You know this is the ultimate Christmas film for me. It always successfully takes me back in time with the way they dressed, the way the house and school looked. It has a presence about it that you just want to slip into every year and never leave. Idealistically it tells the story of a boys quest for his most wanted Christmas present ever: A Red Ryder BB Gun. I know we all know how the story goes.
But what do you feel is really unique and special about the film that keeps you coming back year after year?
Posted by Jules (Member # 2627) on :
Oh my gosh, Jlp!! This is my favorite Christmas movie ever!! I have already watched it two times this year. I love the parts where everyone tells Ralphie that he will shoot his eye out. I love it when he beats up the bully and he is apparently cussing him out, but you don't actually know what he is saying. Then the piggy part where the mom tells Randy to eat like a little piggy. Then when Ralphie is trying to decode with his Little Oraphan Annie toy and his mom is yelling at him to get out of the bathroom because "RANDY'S GOTTA GO." That's too funny!!!! I could go on and on!! I love that movie!! Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
DRINK MORE OVALTINE!!!!! I loved when he decoded his message, when the kid gets his tongue stuck and the whole BB gun dream sequence. This is my favorite Chrismas movie too. FRAGILE (Fra-zhul-lay) My other favorite Christmas movies are:
Elf Scrooged Jingle All The Way It's A Wonderful Life Die Hard Lethal Weapon
Posted by Jules (Member # 2627) on :
That's funny, too, Bigfoot. Mr. Parker: Fra-gee-lay. That must be Italian. Mrs. Parker: Uh, I think that says FRAGILE, dear. Mr. Parker: Oh, yeah. "Drink more ovaltine? A crummy commercial? Son of a Booooooooooooooooop!!!!" I also like the dream sequence where he goes blind and his parents are begging him to tell them why he went blind. Then he goes "It was..............soap...poisoning." Then they started to wail!! That was funny!!
[ 30. November 2004, 12:54: Message edited by: Jules ]
Posted by rhodes (Member # 3293) on :
I love the lamp i have one on my table
CAPTAIN RHODES
Posted by jlp937 (Member # 1877) on :
That lamp was priceless!! A funny side note to the show. It was filmed with one of the mildest winters at the location (which has escaped me now). They sprayed all of the trees the night before the Christmas morning scene. It froze overnight and everything looked really pretty for the morning scene. That to me is the absolute perfect Christmas morning. Lounging around eating yourself silly and watching Christmas movies. I have never had the luxury of doing that because we have always gone to KC on Christmas day. I am really looking forward to Christmas this year because I will not have to get up and go to work the next day because it will be Sunday.
Posted by Richie (Member # 3527) on :
OOHHHHHH FUUUUUUUUUDDDDDDDGGGGGGGGEEEEEEE!!
(Except I didnt say Fudge)
I love this movie so much! I heard that they made a sequel to it, but it wasnt as good I guess, I cant recall the name though.
Posted by jlp937 (Member # 1877) on :
They did it was called "It Runs in the Family" it was narrated by the same guy, the one who wrote the original story. It followed Ralphie in the summer time with his dad going fishing and his mom becoming obsessed with getting dishes at the movies. Tons of gravy boats, the same every week. You actually got to see the Bumpuses in this one also. It starred Charles Grodin, Mary Steenburgen, and Kieran Culkin as Ralphie. It was by far no match for the Christmas one!! Even the lady that played the teacher was in this one as well.
Posted by Obscurus Lupa (Member # 2700) on :
I LOVE the fudge line!
I loved when the mom was on the phone and it's like:
Mom: Guess what Ralphie said today? He said (whispers) Other Mom: No, not that! Mom: And did you know where he learned it? (pause) No, not his father. He learned it from your son! Other Mom: WHAT?! WHAAAAT?! (various screams, kid getting beaten)
I had no idea there was a sequel! Anyone recommend it?
Posted by isis9968 (Member # 1780) on :
I love this movie too. My favorite parts are:
When Randy is under the kitchen sink, and the Mom opens up the door, and he says "Dad's gonna kill Ralphie!", and she says No he won't, and she gives him a glass of milk and shuts the door.
I like it when the Mom tries to get Randy to eat, and says how do the little piggies eat?, and Randy is laughing his head off and has food all over his face, and the Dad and Ralphie are sitting there looking at them, like what's going on...
I also love when the Dad says...You used up all the Glue, on Purpose!!
also....Not a Finger!!! I love that line!
It is so classic, and the real deal on what a house looked like, down to the tree with the 10 different strings of lights that didn't match and were a total fire hazzard, I love when he goes to plug his lamp in and there's no where to plug it.
That house is very nostalgic, and it reminds me of being a kid and going to my 1 set of Grandparents, they were classicly stuck in the 50's with their decor. It was funny, cause I went to lunch with my mom, at this place that is a cafeteria that has been there since the 50's, and nothing changed, and the bathroom had a pink sink, just like my grandparents, and it even smelled like their house-which was a combo of baby powder and the smell of something old-if that makes sense.
My grandparents always had a bowl full of nuts and a nutcracker they put out for company, you don't see many people ever do that ever,cause you can buy them already shelled. Life is so easy anymore.
We love when the dog gets it's ear caught in the door, and then when they eat the turkey.
I love when the Dad is standing there outside the house admiring his lamp, that is the only time ou see the Bumpasses, and they ask him what his lamp is, and he says "can't you see it's a major award.", and he tells them to get away from him.
Posted by Muffy Tepperman (Member # 1551) on :
I use Fraaaa....geeee...lay all the time!
I don't think I know many people who don't love this movie or who haven't seen it!....I actually know people who have the lamp too....geeze!
I love the soap bit....my Grandma used to threaten us with that one. The tongue for sure...when their in class and you see him from the window wailing....
I love how mom piles the layers of clothes on Randy and he can't even walk....and lands stuck in the snow!
It's an awesome holiday movie you can watch over and over!
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
Oh yea...I love when they end up in the Chineese joint and the people are singing Faw wa wa wa wa. That was so funny! I see the lamps for sale at several stores. I guess I need to get one.
Posted by jlp937 (Member # 1877) on :
I just cannot even think of one flaw that this movie has. Not one at all! I watched it last night while I put my tree up. Will be the first time this season and certainly won't be the last one!
Posted by mamamiasweetpeaches (Member # 1715) on :
If anyone wants one of those lamps BUY IT IN A STORE! I went to roder my husband one online and in teeny tiny writing it says because of the size of the item or something they will bill ya an extra $40!!!! for shipping! No...the sequel is nowhere near as good.
Posted by GremlinBreakfast (Member # 2585) on :
Funny you should mention the lamp... It must have been 5 years since I last saw this movie, and when I first saw this thread I immediately remembered the unusual light fixture over everything else! Weird huh?!
I've been there and done the whole tongue stuck thing... and I've also dared one of my younger brothers to lick the ice of our very old freezer. Cue lots of luke-warm water and my mother to have a mad-dash panic!
I do love this movie, hopefully it will be on again this xmas here in the UK. I might even buy the region 1 DVD, as its not released over here yet.
~grems!
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
All this talk made me have to watch it again. We started a fire, turned the Christmas tree lights on and watched the movie. Still a Christmas classic in our house. Next up...National Lampoons Christmas Vacation!
Posted by Chris Fulmer (Member # 3197) on :
You've got a good taste of holiday fare, my friend...
I think my favorite part's also when Dad slams the door on the dog's ear, it may be a little cruel, but it still cracks me up.
There's just something about the way it's all put together that makes it such a thrill to watch. Ralphie's dream sequences are well imagined and put to great use ("Oh no, it's...OH NO! OH NO!!!!!!"). I guess his life ended up well, sequels aside, now that he got the BB gun (wonder if he'd still actually be alive here in 2004? If so, he'd be up around 70ish, I suppose). Jean Shepherd makes a perfect narrator, too; they made the right decision keeping him on board for his own story. It's no secret why E! ranked this as the best holiday film ever about 2 years ago.
Posted by Bionic Bigfoot (Member # 2490) on :
I was watching the specail features on my disk and Peter Billingsley said that there was another dream sequence that was cut from the movie of him teaming up with Flash Gordon and fighting off aliens with the Red Rider BB Gun. They even showed a still from it...it looked like they were on the moon or something and they were in space suit costumes....anyways, why in the Sam Hill didn't they include this deleted scene on the special features extras!?! I am outraged!!!!! I want to see this scene!!!!
Posted by mamamiasweetpeaches (Member # 1715) on :
I'm so glad we're not on here talking about Peter Billingsley's heroin overdose. He seems to be okay. Its funny...my daughter (who is 6) has a male frined who sort of looks like him. (Those f****** blue eyes!!!!) I have thought many times...and the other day when Ralphie's glasses broke she said "Look at thoe blue eyes!!!He looks like......." This movie has so many great points I wanna Say"The lamp!","The tongue on the lamp-post!",the "soap in the mouth!" etc. But the thing that I always say to my kid is :"...when the Santa kicks the kid in the face"
Now....I was born in the 70s.....
i HAVE TO ASK...
DID THEY REALLY have thise great Santa set-ups??? I remember the MACYS Santa walk-a-thon and when they actually had the window displays that acted out scenes (Im in NYC) wow...it seems so cheesy now.....
Posted by Devolution (Member # 1731) on :
Devolution here,
My favorite part is the class dream...
Ralphie! A+++++++++++++++++++
And the two handed blown kisses after that.
We are DEVO
Posted by JCU (Member # 2851) on :
This movie has to relate to each and everyone of us in one way or another. We all have had to have Xmas experiences similar or even identical to those in this film. Didn't we all have one gift that we needed to have yet our mother was firmly against and Dad got it anyway? How about when the father nearly knocks the tree down? I don't know about you but I remember the tree either being knocked down by kids, an animal knocking it down or Dad thinking he put it up correctly only to watch it come tumbling down with the natural curses following. This is a classic movie and I only wish I watched it enough when it first came out. Being young at the time, I vaguely remember watching it on HBO with the Santa scene. Fortunately, a few years later I was gifted with stumbling upon it thus becoming a favorite.
Posted by 89power (Member # 3601) on :
I love when Randy is under the sink crying for his brother. I watched it last night to get me in the mood for Christmas. It brings back memories, I remember watching it in school every year at Christmas time I also live about 20 minutes south of Hammond, IN where the movie was suppose to taken place at. Alot of reference to Northwest Indiana is mentioned in the movie.
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