Book Review: A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic by Caseen Gaines

Even though it's Labor Day weekend, I'm already in the Christmas spirit.  That's because I've received an advanced copy of a new book by pop culture enthusiast Caseen Gaines entitled A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic.  The book which is scheduled to be released on October 1st, 2013, is the hottest item on everyone's Christmas list.  It is being released to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the movie's debut.  That's what I call perfect timing! 

Gaines' book is everything it should be--and it covers everything it should cover.  Within its ten chapters, you'll read about the behind the scenes activities of what it took for the film's director Bob Clark to bring this production to theater screens.  Gaines recounts the film's screenplay, casting, shooting the film, its initial release and critics' reactions, and the movie's eventual climb to cult status.  There are also in depth discussions of Brian Jones' efforts to develop what has become Christmas movie fans' ultimate vacation destination: The Christmas Story House and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio--the house used for the exterior shots in the movie.  You'll also read about the Schwartzes, a couple who are such die-hard A Christmas Story fans that they made an indie film about their efforts to track down the original Canadian shooting locations and the original costumes worn in the film by the principle cast.  Gaines' book also details the explosion of merchandise retailed after the 20th anniversary of the film, as well as the multiple follow-up movies and staged productions inspired by the success of the 1983 film.

The photos in the book include movie publicity stills as well as some from the personal collection of Ian Petrella who played the little brother Randy.   Petrella's photos are a wonderful addition as they consist of candid, behind-the-scenes images of the cast and crew captured during the 1983 film's shoot.

This is me standing inside the Christmas Story House in Cleveland, Ohio--"It's a MAJOR award!"  Click HERE to revisit my post about my trip to A Christmas Story House & Museum in 2010.

Most of you may be pleased to learn that this new book includes a level of detail for even the most ardent A Christmas Story movie fans.  Even if you've seen the movie dozens of times--even hundreds of times--you'll learn something new.  Loyal fans of radio personality, raconteur, and short story writer Jean Shepherd will be satisfied to discover how much Gaines' book attributes to Shepherd's work, his influence on the success of the film, and Shep's ongoing legacy.  I recommend this book to anyone who knows the joy of watching A Christmas Story.  This is the Red Ryder BB Gun of books you'll want on your Christmas list this year.

In addition to all the wonderful details about this classic Christmas movie, I was pleased to see wider discussions, asking the questions--has this holiday cultural force jumped the shark? will viewers and fans ever lose their enthusiasm and will the film diminish in popularity?  I also appreciate Gaines reiterating the question--what makes A Christmas Story the cultural touchstone that it is?  From my perspective, I share Gaines' assertion that the movie continues to endure because it is rooted in the ritual of families coming together every year watching the movie marathon 24 Hours of A Christmas Story on cable TV or on DVD.  This ritual for many has become tradition--the essence of Christmas itself.  Can we imagine a Christmas in our futures without watching A Christmas Story on television?  Not in my lifetime!

Gaines' previous book.

Christmas TV junkies should also look for Caseen Gaines' previous book 2011's Inside Pee-Wee's Playhouse: The Untold, Unauthorized, and Unpredictable Story of a Pop Phenomenon.  The book devotes an entire chapter to the 1988 prime time TV special Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special. 

You can pre-order A Christmas Story: Behind the Scenes of a Holiday Classic at Amazon.com
You can also follow Gaines' book on facebook: A Christmas Story book

Starsky & Hutch Christmas (1976)

As I mentioned, I'm looking forward to being at The Hollywood Show in Chicago on Sept. 6th-8th, 2013.  One of the exciting guests in attendance will be actress Kristy McNichol.  So I'm motivated to re-visit one of her past roles in a Christmas episode.  Do you remember the second season episode "Little Lost Girl" of the police/action series Starsky & Hutch?

You know it's Christmas because there are holiday decorations hanging from the car's rear-view mirror.

The story opens with Hutch bitterly explaining that he has no intention of buying his partner Starksy a Christmas present this year.  Hutch claims he's trying to avoid the phony "euphoric sentimentalism" he sees everywhere around him this season.  Meanwhile, Starsky cannot stop himself from whistling and singing Christmas carols throughout the episode.  The Zebra 3 receives a call--there's an armed robbery in progress nearby!

America's Most Wanted: Molly Edwards, a hungry girl with little parental supervision.

It turns out a local grocer has made the false report in order for the police to come and capture an underage shoplifter that has repeatedly ripped him off.  This twelve year-old delinquent is tomboy Molly Edwards who just wants to be left alone.  Starksy and Hutch get her away from the angry grocer and take her home.  But what they find there alarms them--she lives in a dingy apartment that's filled with empty liquor bottles.  They decide to wait with her until a parent arrives.

No happy Christmas for this little lost girl.

After several hours, they receive a phone call--Molly's father has been killed.  Looking into his background, Starsky and Hutch discover that Molly's father had just been released from prison two months ago.  He had served time after getting caught for a jewelry store robbery in which several stolen diamonds had not been recovered.  His two accomplices had never been found either.  It looks like Molly will have to return to her foster home as soon as the family can be contacted.  In the meantime, she'll stay with Hutch at his apartment.

Hutch listens as Molly cries herself to sleep.

Trying to help, Hutch finds himself offering to take Molly Christmas shopping and Starsky brings a Christmas tree to Hutch's apartment.  When Molly is returned to her foster family, her father's accomplices scheme to recover the stolen diamonds by kidnapping and forcing Molly to reveal what she knows. Now Starsky and Hutch must track down the two armed robbers who are the number one suspects in Molly's father's murder--but Molly as well!

YYESS!!  This Christmas story includes everyone's favorite informant, Huggy Bear!

These two bad guys are menacing however one of them looks like an evil Johnny Mathis!? 

Though Molly escapes from the bad guys clutches, she eventually uses herself as bait to lure them to her once again so they can be more easily caught!  This is not the plan Starsky and Hutch had in mind--but it works and the baddies are eventually caught.

Hutch has demonstrated quite of bit of "euphoric sentimentalism" over this little girl this holiday season--and Starsky won't let him forget it!  And on Christmas morning, Starsky, Hutch, Molly, and Hutch's friendly neighbor boy named Kiko all open gifts together.  As a ridiculous punchline, Starsky gives Hutch an ant farm as a gift and Hutch gives his partner a certificate that states that a tree has been planted in a nearby park in Starsky's name. 

If you're a fan of Kristy McNichol like I am, you may want to join me in Chicago at The Hollywood Show.  Get your tickets now!  You may also notice among the 36 celebrities attending the show, her brother Jimmy McNichol will also be there.  I can't wait!

Kristy also appeared in both of The Carpenters' musical Christmas TV specials in 1977 and '78.  Why aren't these on DVD yet?

Dennis the Menace (1959)

I've been getting prepared for my upcoming appearance at The Hollywood Show in Chicago, September 6th-8th, 2013.  I'm getting excited about all the celebrity guests at the event--many of whom have appeared in outstanding Christmas entertainment.  One of the guests who will be in Chicago is actor Jay North.  Among his many roles, North played Dennis Mitchell on the sitcom Dennis the Menace, a TV series based on the comic strip by Hank Ketcham.  Do you remember the first Christmas episode of Dennis the Menace, 1959's "The Christmas Story?"

Henry Mitchell is having a hard time finding a place to hide the Christmas gifts--out of Dennis' reach.

In this episode, Henry and Alice Mitchell struggle to keep the family's Christmas gifts hidden from young Dennis as he searches through every nook and cranny of their home.  When Henry thinks he knows the perfect place to hide the gifts--in a locked trunk in the attic--Henry finds Dennis and his friend Tommy already there trying to pry open the trunk!

Henry gets the idea for next-door neighbor Mr. Wilson to hold the Mitchells' gifts for them until Christmas day.  Mr. Wilson agrees to this and he hides them in the closet.  Unaware that the gifts have left the home, Dennis still searches high and low for the Christmas presents.

Dennis sets a buzzing alarm clock to go off so he can hear where the gifts are hidden!

Then Dennis gets the clever idea of asking his mother to place the alarm clock gift he plans to give his father with all the other hidden gifts.  What Alice doesn't know is that Dennis has set the snooze alarm on the clock and it will buzz every few minutes until it is shut off! 

Dennis knows what time he set the alarm clock to go off at--but he can't hear it from where it's hidden.

Poor Mr. Wilson keeps answering the buzzer at the front door--but no one is there.

Though Dennis never hears the alarm clock in the Mitchell home, Mr. Wilson mistakes the buzzing noise for his front door bell.  On Christmas Eve, the Mitchells invite the Wilsons to their home to trim the Christmas tree.  Though Dennis has been practicing his bugle all week long in order to play "Silent Night," his parents suggest that everyone sing the beloved carol instead.  Upon hearing Dennis' sweet voice, the adults one-by-one drop out from singing.  The devilish little boy looks positively angelic as he sings “Silent Night” in front of the Christmas tree.

Dennis' sweet, innocent voice brings tears to the eyes of his parents and the Wilsons.

If you're familiar with this series, you may already know that Dennis sings "Silent Night" in each of the three Christmas episodes.  This charming musical moment is just one of the many TV sitcom musical highlights that I discuss in my most recent book Merry Musical Christmas: Volume 1: The Best Christmas Music in Sitcoms and Dramas that was released last holiday season.

Did you ever relentlessly search for your hidden Christmas gifts when you were a child?

I'm looking forward to The Hollywood Show in Chicago on Sept. 6th-8th.  In addition to actor Jay North being there, the actress who played Dennis' friend Margaret, Jeannie Russell, from the Dennis the Menace series will also be there.  I hope to see you there too!

Animation Celebration: Recap

This concludes Christmas in July: Animation Celebration!  July is the special time of the year that I turn the blog over to my readers.  All month long I have been posting essays written by people eager to share their passion and memories for animated Christmas entertainments.  I want to thank all the readers who took the time and effort to comment on other writers' essays.  In case you may have missed any of the guest posts this month, below is a complete list of links.  Merry Christmas in July!

Polar Express

Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol

A Cosmic Christmas

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

The Little Drummer Boy

Santa Claus is Comin' to Town

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

 

The Simpsons' "Marge Be Not Proud"

Batman: The Brave and the Bold's "Invasion of the Secret Santas!"
 
Winnie the Pooh and Christmas, Too

The Small One

Mickey's Christmas Carol

 

A Charlie Brown Christmas 

A Garfield Christmas

Santa and the Three Bears

Yogi's First Christmas

A Very Merry Cricket

Animation Celebration: A Very Merry Cricket

Welcome back to Christmas in July: Animation Celebration!  July is the special time of the year that I turn the blog over to my readers.  All month long I'm posting essays written by people eager to share their passion and memories for animated Christmas entertainments.

Today's essay is the last original essay--tomorrow I'll post a recap of the month's guest posts so you'll be able to see if you missed any of them.  Thanks to everyone who participated--I hope you got as much out of it as I did.  Isn't it fun to see what animated holiday stories are important to others? 

Today's essay is on 1973's A Very Merry Cricket.  How long has it been since you've re-watched this one?  This guest post comes to us from Dominic, the editor/publisher of 1701 Press, who also wrote the essay on his favorite Simpsons Christmas episode earlier this month.

A Very Merry Cricket is the sequel to the 1973 animated short, A Cricket in Times Square. Chuck Jones--the animator behind the Christmas TV classic, How the Grinch Stole Christmas--adapted A Cricket in Times Square for television from George Selden’s story and Garth Williams’ illustrations. It’s the story of Chester C. Cricket, a Connecticut cricket, who, through a series of mishaps, finds himself in New York City. He’s taken in as a pet by a boy in a subway newsstand, and befriended by a stray cat, Harry, and his best friend, Tucker the mouse. Chester saves the newsstand’s sagging business when it’s discovered that he has an incredible musical gift and all of New York is captivated by his ability to play beautiful music.

A nightmarish and expressionistic New York is getting Christmas all wrong!

In A Very Merry Cricket, Chuck Jones reunites Chester with Tucker and Harry to rekindle the spirit of Christmas in New York. The city has become a nightmarish place--rife with chaos, commercialism, and selfishness. Harry and Tucker decide to bring Chester back from Connecticut to the city for Christmas, believing that his music will inspire the city dwellers to be kinder--like his music did the first time Chester played for them.

Harry the cat, Tucker the mouse, and Chester C. Cricket reunite in Connecticut.

So, the cat and mouse make the trip to Connecticut to enlist the help of their friend. The trip back to New York proves somewhat tricky, with the trio having to improvise to avoid an aggressive bulldog and a threadbare stray cat who wants to make Tucker the main course in his Christmas dinner. When they return to New York, they find it too loud and chaotic for anyone to hear Chester’s music. In a stroke of Christmas luck, a power overload causes a blackout and Chester’s beautiful playing miraculously brings out the best in everyone again.

A creepy stray cat tries to eat Tucker.

A Very Merry Cricket is every bit as charming as A Cricket in Times Square, and it’s filled with Chuck Jones’ unforgettable style. I grew up loving How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Very Merry Cricket could have easily been a favorite companion piece to The Grinch. Watching A Very Merry Cricket again, I was struck with how excellent it is. It’s got wonderful characters. Tucker the mouse is voiced with great warmth and humor by Mel Blanc (who brought so many classic Warner Brothers characters to life, from Bugs Bunny to Foghorn Leghorn), and the suave Harry the cat along with mild-mannered, liverwurst-loving Chester C. Cricket, are voiced by the elegant Les Tremayne. Both Tucker and Harry display Chuck Jones’ signature style of facial expressions and movement--looking like they could’ve have been good friends to the Grinch and Max the Reindog. The imposing city scenes of hustle and bustle, and the eventual scenes of goodwill and togetherness are absolutely spectacular. There’s little movement in many of these city scenes beyond that of the camera panning from one direction to another, but it’s done with such artistry that the feelings come across loud and clear.

Harry, Tucker, and Chester take a perilous downhill sled ride (a little like the Grinch and Max) to try to catch the train.

The music is also wonderful.  Music, of course, is a big part of my Christmas celebration. It also plays an important role in my cherished Christmas memories growing up, watching Christmas on TV, celebrating with my family and Italian grandparents, and going to church with all the old Italian people in an atmosphere that was both reverent and joyful. A Very Merry Cricket is filled with lovely violin arrangements of Christmas carols, including “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.” When Chester plays “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear,” the arrangement swells to include a particularly beautiful vocal accompaniment by a solo child’s voice, backed by a choral group.

People joining together in the spirit of Christmas, inspired by Chester's playing.

The characters are charming, and the story conveys a satisfying sense of Christmas spirit. But my favorite part of A Very Merry Cricket is the montage of scenes of togetherness, goodwill, and happiness as people all over the city are inspired by Chester’s beautiful Christmas music. The illustrations are beautiful, filled with humanity, and they make this animated special a real sight to behold.

Another beautiful image of Christmas spirit while Chester plays Christmas carols.

Animation Celebration: Yogi's First Christmas

Welcome back to Christmas in July: Animation Celebration!  July is the special time of the year that I turn the blog over to my readers.  All month long I'm posting essays written by people eager to share their passion and memories for animated Christmas entertainments.  Just a few more days left in the month--thanks for your continued interest.

Today's essay is about the animated favorite Yogi's First Christmas.  Did you grow up watching Hanna-Barbera's animated Christmas stories too?  This essay comes to us from Drew Flowers, the co-moderator for the Yahoo Group ChristmasMoviesandMusic and blogger at the website Tis the Seasons.  He also wrote the essay on A Garfield Christmas Special from last week. Let's welcome him again.

Yogi’s First Christmas is a 1980 holiday themed television feature- length film that first aired on November 21, 1980. In this Hanna-Barbera Christmas special, the picnic-basket stealing Yogi Bear and his little friend Boo-Boo are supposed to be getting ready to hibernate for the winter but instead decide to experience their first Christmas season.

Yogi’s Christmas special never received a lot of air time on any major networks except on USA, however it is a charming holiday tale for any Christmas lover or Hanna-Barbera fan. Yogi spends his winter working different jobs at the Jellystone Park lodge ranging from a bellboy, a ski instructor and head of security--all of which provide enjoyable moments with Yogi and several classic Hanna-Barbera characters such as Huckleberry Hound, Snagglepuss, Augie Doggie and Doggie Daddie, Cindy Bear, and Herman the Hermit.

When a bratty kid visiting the lodge with his aunt teams up with Herman the Hermit to ruin the holiday fun for Yogi & crew, they realize that having Christmas spirit is not such a bad thing and are forgiven and invited to the Christmas celebration at the lodge. At the story’s end, a visit from Santa occurs at the Christmas party in which Santa brings Yogi a picnic basket full of food. Yogi, however, falls asleep, due to his natural instincts of hibernation. With that, the holiday revelers return Yogi & Boo Boo to their caves for the rest of their hibernation.

When watching Yogi’s First Christmas, it really brings back memories of what cartoons were like back in the 1980’s. The graphics are nothing like today’s cartoons, but every time I watch it, it’s like being 6 years old and eagerly awaiting Santa all over again.  There is something unique about how simple this animated special is but yet provides a touching feel with some great songs and unique story to really make you feel the Christmas spirit the way it should be felt. This past Christmas my oldest son ( 5 years old) watched this more than any other holiday special. He also enjoyed the unique humor and ageless child-like feel this special provides. Yogi’s First Christmas has been on the Boomerang channel recently and even had a Christmas morning airing as well.

Animation Celebration: Giveaway #2

This month we've been recollecting some of our favorite animated holiday entertainment--and maybe you've discovered a few new titles along the way.  As I promised, I want to offer another animation DVD giveaway.  I have 3 DVDs which are brand new, factory-sealed.  The giveaway includes The Simpsons Christmas,

which includes the holiday episodes "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire," "Mr. Plow," "Miracle on Evergreen Terrace," "Grift of the Magi," and "She of Little Faith."

1970's Santa and the Three Bears

Santa and the Three Bears DVD --remember Jakki's essay about this animated classic?

And, Christmas Classics Series DVD which includes three animated TV specials from 1999 featuring amazing voice casts.  "Jingle Bells" includes Jason Alexander, Don Knotts, and Shelley Long.  "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" includes voice work from Nell Carter, Lacey Chabert, and Travis Tritt.  And, "O' Christmas Tree" includes voice actors Edward Asner, Tim Conway, and Marie Osmond.

There will be ONE winner for the entire 3 DVD set.  This giveaway is limited to valid entries with shipments made to the U.S. and Canada only.  You are eligible to enter even if you've won a giveaway from this blog in the past.  All essay writers participating this month are also eligible.  Here's how you can enter the giveaway:

--leave a comment below with the phrase "Christmas in July is my favorite time of year."  You can enter again on Facebook and Twitter by commenting with the words "Christmas in July is my favorite time of year" once at each of the following locations:

Facebook page: Christmas TV History

Facebook page: Tis the Season TV

Facebook page: Christmas TV Companion

Twitter: @TistheSeasonTV 

 

So you could enter up to five times by leaving the correct comment at all five locations.  This giveaway is for North American residents only.  This runs from today, Sunday July 28th to Wednesday, July 31st at noon(ET).  On Wednesday July 31st at noon(ET), I'll use random.org to generate a number from the total number of qualifying entries to select a winner.  I'll drop it in the mail ASAP after receiving the winner's mailing address.  

Make sure if you enter that I can contact you--or that you check back to see who won.  Would you believe I've had giveaway prizes go unclaimed!?  I also want to make the restriction that I'll only mail the prize once.  I'm not paying to ship it twice if you don't claim it from the post office.

Good luck! Merry Christmas in July!