The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[SplashJacket]

Happy Halloween.

View attachment 675927

This would be a collectors item if it were real

 

[D.Silentu]

Not to mention the beautifully performed "There's Always Tomorrow" number which still makes me tear up in a good way.

That one always stuck with me, though I haven't seen the special in years. Glad to see I'm not the sole fan.

 

[brb1006]

Those Rankin/Bass specials stand the test of time. I just love them! And I'd forgotten how cute Clarice is. I'm putting it on my watch list for December now. I don't think I've seen that one in years and years.

Even as I end tonight's session of card addressing and thoughtful, lovely sentiment to friends and family... I must admit that the Christmas spirit doesn't set in with me until around December 15th.

But when it does, watch out!

One of my favorite things to do right around the 15th to get things started is playing the DVD of the Dean Martin Christmas Special from 1968. It's now on YouTube in very good quality. So classy, so sweet! And in Living Color!

If you want some traditional 20th century Christmas cheer, complete with go-go dancing Golddigger Girls, fabulous music, and surprise celebrity guests, it's a much watch! It's a great thing to wrap presents to.

Here's a fun fact about the original Rudolph special and a tribute to Clarice's original voice actress.

Janis Orenstein (Clarice) managed to pull of performing "There's Always Tommorow" in a single take at the age of 15. Apparently, the crew loved her performance so much that they kept it in without doing another recording session. Orenstein would later retire from voice acting to start a career as an opera singer. She would perform opera across Europe and other countries during her lifetime.

It's a shame there are no audio or video recordings of her opera performances. Because her singing is so angelic and comforting to hear on par with Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman. While I'm not into opera, I seriously wished to be a fly on the wall just to hear more of her singing during her opera days. Something that's extremely rare in the voice acting community.

Knowing Billie Mae Richards (Rudolph) and Orenstein (Clarice) both passed away on the same year (2010). It makes my heart feel satisfied and comfort to know that Rudolph and Clarice will truely be together forever and Orenstein still singing her heart out to everybody. ❤

 

[Phroobar]

Some of our favorite Christmas specials are the Muppet ones.
The Muppet Family Christmas - includes appearances from the Sesame Street gang and Fraggle Rock and Jim Henson himself.
The Muppets Christmas Carol - we watch this movie over and over along with the Albert Finney Scrooge musical.
John Denver and the Muppets - A Christmas Together - classic John Denver music. We have the CD.
The Christmas Toy - The same plot as Toy Story but done years earlier. (and better)
Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas - Retelling of the Gift of the Maji.

The Muppets did some great specials back in the 70s & 80s. None of these except Christmas Carol are on Disney+. Today's Disney would probably put a cultural warning on them.

 

[Rich T]

Favorite Chirstmas Viewing:

TV Specials:

Chuck Jone’s Grinch (Chuck Jones, Boris Karloff, June Foray, AND Thurl Ravenscroft!!!)
Charlie Brown Christmas (…”Real estate.”)
Rudolph and Frosty (but NOT the one with both of them)
Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol (The world’s FIRST animated Christmas special is still a heartbreaking charmer that transcends its Magoo intro and outro! “When You’re Alone in the World” and “Winter was Warm” are two of the saddest, most amazing Christmas songs ever written.)

Movies:

Klaus. If you haven’t yet seen this Netflix-produced masterpiece, do try to check it out. Stunning animation (hand-drawn and enhanced with CG shading), great voice cast, and a clever, unique, somewhat dark and heartbreaking take on the origin of Santa Claus. Nominated for Best Animated Feature Oscar, and it should have won. I cannot get through the final ten minutes without bawling my eyes out.

Arthur Christmas (The Aardman Studios feature film, NOT “Arthur’s Christmas” the Aardvark PBS kids show). Starts off reminiscent of Prep and Landing, but quickly goes off on its own wonderful story about three generations of Santas.

Polar Express: I’m ok with the creepy mocap here, because it’s supposed to feel like a weird dream. What I love most is how well it captures (in several great scenes) that specific scary feeling when a dream very suddenly turns into a nightmare involving heights, out-of-control speeds, or being suddenly left alone In a scary place.

A Christmas Story. It was more fun before it became a pop culture icon, but it’s so sweet, low-budget imaginative, and perfectly cast, that it still works. One great scene after another. I saw this in a theater during its initial run. No one there had a clue what to expect. It was one of my favorite theater experiences ever.

 

[TwilightZone]

Polar Express: I’m ok with the creepy mocap here, because it’s supposed to feel like a weird dream.

As a kid, I used to think they were all real actors, same as every other kid from that era. I have lots of fondness for it and the art even though it hasn't aged the greatest due to those childhood memories. Think it was the first movie that gave me a real appreciation for CGI

 

[lazyboy97o]

A Christmas Story. It was more fun before it became a pop culture icon, but it’s so sweet, low-budget imaginative, and perfectly cast, that it still works. One great scene after another. I saw this in a theater during its initial run. No one there had a clue what to expect. It was one of my favorite theater experiences ever.

In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, the book partially adapted into A Christmas Story, is a great little read.

 

[brb1006]

Favorite Chirstmas Viewing:

TV Specials:

Chuck Jone’s Grinch (Chuck Jones, Boris Karloff, June Foray, AND Thurl Ravenscroft!!!)
Charlie Brown Christmas (…”Real estate.”)
Rudolph and Frosty (but NOT the one with both of them)
Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol (The world’s FIRST animated Christmas special is still a heartbreaking charmer that transcends its Magoo intro and outro! “When You’re Alone in the World” and “Winter was Warm” are two of the saddest, most amazing Christmas songs ever written.)

Movies:

Klaus. If you haven’t yet seen this Netflix-produced masterpiece, do try to check it out. Stunning animation (hand-drawn and enhanced with CG shading), great voice cast, and a clever, unique, somewhat dark and heartbreaking take on the origin of Santa Claus. Nominated for Best Animated Feature Oscar, and it should have won. I cannot get through the final ten minutes without bawling my eyes out.

Arthur Christmas (The Aardman Studios feature film, NOT “Arthur’s Christmas” the Aardvark PBS kids show). Starts off reminiscent of Prep and Landing, but quickly goes off on its own wonderful story about three generations of Santas.

Polar Express: I’m ok with the creepy mocap here, because it’s supposed to feel like a weird dream. What I love most is how well it captures (in several great scenes) that specific scary feeling when a dream very suddenly turns into a nightmare involving heights, out-of-control speeds, or being suddenly left alone In a scary place.

A Christmas Story. It was more fun before it became a pop culture icon, but it’s so sweet, low-budget imaginative, and perfectly cast, that it still works. One great scene after another. I saw this in a theater during its initial run. No one there had a clue what to expect. It was one of my favorite theater experiences ever.

I don't care if The Polar Express gets mocked due to the weird mo-cap. It's one of the very few recent Christmas Movies (especially animated) that perfectly captures the Christmas feeling and atmosphere. Mainly the soundtrack and the film's theme song "Believe".

 

[D.Silentu]

The Muppet Family Christmas - includes appearances from the Sesame Street gang and Fraggle Rock and Jim Henson himself.

Poor Jim gets stuck washing the dishes!

 

[DrAlice]

Our faves are similar to a lot of yours:

The Grinch (The original with Boris Karloff)
The Polar Express
Muppet Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol (1938 version starring Reginald Owen & Gene Lockhart)
Rudolph TV special (with Clarice, etc.)
Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Story

Now this last one is not a favorite of mine, but since it's a must-see for a family member, we watch it EVERY YEAR: It's a Wonderful Life. I don't dislike it, but I could skip it and wouldn't feel like I've missed out on something. I can't say the same for the likes of Polar Express, Christmas Story and the Grinch. Those MUST be watched every year.

 

[Californian Elitist]

My top three are Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas (original animated version), A Charlie Brown Christmas, and White Christmas. All three are classics, and the choreography and dancing in White Christmas alone make the entire movie worth it.

 

[lazyboy97o]

The Muppet Christmas Carol is the best A Christmas Carol movie.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Our faves are similar to a lot of yours:

The Grinch (The original with Boris Karloff)
The Polar Express
Muppet Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol (1938 version starring Reginald Owen & Gene Lockhart)
Rudolph TV special (with Clarice, etc.)
Charlie Brown Christmas
A Christmas Story

Now this last one is not a favorite of mine, but since it's a must-see for a family member, we watch it EVERY YEAR: It's a Wonderful Life. I don't dislike it, but I could skip it and wouldn't feel like I've missed out on something. I can't say the same for the likes of Polar Express, Christmas Story and the Grinch. Those MUST be watched every year.

It’s exactly the same with my family lol. We watch It’s a Wonderful Life every year, but I personally can go without out. I do enjoy the movie and thinks it’s a great story, but I didn’t grow up watching it, and I think that’s why I’m not really attached to it. But, as I said, it’s a good film.

 

[VJ]

the year without a santa claus (1974) is my favorite christmas special

it deserves more love, honestly

 

[Phroobar]

I guess no one likes the classics White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut or Miracle on 34th Street.

 

[Phroobar]

For some reason the yearly Bob Hope Christmas Specials were always on in our house.

 

[Rich T]

I guess no one likes the classics White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut or Miracle on 34th Street.

Love them all; I’ve just got others I enjoy even more!

The only part of White Christmas I can’t stand is that whole third act sequence about the “misunderstanding” caused by the eavesdropping employee. I hate that plot device any time a show or movie uses it. The movie’s charming enough to not need it.

 

[Phroobar]

Love them all; I’ve just got others I enjoy even more!

The only part of White Christmas I can’t stand is that whole third act sequence about the “misunderstanding” caused by the eavesdropping employee. I hate that plot device any time a show or movie uses it. The movie’s charming enough to not need it.

Isn't that every episode of Three's Company?

 

[Californian Elitist]

Love them all; I’ve just got others I enjoy even more!

The only part of White Christmas I can’t stand is that whole third act sequence about the “misunderstanding” caused by the eavesdropping employee. I hate that plot device any time a show or movie uses it. The movie’s charming enough to not need it.

I agree with this, especially since Betty and Bob never actually have a conversation about her leaving. She just returns and everything is fine.

 

[Rich T]

By the way, has anyone else seen that amazing seven minute CGI animated ad about the girl helping her neighbors with the aid of a magic snow globe? It shows up often on YouTube, and it’s not till the fade out that it mentions it’s a Seasons Greetings ad from Chick-Fil-A! It’s the 4th in a series.

It’s a bit too on-the-nose with its tale, but it’s better than a lot of actual Christmas specials or animated films. Would love to know what the budget was.