Of course, the spirit of Christmas is getting heavier and heavier as the years go by, which is why maybe the corresponding films became darker and darker (at least the τα best of them). Apart from the movies, however, there are also their heroes. And we single them out here, in this list that includes classic and newer films as well as films that did not stand out for their cinematic value but for the sincerity of their feelings. We start:
Ghost Party (1988)
Of all the Scrooge adaptations / adaptations / transfers on the big screen (and another will follow), this one is the most playful and the most subversive, mainly thanks to the presence of Bill Murray. The great American comedian, here in the role of cynical director of a TV channel, seems to be constantly improvising and when a member of a TV crew asks him how to "apply" fake reindeer horns to the heads of cute hamsters for the needs of an advertiser, with a stapler? '
Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Kane)
"The carols of the Muppets" (1992)
Under other circumstances, the image of Michael Kane singing softly with the muppets does not stick. As Ebenezer Scrooge, however, the "cockney" actor immediately gets into the skin of the role (perhaps one of Scrooge's best in cinema) and the distribution (with the gallery's highly functional ghost roles) remains inspiring. Stop-frame to Gonzo in the role of narrator!
The Gremlins
Gremlins (1984)
"Snow on the bell tower that means Christmas" and the horrible creatures of this production by Steven Spielberg make sure to bring absolute chaos to a small provincial town, when the little protagonist makes the catastrophic mistake of feeding them after midnight. It carries many of the dark pages of European fairy tales in its markings, but it is the farce that remains for you. Gremlins in the bell tower, goes the whole village.
"The Christmas Elf" (2003)
A little boy accidentally gets into Santa's bag, who takes him with him to the North Pole, where the mismatched visitor is adopted by a family of elves, while trying to go unnoticed. As an adult, however, he will return to New York… Idea of the few, that even if "executed" somewhat numbly, makes up for lost points by the presence of Will Ferrell who carries a tender but, due to the circumstances, hilarious childlike innocence in the eye that convinces you at first sight.
"The Cheater of Christmas" (2000)
Based on a traditional American myth (even if we do not pretend to be anti-American on days like this, even Santa Claus is an advertising soft drink trick!), Jim Carrey wears a green jerk and is left completely unruly by director Ron Howard in: karagioziliki, which sometimes causes… heart attack from laughter. Impressive how unchanged the characteristics of the actor remain under tons of make-up!
"Christmas Nightmare" (1993)
The boss of the city of Halloween puts aside the macabre pranks and tries to bite his own part of the Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, his little monsters kidnap Santa Claus and scatter in all the chimneys gifts that terrify children and parents. Directed by Henry Celik, but it is Tim Burton's vision that is transformed here, into a moving and satisfying Gothic stop-motion musical.
"Alone at Home" (1990)
The family is preparing feverishly for the Christmas holidays, only to forget little Kevin at home on their run, while two dangerous criminals are preparing to skim it. "Home alone" is reminiscent of Tex Avery's old cartoons: a thousand tons of steel and stone are glued to the dolls of Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, but they rise again to be seen again to the delight of the spectators and the smiling Macaulay Calkin, closed for a few years voluntarily in a detoxification clinic.
"Santa Claus is dirty" (2003)
A slightly different version of Santa Claus: Billy Bob Thornton's Bad Santa smokes like a chimney, drinks like a sponge, even takes advantage of the sex appeal of his costume by "arranging" a bartender in the front seats, sometimes the presence of a ten-year-old, of Christmas! Other times, they would burn the negative. When it came out in 2003, it made $ XNUMX million in America alone.
"Miracle on 34th Avenue" (1947)
The Crazy Foundation seems to be the only house left for Chris, the grandfather who insists on claiming to be the real Santa Claus, until a lawyer undertakes to defend him! A film has been shot twice, but the best version remains the first. For a while, it was often shown on television. Unfortunately, lately this sweet film has disappeared from the small screens.
"The Scissors" (1990)
The film begins with a fairy tale: a grandmother explaining to her grandson why it always snows at Christmas. And the story of Tim Burton about the unfortunate Scissors, whose creator did not manage to make his hands, leaving him exposed to the petty bourgeois malice of his fellow citizens, begins to never cease to impress us. With vivid colors and even more vivid imagination, the director proved that he has the fabric of a true storyteller. And Johnny Depp is creating one of the most iconic roles of his career.
"A Wonderful Life" (1946)
"No one is poor when they have people close to them who love them," even when they are on the verge of suicide, as Stewart did in this masterpiece of American idealism (of which Frank Capra was and remains a leading figure). A guardian angel, in order to gain wings, undertakes to show the frustrated George Bailey how precious he is to the lives of many people. Unbelievable: it was an overwhelming commercial failure in its time. Today, I do not know anyone who has seen it without crying.
Source: BATTLE
