Since I missed Halloween, I thought I should write a post about the next big holiday coming up: Christmas. Of course, if you don't celebrate Christmas but instead another December holiday, then please just insert your holiday of choice whenever I write Christmas; as someone who was raised Christian--though as an agnostic I don't think I fall under that category anymore--Christmas is just the name that has stuck around. But this blog entry is not about religion (though I may write one someday entirely devoted that subject), and none of the films listed here are religious in theme or plot, at least not the in the way I relate to them.
First up is a comedy. I decided to start with this film because the others will have a more serious interpretation attached to them, and my enjoyment of this particular gem is not academic: I just simply love watching this film around the holidays. It makes me laugh.
Christmas Vacation follows the adventures of the Griswold family as they deal all the fun and terror of hosting Christmas at their home. Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo star as the patriarch and matriarch of the Griswold family and it is D'Angelo's character, Ellen, who, along with the children, seem the sanest of the bunch. Indeed, much of the laughter comes from the crazy antics of Chase's character, Clark, and the rest of the family.
One of my favorite scenes involves Clark applying some kind of lubricant to the bottom of his snow sled--more of a snow shield used as a sled--and rocketing like a bullet over a frozen pond, through a forest, and eventually stopping the middle of a road.
Another sequence that just cracks me up is when the oldest--and I do OLD--members of the family arrive, played by William Hickey and Mae Questel. The combination of a dotty old woman and the hysterically annoying voice of Hickey is wonderful, not to mention a reminder that while we cannot choose our family, the holidays are a socially acceptable time of the year to get plastered.
And then there's the beauty of a line, delivered by the wife of Clark's boss, played by Natalia Nogulich: "Yes officer, it seems my husband's been abducted. The man was wearing a blue leisure suite. Plates were from Kansas. He was a huge, beastly, bulging man." I can't quite pinpoint exactly why that line gives me the giggles, but even as I typed it out, I chuckled.
Truly, this is the film I turn to every Christmas for a good laugh, and it never disappoints.
On the surface, this film may not look as though it really fits within the category of Christmas films since it bridges the divide between the most scared holiday for many and the most sinful. The beauty of Nightmare is in its daring to bring together two holidays that, before, many had not. What's funny is that Tim Burton got the idea while shopping and was struck by the odd pairing of Halloween and Christmas decorations as the store was shifting between the two seasons. See, inspiration can come from all sorts of places.
Now, in my analysis, I find that Jack Skellington represents the creative spirit, or the creative spark of imagination. After all, in order to truly bring about anything new, one must practically roam to the edge of sanity, cross that border, and hopefully come back with some fresh new insight, if they even come back at all. There's a reason why some of the most creative minds in the world don't do well when interacting with mere mortals; they just think differently.
And Jack is just that type of character. Watch as he follows through with his desire to take over Christmas (though not in a dictatorial way as he simply wants to give Santa a break); he goes along with such enthusiasm, despite being warned by Sally, that it's hard not to be swept up along with his crazy scheme.
I was not allowed to watch the film when it first came out because my parents believed it was sacrilegious and disgraced the true meaning of Christmas. I, however, now that I've seen it multiple times think nothing of the sort. In fact, my second favorite scene in the whole film occurs when Jack has been blown out of the sky and lands in a cemetery. Take heed, the director doesn't shoot him in a grave, but in the arms of an angel. Jack's intent was not to terrify or destroy Christmas, but to bring something new to those he loves and the people who celebrate during the all the different holidays. Despite the fact that he doesn't understand the nuances of Christmas, he understands the spirit and that is to spread joy and happiness to those around us. One person's joy is another's misery.
Since I told you about my second favorite scene in the film, I think it would be unfair to then move on the next film in my list without mentioning my favorite scene in the film. "Jack's Lament" is by far the most beautiful moment of the film, which is fitting because it sets up Jack's motivation. The song itself is sung by Danny Elfman, who also wrote all the songs and orchestrations. Elfman's voice is mesmerizing here (not to mention throughout the entire film), coupled with the striking visuals of Jack standing on top of hill with a curious little curved appendage and framed by a massive yellow moon. The first time I saw this particular scene, my jaw dropped to form a perfect "O".
This film is still the standard to which I measure all stop-motion films, and so far I haven't seen another quite like it, and likewise, Jack Skellington is among my favorite characters in literature.
The Polar Express has quickly become not only my favorite 3D IMAX film ever (really the only 3D film I've seen that was worth the price), but also my favorite Christmas film.
There's not a single reference to any specific religion in the film, at least not one I can think of beyond the obvious reference in the fact that Christmas is being celebrated, but the holiday has become so separated in recent years from its religious roots that it's quite easy to not think of the birth of Christ when thinking of Christmas.
Well, I promised I wouldn't get into any religious talk and there I go writing about the lack of Christ in Christmas. Moving on...
As far as the film goes, it's a wonderfully mysterious film that doesn't make the main character's journey on the road to belief easy, and such a journey shouldn't be easy: Faith isn't easy. Indeed, at times there seem to be more questions raised than answers.
However, it's Robert Zemeckis' subtly that wins me over every time. In quite a few of Zemeckis' films, especially Contact (which I consider to be his best), a subtle magic works it's way through the hearts and minds of the film's audiences.
Take for instance the scene when Hero Boy decides to board the train, against his own skepticism, and notices the snowman in his front yard waving. But is it really waving? The train's slip stream could have caused the snowman's arm to move. There are many moments like that where seemingly magical elements are presented in such a subtle matter that the hero's skepticism is understandable.
Another of my favorite visuals occurs when the train is winding its way up a mountain, heading to the apex. Zemeckis' camera placement gives the audience the impression that the train will just fly off into the air (after all, it did just make its way across a frozen lake), but with a slight shift in perspective, we're shown a bridge that had been hidden by the mountain. It's a wonderful moment that plays with our desires to see something magical, only to have the expectation deflated when we realize it was only a trick, which is exactly what Hero Boy is experiencing: Moments of what look to be created by magic are only later revealed to be tricks of perception.
Now, the reason I believe this film is the best 3D film I've ever seen comes from the simple fact that the film is enhanced by the extra dimension rather than giving us something to distract our eyes. The first time I saw the film was on TV, and I loved it from the moment I saw that snowman wave. however, I felt the animation wasn't all that great. It was flat and seemingly without warmth, and the human animations seemed just a bit creepy. But when I saw it again in 3D IMAX, I saw animation so detailed and so wonderfully rendered that I was amazed I hadn't seen it that way before. The film's visuals were truly enhanced, and not just by the size of the screen. The human characters no longer looked like flat caricatures of what a human is supposed to look like, but characters with depth, shading, and rounded features that showcased all the minute facial expressions I didn't see on TV, or rather couldn't see.
If more 3D films were made with his type of enhancement in mind, I wouldn't mind paying the extra moment for tickets. Maybe not....
These are my favorite holiday films. They remind me of what I like best about the holidays: It's the time of the year when the best of humanity is on display; Christmas is the time of the year when I have the most hope for us all, hope that deep down most of us are good and that all we need in life is a little faith; not faith in a higher power, but faith each other.
On that note, I'm actually curious to know what films all of you like to watch during the holidays. What films make you feel all warm and fuzzy? What films make you want a hot, steaming cup of hot chocolate?
Fabulous I love all those films and I love your view of these movies.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Morgan!
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