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  #131  
Old 23rd December 2015, 10:53 PM
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It really is.

Had some family over tonight to exchange presents etc. so The Grinch Who Stole Christmas was on the menu.

It is nice to see you make the effort to be festive with family.
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  #132  
Old 23rd December 2015, 11:09 PM
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It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947)

A homeless man and his dog move into a New York mansion whilst the owner is away for the winter months.

I adore this charming comedy. A delightful cast including Dom DeFore, Charlie Ruggles and Victor Moore ensure you always watch with a smile on your face but the charm honours always go to Ann Harding who lights up the screen.

To say anything about the film would spoil it for anyone who wishes to see it. It's definitely worth going into cold and letting it wash over you as come the New Year speech you'll be grinning from ear to ear.

A real Christmas treat and as life affirming as that Frank Capra / Jimmy Stewart film everyone goes on about.
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  #133  
Old 23rd December 2015, 11:12 PM
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My first Christmas films: Bad Santa, Die Hard, and Christmas Evil.
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  #134  
Old 23rd December 2015, 11:30 PM
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I finished off Ghost Stories with Robert Powell last night. Loved his frantic reading of The Wailing Well.

Then the Classic Ghost Story for Christmas - The Treasure of Abbott Thomas. Really creepy towards the end.

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  #135  
Old 24th December 2015, 10:19 AM
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Default "Whistle and I'll Come to You" (2010) Ghost Story for Christmas

"Whistle and I'll Come to You" (2010)
Andy de Emmony re-imagining of Jonathon Millers 1968 version of Whistle, Is quite a different beast compared to Millers version,Gone is the whistle,replaced by a ring, and instead of an eccentric academic we get a more cohesive portrayal by John Hurt as a retired Astronomer.Seemingly wracked with guilt for leaving his wife who is suffering from dementia in a care home,Parkins (Hurt) is persuaded to take a break himself and visit a quite coastal town that he and his wife use to visit.The off season town,is a wind swept and ominous place that doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his holiday to come. Re-makes are a lot like cover versions of songs,you either copy them exactly (whats the point,look at Gus Van Sant 's Psycho (1998) ) or you change it enough to make it your own but still identifiable to the fans.There are quite a bit of differences between the two films,but then again theirs quite a few difference between Jonathon Millers film and MR James original story, you could spend all day arguing the toss and nit picking about the difference between all three versions.What Andy de Emmony and Neil Cross have concentrated on is the fear of loneliness and the loss of a loved one with Parkins guilt fueling his fears. Even though Parkins wife isn't dead,her advanced stage of senility and her almost comatose state of mind makes it impossible for Parkin's to take care of her. "Who is this, who is coming?", The major change is that the whistle has been replaced by a ring with the inscription "Who is this, who is coming?", which Parkins then recites out loud,of course this is when his troubles really start to begin. It goes without saying John Hurt gives us his usual top performance,he plays a man wracked with guilt and scared to death in equal measure. Im afraid any subtlety that the film had built is soon blown away by its Hauntingesque banging of doors,and then we even get J-Horror style apparition towards the end. "Whistle and I'll Come to You" redux definitely has the spirit of MR James at its roots,with a creeping fear following Parkin we nearly get a classic,but the build up to its finale does seem to pander to a modern audience.

out of 5
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  #136  
Old 24th December 2015, 10:26 AM
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I'm not sure why, but it was possibly only the portrayal of the main character, but I preferred the 2010 version to the 1968 one. I'll watch them again sooner rather than later and again next year in the buildup to Christmas, so it'll be interesting to see if my opinion changes with repeated hearings.
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Old 24th December 2015, 03:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs View Post
I'm not sure why, but it was possibly only the portrayal of the main character, but I preferred the 2010 version to the 1968 one. I'll watch them again sooner rather than later and again next year in the buildup to Christmas, so it'll be interesting to see if my opinion changes with repeated hearings.
I also prefer John Hurt to Michael Hordern's take on the role.

You can argue that Hordern's quite mad throughout, muttering to himself and some of his actions suggest it's all in his head anyway.

I watched it myself last night and decided this outcome. Who the hell has grapefruit then orders herring for breakfast? See...totally bonkers.
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  #138  
Old 24th December 2015, 06:58 PM
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Just watched two of my favourites back to back, Christmas Vacation and Deck the Halls
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  #139  
Old 24th December 2015, 09:24 PM
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I've just finished It's a Wonderful Life and, like always, cried like a little girl with a grazed knee at the end.

Now watching Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire – it's amazing how primitive the animation was all those years ago, but still how well written and heartfelt the story is.

I'll then watch the South Park Christmas specials (Mr Hankey the Christmas Poo, Merry Christmas Charlie Manson, Mr Hankey's Christmas Classics, A Very Crappy Christmas, Red Sleigh Down, It's Christmas in Canada and Woodland Critter Christmas) for the rest of the night and tomorrow evening.
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  #140  
Old 24th November 2016, 11:19 PM
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Christmas is off and running already with me...but just in a small fashion. Yes, it's Box of Delights time again. Well actually it began last week but i forgot so it was the first two episodes this evening.

Why does it matter when you watch it i hear you cry?

Well the final episode was originally shown on Christmas Eve 1984 with the preceding five episodes shown weekly up to that date which means if you watch as originally transmitted i should have started last Saturday night.

For those not in the know, the series is a weird and wonderful adaptation of a John Masefield book. Set in 1935 it concerns a young boy, Kay Harker on his way back from boarding school to spend the holidays with his aunt at her Seakings estate. However on the train home he runs into crooks and an old Punch and Judy performer and finds himself mixed up in a battle to possess a magical box. It allows the owner to shrink in size, to fly swiftly, to go into the past and to experience the magical wonders contained within the box.

It's beautifully produced, excellent snowy location filming, and is a lovely thing to become part of in the run up to Christmas. It's dirt cheap on dvd and is well worth your time.
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