Writer's Block: What Kind of Wonderful?

[fajrdrako]

Christmas movies...

When I married an American (oh so many years ago) he was shocked (shocked!) that I had never seen It's a Wonderful Life. So we watched it. I liked it well enough, but wasn't sure what the fuss was about.

I don't have a favourite Christmas movie, though there are many I've liked. Technically I suppose my favourite is The Lion in Winter, because it's about Henry II and his family, and set at Chrsitmas in 1183, and it's witty, and has more real historical attitude in it than most movies with a medieval background. But it's not really Christmas-at-heart, not what you'd call a Christmas movie.

And there's a whole other set of movies I like to watch at Christmas because they feel Christmassy and heartwarming to me: The Sound of Music, The Scarlet Pimpernel,
Much Ado About Nothing, Casablanca and The Music Man, for example. And none of them so much as mention Christmas.

What about A Midwinter's Tale? There's Christmas in that, and Hamlet too.

You know what I really like? Not Christmas movies, but Christmas stories. And I don't just mean A Christmas Carol but also fanfic based at Christmas. Christmas was a particularly good time for Professionals fanfic - there are some classics there, especially a few by M. Fae Glasgow, like the unforgettable Shopping Days or Doyle (the) Copper Felt (Up) and Screwged or Nanny's Christmas Carol.

Comments

[fadryn.livejournal.com]

Love Actually. It always makes me cry, but it's fabulous fun.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oh, yes - that's an excellent one!

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

I love A Midwinter's Tale. I need to get it out and watch it again.

I've never actually seen It's a Wonderful Life..

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love A Midwinter's Tale. I need to get it out and watch it again.

I don't own a copy. Must do something about that. Wonderful movie.

I've never actually seen It's a Wonderful Life.

I don't know why it's so popular.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

It is. Maybe I'll watch it tonight. If the power stays on...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Let me know what you think, if you see it.

Why are you having power problems?

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Oh, I've watched it many times, and I love it.

I'm afraid I didn't get to it tonight, though.

Potential power problems. Short version (remember, this is a place that averages less than a foot of snow a year) -- major winter storm tonight and tomorrow. Could get 50+mph winds (just east of here, it'll be more like 70+, and yes, that's hurricane strength), 6-12" of snow, and/or freezing rain. All of the above cause power outages here in my experience.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

We don't get a lot of power outages here, I'm not sure why not. They are predicting snow and heavy winds tomorrow.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

I'm sure your power companies are better prepared for severe weather than ours are.

I just wish they'd invest in putting the grid underground, darnit. We have wind regularly. We have lots of very tall trees. Power outages are pretty much a given, at least two or three times a year (the longest was for three days, about twelve years ago, they're usually more for a few hours).

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm sure your power companies are better prepared for severe weather than ours are.

And since the famous Ice Storm of 1998, they've been even more prepared.

I just wish they'd invest in putting the grid underground, darnit.

Certainly a lot of our power grid is underground, thank goodness. It makes a difference.

[mmegaera.livejournal.com]

Certainly a lot of our power grid is underground, thank goodness. It makes a difference.

It certainly does. That said, we didn't lose power last night, in spite of the fact that I think we must have gotten some freezing rain in the wee hours, after we got about four more inches of snow. The crust is very crunchy this morning.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

While we have lots and lots of white fluffy snow coming down.

[jackarono.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love It's a Wonderful Life. It's probably my favorite film ever. It's got an amazing edge for what seems like a feel-good film. Watch the part where Jimmy Stewart falls for Donna Reed and is so angry, because he knows it means he's stuck in this town he hates if he marries her. And yet he loves her. And when his uncle loses the money, Jimmy Stewart is again so angry, so resentful-- he gave up his dreams for this town, and it was all for nothing.

And Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter) was the bitterest villain ever. And Jimmy Stewart is actually cruel back to him.

It's a kind of brutal film, in some ways, because he thinks he's given up his dreams, and it's true-- he's been cheated because he's a good man and responsible and generous, and he's punished, not rewarded for that. And he has to learn the hard way that virtue really is its own reward (and then he gets a real reward, because he has understood this). It's an amazing film, and those who say it's sappy and sentimental, well, I'm thinking they didn't watch the film I see. I think it's a knife-sharp portrait of a good man who doesn't think life has been good back, and who almost buckles under the pressure of his resentment and the bad events that befall him.

I think I need to go watch it again. :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Go watch - and enjoy!

[topgeargirl2.livejournal.com]

I've never seen It's a wonderful life but I don't think it gets shown here at Christmas time.

Here it's more of what christmas specials are on TV like tonight there is the Spicks and Specks christmas special which is a music quiz show hosted by a very talented comedian named Adam Hills.

On Christmas Eve is the Carols by Candlelight broadcast from Melbourne and it's an Aussie tradition.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I would like the Christmas Eve carols. I love that sort of thing.

[mommimus-prime.livejournal.com]

My all time favorite is A Christmas Story. We watch it every year. White Christmas is also a huge favorite but more for the dancing and musical numbers than anything else. It's actually kind of on the mushy side.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

A Christmas Story

I think I've seen that... But I don't remember it at all. Christmas movies seem to entirely bypass my ability to remember them!

White Christmas is also a huge favorite but more for the dancing and musical numbers than anything else. It's actually kind of on the mushy side.

I like musicals and I like mushy movies so that's all to the good. I like this one a lot, but it doesn't push my "Christmas feelings" buttons.

[glinda-north.livejournal.com]

We're No Angels.

Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov and Aldo Ray in a pretty black comedy about criminals escaping from Devil's Island on Christmas Eve. With the added bonus of Basil Rathbone, whom I adore.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I've seen the play - twice - but I don't think I've ever seen the movie. Fun!

[countrycousin.livejournal.com]

The Lion in Winter certainly seems to qualify, and it is definitely a favorite, but I admit, I have a tough time thinking of it as a Christmas movie. Definitely not Christmas-at-heart :-).

These days I seem to like the animated Grinch with the Karloff reading. I pretty much have it memorized, but like it anyway. Cute dog. ;-)

Christmas Carol and Nutcracker are nice holiday fare, but I haven't watched the Carol in years.

I like the music this time of year, except for the pop. I particularly like Peter, Paul, and Mary's seasonal album, A Holiday Celebration.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes; I think of The Lion in Winter as a Christmas movie and a favourite movie, but not a favourite Christmas movie. Which is a sort of quibble, but there you have it.

I have never seen the animated Grinch. I'd never even read the Grinch till a talented friend of mine read it aloud at a Christmas party a couple of years ago. Now I've read it in Latin. [g]

[maisedoat.livejournal.com]

One year when there were two new babies in my extended family, a nasty flu bug quarantined me all alone (save for phone calls and food parcels) and I saw 8 separate versions of a Christmas Carol. Apart from some ghastly thing with Kelsey Grammar as Scrooge, and a terrible cartoon with Americans failing to do cockernee accents, I loved 'em all.

My favourite is The Muppet Christmas Carol - who wouldn't love Kermit and Miss Piggy as the Cratchit's - all the girls are pigs and all the boys are frogs?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I saw 8 separate versions of a Christmas Carol.

You must have known all the dialogue by the end. I didn't even know there were eight versions - but I know there are a lot. My favourite version is the one read by Patrick Stewart. But I've seen maybe 3 versions, maximum. Mostly I read the book.

The Muppets Christmas Carol is wonderful, though I've only seen scenes from it.