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RayClaus
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Date Posted:10/04/2012 03:04:53Copy HTML

Looking at one of Chip's links in another message I came across this web site.

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/christmas-story-2-goes-straight-dvd-165421919.html

They are making a sequel to Christmas Story. The previews are interesting. It seems to be loosely in the tradition to the original. I remember going to see Christmas Story when it first came out in 1983. This should be interesting!
Christmas Always Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #1
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/05/2012 02:17:30Copy HTML

I myself won't be seeing this movie.  How can you make a sequel to a movie that has become a Christmas Classic when there is almost 30 years in between?  I guess it takes place just a few years later in the story line and Ralphie wants a car for Christmas.  I don't remember the preview I read about it and I don't care to.

Several of the original cast members are deceased and even the great Bob Clark who Directed the movie had a Cameo in the original is sadly deceased.  It might have made sense if they did a sequel a few years later and this way could have used the same cast members, but now they are all grown up or deceased.  It's just not going to be the same.  They are bringing the leg lamp back too and we know from the original movie that "The Old Man" buried it in the back yard because the glue didn't hold it together.  And since it was a one of a kind in the movie, how can they resurrect it?

I have heard a lot of people expressing disdain for them making a sequel.  It would be like trying to make "The Santa Clause 4"  Too many years have passed now.  Sometimes it's better left alone.  Let us have our Classic Movie and leave the sequel alone.

Even remakes aren't anywhere near as good as the original because they don't stick to the original script word for word.  An example is the 1973 remake of "Miracle on 34th. Street" with David Hartman and Sebastian Cabot.  In the original, the Post Office decided it would be a great way of getting rid of all the dead letters to Santa Claus, but in the remake, the attorney, David Hartman went to the Post Office looking to see if they had any letters.

Also, the house that Kris got for Susan in the original didn't have a 4-sale sign on it if my memory is correct, and the 1973 version the house was for sale.  Even the 1994 remake, the house that was in the movie was owned my Cole's Department Store and it wasn't Macy's in the movie.  And it was given to Susan's mom for making the store such a success.  I only saw this version once and didn't like it so I might not have the facts exactly right.  But the 1973 version I have seen several times as well as the original 1947 version.

I'm sure there are people here looking forward to seeing the sequel, but this is just my opinion and I hope I haven't offended anyone.  We are all entitled to our opinions, and I just feel remakes don't do the original justice and then for a sequel that takes place only a few years after the original, but is done basically 30 years later, just doesn't make sense.  People like to see the same actors in the sequels and they are usually done fairly quickly after the initial movie was made.

Christmas Isn't Just A Day In December, It's A Way Of Life. Susan
anthonyv Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #2
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/12/2012 01:09:47Copy HTML

Actually, in the original 1947 movie, there is a "SALE" sign on the lawn outside the house that you see after an excited Susan (Natalie Wood) jumps out of the car and begins her run up towards the house.

Later, as they are hugging each other during the closing scene inside the house, John Payne reminds Maureen O'Hara that "the sign outside says it's for sale" and that they can't disappoint her daughter Susan.

 

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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/12/2012 07:41:05Copy HTML


Yes, that is correct; a version of Miracle on 34th Street was done in 1955 -- but it was for television. It starred Thomas Mitchell, Teresa Wright and Macdonald Carey.



Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/12/2012 02:37:54Copy HTML

Anthony,

You are correct about the sign saying the house is for sale.  But the movie leaves you wondering, did Kris actually give it to Susan as her Christmas Present or did he find it so that her mother and Mr. Gaily could buy if for her so Susan wasn't disillusioned.  But, did he really give it to her and just left the For Sale sign up to confuse everyone.  Also we never find out if it was indeed Kris' can they find in the corner by the fireplace.  I don't think he had it with him at "The Brooks Memorial Home For The Aged" Christmas Party.

Remember, Susan said to him that "she believes in him even if he is just a nice old man" and he says something like "Oh, But am I?"

Chip,

I'm sure that you are aware that there was another "Made for TV" version in 1959 with Ed Wynn as Kris Kringle.  It was Sponsored by Westclox.  I don't think I've ever seen this version, but I have seen the one with Thomas Mitchell, Teresa Wright and Macdonald Carey on several different DVD's

It was on the 2-Disc Anniversary Edition of Miracle of 34th. Street. It has been of different versions of The Lost Christmas Shows Collection DVD's where there are at least 40 programs or cartoons and so on.  Netflix even has it as a Stand-a-lone move to stream.
Christmas Isn't Just A Day In December, It's A Way Of Life. Susan
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/12/2012 05:51:01Copy HTML


Yes, I am aware Susan. However, in the original version of Anthony's post of October 11, he was inquiring about a version made in 1955. I had seen his post on the message board that night and responded to it a few hours later in the early morning hours of October 12.

However, I just this very minute noticed that by the time I got around to responding to it, he had for some reason edited out that portion of his post where he was inquiring about the 1955 version.





Lawrence F. "Chip" Arcuri Owner/Webmaster | The Yule Log.com
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/12/2012 07:59:11Copy HTML

Chip,

I was pretty sure you were aware of the 1959 version, but I guess I was questioning myself  the Ed Wynn version worth trying to find? or does it just detract from the original 1947 version?

I believe it was myself who brought up the 1955 Made For TV Version myself because I was talking about remakes not necessarily sticking to the original scripts.  And I used Miracle on 34t. Street as a reference. Being it was remade a few times.  And the last one changed the store name and everything.
Christmas Isn't Just A Day In December, It's A Way Of Life. Susan
anthonyv Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #7
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/12/2012 08:29:28Copy HTML

Chip,

Sorry about that edited post...I actually answered my own question about that 1955 TV version right after I mentioned it. However, I didn't know about the other 1959 TV version which has peaked my interest!

Susan,

I admit that I've thought about those very same things over the years. But I've also come to realize that I don't think we're supposed to know the answers to those questions in MIRACLE ON 34th STREET. Without leaving us to wonder for ourselves, the story fails on so many levels. Not knowing for sure, but still believing, seems to be the real premise behind the story feom start to finish. I also recall a very important line in the film which suggests that faith is believing in something when common sense tells us otherwise! Ultimately, it is up to us to either believe or not believe without the help of any defintive answers.

But the fantasy element is not uncommon to holiday stories, films, or music since it seems to be a truly integral element in the holiday itself! After all, a large part of the magic of Christmas IS choosing to believe in things that seem either fantastic and miraculous, whether it's the miracle of the Nativity, angels, Santa Claus and his elves, flying reindeer, snowmen with magic hats, the North Pole, ghosts of Christmas, the Island of Misfit Toys, or an old man who believes himself to be the on-and-only Santa Claus!

Of course this is only my opiinion.

Christmas Always Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #8
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/13/2012 01:34:21Copy HTML

Anthony,

You are correct on so many levels.  And, it really is about Faith and believing it something when common sense tells you not to.  Just like in "The Santa Clause" when Charlie is pretending he is driving Santa's sleigh and has the chairs all tied together and is using branches for the Reindeer antlers.  Then when Neil is trying to convince Charlie that there is no such thing as Santa Claus and he is asking "How can one man fly all around the world in one night and deliver all the presents?" Paraphrasing.  Then he ask Charlie if he's ever seen a reindeer fly and Charlie answers "Yes" then Neil says "Well I haven't" and Charlie asks him if he's ever seen a million dollars and Neil says "No" Charlie tells him that just because you haven't seen it, it doesn't mean that something doesn't exist. Paraphrasing again, because I don't have the movie on to listen to the exact dialogue.

Though this is a different movie, I always get teary-eyed when Santa's sleigh crashes in Central Park and after  Buddy fixes the engine and it gets knocked off by the statue and it won't fly right, then Michael tells his father that he isn't singing and he says that he is, and then Michael says "DAD!!!" and his father starts singing and the Clausometer goes to 100% and the sleigh flies over everyones head and I also get shivers of joy going through by body.  It the magic of it all that brings back our youth if only for a moment, but what a great feeling.

There are other Christmas movies that do the same thing to me physically and emotionally.  But too numerous to mention here.


 

Christmas Isn't Just A Day In December, It's A Way Of Life. Susan
JustaJeepGuy Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #9
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/13/2012 11:49:14Copy HTML

I don't think I have any way of seeing that 1959 TV version of "Miracle", but I'm intrigued by the idea of Ed Wynn as Kris Kringle!  I'd be interested to see what Ed did-or may have done-in the role.  Rod Serling wrote that original "Twilight Zone" episode for Ed ("One For The Angels") and it was done well.  Ed Wynn as Kris Kringle....hmmmm...
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/14/2012 01:22:08Copy HTML

Original TWILIGHT ZONE producer Buch Houghton recalled Rod Serling mentioning how much he really wanted to see Art Carney (whom he admired) play Santa Claus. That interest resulted in him writing the classic NIGHT OF THE MEEK episode (from December 1960) specifically to put Carney in the role of a beaten department store Santa who is caught in a world of despair during Christmas only to wind up entering "a strange kind of North Pole" found only in The Twilight Zone!
JustaJeepGuy Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #11
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:10/14/2012 07:46:08Copy HTML

Yeah, Art Carney was good in that, wasn't he?  Every time I see that episode, I wish I could have that job....

Back to the "A Christmas Story" sequel, I'm skeptical, mostly because of the previously mentioned time elapsed since the original.  I think all the productions of Jean Shepherd stories were as good as they were because Shep himself did all the voiceover work.  I was kind of bothered by the Bumpus hounds breaking in and devouring the Christmas turkey because in the original Shepherd story from "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash", it was an Easter ham that the hounds got.  Kind of detracted from the story to me, but I can live with it. 

There were a couple of Shepherd stories where James Broderick played The Old Man, so I was used to him in that role.  But then James B. Sikking played The Old Man in "Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven Of Bliss" after the death of Mr. Broderick, and that came after "A Christmas Story" anyway, along with "My Summer Story" and Charles Grodin as The Old Man.  So I guess we have to expect someone different pretty much every time, don't we?
JMFabianoRPL Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #12
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:11/20/2012 05:17:09Copy HTML

I want to at least rent this; if nothing else, for the train wreck potential...though the sequel has some fans on Amazon. 

However, reading a bit more from Jean Shepherd makes me wonder...were the later movies bad, or just rejected for not being ACS?  I'd like to revisit them...and find the ones not readily available that actually came before ACS.  Any ideas/suggestions?
Christmas is Christmas all over the world!
JustaJeepGuy Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #13
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:12/01/2012 10:01:20Copy HTML

All the early Shepherd productions I saw (Like "Wanda Hickey's Night Of Golden Memories") were on PBS.  It may be possible to find something there. 
JMFabianoRPL Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #14
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:12/09/2013 05:15:43Copy HTML

As I mention in the other thread, I wrote a review/recap on ACS2, which can be read here: http://www.rspwfaq.net/2013/11/review-christmas-story-2.html
Christmas is Christmas all over the world!
Winter_Warlock Share to: Facebook Twitter MSN linkedin google yahoo #15
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Re:Christmas Story 2

Date Posted:12/10/2013 12:45:40Copy HTML

While we're on the topic of faith, I have ZERO faith in Hollywood anymore. Occasionally they give me a pleasant surprise, but those are far and few between. And 'sequels' to old IP's NEVER work out very well. They do it under the assumption that people will go to it just because it's a household name, which means they can make lots of money without putting any effort into it. Most films (and this would be low-budget by modern standards) earn back their cost in the first weekend, before word-of-mouth can even spread about how bad it is.

It's a bad idea, which is exactly why it happened.
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