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| Santa
Claus Is Coming To Town |
| This 53-minute, 1970 animated film may be the most delightful
of those sundry, stop-motion animated Christmas perennials that show up on television
during the holidays. The clay animation production, boasting a wonderful musical score and
art direction that occasionally underscores the flower-power era in which it was born,
tells the story of Santa's origins, in which Kris Kringle decides to get toys into the
hands of poor children in gloomy Sombertown. Charmingly narrated by Fred Astaire and
featuring voices by Mickey Rooney and Keenan Wynn. |
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Buy
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town From Amazon.com |
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| Santa
Claus: The Movie |
| After creating a batch of lousy toys in Santa's workshop, an
embarrassed elf exiles himself to Manhattan, where he goes to work for an evil toy tycoon.
Can Santa save the elf (and Christmas) in the nick of time? Dudley Moore stars as an
eager-to-please elf who teams up with Santa Claus to save the spirit of Christmas from the
evil influence of a villainous toy tycoon who wants to flood the world with dangerous play
things. |
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Buy
Santa Claus: The Movie From Amazon.com |
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| The
Santa Clause |
| This film stars Tim Allen as a divorced dad who accidentally
knocks Santa off the roof. Taking on Santa's holiday duties (the Santa Clause),
Allen begins to take on Santa's physical attributes as well. The story is
heart-warming and funny. Tim Allen is terrific. The special effects and North Pole
set are the stars. |
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Buy
The Santa Claus From Amazon.com |
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| Scrooge,
1935 |
| The first Scrooge is NOT 1951- it is the 1935 British version
starring Sir Seymour Hicks. Being a Scrooge junkie and never caring much for the
1951 version, I recommend this one- if you can find a good copy of it. It is short
(excellent for younger audiences) and has some wonderful scenes of Victorian Christmas
traditions. This cozy B&W Christmas Carol is an absolute Christmas
treasure. |
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Buy
The 1935 Version Of Scrooge From Amazon.com |
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| Scrooge,
1951 |
| It wouldn't be fair to compare this musical version of
Dickens' novel to the 1951 classic, "A Christmas Carol," because it can never
measure up. But Albert Finney is a satisfying Scrooge--miserly, cantankerous, and
full of humbug. Alec Guiness, Edith Evans, and Kenneth More also star. An
enjoyable musical adaptation. |
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Buy The 1951 Version Of Scrooge From
Amazon.com |
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| Scrooged
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| Bill Murray stars in yet another update, this time a 1988 film
without music. Murray is a mean-spirited television executive, and in some decidedly
bizarre casting, Bobcat Goldthwait is the 80's embodiment of Bob Cratchet and the always
original Carol Kane is the very weird Ghost of Christmas Present. A few good
moments. |
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Buy
Scrooged From Amazon.com |
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| Teletubbies
- Christmas in the Snow (1998) |
| Caregivers looking to keep the littlest kids occupied while
they wrap a present or two this Christmas season have lucked out: Teletubbies: Christmas
in the Snow is a two-volume, 90-minute jumble of the usual near-mindless meanderings of
Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa, and Po mixed with a handful of visits to Christmas
celebrations in faraway lands. More fascinating to the target audience than the
traditional Finnish Christmas carol sung by a roomful of elves in stocking feet, of
course, will be the Tubbies' brisk-weather escapades. Something's changed in the
Astroturfed kingdom where bunnies, flowers, and the funny-looking foursome frolic in every
episode--the place has been doused with snow. First it's just a sugary dusting, but a
downright deluge follows, and the Tubbies get busy making sense of it all. In the first
episode, Po wipes out on her scooter; Tinky Winky's not careful and, to his delight,
slides helplessly down a hill; and the gang plays a guessing game to figure out what's
under the snow (either Laa-Laa's ball or Dipsy's hat). More of the same follows in the
second episode--along with Christmas cutaways to the U.K. and Spain, we tag along as Po
makes Po prints in the snow and the Tubbies team up to make a snow-Tubby, complete with
snazzy hat and red patent-leather purse. This is harmless, semi-educational fun for kids
under 4; Tubby tolerators everywhere can tuck it under their trees with confidence. One
day in Teletubbyland, it began to snow. It snows and snows until everything is covered,
even the Teletubbies' favorite things! Join in the fun as Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and
Po build a snow tubby and take a peek into how children around the world celebrate
Christmas in this special limited-edition holiday presentation. |
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Buy
Teletubbies - Christmas in the Snow (1998) From Amazon.com |
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| Teletubbies:
Merry Christmas Teletubbies! (1998) |
| Everything is aglitter in the delightful land of the beloved
Teletubbies! Light up your favorite child's holiday with five enchanting holiday episodes
featuring stars Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Laa-Laa and Po. Sure to put a twinkle in your
eye and a smile in your heart when you see your tiny tot giggle and laugh and roar with
delight. In "Christmas Tree," our colorful characters are overjoyed at the
arrival of their very own Christmas tree. "Making Christmas Cards" has the jolly
mischief-makers learning how to make holiday cards and when Laa-Laa gets some decorations
as a present they keep Noo-Noo busy busy. Fun continues to flow when Dipsy discovers that
party favors that go "pop" are barrels of fun and Teletubbyland rings with
excitement when the sweet sounds of carols fill the air. Plus, an avalanche of fun and
frolic awaits as the Teletubby pals discover snow! Pure Teletubby fun packs every video,
captivating young tikes as they foster creativity, imagination and confidence. |
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Buy
Teletubbies: Merry Christmas Teletubbies! (1998) From Amazon.com |
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| Thomas & Friends - Christmas Wonderland
(2000) |
PEEP! PEEP!
ALL ABOARD!!! Thomas and his friends would like to wish all of you a very Merry
Christmas. In this special collection of both new stories and seasonal favorites, you'll
experience first hand the joy and magic the holiday season brings to the Island of Sodor.
In the All-New story "Snow", join in on the fun as Rusty tells the story of when
Skarloey was up to his funnel in snow. Cheer on Thomas, Harold, Percy and Terence as they
shovel out stranded villagers just in time for Christmas, and help the engines find Thomas
just in the nick of time for the big Yuletide celebration. Happy Holidays!!!
Our Story Stops Are: Snow, Thomas' Christmas Party, Thomas & the Missing Christmas
Tree, Terence the Tractor, Thomas & Percy's Christmas Adventure, Special Funnel and
The Snow Song.
Storyteller - George Carlin. (Yes, it's a kid's video.) |
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Buy Thomas & Friends - Christmas
Wonderland (2000) From Amazon.com |
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| To
Grandmother's House We Go |
| When they overhear their stressed-out single mom (Northern
Exposure's Cynthia Geary) calling them "a handful," twins Julie and Sarah decide
to give mom a break and go to grandma's for Christmas. So they stuff their backpacks and
stow away on a city bus, beginning an odyssey that will first find them in a delivery van
operated by Roy Rogers-obsessed driver Eddie (soap opera veteran J. Eddie Peck).
Then a karate chop to Eddie's head later, they're at the mercy of a happily married pair
of thieves (Rhea Perlman, Jerry Van Dyke) and, ultimately, a team of spooked runaway
horses posing as reindeer. Luckily Eddie already has a crush on Mom, who manages his
favorite mini-mart, and together the pair track down the missing twins, who, meanwhile,
are having the ride of their lives. The Olsen twins are in their Full House bloom in this
89-minute made-for-TV movie, which means their brand of innocuous brattiness is still more
charming than annoying. Perlman and Van Dyke get to ham it up as lovable criminals, and
Geary and Peck find G-rated romance once he adjusts to the idea that his mini-mart sweetie
has kids and he learns to share his Lotto winnings. (Suitable for all ages.) |
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Buy
To Grandmother's House We Go From Amazon.com |
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| We're
No Angels, 1955 |
| A funny oldie with Bogard, Aldo Ray, and Peter Ustinov.
The three criminals bring Christmas to a family in need. . . with humor. A must
see. |
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Buy
We're No Angels From Amazon.com |
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| The
Wiggles - Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas (2000) |
| Christmas! The mere word inspires shrieks and wiggles in the
1- to 6-year-old crowd. Treat the kiddies to a tuneful outlet for their holiday excitement
with this festive, 45-minute video from Australia's award-winning children's group, the
Wiggles. Main vocalist Greg Page (in yellow) teams up with cohorts Murray Cook (guitar),
Anthony Field (guitar and trumpet), and Jeff Fatt (accordion and keyboard) to deliver over
a dozen delightful Christmas favorites--some old, many new, and almost all with a boppin'
beat. What makes this holiday sing-along superior to other, similar tapes is the genuine
joy the performers emit while they dance, play, and smile throughout each one- to
two-minute tune. Simple yet eye-catching sets for songs including "Felice
Navidad" and "Jingle Bells" never upstage the foursome and their boyish
glee. Many performances include equally wiggly children, dressed as elves or reindeer, who
appear every bit as genuine as Greg, Murray, Anthony, and Jeff. In a favorite segment,
Anthony introduces and chats with some of the kids before they perform a musical nativity
play. The final few minutes features a live performance of the "Wiggly Christmas
Medley" from The Wiggles Big Show. A packed audience full of happy, dancing little
ones presents a visual testament to this wonderful group's popularity. |
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Buy
Wiggly, Wiggly Christmas From Amazon.com |
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| White
Christmas |
| This semi-remake of Holiday Inn (the first movie in which
Irving Berlin's perennial, Oscar-winning holiday anthem was featured) doesn't have much of
a story, but what it does have is choice: Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, an
all-Irving Berlin song score, classy direction by Hollywood vet Michael Curtiz
(Casablanca, The Adventures of Robin Hood), VistaVision (the very first feature ever shot
in that widescreen format), and ultrafestive Technicolor! Crosby and Kaye are
song-and-dance men who hook up, romantically and professionally, with a "sister"
act (Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to put on a Big Show to benefit the struggling ski-resort
lodge run by the beloved old retired general (Dean Jagger) of their WWII Army outfit.
Crosby is cool, Clooney is warm, Kaye is goofy, and Vera-Ellen is leggy. Songs include:
"Sisters" (Crosby and Kaye do their own drag version, too), "Snow,"
"We'll Follow the Old Man," "Mandy," "Count Your Blessings
Instead of Sheep," and more. Christmas would be unthinkable without White Christmas. |
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Buy
White Christmas From Amazon.com |
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| The
Year Without a Santa Claus |
| Even Santa can suffer a case of the holiday blues. In this
1974 stop- motion holiday family favorite, a sparkly eyed Mrs. Claus (voiced by Shirley
Booth) sings and tells about the year her hubby felt too weary and too unappreciated to
prepare for his annual Christmas rounds. Mickey Rooney stars as the voice of Santa, a
rosy-nosed puppet who travels incognito to Southtown in search of his tiniest reindeer,
Vixen, and two well-meaning elves. Seems Mrs. Santa sent them to find proof of Christmas
spirit--but all they've discovered is ambivalence about Santa's year off. Luckily, when
Santa arrives and befriends a buck-toothed lad named Ignatius Thistlewhite, spirits begin
to lift rapidly. Adult fans of this cousin to the 1970 television special Santa Claus Is
Coming to Town will remember it as the Heat and Snow Miser movie--their vaudevillian theme
songs, complete with trombone and piano riffs, are hard to forget; but other treasured
musical moments include "I Believe in Santa Claus," "I'll Have a Blue
Christmas Without You," and "Here Comes Santa Claus. When Santa Claus
decides to take a year off, Mrs. Claus and the elves must convince him that he is very
important to children all around the world. Starring the voices of Shirley Booth and
Mickey Rooney. |
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Buy
The Year Without a Santa Claus From Amazon.com |
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| Yogi
Bear's All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper |
| Yogi escapes from Jellystone Park and poses as a store Santa,
helping a little girl restore her faith in the meaning of Christmas. Holiday songbook
included. |
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Buy
Yogi Bear's All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper From Amazon.com |
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