The 12 Flicks of Christmas
From the SSU Multimedia Dept.

Okay, so you're tired of the usual holiday movie fare; the umpteenth time Natalie Wood believes in Kris Kringle, Ralphie almost shooting his eye out, Linus reciting Luke onstage, Clarence getting his wings, the Grinch experiencing cardiomegaly by a factor of ten plus two, and the multitude of Scrooges dancing in the streets of jolly ol' London with Tiny Tim... Bah humbug indeed!

Well, here are 12 holiday alternatives (all in keeping with the season, one way or another) available at your friendly University Library in the Jean and Charles Schulz Information Center. Come visit the nice folks at Multimedia for these and thousands of other educational and non-academic features!

1. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: The Blue Carbuncle
Call# VHS 4622
Even the greatest deductive mind in literature, Sherlock Holmes, had a Christmas adventure! This production is part of the phenomenal 1984 Granada Television adaptations starring Jeremy Brett and David Burke as Holmes and Watson. The "blue carbuncle", a precious stone with a sinister history has been stolen from the hotel room of its owner, the Countess of Morcar. But when a Christmas goose and a battered hat fall into Holmes' possession, he and Watson follow a trail that leads them to suspect that the wrong man has been imprisoned for the crime.

2. Remember the Night
Call# VHS 3013
A classy shoplifter, on trial for swiping a diamond bracelet, has her case postponed by an assistant district attorney until after Christmas. Taking pity on her, he bails her out of jail. He's driving home to Indiana for the holidays, and when he finds she's a Hoosier too, offers to bring her home to his place where his family gives her a real Christmas and the love she's never had. This seldom seen 1940 comedy/drama was written by the legendary Preston Sturges and predates the pairing of "Double Indemnity" stars Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck by four years.

3. A Christmas Past: Vintage Holiday Films, 1901-1925
Call# DVD 198
This is the most stunning and unusual collection in this article; a compilation of holiday films from the silent era, some dating back more than a century! One thing is certain watching these films, seasonal motion pictures are nothing new and even the most famous of early movie pioneers tapped into the collective conscience from the very outset of the industry. Thomas Edison, Edwin S. Porter, Billy Bitzer, and the legendary D.W. Griffith are all represented here. This window into history includes such titles as "A Holiday Pageant at Home' (1901), A Winter Straw Ride (1906), "A Trap For Santa" (1909), and amongst the very first adaptations of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" (1910) plus many others. Besides the obvious historical importance of these films, they are also quite charming and hold up surprisingly well.

4. The Jack Benny Program
Call# VHS 150
Here's a fun 1958 episode featuring Jack trying to buy Mary Livingston the perfect gift. Of course, his cheapness gets in the way of his better intentions. Lots of great character actors pop up including voice maestro Mel Blanc as a harried frustrated clerk and the unctuous Frank Nelson as the salesman everybody loves to hate.

5. The Lion in Winter
Call# VHS 5968
Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Timothy Dalton, Anthony Hopkins, and Nigel Terry battle it out in the ultimate "home for the holiday" family gathering, only this time it's with Henry II & Eleanor of Aquitaine. Sibling bickering, poisoning, back stabbing, closeted secrets, arguments over politics and religion. Christmas dinner at the folks' place hasn't changed much over 900 years. Multiple Oscar(tm) winner, and deservedly so!

6. My Mother's Castle
Call# VHS 4759
A 1991 sequel to "My Father's Glory" (VHS 4758), the story of Marcel Pagnol's childhood holidays in Provence continues in "My Mother's Castle." During a Christmas in the region Marcel's affection for the area deepens and he learns to love and appreciate his mother's true nature. At once both nostalgic and bittersweet, this idealized French confection is ideal holiday viewing not only for the setting, but the universal sense of family ties in everyday life that affect us all - not just through the lens of the past. It's a beautiful film that transcends the convention of the genre.

7. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
Call# VHS 5364
It's Christmastime for the Griswalds. There are 25,000 lights on the rooftop, an exploding turkey on the table, and a dozen or so invited (and uninvited!) guests. Arguably the best of the National Lampoon family comedies, this 1989 epic has never quite reached mainstream commercial success, which is somewhat surprising, but still has enough sentiment mixed in with a fun/nasty streak that makes it more palatable than most treacly holiday fare.

8. The Sure Thing
Call# VHS 5967
A timely story for travel-bound college students! John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga star as young classmates who share a ride to California during their Christmas break to visit their respective loves. Of course, the two despise each other, but you already know how it will end up, this being a romantic comedy. He hates her studious, organized approach to life; she frowns upon his loutish, devil-may-care attitude: of course they will fall in love! Amazing how such a pedestrian and hackneyed plot (see "It Happened One Night") can come across as so fresh and appealing, mostly due to the terrific work of the two leads.

9. The Thin Man
Call# VHS 3061
Everybody loves Dashiell Hammett's tipsy private eye couple, but few remember that this first outing was a holiday outing in New York for the San Francisco based heroes. The plot unfolds when an eccentric inventor disappears after threatening his mistress with a lawsuit for embezzlement. Can Nick and Nora solve the crime before the end of Christmas Eve and still make it to the Stork Club before closing? Only Asta the dog knows for sure. This 1934 flick is great fun and sure to leave you with a big smile on your face; makes an excellent mixer with eggnog. "The important thing is the rhythm. Always have rhythm in your shaking. Now a Manhattan you always shake to fox-trot time, a Bronx to two-step time, a dry martini you always shake to waltz time."

10. Twist à Popenguine
Call# VHS 5158
A fascinating take on European imperialism in Africa, set during the last week before Christmas, 1964, in the seaside post-French-colonial village of Poponguine, Senegal, where the local teenagers are divided into rival cultural camps, one favoring French pop stars, the other African American rhythm and blues. The events that transpire lead to a greater unity in the community and results in a feel-good movie that deals lightly but sensitively with the issues of cultural colonization. This 1994 film is a distinct change of pace that allows for a unique international insight into the spirit of the season.

11. Voices of the Bay: Songs of the Season
Call# VHS 5801
For several years now, local television station KRON has hosted an annual holiday season performance by Bay Area artists of all musical disciplines. This 1997 program features none other than our own Sonoma State Chamber Concert! It's a brief program (only 23 minutes), but a lovely celebration of the season and a marvelous showcase for the talent we have here on campus. Highly recommended!

12. We're No Angels
Call# VHS 5966
Humphrey Bogart's only overtly comic performance is found in this unusual 1955 holiday comedy. Three convicts, Joseph, Albert and Jules, are plotting their escape from Devil's Island. Fate intervenes when they hide out with kindly but inept Felix and his family. Felix manages a store for his arrogant cousin Andre, who makes the fatal mistake of stealing Albert's pet, a poisonous snake. Silly fun with an exceptional cast including Peter Ustinov, Leo G. Carroll, and dastardly Basil Rathbone as the evil Andre. The decidedly different setting for seasonal cheer!