20th anniversary: Christmas past, present and future of A Christmas Story

recorder.ca(AP) ^ | December 26, 2003 | ANTHONY BREZNICAN

[SwinneySwitch]

Mrs. Switch first saw this article. Our family now watches it every year!

[Rocko]

Thanks to a positive review on the Ebert/Siskel television program, I was fortunate to see this in a theatre before most people ever heard of it. I see it multiple times every year.

[Hodapp]

I saw it the first night it opened, being a huge Jean Shepherd fan. It was truly a case of the stars in the right place. Clark eventually got the studio to let him make a sequel, originally called "A Summer Story," and later retitled "It Runs In The Family." The cast was deplorable, even though Jean Shepherd's narration and story vignettes were were just as great. Although the Gravy Boat Wars incident is almost worth sitting though it.

A shame they mention Porky's but not Clark's truly great pre-Porky's film, "Murder By Decree", shamelessly ripped off a couple of years ago as "From Hell."

[CaptRon]

I was a big fan of Jean Shepherd in my youth. He had a nightly one hour radio show and on Saturday nights he did a live show from some place in Greenwich Village which ran for a few hours. I read the book they speak of while in high school and I believe I still have it somewhere. He actually has a cameo in the movie.

[petercooper]

HO... HO...... HO...........

[latina4dubya]

i saw it the first night it opened... i hadn't even heard of it, but a good friend of mine insisted we see it... he's the kind of person who's always up on the cool trendy stuff--and the weird "out there" stuff that few people ever know about... i loved it... and still do... when the marathon is on TNT, each time before we turn on the tv, we try to guess what part of the movie is playing at that moment...

[Boxsford]

disc, didn't want you to miss this thread.

I watch this movie, it's so good, in the heat of the summertime. The dad cracks me up. My dad used to swear just like him. I love the part when the dogs come in and get the Christmas turkey and we find them later eatng chinese for dinner. LOL!

[Boxsford]

What really shocked me was when I found out this movie was made in the 80's. It is so well made. Can't find anything that doesn't speak to the time period of the movie. Right down to the snowsuits and strings on the gloves.

[paulklenk]

This movie is a classic, and we ought to Freep the studio to get a theatre re-release next year. It would promise to be THE film event of the Christmas season.

I love the music from Peter and The Wolf, and the frozen tongue episode, the Major Award (a lamp), and the unfriendly Santa and elves.

"Not, 'Fa ra ra ra ra!' 'Fa la la la la!'"

"It's... it's... smiling at me!"

[xp38]

The grown-up Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie, in the classic film "A Christmas Story." (AP/Reed Saxon)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"It must be Italian! It says right here, 'F-R-A-G-I-L-E!'"

[Paul Atreides]

I doubt this movie could get made today. After all, a movie about a kid wanting, and getting, ~horror of horrors!~ a gun!

[MediaMole]

[Rocko]

He actually has a cameo in the movie.

Which scene?

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Thanks! You've made my Christmas!

Like so many, McGavin was my dad, too, who regularly "wove a tapestry of profanity which to this day is still hanging somewhere over Lake Michigan."

"Football? Football? What's a Football?!?"

http://www.geocities.com/SouthBeach/Lounge/5349/slide.wav

[paulklenk]

"Frah-JEE-lay!"

[Boxsford]

lol, and don't forget Ralphie's pretend shooting the bad guys in his back yard (who in the pc world are victims of their society--never criminals).

[Boxsford]

Thank you for posting that pic. ;)

[Dr. Eckleburg]

He was the man standing in line at the department store waiting for Santa. His dialogue probably got him his SAG card.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

Sorry. I don't speak Italian. 8~)