A cult classic for over two decades, A Christmas Story comes
back to DVD in a 2-disc special edition set just in time for the holiday season.
It seems the endless parading of this movie on cable through the Christmas season
has boosted its popularity in recent years, but with good reason. Set in the
1940’s, A Christmas Story is the tale of Ralphie (Peter
Billingsley), and his obsession with a “genuine Red Ryder 200-Shot Carbine
Action Air Rifle.” But his attempts to procure this grand vision seem
foiled time and time again by that disheartening phrase: “You’ll
shoot your eye out!”
Out the outside, A Christmas Story may seem like your typical
cliché story of a young kid learning his lesson about the miracles of
Christmas is actually a rather comical spoof. I promise you though,
A Wonderful Life this is not. Jimmy Stewart’s got nothing on
Ralphie’s father, a foul-mouthed, yet goodhearted man played by Darren
McGavin. His mother (Melinda Dillon), and his little brother Randy round out
the family in classic comedic style. But there are a few things that separates
this flick from all the rest of the Christmas stories: a full body pink bunny
outfit, a snowsuit so large and confining that once on Ralphie’s brother
Randy it renders the viewer unable to resist laughter, and a novelty lamp that
would make any man happy. But perhaps the pinnacle of these differences lies
within little Ralphie himself. Nowhere, in any other Christmas movie, will you
hear a 9-year-old boy drop the F-Bomb. Of course, it is cleverly disguised,
but the scene and its narration is sure to leave you in stitches.
The movie follows young Ralphie through the weeks preceding Christmas as he
tries and tries to convince his parents and Santa to deliver him the Red Ryder
B.B. Gun. Routed by multiple instances of “You’ll shoot your eye
out,” he remains determined. Denied by both his parents and his teacher,
Ralphie eventually ends up going to see the Jolly Man himself at the mall. In
a rather hysterical scene with Santa, Ralphie’s gift idea gets rejected
in the same fashion as with his parents, making it seem utterly hopeless.
By now, you’re probably curious as to what happens to our poor Ralphie…does
he get the BB gun? Does he shoot his eye out? Well I’m not going to tell
you, but I will tell you there is a really good soap-eating scene! But along
with this comical classic comes a lot of special features. I mean, why would
Warner Brothers re-release this movie after 20 years without something
else to go along with it! Here’s a brief, but thorough run down of some
of the things on disc 2:
Another Christmas Story: Here’s about a 20 minute documentary
about the history of the film, it’s stars, and its impact on the Christmas
season. It’s interesting to see what the actors have to say about how
their low-budget film had become a closet classic over the course of 20 years.
It’s really just your normal run-of-the-mill documentary, but if you really
like the movie and the actors, give it a look-see.
Triple Dog Dare: If you call yourself a fan of A Christmas Story,
then here’s a trivia game for you. There aren’t many questions,
and they weren’t really hard, but the cut scenes in which the actual actors
ask the questions are kind of neat. When you chose an answer, it cuts back to
the actors and they tell you whether you’re right or wrong. It’s
pretty creative, and I laughed a few times when I was rejected. This is a short
little game that will give you a brief bit of entertainment, but for fans, is
worth it.
Decoder: An interactive game where the viewer must match quotes from the movie
with a scene capture being shown on the decoder. If you’re wondering what
the Decoder is all about, just watch the movie. It’s actually pretty funny.
This, like the Trivia, is short and simple.
Radio Readings: Jean Shepard, the author of the book that this movie is based
on, comes and reads you some Holiday stories as you stare at a fake 1940’s
radio on your TV screen. The actual radio graphic is almost more entertaining
than the actual special feature. Feel free to sit through these if you like,
but I assume that you, like me, will become tired of it quickly.
The Daisy Red Rider: An interesting history of the Red Ryder BB Gun that Ralphie
is so adamant about getting for Christmas. This documentary takes you to the
Daisy factory where you see the guns being assembled, and through how the gun
came to be in the movie. Overall, an interesting watch. It’s always nice
to see where inspiration comes from, and how some toys never seem to go out
of style. Give this a watch.
The Leg Up: That leg lamp, what a great idea. Watch this little featurette
to get a glimpse at how the Leg lamp came to be. Nothing really more than that,
but worth a look.
I had never seen this movie until now, but always heard so much about it. It
wasn’t a disappointment at all. If you’re a fan of A Christmas
Story, and don’t already own a copy of it, or want to update
that old VHS copy, here’s your chance. While the special features included
in this 20th Anniversary Edition aren’t spectacular, to some they might
be worth the price. The movie is already timeless, so don’t miss your
chance to pick up a copy and find out what all the talk is about.
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