Christmas Countdown: Classic Movies and Christmas Songs
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2011
Christmas movies are as anticipated as any aspect of the Christmas season. The comedies in particular spread joy all year. They provide wonderful quotes with which to enliven your conversations. Memorizing lines from your favorite Christmas movies will make you funnier and your friends happier.
Take “Elf,” for example. Snippets of dialogue can be adapted for everyday use. Whether a reference to “the yellow ones don’t stop” to a simple “wow … that was weird,” try inserting a line into ordinary conversation and reap the comedy harvest.
“Jingle All the Way” is another classic. Arnold made his name as an action star, but he’s at his best when hamming it up. And Sinbad’s crazed postal worker bounces expertly off of Arnold’s stressed-out straight-man. However, Phil Hartman steals the show. The last movie he ever completed may be his finest work. I could watch his first facial expression in the movie on repeat, and laugh perpetually. If you haven’t seen this underrated classic, watch it this year. And “don’t forget, you’re my number one customer.”
But “Home Alone” is the best of these Christmas comedies. John Hughes created not only a perfect Christmas movie, but a flawless motion picture for the ages. His shots, his characters, and John Williams’s soundtrack all combine for a brilliantly re-watchable experience.
“Home Alone”‘s quotes have become part of our culture’s lexicon. Surely you’ve heard “keep the change ya filthy animal,” “look what you did, you little jerk,” or “Buzz, your girlfriend–woof!” at various points throughout the year. But those are by no means the movie’s finest moments. Between the first “hang up the phone and make me why don’t ya?” and the final “honey, what’s this?” lies a treasure trove of comedic quips to keep you jolly all year.
A bit of controversy surrounds “Home Alone 2,” though. “Home Alone” is beloved, but fans of the first see either a worthy successor in the second, or a botched sequel. But it is equal in comedic brilliance and holiday cheer. Tim Curry’s and Rob Schneider’s respective characters make the film well worth your while. The addition of those two actors provides a depth of comedy not seen even in the first movie. “Yikes, I did it again” is in this case a jubilant exclamation of repeated Christmas fun.
I am not an advocate of watching Christmas movies all year. Christmas movies are for the Christmas season only. But by adopting dialogue from these seasonal favorites as your own, you can stay merry no matter the month.
Let’s move on to music. Many Christmas songs have been covered dozens of times, so we’ll compare well-known versions and determine the best.
Christina Aguilera falls short with her version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Her voice is astounding, but the spirit isn’t there. She sounds as if she’s showing off her voice rather than focusing on the Christmas aspect. The latter is more important in a seasonal song.
But Frank Sinatra’s “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is definitive. His voice contains far more soul. The emotion is clearly present in the vocals. Nostalgia itself courses through the song.
“Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” by Brenda Lee, is a masterpiece. The production is ahead of its time. The choral backing vocals bring to mind Phil Spector’s wall of sound, but the song was recorded two years before Spector began producing. The musicianship is equally astounding. The saxophone and bass intertwine expertly during the sax solo. Everything is spot-on, including the then-13-year-old Lee’s voice.
Amy Grant’s version is the most well known cover, but it’s weak. Grant’s clean vocals sound silly in a rock ‘n’ roll setting. Even this live version with the usually stellar Chet Atkins is no less anemic.
That’s all for now. If you’re in need of more movies, we talked to Kevin McCarthy, the movie critic for 106.7 FM and Fox 5. And check back for our final Christmas blogs, including some expert wrapping tips, and a look ahead to the area’s best New Year’s events.
Merry Christmas!
–Matt Basheda
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