Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

‘A Christmas Story’ still hits people where they live after 25 years
Kansas City Star ^ | 12/04/08 | Star news services

Posted on 12/05/2008 11:11:43 AM PST by qam1

Fans of the holiday classic “A Christmas Story” are celebrating the film’s 25th anniversary with a convention and trips to the house where the movie was made.

The 1983 film, an adaptation of Jean Shepard’s memoir of a boy in the 1940s, was set in Indiana but largely filmed in Ohio. The movie starred Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker, a young boy determined to get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

The film was a modest theatrical success, but critics loved it. It eventually joined “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street” as a Christmas classic.

“It’s a film about being a kid and looking back,” said Brian Jones, who owns the house where the movie was shot and the neighboring museum dedicated to the film.

About 4,000 fans attended the recent convention at Cleveland’s Renaissance Hotel, where they met some of the film’s actors, watched documentaries made about the film, and saw the original 1938 fire truck from a famous scene in the movie involving a child’s tongue stuck to a frozen pole.

“It is unbelievable that a movie has touched the lives of millions of families,” said Phil Gillen, son of the late actor Jeff Gillen who played the movie’s worn-out Santa Claus. He traveled from Miami with his family to attend the convention....

(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...


TOPICS: History; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: 25thanniversary; achristmasstory; anniversary; christmasstory; genx; hollywood; jeanshepherd; moviereview
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 201-203 next last
To: IYAS9YAS
"I triple dog dare ya!" to watch it, then.

A serious breach of etiquette!

101 posted on 12/05/2008 12:05:41 PM PST by jellybean (Who is John Galt? ~ Bookmark altfreerepublic.freeforums.org for when FR is down)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: All
Guess how 'Scut Farkas' turned out...?

Zack Ward

Transformers

102 posted on 12/05/2008 12:08:51 PM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin is a smart missile aimed at the heart of the left!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cecily
=National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation.”

This year, I have vowed that we will finally see this movie

103 posted on 12/05/2008 12:08:56 PM PST by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]

To: weegee

http://books.google.com/books?as_auth=Jean+Shepherd&source=an&sa=X&oi=book_group&resnum=4&ct=title&cad=author-navigational

Jean shepherd wrote classic short stories that most guys can relate to. He loved his old man as so many of his stories revolve around his dad.


104 posted on 12/05/2008 12:09:06 PM PST by Jimmy Valentine's brother (Hey Zero you are a Marxist!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: qam1
A Burress Story

Posted by Harvey Bars · December 1st, 2008

http://www.tiricosuave.com/2008/12/01/a-burress-story/

When we finally launch the Tirico Suave Network, this is the movie that will, without a doubt, play for 24 straight hours starting on Christmas Eve.

A Burress Story
(’Paper Planes‘ by M.I.A. plays.)

Plaxico Burress - Red Rifle Gif
“There it is! The holy grail of badass, club-going accessories! For weeks I had been scheming to get my mitts on one of these beauties!”

See the whole movie here

105 posted on 12/05/2008 12:09:19 PM PST by JerseyHighlander
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jellybean

Yes, the Hierarchy of Dares was not observed!


106 posted on 12/05/2008 12:09:25 PM PST by clintonh8r (For the first time in my life I'm ashamed of my country.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 101 | View Replies]

To: NavyCanDo
What you are missing is about 10-40 years. To really appreciate and miss the good ole days of the Holiday season, and to look back at it with humor, you have to have lived through it.

Nah, I'm 39 and my wife is 37. We both love it. Neither of us was raised in that time, and we both had completely different upbringings (parental unit involvement).

I can, being from a somewhat rural area, say that the awe surrounding Christmas was the same as Ralphie's. We'd go to the main mall in the area and line up for Santa. There was one great toy store in the mall, we'd get a live tree and sometimes visit two or three sellers for it.

107 posted on 12/05/2008 12:10:03 PM PST by IYAS9YAS (Hey Obama, why lawyer up when you can pony up? Show us your vault copy BC)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: qam1

This is still mine and my kids’ favorite holiday movie.


108 posted on 12/05/2008 12:10:54 PM PST by autumnraine (Churchill: " we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2banana

Not to mention the Christmas dinner at the Chinese restaurant.. Fa Ra Ra Ra...

I’m laughing just thinking about it!

I love that movie.


109 posted on 12/05/2008 12:11:20 PM PST by JenB987
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: hoppity
What am I missing?

The rest of the moviem for starters.

110 posted on 12/05/2008 12:11:31 PM PST by pgkdan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: qam1

For those interested, and who isn’t, the mom is naked in Slap Shot.


111 posted on 12/05/2008 12:13:52 PM PST by Phantom Lord (Fall on to your knees for the Phantom Lord)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: clintonh8r; IYAS9YAS; martin_fierro
Yes, the Hierarchy of Dares was not observed!

Has anyone seen Flick?

112 posted on 12/05/2008 12:18:57 PM PST by jellybean (Who is John Galt? ~ Bookmark altfreerepublic.freeforums.org for when FR is down)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 106 | View Replies]

To: qam1

One of the top 10 best movies ever made. I saw it the day after Christmas in the theater when it came out. Will never forget it. The marathon is a staple in our house every year. It runs 24/7. No debates about turning it either.


113 posted on 12/05/2008 12:22:03 PM PST by My Favorite Headache (Forget the 3AM phone call. Obama can not even answer the phone at 3PM.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: IYAS9YAS

I’m 23, my husband is 28 and we’ll be riding in the car and randomly spout off lines form the movie and crack up...I love twisted simplicity. I can bet that most libbies watch the movie and cringe at the lack of PC.

Personally, I find the movie timeless and something I hope my own children will enjoy as much as we do. The scenery, vehicles, and toys may be a little different but the attitude and human nature are the same.


114 posted on 12/05/2008 12:23:06 PM PST by JenB987
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 107 | View Replies]

To: qam1
One of my all time favorite movies...it reminds me sooooo much of my childhood growing up in New Jersey in the late 50's and early 60's.

I've seen this thing about 500 times and if I see it 500 more I'll never be able to watch the scene where Ralphie has to try on the bunny suit without collapsing in laughter! This movie always cheers me up.

115 posted on 12/05/2008 12:27:16 PM PST by pgkdan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JenB987

I absolutely agree. I’m only 30, and I believe that this is the best Christmas movie of all time. I still had some childhood experiences similar to the ones in this film, even if I did come a generation or two later.


116 posted on 12/05/2008 12:27:49 PM PST by CT-Freeper (Said the frequently disappointed but ever optimistic Mets fan.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 114 | View Replies]

I was fortunate to be within the sound of Shep's nightly radio show when I was a kid (WOR 710 in NYC). I heard the radio versions that led to the book that led to the movie.

Sitting in the theater and hearing Shep narrate was like stepping into the past. Warched it with ny grandson this week. It was his first time...still magic.

Excelsior.....you fatheads!

117 posted on 12/05/2008 12:28:40 PM PST by wtc911 ("How you gonna get back down that hill?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: scottinoc; All

My wife has issues because she hates this movie, but I love it.

The leg lamp is priceless. I have an ornament of that on my otherwise very classy Christmas tree.


118 posted on 12/05/2008 12:30:40 PM PST by rwfromkansas ("Carve your name on hearts, not marble." - C.H. Spurgeon)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: wtc911

“Fa ra ra ra ra Ra ra ra ra”


119 posted on 12/05/2008 12:31:12 PM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 117 | View Replies]

To: newfreep
His mother, Barbara Billingsley, was “June Cleaver” on “Leave it to Beaver” and the passenger on “Airplane-1” who did the jive talking scene.

Barbara Billingsley was not Peter's mother, but she was related to him by her first marriage.

From IMDB: "Billingsley is related by marriage to actor/producer Peter Billingsley, known for his starring role as Ralphie in the seasonal TV-movie classic "A Christmas Story". First husband Glenn's cousin is Peter's mother, Gail Billingsley."

120 posted on 12/05/2008 12:31:48 PM PST by IYAS9YAS (Hey Obama, why lawyer up when you can pony up? Show us your vault copy BC)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 81-100101-120121-140 ... 201-203 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson