What's Wrong with "The Santa Clause"

I first saw this movie in the theatre, with a friend from work and my son, who was almost 12 years old. I was traumatized, and vowed never to watch it again. Well, I have watched it several times since that vow, hoping to get a different (or better) perspective of the plot, but, it turns out, I get a different thing to be annoyed by, with each viewing. Perhaps I should just give up and stick to my vow to not watch it again, but I'm hoping that blogging about what's wrong with it might help me to be more understanding of the film.

I was initially traumatized by the idea that the married parent and step-parent were the better option for the kid, because the single parent was a dreamer with his head in the clouds and completely detached from reality. At the time, I was that single parent with my head in the clouds, and I felt my son's stepmother was viewed as the better mother. During my first viewing of the film, this idea was all I could think about, and it defined my first impression of the film.

During subsequent viewings, I was less traumatized by what initially bothered me and more irritated by how annoying the kid was. He vacillated between being really smart and really stupid. For example, he invented all these brilliant safety features and gadgets for Santa's sleigh, yet he thought being incredibly vocal about his dad being Santa Claus would actually help his situation. Another thing that happened as a result of this movie, which completely annoys me, to this day, is that people somehow thought that the proper spelling of his name was Santa Clause (with an "e" at the end).

I am watching this movie right now. I think this is maybe my fifth or sixth viewing. I really love the story and the way it answers all the questions surrounding the idea of Santa Claus and how he has been able to live for so long and get the job done every year. I love the ending, when the doubting parents get the presents they never got as children. But the kid still totally annoys me. Honestly, his obsession with Santa does seem too obsessive. He certainly calms down by the time "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3" come around, and I enjoy both sequels much more than the original.

In the end, blogging about it has helped me release some steam, but it hasn't helped me to enjoy the first movie any better. I still have my head in the clouds, I still believe in Santa Claus, and I think I would love to be Mrs. Claus. However, I don't think I will ever completely enjoy "The Santa Clause".

Merry Christmas, one and all!
Teah

Oliver! (Reed)

This is a still of Oliver Reed from "The Three Musketeers" (1973), which is, I believe, the first movie I saw him in.  One of my best friends in high school had a huge crush on Michael York, and she wanted me to see this movie with her, so she could show me what a hunk he was.  I'm always up for a movie, so I agreed to go along.  She was poking me and whispering, "There he is!  There he is!", as soon as the movie started.  Yes, he was really a hunk, and, as I continued watching, I was delighted to see other actors I loved, Richard Chamberlain and Charlton Heston.  However, I left this first viewing with an admiration for Faye Dunaway, and a solid infatuation for Oliver Reed.

A side effect of seeing the film, for me, was a desire to read the book, by Alexandre Dumas.  Athos, Oliver Reed's character, had already become my favorite Musketeer, and the book just solidified that.  I loved the book so much, that I sought out other novels by Dumas, and read "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Man in the Iron Mask".  Then, I was first in line to see any movie adaptations of any Alexandre Dumas story.  There were several "Three Musketeers" movies before and after the 1973 version, but the 1973 version remains my favorite, and Oliver Reed's performance remains my favorite Athos.

Back in the 1970s, there was no Internet or social media, so being obsessed with a celebrity only went as far as plastering photos all over a bedroom wall and watching every movie and TV appearance of the object of obsession.  The entertainment media was also quite tame, so any information about a celebrity's personal life was limited to what the celebrity's press agent wanted you to know.  Sure, some scandals occasionally leaked out, but most celebrities were presented in a positive light.  So, it wasn't until after he died that I learned about Oliver Reed's storied life.

He was incredibly outspoken and had a voracious appetite for alcohol and fighting.  In order to make a sort of comeback with "Gladiator", he remained sober during the majority of filming.  However, he decided to go on a binge, shortly before filming concluded, and died of a heart attack.  It is said, the night he died, he drank three bottles of Captain Morgan's Jamaican rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous doubles of Famous Grouse whiskey and Hennessy cognac, and beat five much younger Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling.  WOW!

His personal quotes are candid and to the point.  Throughout November, I will be sharing a quote a day on my Facebook group page, which is open for anyone to join.  Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/classicmovieblog/

And here's a list of Oliver Reed movies I highly recommend:

I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), the first movie to use the "F" word
Oliver! (1968), the best performance of Bill Sikes
Women in Love (1969), first mainstream movie with full frontal male nudity
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974)
Tommy (1975), in which he sings(!)
Burnt Offerings (1976)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
The House of Usher (1989)
The Return of the Musketeers (1989)
Gladiator (2000)

Guest Programmer

Every month, Turner Classic Movies invites a Guest Programmer (usually an actor or actress, or other qualifying "celebrity"), to choose four movies from the TCM catalog to share.  The guest will then talk about these four movies with Robert Osborne.  Recently, I have been thinking about what four movies I would choose, if I were ever asked to share four movies with an audience.  There are hundreds of movies that I absolutely love and warrant inclusion.  I decided to limit it to movies released in the 1970s.  Even after this first "whittling down", dozens of movies kept coming to mind that I would want to include.  After much deliberation, here are the four movies I would choose, and why:

My first pick is a no brainer (for me).  Whenever I am asked to name my favorite movie of all time, I always say "American Graffiti" (1973).  I believe I first saw this movie in Emporia, Kansas, when I tagged along as my parents took my older brother to Emporia State University (and I was also checking out the music department and auditioning for a possible music scholarship).  This movie came into my life at a time when I was completely identifying with the characters on screen.  I wanted to turn the clock back 11 years and live the way they were living in 1962.  When I got back home, I saw the movie again and again, taking with me (one at a time), anyone who was willing to go.  The last time I saw it in the theatre was during my Freshman year in college.  I believe that was the 11th time I had seen it.  In the late 70s, when movies started being released on video, and cable TV became all the rage, I had the opportunity to view it over and over again.  Six years later, I was first in line to see "More American Graffiti".  I remember sensing that nobody else in the theatre felt the kinship with these characters that I did. These characters had become part of my family, my dear friends.  This movie came out at a time in my life that I needed to feel a part of something.  My family unit was separating, I was preparing for my last year of high school and feeling pressure to make a decision about college, and my self esteem was not as positive as it should have been.

My second film is "Kotch" (1971).  This was the first time I had seen Walter Matthau, and I actually thought he was as old as the character he played.  My main reason for choosing "Kotch" is that I have yet to meet anyone born after 1970 who has even heard of this movie, and it is actually more relevant today, when the Baby Boomer generation are becoming senior citizens, than it was, when it was first released.  It's also the only movie to be directed by Jack Lemmon.  It's labeled as a comedy, but, while it IS funny, it is also quite heartbreaking, at times.  When a movie becomes a favorite of mine, it becomes part of my family, and I immediately want to introduce the rest of my family and all my friends to it.  If I were to ever be given the opportunity to pick four of these family members to share with others, I would be tickled pink.  I cannot express in words how giddy I get at the thought of sharing a movie with someone who has never seen it before.  I am not able to personally share "Kotch" with pretty much anyone reading this blog post, but I think everyone reading this blog post should watch it and tell me here how you felt after watching it.  Next to sharing films with those who have not seen them, I love discussing films with those who have just watched them.

 Pick three ... "The Three Musketeers" (1973).  One of my friends, who was insanely in love with Michael York, asked me to go see this movie with her, because I didn't know who Michael York was.  (For you youngsters, he played Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers movies.)  While I did agree with my friend that Michael York was, indeed, quite handsome, I came away from the first viewing in love with Oliver Reed.  So, my main reason for choosing "The Three Musketeers" is to introduce everyone to Oliver Reed.  Because of his performance, Athos became my favorite musketeer, I read the book, which became my favorite book of all time, Alexandre Dumas became my favorite author of all time, and I began reading his other books.  Oliver Reed's portrayal of Athos remains my favorite, to this day.  "The Four Musketeers" (1974) was actually filmed at the same time as "The Three Musketeers", and it is said that the actors thought they were making just one movie, and they were supposedly surprised, when it was split into two films, released a year apart.  In addition to Oliver Reed and Michael York, this film also featured Richard Chamberlain and Charlton Heston, two actors I was already quite fond of, and Faye Dunaway, whom I believe I was seeing on screen for the first time, and who quickly became my favorite actress in the world.  Finally, all three musketeers movies (there was a third movie, "The Return of the Musketeers", released in 1989), were directed by Richard Lester, who directed "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!".  If I had a second opportunity to share four films, I would most likely choose these three "musketeers" movies, and then add "Oliver!", in which Oliver Reed plays Bill Sikes.

My final pick is "The Turning Point" (1977).  I first went to see this movie because it was nominated for Best Picture by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  I believe 1977 was the first year I thought I'd enjoy watching the Oscars more, if I at least saw the five pictures nominated for Best Picture.  I was living in Phoenix, Arizona, at the time, and I later discovered that one of the girls in my dorm knew Leslie Browne, who was the ballerina in the film.  I don't remember, now, how she knew her, but it made the movie seem more familiar.  For the awards, it was up against "Annie Hall", "The Goodbye Girl", "Julia", and "Star Wars" ("Annie Hall" won), but it was my favorite, that year.  After seeing it for the first time, I wanted to see it again, and images from the film stayed with me for days.  The ballet scenes were gorgeous (as was Mikhail Baryshnekov), and Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine were so believable as two formerly competitive ballerinas that took different paths in life.  I have been in that place where I had a huge blowout with my best friend and didn't speak to her for years, then, when I saw her again, years later, we behaved as if nothing horrible had happened.  The relationships between all the characters in this film are fascinating.  A few days ago, I watched a performance of Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet".  I had never seen the ballet before, nor, to my knowledge, had I ever listened to the music.  However, during the Pas de deux, the music was hauntingly familiar.  Later, I looked up the piece and discovered that this was the music playing during a love scene in "The Turning Point".

So, those are my four picks.  I'd love to know yours!

Teah

Gene vs. Fred

 

I adore Fred Astaire, so I'm a bit embarrassed to report that I saw "Royal Wedding" today for the first time. While watching, I remembered that I had an idea a while ago to compare Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. The same year "Royal Wedding" came out, Gene Kelly presented "An American in Paris", which won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year, and is one of my least favorite best picture winners. There's just something about Gene Kelly that I don't like. He seems arrogant and a know-it-all, perhaps a bit narcissistic. In an interview with TCM's Robert Osborne, Liza Minnelli was asked to compare the two dancers, since she grew up on the MGM lot. I love her description. She stated that, when you watch Gene Kelly dance, you come away with the feeling that it was a wonderful dance number, impeccably produced; when you watch Fred Astaire, you feel like he is making it up as he goes along. What a great way to describe Fred. That is exactly how I feel about every dance number I've seen him perform. He can also play a cad, a totally unlikable character, and still have you smiling with his dance numbers. I'm thinking of "Holiday Inn", where his character treats Bing Crosby's character horribly, stealing every woman Bing cares about, but then does a 4th of July tap dance with firecrackers that just blows everyone away!

In "Royal Wedding", Fred dances with a coat rack and defies gravity by dancing around his hotel room vertically. In "An American in Paris", Gene performs a 20-minute ballet at the end of the movie that's one of the most boring things I have ever seen. It doesn't really have anything to do with the story line ... he wanted to do the ballet, so he had to come up with a story that would draw the audience in to see the ballet. I don't believe the story is Oscar worthy.

Another great movie featuring Fred Astaire, when he was feeling washed up as a performer, is "The Band Wagon". In this film, Fred starts off with a great tap number and has a beautiful dance with Cyd Charisse, to "Dancing in the Dark".

If you even remotely like musicals, you must check out a few Fred Astaire movies. Be sure to include a couple of films he did with Ginger Rogers ... I'll talk about her some other time.

Now That's Funny!

One of my FB friends posted a request for suggestions of comedy movies that were not rated R, which she could watch at night, when she was having trouble sleeping. While reading the many responses, I was a bit stunned to notice that none of those posting had listed any movies made prior to 1980. And movies made in the 1980s and 1990s were referred to as "old", "older", or "not new", as if older movies are not as good.

I beg and plead to differ. Movies made before the rating system existed are truly some of the best movies ever made. I don't think I could put all the great comedies I've seen throughout my life in one blog. But, for my friends who, for whatever reason, shy away from classic movies, here's a short alphabetical list to get you started:


"Bye Bye Birdie" (1963), starring Ann-Margret, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Paul Lynde, Bobby Rydell, and Maureen Stapleton. All about a singer joining the Army, and how a PR gimmick affects a small town in Ohio. Lots of great songs, romance, and Ann-Margret is absolutely stunning.

"The Court Jester" (1956), starring Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury, Mildred Natwick, and Basil Rathbone. The song Danny Kaye sings throughout the opening credits became his "theme song". The best example of the genius of Danny Kaye.

:"The Farmer's Daughter" (1947), starring Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, and Ethel Barrymore (Drew's great aunt). My mother remembers seeing this movie in the theater and laughing constantly. Joseph Cotten is one of my favorite actors, and Loretta Young won an Academy Award for her performance.

"His Girl Friday" (1940), starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, one of my favorite comedic actresses. Cary Grant seemed to excel at romantic comedy, and this is one of the top ones.

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963), starring every single popular comedian of the time, including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Jim Backus, Don Knotts, Jack Benny, Carl Reiner, Jerry Lewis, and The Three Stooges. This one is best viewed as a comedy history lesson, as younger viewers may find the humor a bit outdated, but it can still hold its own.

"Monkey Business" (1952), another Cary Grant comedy, also starring Ginger Rogers and Marilyn Monroe. I adore Ginger Rogers, and her talents reach much further than dancing with Fred Astaire. I smile and giggle any time this movie comes to my mind.

"Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation" (1962), starring Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O'Hara, both great comedic actors whom I should devote a page to soon.

"The Philadelphia Story" (1940), starring Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Katharine Hepburn. Jimmy Stewart won the Academy Award for his performance. If you feel this movie is too old for you, try "High Society" (1956), a musical remake starring Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Grace Kelly.

"The Pink Panther" (1964), starring Peter Sellers and David Niven. This is the first movie in which Peter Sellers played Inspector Clouseau, and I find it absolutely hilarious.

"Road to Morocco" (1942), which I think is the best of the "Road" pictures starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour. I believe there were seven "Road to ..." pictures made, and I've only seen two or three, but this one is the best representation of this type of comedy.

"Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964), starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bing Crosby, and Peter Falk. This one, along with the original "Ocean's Eleven" (1960), also starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., are a great opportunity to see the Rat Pack performing together.

"Topper" (1937), starring Cary Grant, Constance Bennett, and Billie Burke. This movie spawned at least one sequel and a 1950s TV show. There are some scenes in this movie that are so funny that I wouldn't trust anyone who didn't laugh at them.

There are at least 100 more comedies I could list, but this will have to do for now. And if you're ever wide awake, and have cable, turn to TCM to discover some great movies that you most likely have never heard of. Until next time, have a laugh!

David Daniel Kaminski was born 100 years ago...

actually, Danny Kaye would have been 102 on January 18, 2013, but he decided to list his birth year as 1913, instead of 1911, which is the year he was born. He has always been one of my favorite people. He made less than 30 movies, but he was a great storyteller and had a TV show in the 1960s. I don't remember watching his TV show, but I remember listening to a record or tape of him telling Hans Christian Andersen stories and Grimm's Fairy Tales. My favorites were "Clever Gretel" and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier".

Today, Turner Classic Movies is devoting 24 hours to Danny Kaye, which includes "The Court Jester", airing at 9:00 p.m. CST, tonight. It is probably the best representation of Danny Kaye on film. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have only seen three of his movies. Besides "The Court Jester", I've seen "White Christmas" and "Merry Andrew". I love all of them, and I will watch many more, as part of today's celebration on TCM.

I have trouble putting words together to describe Danny Kaye. The best I can say is that watching his movies will take you to a lovely place, where you will laugh and be filled with love for everyone around you.You will forget about all the horrible things going on in the world ... for a little while.

So, if you like "White Christmas", make the effort to watch "The Court Jester". I guarantee you will fall in love!