SOXTALK DECEMBER 2008 HOLIDAY LIST SPECTACULAR!

[knightni]

Alright!

 

We had a solid amount of posters send me lists.

 

Most sent 15, thank you!

 

Some sent 10, thank you as well!

 

One sent 5. I thank you also!

 

 

Here's the final list!

 

30. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

29. The Office: Christmas Party

28. Mickey's Christmas Carol

27. Futurama: XMas

26. Scrooge (1951)

25. The Muppets and John Denver

24. The Office UK: Christmas Show

23. Holiday Inn

22. A Garfield Christmas

21. The Santa Clause

20. Scrooged

19. Jingle All The Way

18. Simpsons Roasting Over An Open Fire

17. Frosty The Snowman

16. White Christmas

15. Love Actually

14. Home Alone 2

13. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

12. Bad Santa

11. Muppet Christmas Carol

10. Miracle On 34th Street (1947)

9. Nightmare Before Christmas

8. A Christmas Carol (1938)

7. Elf

6. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

5. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas (1966)

4. Home Alone

3. It's A Wonderful Life

2. A Charlie Brown Christmas

1. A Christmas Story

 

 

To start it off I will give a mini bio of the one media presentation that just missed the list:

 

 

. . .

 

 

...And I'm his friend Jesus!

 

31. Futurama: A Tale of Two Santas

 

 

(2 of 21 lists - 17 points - highest ranking #5 knightni)

 

It is Xmas again and everyone is locking down for the arrival of Robot Santa. The Professor sends the crew to deliver children's letters directly to Santa at his fortress on Neptune. They land at Jolly Junction, Neptune and enlist the aid of a pair of Neptunians in sneaking into the fortress.

 

The crew confronts Santa, and Leela presents him with what she (falsely) believes to be a logical paradox (it is in fact a syllogism the conclusion of which is that the Santa robot should self destruct — since it leads to this single conclusion, not two contradictory conclusions it is not a paradox) intended to destroy him. Unfortunately, Santa proves immune to paradoxes; and he takes off after them with a missile launcher. The crew escapes the fortress, and are about to leave in the ship; but Santa grabs the engine and prevents the ship from taking off. The heat from the engine melts the ice under Santa's feet, and he sinks in; it refreezes around him.

 

With Santa frozen in ice, Bender takes over and toy-making resumes in Jolly Junction. Bender heads to New New York where he gets a less than welcome reception from citizens expecting a blood-thirsty killer. While taking a beer break, Bender is arrested and put on trial for Santa's crimes. Bender is found guilty and sentenced to execution by magnetic dismemberment.

 

Fry and Leela rush back to Neptune to bring in the real Santa to prove Bender's innocence. They carve Santa out in a large block of ice; but the ice melts due to pollution from the toy factory, and Santa is freed. Fry and Leela escape in the ship, but Santa has hitched a ride back to Earth. The Planet Express crew tries one last attempt to save Bender, with all of them pretending to be Santa and Zoidberg pretending to be "his friend, Jesus". Their effort fails, and the execution device is activated.

 

Moments later, the real Robot Santa bursts through the wall. He rescues Bender and the two go on a proper Xmas rampage. At the end of the spree of destruction, Santa tells Bender that if he tries a stunt like that again, he will kill him, and pushes Bender off the sleigh amid the burning buildings.

[Balta1701]

This one made my list entirely because of this song.

 

[knightni]

Put one foot in front of the other...

 

30. Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town

 

 

(2 of 21 lists 18 points - highest ranking #6 PlaySumFnJurny)

 

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town is a 1970 stop motion television special, made by Rankin-Bass with models carved from wood (as with most of Rankin-Bass specials). The film is one of their well-known Christmas television specials which include Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. The film stars actor Fred Astaire as S.D. Kluger, the narrator, and Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus (a role which he would frequently play later on). The film tells the story of how Santa Claus and several Claus-related Christmas traditions came to be. It is based on the Christmas hit of the same name, which was introduced on radio by Eddie Cantor in 1934.

 

Plot

 

At the start of the film, we are treated to a brief newsreel (narrated by Paul Frees) about kids worldwide awaiting Santa Claus. Afterward we are introduced to Special Delivery "S.D." Kluger (Astaire), a mail carrier. His mailtruck breaks down, so he begins to tell the story of Santa Claus, in order to answer children's letters to Santa. It is here, that the story begins.

 

Baby Claus

 

The story begins in a gloomy small town called Sombertown, which is ruled by the mean and grouchy Burgermeister Meisterburger (voice: Paul Frees) (usually referred to simply as "The Burgermeister"). A baby arrives on his doorstep, with nothing more than a name tag that reads: "Claus" and a note asking for the Bugermeister to take care of his son. The Burgermeister orders his right-hand man, Grimsley (also voiced by Frees) to take the baby to the "Orphan Asylum" as he does not want it. On the way to the building, however, a gust of wind blows both sled and baby far away, to the mountains of the Whispering Winds. There, the animals living in that region hid him from the Winter Warlock (voice: Keenan Wynn), a powerful and malevolent wizard who dislikes anyone trespassing on his land. The animals bring the baby to the other side of the mountain, where he is discovered by an elf family by the name of Kringle, led by their wise matriarch, Tante Kringle. They immediately adopt him, giving him the name “Kris”. A few short years later, the boy Kris expresses to Tante the hope that he can one day restore the Kringle family to its former prominence as "The First Toymakers to the King;" however, as Tante explains, since the Burgermeister's rise to power and the fact that the Kringles can't pass through the mountains without inciting the wrath of the Winter Warlock, they have been unable to do so.

 

A town with no toys

 

When Kris is old enough, he volunteers to deliver the toys to Sombertown, through the woods. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Kris, the Burgermeister has outlawed all toys in the neighborhood, having comically tripped on and being injured by one when he was walking out of City Hall. In revenge, he declares that anyone found possessing a toy will be arrested and thrown in the dungeon. Meanwhile, before Kris makes it into the town, he befriends a penguin who has lost his way while trying to make it to the South Pole and gives the little penguin the name "Topper". However, he has a close encounter with the Warlock, warning to leave, otherwise he is doomed. As Kringle and Topper run away, the Warlock suspects that he might come back and if he does, it will be his last trip. Once Kris enters the town, he meets Miss Jessica (voice: Robie Lester), a local schoolteacher. At first, Jess is a bit rude to Kris, but suddenly finds herself liking him when he offers her the one thing she'd always wanted for Christmas: a China doll. But not everyone is amused to see Kris, nor are they overly fond of the way he is dressed. Why, they're even frightened off by his very mentioning the word "toy". Indeed, the children of the town have been forced into hard labor, mostly by washing their stockings. Kris, however, decides to do something about that and begins handing out toys to the wee ones. Just then, the Burgermeister arrives on the scene. At first, he almost arrests the children when he discovers them playing with the toys that Kris gave them, even almost turning good when Kris gives him a yo-yo which he loves. Ever loyal, Grimsley quickly reminds the Burgermeister, however, that he is breaking his own law, so he soon snaps out of it, and after a short confrontation, chases him out of town.

Magic from the Winter Warlock

 

In the woods outside of town, Kris and Topper meet the Winter Warlock, who has vowed to capture the interlopers. Before the Warlock can finish Kris off, the latter offers the former a toy train. This act of kindness melts the Warlock’s icy heart, and the Warlock ("Winter, please."), too, joins the group. Winter shows Kris how to see who is naughty and nice through magic through a Magic Crystal Snowball. They soon see Jessica, who has been looking for Kris to say that the kids have been requesting more toys since the Burgermeister destroyed them all. Well, much to the Burgermeister's chagrin, Kris quickly grants that wish. With so many toys needed delivery, the Kringles moved up to the mountains, happily welcomed by Winter. The Burgermeister makes several more attempts to stop young Kringle (ordering the town's doors and windows locked, for example, forcing Kris down the village's chimneys). Next, the Burgermeister and his men start to search every home at dawn, finding no toys (as they were hidden in the stockings). Eventually, the Meisterburgers set a trap for Kris and the others; then, with the children of Sombertown forced to watch, every last toy in the village is burned! A few days later, Jessica, as the only one who managed to evade capture, personally confronts the Burgermeister --- only to be rudely rebuffed by him. Feeling betrayed by the town, Jessica later sneaks back to Winter's dungeon cell, where Winter shows her some of his "magic feed corn", (his last available bit of magic) which will give reindeer the ability to fly. With the help of the reindeer, Kris, Topper, Winter (who has a renewed faith in his magic) and the Kringles escape from their holding cells, and flee into the woods.

 

Conclusion

 

After months of being an outlaw (we see how his being named Public Enemy #1 leads him to be highlighted on a poster reading: "Wanted, dead or alive --- the Terrible Toymaker!"), Kris returns to the woods, where he begins to grow his trademark beard as a disguise. But Tante, realizing the Kringle name is now dangerous, suggests that he return to his birth name of "Claus." Taking the matriarch's advice, he then asks Jessica to share the Claus name with him --- as his wife. (In a last gesture, Winter manages to produce "just a little magic" to light the trees) After witnessing Kris and Jess solemnly take their vows, the group migrates to the North Pole, where they eventually build Santa's Castle and Workshop. As time continues to pass, though, the Burgermeister regime ends, as their forebears begin dying off and falling out of power, at which point the Sombertowners realize how silly the Meisterburger laws really are. Kris' legend, meanwhile, goes worldwide, and, having now fully styled himself as Santa Claus, our hero soon accepts his apparent inability to keep up with all those toy requests .... leading him to make his fateful decision to cut his number of visits down to once a year, on December 24.

 

Epilogue

 

The film ends as we rejoin S.D. Kluger, who reflects on what Santa's real meaning is all about. Even though the world isn't exactly a perfect place, if anyone can take Santa's example, we can be just like him. Just then, though, S.D. remembers that he still has a load of letters to deliver to Santa; and before he bids us farewell, he reminds us: "Behave yourselves --- because Santa can still look into his Magic Crystal Snowball and see just what you're up to!" Then, joined by Topper, Winter and a parade of children, S.D. begins to sing Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. The film's closing scene has Kris and Jess in silhouette, as he puts his old hat back on his head. Then, Santa steps out of his Palace, revealing himself in full splendor. We then cut to him in close-up, a huge, merry smile on his face as he waves us goodbye.

[Texsox]

First off thank you for gathering, compiling, and writing up this list.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing what everyone picked.

[Steve9347]

Me too.

[knightni]

I'll work on more tonight.

[dasox24]

I'll third that... I can't wait to see this list. Thanks for all the work you've put into this, knightni

[knightni]

You shouldn't do things like that. A man is supposed to do that.

 

29. The Office (US): Christmas Party

 

 

(3 of 21 lists - 19 points - highest ranking #7 maggsmaggs)

 

The office staffers hold a "Secret Santa" gift exchange at their Christmas party. Jim got Pam's name for the first time this year, and puts a great deal of effort into getting her the perfect gift. Michael buys a video iPod as his gift to Ryan, far exceeding the $20 limit. He is disappointed by the handmade item he receives from Phyllis and introduces a "Yankee Swap", in which someone can choose to steal someone else's gift or open a new one. Jim is left feeling uncertain about the fate of his special present for Pam while the staff guns for the iPod. Although Pam ends up with the iPod at the end of the swap, she elects to trade the iPod for Jim's gift that was meant for her to show her appreciation. While she goes through the various aspects of her gift, Jim sneaks a letter that he wrote for her into his pocket. After ruining his staff's mood, Michael disobeys company policy by buying an obscene amount of alcohol for the Christmas party to compensate. Everyone ends up having a good time, with the exception of Angela, who is furious that she received no appreciation for her efforts towards arranging the Christmas party. The episode ends with a drunken Meredith exposing herself to Michael, who takes a picture, and then quickly flees.

 

* The party scene in this episode was filmed over three days. The bowl of egg nog sat out for twelve hours a day, although it was covered and put in the refrigerator overnight. However, the cookies and pigs in a blanket became hard and stale, which is why there is very limited eating at the party.

 

* There are a number of firsts in this episode: It is the first appearance of Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration (Phyllis' boyfriend) as well as the first mention of Meredith's drinking problem, which has since become a running gag.

 

* This episode was nominated for "Best Writing in a Comedy Series" at the 58th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, but lost to the pilot for My Name Is Earl. It was also one of six episodes submitted for the Best Comedy, which it went on to win.

 

* According to John Krasinski, the pencil in the teapot was a mini-golf pencil that Pam playfully threw at Jim.

 

* During the filming of the Yankee Swap, Phyllis Smith kept crying between takes in order to help her stay in character.

 

* When the Christmas ornaments did not break, Angela Kinsey improvised stomping on them.

[knightni]

Watch out for that first... ...step.

 

28. Mickey's Christmas Carol

 

 

(3 of 21 lists - 21 points - highest ranking #7 knightni)

 

Mickey's Christmas Carol is a twenty-four minute animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and originally released in the United Kingdom on October 20, 1983 by Buena Vista Distribution. The film was released in the United States on December 16, 1983 as an accompaniment to a re-release of The Rescuers.

 

Synopsis

 

While all of Victorian England is in the merry spirit of Christmas, along with collecting for the poor, all on the mind of Ebenezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck, voiced for the first time by Alan Young) is all his money he makes in the town counting house and making more of it for himself (apparently, Scrooge charges people 80% interest, compounded daily). While Scrooge's selfish and greedy thoughts cascade in his head, Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse, voiced for the first time by Wayne Allwine) continues to work long and hard for him, though he is overworked and underpaid (a mere two shillings and a hay penny a day), and collectors Ratty & Mole (from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad), along with other beggars on the streets, are kindly asking of a simple donation to the poor. Scrooge insists however, that he should not make a donation as he tries to convince them that if he does, the poor won't be poor anymore and they will be out of work.

 

Even his cheery nephew Fred (Donald Duck, voiced for the last time by Clarence Nash, making Donald the only character voiced by his original actor) invites him for a wonderful Christmas dinner (which includes plump goose with chestnut dressing, candied fruits, and lemon sauce), but Scrooge rejects the invitation. However, the night before Christmas, the ghost of Jacob Marley (Goofy), Scrooge's once-greedy-and-cruel counting house partner, enters Scrooge's home and warns him that if his greedy and selfish behaviour continues, he will be forced to carry heavy chains for all eternity when he dies, just as has happened to Jacob himself as punishment for the way he treated people when he was alive (In Scrooge's case they would be even heavier than Marley's chains!).

 

Horror-stricken, Scrooge pleads him for assistance, and he learns from the ghost that three spirits would visit him later that night and he must do everything they say, or his chains would be heavier than Jacob's. At the end, as Marley is still Goofy, he prevents himself from tripping on Scrooge's cane, which is on the floor, but falls down the stairs after going on a busted step.

 

That night, while Scrooge is asleep, the Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket) arrives in Scrooge's bedroom and takes him back in time to his early adult years, when he enjoyed Christmas, had many friends and a girlfriend named Isabelle (Daisy Duck). However, after ten years, Scrooge had become more caring towards his money than Isabelle. When she asks if he was still willing to marry her after waiting for many years in a honeymoon cottage, Scrooge's greed breaks her heart and her relationship with him with, "Your last payment on the honeymoon cottage was an hour late! I'm foreclosing the mortgage!" Shortly after, Jiminy Cricket takes Scrooge home, leaving him feeling dreadful for his actions after saying "Remember, Scrooge, you fashioned these memories yourself".

 

Not long after the first visit, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Willie the Giant) pulls Scrooge in his hand. He arrives with wonderful things to eat, like Turkey, Mince Pies, and Suckling Pigs. Willie visits scrooge to show him all the misery Scrooge has caused. That is, Scrooge sees that Bob and his family are living in poverty, and that Bob's young son, Tiny Tim, is ill and that if this hapless life of the Cratchit family does not change, Tiny Tim will not live to see another Christmas. However, just when Scrooge is desperate to know the truth, the Ghost of Christmas Present leaves him alone, and Cratchit's house vanishes.

 

Within seconds, however, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Black Pete) appears and takes Scrooge to a cemetery, revealing that Tiny Tim has died. Scrooge then realizes he can no longer treat others around him with a heartless disposition. Along with Tim's death, the ghost also reveals Scrooge's grave, which has just been dug and is soon to be filled. When it seems Scrooge is already about to die by being thrown in his soon-to-be-grave (at that moment the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come reveals himself to the viewers as Pete), he pleads for his life, and promises he will change his ways while hanging on the rope that is on the edge of the grave and looking down into his soon-to-be-coffin that looks like the gateway to Hell. Then as the rope snapped, he apparently falls into the coffin.

 

The next thing he knows, he's back in his house, opens the windows and sees that it is Christmas morning, believing the spirits have given him another chance. He hugs a pigeon that was at the window, gets dressed (with his pajamas underneath) and cheerfully goes about town generously donating money to the collectors for the poor (100 gold pieces to be exact after twice thinking what he just donated was not enough), and greeting all with a friendly disposition, as well as telling Fred that he will go to his Christmas Dinner after all. At first, when he visits the Cratchits, he tries to psych them out that he hadn't changed at all, but then offers toys for Bob's children, and gives Bob a raise and a promotion in the counting house. The entire Cratchit family is overjoyed, "God bless us, everyone!" (the famous quote from Tiny Tim), including Scrooge. At that rate, Scrooge becomes Tiny Tim's second father and treats him well.

 

Characters and roles

 

* Scrooge McDuck as Ebenezer Scrooge

* Mickey Mouse as Bob Cratchit

* Donald Duck as Fred Honeywell (Ebenezer's nephew)

* Ratty and Mole as Collectors for the Poor

* Goofy as Jacob Marley

* Jiminy Cricket as Ghost of Christmas Past

* Daisy Duck as Isabelle

* Willie the Giant as Ghost of Christmas Present

* Minnie Mouse as Mrs. Cratchit

* Morty Fieldmouse as Tiny Tim

* Ferdie Fieldmouse as Peter Cratchit

* Melody Mouse as Martha Cratchit

* Black Pete as Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

* Mr. Toad as Mr. Fezziwig

* Extra Characters

o Huey, Dewey, and Louie

o Horace Horsecollar

o Clarabelle Cow

o Grandma Duck

o Chip 'n Dale

o Gus Goose

o the Weasels (as the gravediggers)

o Clara Cluck

o Big Bad Wolf

o Three Little Pigs

o Skippy, Sis, and Mother Rabbit (from Robin Hood)

o Toby Turtle (from Robin Hood)

o Lady Cluck (from Robin Hood)

o Angus MacBadger

o Naboombu secretary bird (from Bedknobs and Broomsticks)

o Toby Tortoise

o Max Hare

o Peter Pig

o Paddy Pig

o Uncle Waldo (from The Aristocats)

o Cyril Proudbottom (from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad)

 

Many Disney characters from past films can be seen in small, non-speaking roles. For instance, the Three Little Pigs can be seen singing carols in the beginning of the film. Cyril Proudbottom, who was J. Thaddeus Toad's horse, is owned by Donald Duck in the film. The Robin Hood characters depicted in the special are possibly their descendants because the film Robin Hood takes place in 12th century England, and this special takes place in Victorian England.

[knightni]

So... lock the door and hit the floor, 'cause Santa Claus comes tonight.

 

27. Futurama: X-mas Story

 

 

(3 of 21 lists - 22 points - highest ranking #6 knightni)

 

Plot

 

While on a ski trip, Fry begins to feel nostalgic for 20th century Christmases. To cheer him up, the rest of the Planet Express staff decide to decorate for what is now called Xmas (eks-mas), which includes cutting down an Xmas tree (which are now palm trees, since fir trees are extinct).

 

Fry decides to venture into the city to buy Leela a present, although she hadn't felt happy about Xmas when she was an orphan. The others warn him to be back before sundown, or else he will be killed by a murderous robotic Santa Claus. In the year 2801, Mom's Friendly Robot Company had made up a robotic version of St. Nick himself to determine who's been naughty and who's been nice. Unfortunately, due to a programming error, the jolly robotic saint soon turns into a mad murderer when his standards are set too high and he will kill anyone who has been naughty (which by his standards, is everyone) at sundown. Meanwhile, Bender befriends several homeless robots and goes on a robbery spree.

 

Fry buys Leela a parrot, which escapes. Leela heads out to rescue Fry before Santa Claus arrives. After pursuing the parrot to the top of a tall building, he is saved from plunging to his death by Leela. Unfortunately, Fry's safety for Leela is short-lived, as sundown finally comes and the robotic Santa Claus makes his appearance and attacks the two friends.

 

Fry and Leela take refuge in the Planet Express building after being saved by Bender and his homeless robot friends, but Santa breaks in through the chimney. Thanks to some quick thinking by Doctor Zoidberg, Santa is forced back into the chimney, where an explosion sends him and his mechanical reindeer tumbling into the stratosphere.

 

Everybody celebrates by singing "Santa Claus Is Gunning You Down". However, Santa promises that I'll be back when you least expect it: NEXT XMAS!

 

Production

 

The plot for this episode was one of the first storylines that Matt Groening and Cohen came up with aside from the series pilot. They had the basic idea before they pitched the show to FOX although they did not develop the detailed plot until much later. The episode ended up being controversial although those involved with the show didn't expect it to be. FOX was concerned that advertisers would find the episode too controversial for the time slot. When they made a second episode featuring Robot Santa it was delayed for nearly a year before being broadcast in a later time slot.

 

John Goodman guest stars in this episode as Robot Santa however he was unavailable to reprise the role in the later episode "A Tale of Two Santas". Conan O'Brien makes an appearance as his own head in a jar. In order to make a visual joke that O'Brien has a large head in real life the head was drawn sticking out the top of the jar. This choice caused many difficulties for the animators because it did not work with the animation layers typically used for other head-in-a-jar characters. Frank Welker voices Fry's parrot and created the annoying squawk used. The initial squawk he made was considered to be annoying but according to Cohen they had him continue to make the squawk more annoying until he had done nearly a hundred different parrot squawks.

 

In this episode Bender receives a card from the machine that built him, referring to him as "Son #1729", a reference to the Hardy-Ramanujan number. According to Ken Keeler, co-executive producer of the series, they could have chosen any number but chose to include an interesting one instead. Many of the math and science jokes in the series found their way into Futurama in this way. Another small visual joke that was added was that the clock tower is shown at the end of the episode and the time on the clock is the same as the actual time that scene would have been shown in its original airing.

[knightni]

f*** off.

 

26. (tie) The Office UK: Christmas Specials

 

 

(2 of 21 lists - 25 points - highest ranked #3 Soxy)

 

The Office Christmas Specials is the two-part final episode of the British mockumentary comedy television series The Office. The specials were commissioned after the series' creators, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, announced that they would not write a full third series of the show. The first 45-minute part was broadcast on BBC Two on 26 December 2003, and the second 50-minute part was shown the following evening. The episodes are presented in the style of "revisited" documentaries common on British television, in which popular "docusoaps" (e.g. Airport), are brought back for one-off specials several years after the series concluded.

 

Plot

 

Part 1

 

Three years after the documentary that made them famous, a different documentary crew revisits the office to see what the staff members are doing now. After being made redundant from Wernham Hogg, David Brent (Ricky Gervais) is now a travelling salesman who, following a failed album featuring a cover version of "If You Don't Know Me By Now", now leeches off what little fame he has in a series of demeaning nightclub appearances alongside a crowd of minor celebrities. Dawn Tinsley (Lucy Davis) lives in Florida, trapped in a miserable existence with fiancé Lee (Joel Beckett), who is bouncing from job to job as they live with his sister rent-free and hidden from immigration authorities. In the office, Gareth Keenan (Mackenzie Crook) is now the general manager and Tim Canterbury (Martin Freeman) is still trapped in a job he hates with an obnoxious, pregnant desk-mate he loathes (Anne, Elizabeth Berrington). Despite leaving Wernham Hogg three years ago, Brent still visits the office to see the staff and "keep up the morale". This does not sit well with Gareth or David's nemesis Neil Godwin (Patrick Baladi), and it appears to the viewer that Brent misses his old job. When the programme makers offer to fly Dawn and Lee back for the office Christmas party, along with the appearance of David Brent, the scene is set for a reunion.

 

Part 2

 

Brent tells Neil that he has a date for the Christmas party, when he really does not. With Gareth's help, he searches Internet romance websites for suitable women, and lines up three possible candidates for blind dates. He takes the first to dinner, but accidentally steers to conversation to breasts. He calls from his car to arrange a meeting with the second woman (voiced by Julia Davis), who does not realise who Brent is, and mocks the manager from The Office documentary. Brent hangs up. On the third date, Brent immediately finds the woman unattractive and boring. Dawn returns to Britain and arrives at the office. She and Tim immediately recreate old times by winding up Gareth. Brent pushes Neil's patience too far when he brings his dog into the office to show to the staff. Neil bars Brent from the office and later stops anyone who does not work for Wernham Hogg from going to the Christmas dinner. At the party, Brent eagerly awaits his fourth blind date. When the woman, Carol, arrives, she and Brent hit it off straight away. Lee tells Dawn that it is time to leave. She and Tim say awkward goodbyes and she leaves with Lee, for what seems to be the last time.

 

In the taxi, Dawn opens her "Secret Santa" present: an oil painting set from Tim with the words, "Never give up" written next to Dawn's sketch of Tim, which she had made earlier in the day. Brent walks his date to her car and she gestures through the window for him to call her. Returning to the office, he is subject to a cruel remark from Chris Finch (Ralph Ineson) about his date, and Brent tells him earnestly to "f*** off". In the final scenes, Dawn returns to the office, having left Lee, and kisses Tim. The whole office staff gathers for a group photo. Brent asks to have a group photo of just him and the "old gang". After the closing credits, he asks the documentary crew if they are done, removes his mic, and gets up to leave.

 

Production

 

Gervais and Stephen Merchant had announced that they would not write a third series of The Office even after the overwhelming success of the second. In an interview published in Heat in May 2003, Gervais announced that he and Merchant had begun writing a two-part Christmas special. Merchant joked that it would be the "same jokes, but with tinsel and David Brent in a Santa outfit".

 

The episode was filmed between August and September. Scenes set in Florida were filmed in Spain. Anne, Tim's new desk-mate, was written to be an even more annoying character than Gareth.

 

In November, a woman from Saffron Walden claimed to have been sent the scripts in the post by mistake. She announced to The Sun that she intended to sell them for "thousands" of pounds. The Daily Mail purchased the scripts and revealed most of the plot in an article published four weeks before the broadcast. In a BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat interview, Gervais asked for a newspaper or magazine to buy the scripts and return them to the BBC as "a little Christmas present to the nation".

[Soxy]

This is so much fun. Thanks Knight!

 

And yay for the British the Office special being on there. Who was the other awesome person who had it on their list?

[The Bones]

Haha. I can't believe only the 2 of us voted for it. I also voted for the Extras Christmas Special but I doubt that makes the list.

 

 

[knightni]

Fiiiive Goooold Riiiings! BADUMP BUMP BUMP!

 

26. (tie) John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together

 

 

(2 of 21 lists - 25 points - highest ranking #2 knightni)

 

 

John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together is a 1979 Christmas television special starring Jim Henson's Muppets and singer/songwriter John Denver. The television special has never been released in any video media format including VHS, laserdisc, and DVD. Better known is the soundtrack album of the same name, which featured thirteen tracks of traditional Christmas carols and original songs.

 

This album, originally released on RCA Records in October 1979, was re-released on Denver's own Windstar label in 2000 as an abridged ten-track version; the original full-length CD was subsequently re-released in its entirety in 2006. The previously missing tracks are "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (performed by John Denver and Rowlf the Dog), "When the River Meets the Sea" (performed by John Denver and Robin), and "Little Saint Nick" (performed by Dr. Teeth and The Electric Mayhem). In addition, all album versions of "The Twelve Days of Christmas" differ from the version featured in the TV special.

 

Highlights include:

 

* Denver and the Muppets sing "The Twelve Days of Christmas."

* Denver sings "The Pleasure of Your Company."

* Kermit the Frog and Denver reminisce about past Christmases with their friends and families, and sing "The Christmas Wish."

* Miss Piggy confronts Denver in her dressing room about their presumably mutual attraction.

* Denver and Rowlf the Dog sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

* Denver recites the story of Jesus' birth.

* Miss Piggy, as a doll named Fifi, sings "I Will Wait for You" to Denver, who plays a wooden soldier trying to stay in step with a line of marching soldiers.

 

The program concludes with Denver and the Muppets singing "Stille Nacht," and children in the audience join in for the English version, "Silent Night."

[knightni]

Humbug!

 

26. (tie) Scrooge (1951)

 

(3 of 21 lists - 25 points - highest ranking #3 Balta1701)

 

Scrooge (1951), released as A Christmas Carol in the U.S., is one of the most well-known film adaptations of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. It starred Alistair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge and was directed by Brian Desmond Hurst, with a screenplay by Noel Langley.

 

The film also featured Kathleen Harrison in an acclaimed turn as Mrs. Dilber, Scrooge's charwoman; a role found in the book, but built up for this film. (In the book, Mrs. Dilber is the name of the laundress. In the film it is transferred to the charwoman, unnamed in the book.) Fans of British cinema will recognize George Cole as the younger version of Scrooge, Hermione Baddeley as Mrs. Cratchit, Mervyn Johns as Bob Cratchit, Clifford Mollison as Samuel Wilkins, a debtor, Jack Warner as Mr. Jorkin, a role created for the film, Ernest Thesiger as Marley's undertaker, and Patrick Macnee as a young Jacob Marley. Michael Hordern plays Marley's Ghost, as well as old Marley. Peter Bull serves as narrator, by reading portions of Dickens' words at the beginning and end of the film, and also appears on-screen as one of the businessmen cynically discussing Scrooge's funeral.

 

In addition, the film expands on the story by detailing Scrooge's rise as a prominent businessman who was corrupted by a greedy new mentor that had lured him away from the benevolent Mr. Fezziwig. When that new mentor, who does not appear at all in Dickens's original story, is discovered to be an embezzler, the opportunistic Scrooge and Marley offer to compensate the company's losses on the condition that they receive control of the company that they work for - and so, Scrooge and Marley is born. During the Ghost of Christmas Present sequence, the film also reveals that Scrooge's girlfriend from his younger days, Alice, works with the homeless and sick. In this telling of the story, unlike the book or most other film versions, Scrooge's beloved sister Fan is assumed to be slightly older than Ebenezer. In this adaptation it is revealed that his mother died while giving birth to him (necessitating the change of birth order between Ebenezer and Fan), causing his father to always resent Ebenezer for it. He is reminded of this by the Ghost of Christmas Past when Scrooge bitterly mentions that Fan died from complications after delivering his nephew, Fred.

 

The film did not attain its current popularity in the USA until the 1970s, when it began to be shown on television. Until then, the most frequently seen film version was MGM's 1938 adaptation starring Reginald Owen. The Alastair Sim version had received a favourable notice from The New York Times when it opened in 1951, and a mostly negative review in TIME but otherwise had not caused much of a stir. However, in the years since its first American TV showings on local PBS stations, it has attained classic status in that country. Sim's characterisation of Scrooge, from mean and sinister to happy and generous, receives particular praise.

 

A colourised version of the film was released in 1989, and many of the DVD issues include it as an extra.

 

Alastair Sim and Michael Hordern reprised their roles two decades later, lending their voices to Richard Williams' 1971 animated version of the tale.

 

Featured cast

 

* Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge

* Kathleen Harrison as Mrs. Dilber

* Mervyn Johns as Bob Cratchit

* Hermione Baddeley as Mrs. Cratchit

* Michael Hordern as Jacob Marley/Marley's Ghost

* Michael J. Dolan as Ghost of Christmas Past

* Francis de Wolff as Ghost of Christmas Present

* C. Konarski as Ghost of Christmas Future

* George Cole as Young Ebenezer Scrooge

* John Charlesworth as Peter Cratchit

* Rona Anderson as Alice

* Glyn Dearman as Tiny Tim

* Hugh Dempster as Mr. Groper

* Louise Hampton as Laundress

* Carol Marsh as Fan

* Jack Warner as Mr. Jorkin

* Roddy Hughes as Fezziwig

* Richard Pearson as Mr Tupper

* Hattie Jacques as Mrs. Fezziwig

* Patrick Macnee as Young Jacob Marley

* Brian Worth as Fred

[knightni]

A gentle smile often breeds a kick in the pants.

 

23. Holiday Inn

 

 

(3 of 21 lists - 27 points - highest ranking #1 Texsox)

 

Holiday Inn is a 1942 film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, which featured the music of Irving Berlin. The film features twelve new songs, one brief use of "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," written in 1917 for the World War I musical "Yip Yip Yaphank" which was reprised on Broadway in 1942 under the title "This Is the Army" and a complete reuse of "Easter Parade," written for the 1933 Broadway review "As Thousands Cheer". An original song from this movie is "White Christmas", a tune that is still very popular in the United States.

 

Production Timeline

 

In May 1940, Irving Berlin signed an exclusive contract with Paramount Pictures to write songs for a film musical based on his idea of an inn that opened only on public holidays. Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire were the stars of Holiday Inn with support from Marjorie Reynolds and Virginia Dale. Produced and directed by Mark Sandrich, filming took place between November 1941 and February 1942. Holiday Inn had its premiere at the New York Paramount Theatre in August 1942. It was a runaway success both in the U.S. and the United Kingdom, proving to be the highest grossing film musical up to that time. The big song had been expected to be "Be Careful, It's My Heart." While that song did very well, it was "White Christmas" that topped the charts in October 1942 and stayed there for eleven weeks. The film's success can also still be seen today in the name of the international hotel chain Holiday Inn, which was named after the film.

 

White Christmas

 

The song that would eventually become "White Christmas" was originally conceived by Berlin on the set of the film Top Hat in 1935. He allegedly hummed the melody to Astaire and the film's director Mark Sandrich as a song possibility for a future Astaire-Ginger Rogers vehicle. Astaire loved the tune, but Sandrich passed on it. Berlin's assignment for Paramount was to write a song about each of the major holidays of the year. He found that writing a song about Christmas was the most challenging. When Crosby first heard Berlin play "White Christmas" in 1941 at the first rehearsals, he did not immediately recognize its full potential. Crosby simply said, "I don't think we have any problems with that one, Irving."

 

Plot summary

 

Jim Hardy (Bing Crosby), Ted Hanover (Fred Astaire) and Lila Dixon (Virginia Dale) are staples of the New York nightlife scene. In the opening number of their night club act, the song "I'll Capture Your Heart" shows the rivalry between the singer and the dancer for their singing and dancing partner. On Christmas Eve, Hardy reveals to Ted his disillusionment with show business and that he has decided to run a farm in rural Connecticut. He also plans to marry Lila, a longtime part of their act. Unfortunately, Lila is not ready to stop performing, has fallen in love with Ted, chooses to stay on as his dancing partner. Jim, while heartbroken, follows through with his plan and bids the act goodbye.

 

Jim moves to the farm, and with him singing "Lazy" as background, a montage shows him working hard throughout the year, so hard that he has a breakdown (lightly referred to in a later scene of the film).

 

One Christmas Eve later, Jim is back in New York. Farm life has proven difficult, requiring him to spend time in a sanatorium to calm his nerves. While recuperating, Jim has dreamed up a new use for his farm. He plans to turn it into an entertainment venue called "Holiday Inn", which will only open on holidays. Ted and his agent Danny Reed (Walter Abel) scoff at the plan, but wish him luck. Reed then leaves for a flight. Stopping off in the airport flower shop to order flowers for Lila from Ted, Reed is accosted by employee Linda Mason (Marjorie Reynolds) who recognizes him as a talent agent and begs him for a chance in show business. He refers her to Holiday Inn and gives her a pass to Ted's club for the night. She sits at the performer's table where Jim also is sitting. He pretends that he has a big club and isn't sure he could use a nightclub act like Hanover and Dixon; she pretends to be a celebrity. They both watch Ted and Lila perform to "You're Easy to Dance With"; then Linda escapes when the two performers come to Jim's table.

 

The next morning, Christmas Day, Linda arrives at Holiday Inn. She meets Jim, and both realize that they were acting like phonies the previous evening. Jim is readying the place for New Year's Eve. They take to one another immediately and Jim sings his new song, "White Christmas", to Linda, a song he would have performed had the inn been open that night.

 

On New Year's Eve, Holiday Inn opens. Jim and Linda open the evening's show with "Happy Holiday", which then becomes "(Come to) Holiday Inn". In New York, Ted learns that Lila is leaving him for a Texas millionaire. He drinks heavily and heads out to Holiday Inn to talk with Jim. Back at the inn, Jim and Linda, working in the kitchen together, sing "Let's Start the New Year Right." At midnight, they rejoin the crowd. Drunk, Ted arrives just as the clock strikes twelve. Then, wandering aimlessly across the dance floor, Ted and Linda spot each other. She remembers him from Christmas Eve. They dance to a reprise of "You're Easy To Dance With", with Ted bringing down the house despite his inebriated state. Danny Reed arrives just as the dance ends. He is ecstatic that Ted has found a new partner. However, Ted, who passed out at the end of the dance, remembers very little the next morning and is unaware of Linda's identity. Jim relates no information and hides Linda, as he is afraid that Ted will steer her away from the inn.

 

At the next performance, Lincoln's Birthday, Ted and Danny return to search for Linda. Jim is ready for them and decides to run the night's big minstrel show number "Abraham", trying to protect Linda's identity. While applying Linda's blackface make-up, Jim asks if she will stay with him once she is not required to work on non-holidays. Linda takes this as a proposal. The schemes works, with Ted and Danny coming up empty. However, the pair will not give up and plan to be back for Valentine's Day.

 

On Valentine's Day, at rehearsal, Jim presents Linda with a Valentine, a new song called "Be Careful, It's My Heart". While he sings the song with his back to her, she begins dancing alone. Ted enters, spots Linda rehearsing and launches into an impromptu romantic dance with her. Now convinced that Linda was the girl from New Year's Eve, Ted demands that Jim think up a number for them to perform on the next holiday. Jim has little choice but to concede.

 

Washington's Birthday features Ted and Linda performing "I Can't Tell a Lie" in elaborate eighteenth century period costumes. However, Jim attempts to sabotage their dance by changing the band's tune from a minuette to jazz every time the couple attempts to kiss. Afterward, Ted asks Linda to join him as his new dance partner. Linda refuses, saying she has promised to stay at the inn and that she and Jim are to be married. When Ted talks to Jim of the marriage, Jim is surprised but tries to play it off. Ted is unconvinced and tells Danny he will continue to pursue Linda.

 

Easter begins with the only featured Irving Berlin song not written especially for this movie, "Easter Parade", sung by Jim to Linda as they return to the inn from a small white country church in a horse-drawn buggy. When they reach the inn, Ted is sitting on the porch waiting from them.Ted asks Jim if he can remain in his shows, claiming he wants to experience "the true happiness you people have found here at the inn". Linda is charmed, but Jim is suspicious.

 

These suspicions are confirmed on Independence Day when Jim overhears Ted and Danny discussing an offer Ted has received. Hollywood representatives will attend the night's show and determine if Ted and Linda are suitable for motion pictures. Desperate, Jim bribes hired hand Gus (Irving Bacon) to ensure that Linda does not arrive at the inn. Gus attempts to delay her by driving the inn's car into a swollen creek. While Linda is missing, a chorus performs "Say It With Firecrackers" and Jim sings "I'm Singing a Song of Freedom", the latter of which is a paean to the gearing up of the war effort (the film was shot and released in 1942, less that a year after the U.S. entered World War II) with a montage of airplane factories, flying planes, battle ships, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. As Linda tries to return to the inn, she is picked up by Lila, who tells her about the studio tryout and that she (Lila) will be the partner selected. Linda directs Lila into the same river. Back at the inn, Ted is forced to perform a solo dance to "Say It With Firecrackers". When Linda eventually makes her way to the inn, she finds that Ted has impressed the studio honchos with his improvised solo and the opportunity stands. Irritated with Jim for not trusting her to make her own decision, she takes the offer and leaves for Hollywood. The producers want to make the film about Holiday Inn, and Jim reluctantly agrees.

 

A montage sequence shows Ted and Linda dancing before the motion picture cameras in Hollywood to several of the tunes already featured.

 

At Thanksgiving, the inn is closed and Jim is deeply depressed. He barely touches the turkey dinner prepared by his housekeeper Mamie (Louise Beavers). Jim is prepared to mail to Hollywood a recording of his new Thanksgiving song, "I've Got Plenty to be Thankful For", but before he does he plays it on a record player and makes bitter negative comments over the positive ones in the recording. Mamie realizes just what is wrong and, ignoring that it is improper for her to offer advice, implores him to travel to California to win Linda back from Ted by telling her how he really feels.

 

He arrives at the studio on Christmas Eve, as Ted is preparing to leave with Linda after the final shot to get married. Jim confronts Ted in his dressing room, then locks him in it. Before Linda films the final scene for her movie, which features a recreation of Holiday Inn, Jim walks around the set with the director, who says it is the most exact recreation ever created of a place for a motion picture. Jim leaves his pipe on the set's piano and hides nearby. The scene begins behind the cameras and boom mikes as Linda enters the snow-cover exterior set in a sleigh, walks into the interior set, muses on her lost love (Jim) and begins singing White Christmas at the same piano Jim first sang it to her. Startled by finding Jim's pipe, she falters, then continues as Jim's voice joins her. He appears and she runs to him as the director hollers "Cut." Ted and Danny, having learned of Jim's plan, are too late to stop him.

 

The film ends with the New Year's Eve celebration at Holiday Inn with modified (and brief) reprises of "I'll Capture Your Heart" and "You're Easy to Dance With." Jim and Linda are prepared to stay together and run the inn. Ted is reunited with Lila, who has left the millionaire.

 

Other facts

 

Crosby and Astaire teamed up again in 1946 in the movie Blue Skies which was another vehicle for Irving Berlin's songs. The success of the song "White Christmas" eventually led to another film based on the song, White Christmas, which was released in 1954 and starred Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. It was a loose remake of Holiday Inn, with a plotline again involving an inn, but otherwise entirely different from the earlier film.

 

A new colorized version of “Holiday Inn” was released by Universal on October 14, 2008. The colorization was done by Legend Films, the same company that produced It’s a Wonderful Life for Paramount Pictures in 2007 which won wide acclaim from both critics and consumers. The colorization company brought on Edith Head’s personal sketch artist, Jan Muckelstone as a special color design consultant for costume authenticity.

 

Each segment of the film is preceeded by animation of a calendar with an appropriate icon on the given holiday. For November, a turkey is shown jumping back and forth between the third and fourth Thursdays, finally shrugging its shoulders in confusion. This oddity is a satirical reference to "Franksgiving", the attempt by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 and 1940 to extend the Christmas shopping season by re-assigning Thanksgiving a week earlier than traditional.

 

"Abraham" Controversy

 

Beginning in the 1980s, some broadcasts of the movie have cut out the "Abraham" musical number entirely, undoubtedly because of its depiction of a blackface minstrel show incorporating what is now considered offensively stereotyped mannerisms and dialect.[1] Turner Classic Movies has left the "Abraham" number intact during their screenings of Holiday Inn both for historical purposes, and because it is TCM's policy always to show films uncut.

[knightni]

Whoever invented Christmas trees should be dragged out into the street and shot.

 

22. A Garfield Christmas Special

 

 

(3 of 21 lists - 34 points - highest ranking #2 Steve9347)

 

A Garfield Christmas is the sixth half-hour animated special based on the Garfield comic strip. It features the voice and music talent that is common in Garfield animated specials including Lorenzo Music (the voice of Garfield) and Lou Rawls (provides the songs). The special was first broadcast on CBS on December 21, 1987. A Garfield Christmas has earned a place in the Christmas television special canon and has enjoyed traditional holiday-time airings on the network since its premiere, until 2000.

 

CBS, which aired a wide variety of Christmas specials including Garfield through the 1990s, dropped the rights to the special in 2000 (along with many others). The rights were picked up by Fox (as part of the deal that allowed for the production of the Garfield feature film), but that network did not air the special. Fox has, however, released the special (as part of a three-feature set along with Halloween and Thanksgiving special) on DVD.

 

ABC, which also owns the rights to the Charlie Brown television specials, which, like the Garfield specials, were produced by Lee Mendelson, purchased the rights to A Garfield Christmas in 2008; the special aired on network television for the first time in eight years that year, airing on both ABC and co-owned ABC Family (as part of the 25 Days of Christmas marathon).

 

Storyline

 

On Christmas Eve, Garfield, Jon, and Odie travel to the countryside to celebrate Christmas with Jon's farm family. Making their animated debuts are the sweet and always cooking Mom, hard working farmer Dad, mischievous younger brother Doc Boy, and the tough as nails Grandma. As we get to know the wacky members of Jon's family, Odie is busy working on something secretive. Grandma and Garfield eventually grow a special bond. That night Garfield finds out about Odie's suspicious activity and follows him into the barn. While there he stumbles upon some old letters. The next morning is Christmas and just when it seems like all the presents have been opened, Garfield gives Grandma the letters he found in the barn. These letters were love notes written to Grandma by her late husband from when they first met and courted. Garfield finds out that Odie had been busy making Garfield the ultimate Christmas gift: a homemade back scratcher. This is a rare glimpse at Garfield's other side, as he learns one of the true meanings of Christmas.

[knightni]

It's Santa! You killed him!

 

21. (tie) The Santa Clause

 

 

(4 of 21 lists - 35 points - highest ranking #3 maggsmaggs)

 

The Santa Clause (1994) is a Christmas film released by both Walt Disney Pictures and Hollywood Pictures, starring Tim Allen. Scott Calvin is a father who finds himself contractually bound to become Santa Claus when he unintentionally puts on the previous Santa's suit (hence the "clause" in the title, as in the "last line of a contract").

 

Plot

 

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is a divorced father with a son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd). On Christmas Eve, when Charlie is spending the night, they are awakened by a noise on the roof. Going outside to investigate, Scott can see someone on the roof. He yells at the trespasser, which causes the man to fall to the ground. The incapacitated trespasser appears to be Santa Claus. He magically disappears, but his suit remains. They find a business card in a pocket stating that if something should happen to him, someone should put on the suit, climb into the sleigh and the reindeer will take it from there. They find a sleigh and eight reindeer perched atop the house. Scott puts on the Santa suit to please his son, and begins delivering toys from rooftop to rooftop.

 

Their final stop is the North Pole. The head elf, Bernard (David Krumholtz), shows him an inscription on the card which says that, upon the death of the previous occupant, whoever wears the suit assumes the identity of Santa Claus and all the responsibilities that go with it. This is the "Santa Clause," as stated by Bernard: "You put on the suit, you're the big guy." He also gives Charlie a snow globe.

 

Scott only has eleven months (until the next Thanksgiving) to get his affairs in order before becoming Santa Claus full time, which he tries to refuse. He and Charlie spend the night at the factory. The next morning they awake back in Scott's home, where the only indication of their previous night's adventure is Scott's new silk pajamas with "SC" monogrammed on them. Scott dismisses it all as a dream.

 

Soon, however, Scott starts gaining weight and his boss likens him to the Pillsbury Doughboy. He develops a ravenous taste for Christmas treats, like Christmas cookies and hot cocoa. He grows a long gray beard, and shaving it off has no effect; it regrows instantly. His hair whitens, despite all attempts to dye it. He somehow knows who has been "naughty" and "nice". Children approach him with gift requests. Scott's rapid transformation worries his ex-wife Laura (Wendy Crewson) and her new husband, psychiatrist Dr. Neil Miller (Judge Reinhold), who try to terminate his visitation rights to Charlie. They question Scott's mental stability, and believe that Scott's changes are attempts at getting his son to like him.

 

Eventually, Scott's visitation rights to Charlie are taken away. Disheartened, Scott begins to lose some of his certainty about his job as Santa. While visiting Charlie on Thanksgiving, Charlie's insistence that Scott is Santa re-awakens Scott's magic and he whisks Charlie away to the North Pole. Laura and Neil, who think Scott has kidnapped Charlie against his will, call the police.

 

Charlie helps Scott and the elves perfect a new sleigh and new Santa suit for Scott. He calls occasionally, but this only reinforces Laura and Neil's belief that he is being held against his will. Eventually, Scott, as Santa Claus, goes on with his Christmas Eve trip, but is arrested while delivering presents to his son's home, and is accused of kidnapping Charlie. A team of rescue-elves free Scott from jail, and fly Scott and Charlie home to his mother and stepfather, to whom Scott/Santa gives the presents they always wanted since childhood but never got: Laura gets a vintage Mystery Date game and Neil gets an Oscar Mayer "Wienie Whistle". Laura, realizing finally that Scott really is the new Santa, tosses the custody papers into the fireplace and welcomes Scott to come see Charlie any time he wants. Bernard tells Charlie that the snow globe is magic. Anytime he wants his father to visit, all he has to do is shake it. After ten minutes, he shakes it and Scott comes back and said he was off to Cleveland and he takes Charlie with him.

 

Sequels

 

The popularity of the film spawned two related sequels, The Santa Clause 2 in 2002 and Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause in 2006. Much of the character cast remains the same for each film, but with some additions.

 

In The Santa Clause 2, Tim Allen as Santa has been declared to be the best Claus ever, but with his son on the naughty list and the work becoming more hectic, Santa learns he must find a suitable wife or give up his duties as Santa Claus.

 

In The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, the North Pole and its holiday operation is threatened by the villainous Jack Frost (Martin Short), who plans to take over Christmas.

[knightni]

I'll post a few more tomorrow.

 

Don't want to rush it now!

[rangercal]

I knightni

[Texsox]

Holiday Inn is greatly under appreciated by you youngin's

[knightni]

Holiday Inn is greatly under appreciated by you youngin's

If anyone has Comcast digital, it's in the On Demand free movies this month.

[knightni]

The b**** hit me with a toaster!

 

21. (tie) Scrooged

 

 

(5 of 21 lists - 35 points - highest ranking #8 SmashROT, Iwritecode)

 

Scrooged is a 1988 comedy film, a modernization of Charles Dickens's novella, A Christmas Carol. The film was produced and directed by Richard Donner, and the cinematography was by Michael Chapman. The screenplay was written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O'Donoghue. The original music score was composed by Danny Elfman.

 

The cast includes: Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Bob "Bobcat" Goldthwait, John Forsythe, Carol Kane, David Johansen, John Houseman, John Glover, and Robert Mitchum. It also features cameo appearances by Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton, musicians Larry Carlton, Miles Davis, David Sanborn, and Paul Shaffer, actor/singer Robert Goulet, and actors Jamie Farr, Buddy Hackett, Lee Majors, and Pat McCormick as well as the Solid Gold Dancers. Bill Murray's real-life brothers, Brian, John, and Joel also appear in the film.

 

The film was marketed with references to the film Ghostbusters which had been a great success 4 years earlier in 1984. In the USA the tagline for Scrooged was, "Bill Murray is back among the ghosts, only this time, it's three against one." In Brazil, it movie was named "Os Fantasmas Contra-Atacam" (The Ghosts Strike Back). In Spain, the film was titled "Los fantasmas atacan al jefe" (The Ghosts Attack the Boss). In Italy the movie was released as "S.O.S. fantasmi" ("S.O.S. ghosts").

 

The film was a commercial success, but was reviewed negatively by many critics, notably Roger Ebert and Vincent Canby.

 

Plot

 

Francis Xavier "Frank" Cross (Bill Murray) is a conceited, cynical television programming executive. He has found great success and wealth, but has become coldhearted and cruel. In the opening scenes he can be seen working out in a room with a wallpaper border that reads "Cross: A thing they nail people to".

 

His ruthless concentration on his lucrative, fast climbing career has cost him his true love, Claire Phillips (Karen Allen). It has also alienated him from his family, and obliterated any chance of his having a happy and fulfilling life. Essentially, Frank has become nothing but an expensive black suit who barks orders. He grossly overworks his assistant Grace Cooley (Alfre Woodard), forcing her to constantly break plans with her family. ("If you can't work late, I can't work late. If I can't work late, I CAN'T WORK LATE.")

 

When Cross is given the task of heading up a live broadcast of A Christmas Carol, his life inexplicably begins to mirror the story he's producing. First, the ghost of his mentor, 1970-media mogul Lew Hayward (who died of a heart attack during a game of golf), visits him to show him the error of his ways. The Ghosts of Christmas Past (David Johansen), Present (Carol Kane), and Future then appear, and Frank repents. The reformed Frank reunites with Claire, who now runs a shelter for the homeless, and he finds in the end that there are more important things than winning the ratings war.

 

Most of the characters in the movie represent characters in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Frank Cross is Ebenezer Scrooge and his brother James is Scrooge's nephew Fred. Eliot Loudermilk and Grace seem to share the role of Bob Cratchit. Grace's son, who is withdrawn/autistic, is Tiny Tim. Lew Hayward, Frank's former boss, is Jacob Marley. Herman and his fellow indigents are the "portly gentlemen" who are collecting for charity and are refused financial help. Claire is Scrooge's former fianceé, Belle. The three ghosts have the same names. The Ghost of Christmas Past is a cab driver with a Brooklyn accent. The Ghost of Christmas Future appears as the grim reaper, with a TV screen for a face. The Ghost of Christmas Present is a campier female version of the ghost in the original story.

 

Cast

 

* Bill Murray as Francis Xavier "Frank" Cross

* Karen Allen as Claire Phillips

* John Forsythe as Lew Hayward

* John Glover as Brice Cummings

* Bobcat Goldthwait as Eliot Loudermilk

* David Johansen as the Ghost of Christmas Past

* Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present

* Robert Mitchum as Preston Rhinelander

* Nicholas Phillips as Calvin Cooley

* Michael J. Pollard as Herman

* Alfre Woodard as Grace Cooley

* Mabel King as Gramma

* John Murray as James Cross

* Jamie Farr as Jacob Marley

* Buddy Hackett as Scrooge

* Pat McCormick (comic) as the Ghost of Christmas Present (on the TV show within the film)

* Brian Doyle-Murray as Earl Cross

* Mary Lou Retton as Tiny Tim

* Jean Speegle Howard as Mrs. Claus in the Television Promo

* Mary Ellen Trainor as Ted, an IBC Executive

* Bruce Jarchow as Wayne, an IBC Executive

* Reina King as Lanell Cooley

* Jack McGee as IBC Carpenter

* Kathy Kinney as IBC Nurse

* Rebeca Arthur as Tina, at the Christmas Party

* Roy Brocksmith as Mike the Mailman

* Sachi Parker as Belle

* Delores Hall as Hazel

* Anne Ramsey as Homeless Woman

* Logan Ramsey as Homeless Man

* Wendie Malick as Wendie Cross

* Joel Murray as a Guest at James Cross' Christmas Party

* Mitch Glazer as a Guest at James Cross' Christmas Party

* Michael O'Donoghue as the Priest at Cross' Funeral

* Steve Kahan as IBC Technician

* Amy Hill as IBC Technician

 

Cameos

 

* Robert Goulet as Himself

* John Houseman as Himself

* Lee Majors as Himself

* Miles Davis, Larry Carlton, David Sanborn and Paul Shaffer as Street Musicians

* Solid Gold Dancers as Themselves

[knightni]

I'll know if you move 'cause I have the ears of a snake!

 

19. (tie) Jingle All The Way

 

 

(5 of 21 lists - 36 points - highest ranking #2 maggsmaggs)

 

Jingle All the Way is a 1996 family comedy film directed by Brian Levant and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad. The name is taken from a line in the Christmas song "Jingle Bells".

 

Plot

 

Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is often busy at his job, and has a hard time finding time for his wife, Liz (Rita Wilson) and his young son, Jamie (Jake Lloyd)- especially when compared to next door superdad divorcé, Ted Maltin (Phil Hartman). After breaking his word again by missing Jamie's karate match, Howard resolves to redeem himself and his marriage by fulfilling Jamie's ultimate Christmas wish, a Turbo-Man action figure.

 

Unbeknown to Howard, Turbo-Man toys are the must-have gifts of the season, and stocks of Turbo-Man toys are quickly drying up all over the country. Desperate not to disappoint his family again, Howard embarks on an epic city-wide quest to find the toy everyone's looking for. Along the way, Howard encounters Myron Larabee (Sinbad), a postal worker dad with a rival ambition.

 

The search climaxes with both dads masquerading as live action stuntmen in a department store parade. Posed as the "real" Turbo-Man, Howard uses the opportunity to present a coveted Turbo-Man doll to his son in the crowd. But before he can recognize his dad, Jaime is chased around the parade by Myron (dressed as Turbo-Man's enemy, Dementor) and ultimately saved by Turbo-Man, who reveals himself as his father.

 

Touched by Myron's undying dedication to his own son, Jamie relinquishes the doll to him and confesses that his dad is the only superhero he needs. In the final scene, Howard happily opens presents with Jamie until he realizes that he forgot to get Liz a gift.

 

 

Cast

 

* Arnold Schwarzenegger – Howard Langston

* Sinbad – Myron Larabee

* Phil Hartman – Ted Maltin

* Robert Conrad – Officer Hummel

* Rita Wilson – Liz Langston

* Jake Lloyd – Jamie Langston

* Robert Conrad – Officer Alexander Hummell

* Martin Mull – a KQRS D.J. (Mr. Ponytail Man)

* Jim Belushi – Mall of America Santa

* E.J. De La Pena – Johnny Maltin

* Laraine Newman – First Lady Caroline Timmons

* Justin Chapman – Billy Timmons

* Harvey Korman – President Fallon Timmons

* Richard Moll – Dementor

* Daniel Riordan – Turbo Man

* Jeff L. Deist – TV Booster/Puppeteer

* Paul "The Giant" Wight – Giant Santa

* Chris Parnell – Toy Store Clerk

* Curtis Armstrong- Booster

 

[Steve9347]

I'm glad to see others realize the greatness of "Jingle All The Way".