, and fabulous music.
It wasn’t until recently that I began to love It’s A Wonderful Life. As a kid, it just didn’t resonate–I think you have to have gone through some disappointment and abandoned dreams for it to makes sense. But now I can’t get enough of Capra movies in general, and I love It’s A Wonderful Life.
Have you read Capra’s autobiography? It’s really impressive, and a good read. It’s called The Name Above the Title, and you can get it on Amazon.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:38 pm
[...] Election2008, Fourth Estate, Greenhouse THIS, Politics) The Anchoress posted a link to the 25 Best Christmas movies. While checking the list out, I found this gem of a review of It’s a Wonderful Life. [...]
December 21st, 2007 at 1:16 pm
Hi, Anchoress - Hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Tag - You’re it! Time to share your input on this Christmas questionnaire.
December 23rd, 2007 at 8:56 am
[...] The Anchoress has the 25 greatest Christmas movies [...]
December 25th, 2007 at 4:17 am
Yes, Mr. Sims is in one of the best versions.
Bah Humbug Indeed…
I sort of like the musical effort with Albert Finny from 1970.
Of course there are so many different Christmas Films, some go unnoticed these days.
I like the old “Tenth Avenue Angel” with Margaret O’Brien.
http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article/?cid=27935
“Tenth Avenue Angel (1948) was one of O’Brien’s most trouble-plagued films. Begun in 1946, this story of a New York tenement child who learns some hard truths about her family and friends took 18 months to reach theaters…”
December 25th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
[...] 25 GREAT Christmas Movies …. [...]