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‘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
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Loved that movie!


21 posted on 12/05/2008 11:22:34 AM PST by dragonblustar (Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God - G. K. Chesterton)
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To: qam1

Has anyone read or heard Jean Shepherd’s other work? Any recommend place to begin?

He was the one who wrote the stories and narrated.


22 posted on 12/05/2008 11:22:40 AM PST by weegee (Sec. of State Clinton. What kind of change is it to keep the Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton Oligarchy?)
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To: qam1

I feel sorry for anyone who thinks this movie is worth watching. Gag.


23 posted on 12/05/2008 11:23:04 AM PST by Chunga (Vote Republican)
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To: Badeye

He was in “Iron Man”!
I kid you not!


24 posted on 12/05/2008 11:23:12 AM PST by netmilsmom (Psalm 109:8 - Let his days be few; and let another take his office)
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To: scottinoc

The book’s much better than the movie anyway.

“In God We Trust-All Others Pay Cash” by Jean Shepherd

It’s really a collection of short stories, but all the episodes in the movie are there in greater detail.

Much more about Shep here:

http://216.117.144.74/


25 posted on 12/05/2008 11:23:40 AM PST by Fresh Wind (Hey, Obama! Where's my check?)
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To: netmilsmom

What role in Iron Man?


26 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:03 AM PST by Badeye (There are no 'great moments' in Moderate Political History. Only losses.)
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To: SIDENET

Soap blindness!!


27 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:03 AM PST by Tennessee_Bob (They're illegal aliens, not immigrants - there is a difference!)
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To: hoppity

It takes a different approach. It isn’t “the joke” so much as the telling of the joke. Maybe you should start at the beginning.


28 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:04 AM PST by weegee (Sec. of State Clinton. What kind of change is it to keep the Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton Oligarchy?)
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To: SIDENET

Fra-GEE-lay!
It must be Italian!

29 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:06 AM PST by uglybiker (1f u c4n r34d th1s u r34lly n33d 2 g3t l41d)
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To: SIDENET

“Fragggg—iilll—eeee....it must be Italian.” It say that line everytime I see something arrive marked “Fragile”.


30 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:16 AM PST by Corporate Law (Palin/Jindal 2012)
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To: weegee

ROR!!!

(raughing out roud)


31 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:16 AM PST by netmilsmom (Psalm 109:8 - Let his days be few; and let another take his office)
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To: Badeye
He's still around...

Peter Billingsley


32 posted on 12/05/2008 11:24:58 AM PST by Virginia Ridgerunner (Sarah Palin is a smart missile aimed at the heart of the left!)
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To: hoppity

I think you have to have a Dad like the Dad in the movie to appreciate it....


33 posted on 12/05/2008 11:25:15 AM PST by netmilsmom (Psalm 109:8 - Let his days be few; and let another take his office)
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To: Virginia Ridgerunner

Thank you. I didn’t even know his name.


34 posted on 12/05/2008 11:26:10 AM PST by Badeye (There are no 'great moments' in Moderate Political History. Only losses.)
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To: uglybiker

A major award! Maybe it’s a bowling alley!


35 posted on 12/05/2008 11:26:34 AM PST by goodwithagun (My gun has killed less people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: qam1
We watch it every year in this household. :-)

Favorite scene: Santa "You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

36 posted on 12/05/2008 11:28:06 AM PST by Tired of Taxes (Dad, I will always think of you.)
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To: Badeye

Remember the scene where Jeff Bridges yells at the scientist at Stark Industries, “Tony Stark was able to build this in a cave! With a box of scraps!!”

He was yelling at Ralphie. (who shaved his head to look older)


37 posted on 12/05/2008 11:29:32 AM PST by netmilsmom (Psalm 109:8 - Let his days be few; and let another take his office)
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To: qam1

Love that movie


38 posted on 12/05/2008 11:29:50 AM PST by mel
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To: Badeye
Here is his Internet Movie Database page with credits.

Latest credits are for Iron Man and Four Christmases this year.

39 posted on 12/05/2008 11:29:51 AM PST by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't fly, can't ski, can't drive, can't skipper a boat. But they know what's best.)
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To: uglybiker

“Hey, that’s a major award.”


40 posted on 12/05/2008 11:30:32 AM PST by crusty old prospector
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