December 6, 2006 12:26 PM
The best - and worst - of holiday TV shows and movies
Dusty Saunders pens an homage to what he considers the best TV Christmas show ever, the 1965 classic Charlie Brown Christmas.
This half-hour says more about the holiday spirit than all the upcoming new productions, which will attempt to get viewers in the Christmas mood, while pitching expensive holiday gift suggestions.A Charlie Brown Christmas is a gentle reminder about how easy it is for adults and kids to get caught up in what cantankerous Lucy calls "a big commercial racket." It ends with Charlie Brown and Linus eventually finding the true meaning of Christmas.
On the dark side of Christmas video, Dave Larsen of the Dayton Daily News compiled this list of the worst Christmas TV shows and movies.
'Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'The Citizen Kane of bad Christmas films, this bizarre 1964 sci-fi fantasy finds Santa Claus being kidnapped by Martians to bring cheer to the children of Mars. One of the Martian kids was portrayed by a 10-year-old Pia Zadora, who "never got much taller," according to the wisecracking crew of Mystery Science Theater 3000. Available on DVD, the MST3K version is a hilarious rip on the awful, low-budget film. "What is it?" shrieks an Earth girl being pursued at the North Pole by a Martian robot. "It's a guy in a cardboard box with a coffee urn on his head," replies MST3K's Joel Robinson.
Got nominees? For my money it's hard to beat the wretched excesses of the Kathie Lee Gifford Christmas specials.
December 6, 2006
1:55 PM
Anonymous writes:
I typically avoid the Christmas schlock, but I would pay a fortune to see "A Civilized Anarchist Arnie Christmas"...
December 6, 2006
2:00 PM
Anonymous writes:
Jenna Jameson puts on the best christmas special ever.
December 6, 2006
2:02 PM
gr8fuldude writes:
I think I saw that one. It was called "How the Wench Stole Christmas"...Asia Carrera co-starred...
December 6, 2006
2:15 PM
Anonymous writes:
If so, it sounds like she'd make a great wife...:)
December 6, 2006
2:59 PM
gr8fuldude writes:
Arnie -
That's right. Carrera was in "Babes in Boyland"...
December 6, 2006
3:46 PM
charles schultz writes:
Charlie Brown christmas is the best
December 6, 2006
3:50 PM
Anonymous writes:
"A Carrie McCandless Christmas" is one of my all time favs.
December 7, 2006
12:36 AM
Kevin Jones writes:
Ha, I actually remember watching Barrymore's Babes in Toyland.
I believe she saved her magical friends from turning into monsters by teaching them to sing a song about her character's hometown, Cincinatti.
December 7, 2006
7:33 AM
Hannukah Harry writes:
"Christmas Without Jesus" was pretty good
December 7, 2006
12:15 PM
history buff writes:
I think a Christmas movie should be made from that song, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.
December 7, 2006
12:19 PM
Kevin Jones writes:
"I think a Christmas movie should be made from that song, Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer."
Already has been:
===
As if young Jake Spankenheimer doesn't have enough problems on christmas eve, he has to help his mom and dad prevent mean-spirited cousin Mel from taking ownership of the family store. When his grandmother gets lost in the cold in the midst of the confusion, Jake is sent out to find her, only to discover that she's become the victim of a rather unusual hit-and-run accident, and that santa is real but not quite the sort of guy he was expecting.