The holidays are ripe with traditions, whether it’s setting up the Christmas tree, eating lots of food or giving gifts, Christmas movies are always a big part of the season.
This year, I wanted to focus on holiday movies people might not have heard of, but are worth checking out for anyone curious, or if you’ve grown tired of watching “Elf” or “Home Alone” for the thousandth time. That isn’t to say I’m not still going to watch “Gremlins” and “Die Hard” with as much enthusiasm as I do every year.
It’s just fun to try new things each year, and to discover some of the weird ideas people have come up with to cash in on Christmas, like a good American should.
Here are five Christmas films I’ll be checking out this year. They are in no particular order, but hopefully present a variety of options to satisfy just about anyone’s taste.
“Christmas in Connecticut” (1945)
This one is a classic, but surprisingly gets overlooked in favor of other old films like “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
“Christmas in Connecticut” is about a famous columnist, Elizabeth Lane (Barbara Stanwyck), who writes for a New York publication about being the perfect housewife, describing elegant recipes, and life on her farm in Connecticut with her husband and child. The real Elizabeth Lane lives in an apartment in the city, and doesn’t even know the first thing about boiling water.
When soldiers return home from the war, one is chosen by Lane’s boss to accompany him to Lane’s “farm” for a Christmas dinner made by the publication’s most-popular columnist. Antics ensue as she and her editor scramble to come up with a meal, a farm, a husband, a baby and a whole lot more to save their jobs.
Personally, I love old movies, but this one especially turned out to be a lot more entertaining and funny than I expected and will be a fun rewatch next year.
“Black Christmas” (1974)
Another old classic, but from a much different era. It’s a horror movie, so if that’s not your thing, there’s still three more choices after this.
This Canadian film not only uses Christmas as a means for tension, suspense and atmosphere, but “Black Christmas” set the tone for a lot of horror movies over the next two decades. What’s scarier is that it was inspired by real murders that took place in Montreal, Quebec, and uses perhaps the creepiest urban legend of the “man calling from a phone in a room upstairs.”
The story is about a group of sorority sisters who are tormented by a man who begins leaving threatening phone calls during a Christmas party. The caller makes moaning sounds and eventually tells the girls he is going to kill them. You can guess what happens next.
It’s still pretty scary for a 43-year-old movie from back when the modern-era was still trying to figure out horror movies. Don’t see the remake.
“Santa with Muscles” (1996)
This yuletide classic features the acting skills of the much-revered poet, thespian and American hero, Hulk Hogan.
Portraying a crazy self-made millionaire health tycoon, Hogan’s character experiences amnesia after hitting his head while being chased by police through a shopping mall and hiding in a Santa suit. When he comes to, he begins to think he is the real Santa Claus, and proceeds to save an orphanage from an evil scientist hellbent on destroying it and stealing the “magical crystals” buried underground.
I kid you not, that’s the plot. It was only released for two weeks back in 1996 before critics tore it to shreds. Luckily this masterpiece is on YouTube in its entirety.
“The Shop Around the Corner” (1940)
I think I’m over “It’s a Wonderful Life,” at least for this year. Fortunately, there is another classic Jimmy Stewart Christmas film to enjoy. If you like “You’ve Got Mail,” then you know the basic plot.
Set in the years leading up to World War II, the story is about two employees at a leathergoods shop in Budapest, and they absolutely hate each other. However, what they don’t realize is they are falling in love with each other through anonymous correspondents letters.
The time in which both parties finally meet takes place on Christmas Eve. It’s a sweet movie, but has a few heavy themes, such as suicide and how Christmas isn’t always a happy time for everyone.
“Trailer Park Boys Christmas Special” (2004)
If vulgarity, alcohol and drug-related humor with a positive message isn’t your cup of tea, then we are done here. For those who know the magic and charm of the three boys from Sunnyvale Trailer Park, you know they’re always a fun time.
There are countless hours of “Trailer Park Boys” episodes, movies and specials on Netflix, but the original Christmas special from 2004 remains one of the best things they’ve done.
Set in 1998 and serving as sort of a prequel, the special centers around everyone’s own agenda during Christmas. Julian runs a business of selling stolen Christmas trees and gifts, Ricky tries to get back together with the mother of his child, and Bubbles simply wants to spend Christmas with the friends and family he loves, hoping his real parents return home after being gone for so many years.
Of course, everything goes wrong for the boys, with gunfights, drunk Santas and a few car wrecks. Above all, there is a tender message about what it means to have a family, and that it doesn’t always have to be blood-related. It’s also great to see the origins of things like Ricky’s beat up car, Randy and Lahey’s “relationship” and a lot of the show’s popular side characters.
Jay Powell is a reporter for The Daily Herald. Contact him at jpowell@c-dh.net or follow him on Twitter @JayPowellCDH.
http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/lifestyle/20171223/watch-different-christmas-movie
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