Yuletide fervour

Derek Bose lists some timeless Christmas classics that capture the
spirit of good cheer, sharing, sacrifice and family values

CHRISTMAS flicks are to the western world what Diwali releases are to us. Both are meant to profit from the prevailing holiday mood and the increased spending power of potential audiences during the festivities. More importantly, these films have come to be regarded as a measure for testing the health of the box-office.

There is however, a fundamental difference between the two. While the theme and content of a Diwali release might have nothing to do with the relevance of the occasion, a Christmas film is one that must necessarily celebrate the spirit of Yuletide. Evergreen hits like Three Godfathers, The Bishop’s Wife and Miracle on 34^th Street, which capture the spirit of good cheer, of sharing and sacrifice, faith and family values, are quintessentially Christmassy films.

This is also supposed to be the ‘silly season’ in the West. And so there have been lots of fun films, ranging from the animated Rudolf, the Red-nosed Reindeer to the made-for-TV and straight-to-video quickies like Stealing Christmas, Moonlight And Mistletoe and Call Me Claus meant mainly for children.

Some are outright silly, bordering on the ridiculous and moronic. Whether it is Arnold Schwarzenegger coaxing a comedic performance as a doting father in Jingle All The Way or Ben Affleck buying his way into a dysfunctional family in Surviving Christmas or outrageously bizarre Tim Allen impersonating a dead Santa in The Santa Clause, these are not funny films. They make for bad cinema — another notorious example being Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Mercifully, for every bad production, there are at least 10 heart-warming feel-good films on Christmas, which continue to dominate the DVD circuit. Titles like The Muppet Christmas Carol, It’s A Wonderful Life, Scrooge and White Christmas not only restore our faith in cinema but reaffirm our belief in human goodness, family values and universal brotherhood. My pick of the lot would be the following:

A Christmas Carol (1951): This version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale is considered by many film pundits to be the best adaptation of the story. It stars Alistair Simms as Ebenezer Scrooge, the meanest miser in all of London, and is guaranteed to bring a tear to your eye and joy to your heart.

Charlie Brown Christmas (1965): Although by some standards an oldie, this animated tale remains "young at heart", perhaps because it stars the entire cast of Charles Schulz’s Peanuts and is considered by film critics to be required viewing for anybody looking for the Christmas spirit on celluloid.

A Christmas Story (1983): Set in the 1940s, this movie stars Bill Billingsley as a boy who dreams of receiving the ultimate Christmas gift — a Red Ryder air rifle. His parents, however, played by Melinda Dillon and Darren McGavin, don’t think he’s yet old enough to handle a rifle. At times both heart-warming and hilarious, this film is a viewing delight for both young and old.

Elf (2003): Starring Will Ferrell, this enjoyable holiday film tells the story of a man who was raised by Santa’s elves at the North Pole but then learns of his human origins, which explains why he towers over his elfin kin, and wishes to return to the real world in order to locate his biological father.

The Polar Express (2004): This animated film is based on the children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg and was nominated for an Academy Award. The story of a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus but then boards a magical train headed for the North Pole, this extraordinary film voiced by Eddie Deezen and Tom Hanks is a must-see for all ages.

These Christmas classics have been chosen on the basis of their entertainment value, the fact that they do not contain any violence, profanity or nudity and most importantly, their timeless appeal cutting across all age groups, religion and geographies.

The list is by no means exhaustive. You could well have your own set of favourites from the hundreds of Christmas films Hollywood has produced. It’s time you raided the nearest DVD store and warmed up to these cinematic gems with the family — for that is what Christmas viewing is all about in our country.

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