Monday, December 22, 2008

Christmas Treats o'plenty on the Boob Tube.



Top 5 Television Christmas Shows


Welcome to the first annual Top 5 Television Christmas Shows here at the Daily Item. Get some hot chocolate sit back and take a walk down yesteryear.



Number 1.


The Grinch who stole Christmas.

My generation loves animation. We also love Dr. Seuss. Put them together and whaddya have? The Grinch!
Does anyone else see the resemblance between the Grinch's sidekick dog and our dingbat dachshund, "Arrow?"





Number 2.


A Charlie Brown Christmas.

If you look back to my lunch-box collection you’ll remember that Charlie Brown was way up there. If you look back to the intellectual books that I’ve read you’ll remember that all of the Peanuts books were way up on my list. Take these Charles M. Schulz characters and throw in a musical score by Vince Guaraldi and you’ve got a timeless masterpiece. Plus, Linus reminds me of my daughter Jessica who sucked her thumb until she was 20 years old.


Number 3.


Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

My generation also loved that clay animation delio. Wow! Remember Gumby and Davey and Goliath. Creepy, yet compelling. Add a fantastic story line with super characters and you get this Christmas classic. Besides, when my wife sings the "misfit toys" song. I get nasty chillbumps.



Number 4.


It's a Wonderful Life!

Here's a great picture. Interesting to think what the planet would be like without your own personal influence. This film shows you just that as we see what kind of world it would have been without George Bailey. Fantastic characters like the money hungry "Potter" and beautiful Donna Reed as "Mary" make this not only one of the all time greatest Christmas shows but one of the greatest movies ever, period.




Number 5.


A Christmas Story

Darren McGavin as "The Old Man" Mr. Parker really does it for me in this film. The whole bit with the "Major Award" from "Fra-gee-lay" are classic and I can't help but relate somehow. And how about "Scut Farkus" the nasty bully with a leech side-kick. We've all seen these guys growing up in grade school.


Honorable mention:
  • Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) 1951
  • Miracle on 34th Street - 1934- Maureen O'Hara


That's it. These are the award winners for this year on the Daily Item. And...unless any new groundbreaking films are made this year these will most likely be the winners next year.

Any Christmas films I missed that should be on the list?










4 comments:

Jeremy said...

I love all those movies and cartoons. The Grinch will always be special to me.
My personal favorite is "A Christmas Story."
By the way, I WAS "Scut Farkus" when I was in High School...only worse. Hard to believe, I know.

Allison said...

My #1, The Christmas Story . . . I have a little brother who looked EXACTLY like Ralphie when we were kids. I could probably quote the whole movie to you! We always liked to watch on Christmas day the "24-hours of A Christmas Story" on either TBS or WGN. It just keep replaying over and over again . . . great memories. I found a picture of Justin as a kid and he looks JUST LIKE Scott Farcus! I'll have to try to dig it up and post it on my blog! He'd love me for that, I am sure!!!

PixelFish said...

If you guys get the chance, you should see/rent Terry Pratchett's Hogfather. (Hogfather is the Discworld equivilant of Santa Claus.) It's a wee bit dark in spots--Death has to play the Hogfather after the local Assassin's Guild has the Hogfather inhumed--but it's funny and touching.

PixelFish said...

Here's one of my favourite scenes from Hogfather:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq76k44bDnU&feature=related