Yule Logged - Dead of Night, Scrooge (1935), The Abominable Snow Baby, A Christmas Gift, Carols from Kings, I'll Be Home for Christmas and more...

 

Dead of Night (The Christmas Party) (1945)

Started my black Friday with a quick rewatch of The Christmas Party segment of the classic horror anthology in which an innocent Christmas party game of sardines leads to an otherworldly encounter.

Over the years, I've warmed to the English tradition of ghost stories being part and parcel of the holiday season. I really dive into the spooky stuff after Christmas, as Winter's darkness takes hold,, but I do enjoy the occasional ghostly visitation as a palate cleanser to the more traditionally cheerful or sentimental holiday fare.

Also, I must note that while I enjoy a good ghost tale. I generally dislike Christmas-themed horror, with a few exceptions, such as Black Christmas, Rare Exports, and last year's Le Calendrier. I'm planning on finally watching Krampus this year; though I've owned a copy for a few years, I've never gotten around to watching it. Hopefully, it will join that select group.

Scrooge (1935)

Of course the most obvious Christmas ghost story is Dicken's A Christmas Carol though I don't really include it in that genre.

Seymour Hicks' second go-round as the stingiest man in town, coming more than two decades after his appearance in 1913's silent Scrooge (aka Old Scrooge). 

Hicks was a fine actor in his time and an important figure in the history of English theater, but his Scrooge is underwhelming in this stage melodrama.

Scrooge is a bit creaky but as it's the very first sound version, that's to be somewhat expected. For a change I decided to watch a "fully restored and colorized" version that sadly added nothing of value to the experience. As vintage adaptations go, it's lower tier; while it has its moments, it doesn't really have any high points.

Interestingly, according to Letterbxd the invisible ghost of Jacob Marley was voiced by The Invisible Man himself, Claude Rains.

Though I happily watch multiple versions of A Christmas Carol year in, and year out, I seldom revisit this iteration. Recommend for Carol completions and old movie buffs only.

The Abominable Snow Baby (2021)

The Abominable Snow Baby is a bit of a horror tale itself. Not just because of the titular creature but because it opens with an apocalyptic event that's played for laughs, though it doesn't deserve any. Based on a story by the wonderful Terry Pratchett, yet mostly devoid of the wit and ingenuity of any other Pratchett I've encountered, and I've read most of his work over the years.

A perfectly acceptable kid's special but nothing more than that.

A Christmas Gift (1980)

Obvious sentimental Christmas short from Will Vinton. I'm not a huge fan of Claymation; I find it to be  very much of the Uncanny Valley and while I appreciate the exceptional craft and talent behind it, the finished product just doesn't affect me as the film intends it to. If this isn't an issue for you, though, I highly recommend checking it out.

Carols from Kings (2021)

Perfect background watching /listening material. Always lovely and exceptionally well-produced.

The Red Green Show - Snowed In (2002)

Next I caught Snowed In. a winter episode of The Red Green Show, which is another type of palate cleanser thing during the holiday season, sometimes watching a frosty themed show can break up the festive monotony without totally breaking the mood. Santa Claus does get a mention though, plus, technically, Red (&) Green is always pretty festive by default.

Christmas Solo (2017)

A pair of High School choristers rivalry leads to romantic complications for their single parents in this merely competent effort from 2017.

I'll Be Home for Christmas (1997)

Ann Jillian, Robert Hayes and Jack Palance star in this small town Christmas romance. It's a charming little flick with the bonus of Corner Gas's Eric Peterson sporting some long luscious locks. And it's better than every Hallmarked product I've seen so far this year, despite being just as cliché driven as any of them.

London Burning - Ding Dong Merrily (1988)

Solid Christmas set episode of British fire brigade soap. I remember watching London Burning back in my UK tape trading days and though I only dimly recalled the characters it was easy to pick things up and enjoy the show.

Paramount Mountain Holiday Campfire (2021)

I'm a bit of a yule log aficionado so I was pleased to see Paramount Plus had added one to their streaming service - Paramount Mountain Holiday Campfire - and it's fine. Not much holiday going on and really it's at about the level of an above average YouTube ambience channel. But it's fine.

Yule Logged: 12 Dates of Christmas, Mixed Nuts,The Christmas Chronicles,Holiday Rush, Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas, Hulu Holiday Scenics

12 Dates of Christmas (2011)

So ABC family could make an entertaining romantic Christmas comedy 8 years ago but the Holiday TV Industrial Complex can”t manage one out of a hundred in 2019.

Groundhog Day riff with Amy a Smart reliving the same blind date over and over again. Good stuff.

My only question involves a tragedy one of the main characters has suffered that could, hypothetically, also have been prevented with groundhog magic, a far more noble miracle than helping a needy lady find Mr. Right but, this is a romantic comedy not Happy Death Day so...

Mixed Nuts (1994)

Manic, occasionally hysterical Nora Ephron comedy, dark comedy, set amongst the denizens of a failing suicide prevention hotline during the holidays. An amazing cast, led by Steve Martin, Madeline Kahn, and Juliet Lewis. Not exactly politically correct but often very funny. And , unlike most other holiday movies for adults these days, it doesn’t hate Christmas.

Not necessarily a holiday staple to return to each season but a nice break from the Bad Santas and  Bad Moms.

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Started out with some serious cliche action, Hallmark with production values, then its Cloverfield Christmas before we finally get to Kurt Russell. Sadly were also encumbered with a couple of annoying kids who have to be given a tragic backstory to make them even remotly sypathetic.

Russell is the best part of this and he keeps the thing from falling apart.I just wish he was the star, not the obnoxious kids. A gang subplot is terrible but the decision to use CG aimated characters as elves is nice. Santa channeling an earlier Russell portrayl of a pop culture icon is...something.

The script doesn’t quite match the quality of  the production design and effects, which are pretty much theatrical level, but its a million times better than the rest of the dreck produced in the name of Christmas.

Holiday Rush (2019)

When an NYC radio personality suffers career reverses he decides the only way back to the top is to return to his roots. Jeez, that sounds like ad copy for the flick but it’s true.

A solid dramedy that swings back and forth between corporate drama, far better than typical Hallmark-style,  and family drama with a gaggle of entitled kids. Also featuring nice supporting spots from Darlene Love and Deon Cole

Ghosting: The Spirit of Christmas (2019)

OMG! That was terrible!




Hulu Holiday Scenics

White Elephant Puppy Party (2019)

Dogs, some wearing embarrising holiday clothing, tear apart some gifts. We mostly get to see the puppies butts as thet nose around for the strategically placed kibble.
Still better acting than the average Hallmark.

A Very Kitty Cocktail Party (2019)

Kittens get te embarrising dress up torture this time. They honestly dont seem like thet are enjoying themselves. Still, there having more fun than if they were watching the Hallmark channel.

How to Train Your Dragon Snoggletog Log

Neat animated yule log. Kudos for going the extra mile with multiple character interactions.

Puppies Crash Christmas (2017)

Ah, so the white elephant one is a sequel, that explains alot. This ones better / cuter.

The Gathering (2018)

Yeah, this ASMR thing is creepy and needs to fade away. Even if this video is ironic, just no.

Two Tickets to Christmas Town (2016)

Cute for what it is. What it is is a shot of a toy train circling a Christmas tree. I’ve run this a few times, usually with sound off or very low.

Gingerbread Home Remodel (2016)

First of these I ever viewed. Cute and the background ambiance actally works as background ambiance.

A Very Terry Christmas (2018)

Terry Crews channels his inner Bob Ross.

Library Cheer (2018)

More creepy ASMR.

The Snowman (2016)

Trigger warnings to all of the fans of the ASMR videos - he melts.

Stuck Santa (2016)

48 minutes of Santa dangling

Roast Expectations (2016)

Watch a roast roast.

A Sap Story. (2016)

Slow TV indeed.

Thermostat wars (2016)

Furnace ambiance.

Christmas in July Quick Reviews (Christmas Crazy/Crazier, Christmas with the Andersons, Tardis Yule Log)

Christmas Crazy (2011)

Repeat Viewing | Stream - Pluto Christmas in July Channel

IMDB

Fun travel documentary visiting a load of neat Christmas attractions across the USA (as of 2010). Nice background viewing for the holiday season.

Christmas Crazier (2012)

Repeat Viewing | Stream - Pluto Christmas in July Channel

IMDB

More of the same as above. Circa 2011 this time.

Christmas with the Andersons

First Viewing | Streaming Hulu

Confession time: I have a low tolerance for the modern made for TV / straight to streaming Christmas movie. If you’d told me twenty years ago that that each holiday season would bring scores of brand new original Christmas movies I would have considered it a wish come true, but todays’ Lifetime/Hallmark/Up style holiday films have turned out more like a tinsel entombed version of The Monkey’s Paw.

I don’t really consider most of these offerings to be actual stand alone films any more, I see them as individual instalments in an anthology series that airs all night, every night from Halloween until New Years. Love America Style meets Black Mirror, filmed in Canada, or whichever state is offering the biggest tax break, with whatever change the producers could scounge from their couch cushions the week before filming, with a director who alternates between low budget Christmas flicks, lower budget slasher horrors and no budget softcore skinamax fare..(Gross generalizations all, I admit, but not thaaaat far from the truth). I’ve watched dozens of them and I’m simply burned out.

So, even keeping in mind my low expectations and cynical nature I found Christmas with the Andersons to be a disappointing waste of time.

BBC America’s Doctor Who Tardis Yule Log (2017)

First time viewing | BBC America - DVR

I’m a huge TV Yule Log aficionado but since so many air at, or very near to, Christmas I don’t often have time to sit and bask in their festive ambiance. This BBC America offering has been sat on my DVR undisturbed since 2017 and I figured it would be a nice palate cleanser after the bitter pill of Christmas with the Andersons, and it was. Simple and frankly on the low end of such things it was still pleasant enough and was a pleasant Christmas in July surprise for the DR Who fans in the house.

End of night results…

The Naughty; Definitely Christmas with the Andersons
The Nice: The Christmas Crazy docs… especially the first.