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A Christmas Story

A Christmas Story

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 4 stars
Summary: fun for all ages
Review: great family fun. you'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll hug those around you as you watch the crazy christmas comedy.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: NOT WIDESCREEN!!
Review: Warner Brothers has a bad habit of releasing films in full screen format. DVD was founded on widescreen viewing. At the very least they should have included both on this disk. I have a 16:9 TV and so will nearly everyone else fairly soon. To bad WB, it would have been a great movie to add to the collection.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: ABSOLUTELY ROTTEN AND A FLOP!
Review: This is not a good film! You want to know why, it gives kids wrong messages. The whole movie is S-T-U-P-I-D! You people, think this is such a cutesie little innocent movie. WRONG! This movie is also filed with a bunch of nobodys that can't act and belong in an insane asylum! You have got to be crazy if you think this is so cute and innocent. It is not. Your children shouldn't watch this. It's filled with the wrong messages and is too influencing. Dream on! "It's A Wonderful Life" is so much better in my book. This is a 4-F Reject right here! So, lighten up and get a grip!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: My favorite Christmas movie . . .
Review: Think back to those Christmases from your childhood ... Isn't there one that stands out in your memory as the "Christmas to end all Christmases"? You wanted a particular toy more than anything, more than life itself. You did everything in your power to ensure its delivery, behaving in your most responsible mature way, making sure Santa knew about it (you had your doubts about Santa, but you wanted to hedge your bets).

Such is the premise for "A Christmas Story." Peter Billingsley as Ralphie gives a sterling performance, a perfect combination of childhood naivete' and more mature observation. Darrin McGavin is wonderful as Ralphie's dad, "the old man," exuding boyish joy while at the same time trying to act like a "father." The only casting choice that I questioned was Melinda Dillon as Ralphie's mother -- she does a fine job, though, and in the end is a nice match for Darrin McGavin.

The story is narrated by Jean Shepherd himself, in a sort of midwest-accented Tom Bodette or Garrison Keillor style. It works beautifully, lending a sort of sepia-toned nostalgic tone to the story.

If you're looking for a replacement (or addition) to "It's a Wonderful Life," this is a good candidate. It's funnier (the Bumpus's worthless pack of bloodhounds almost steal the show a couple of times), and (I feel) more realistic -- something the entire family can enjoy!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Not as realistic as other films, but true Christmas classic
Review: I have grown up with this film, along with Willy Wonka and Home Alone. And when I watch it today, it takes me back to my childhood days.

This isn't top-notch DVD quality, but still better than TNT's, despite digital DVD technology.

About the movie: some of the same sound effects and accompanied songs are heard at least twice in this film. If you listen closely, you'll notice the repetition. And as for the language, FYI, the old man says "cripes" every time (thank goodness). Of course, who can forget the undecipherable phrases he blurts out when he attacks the furnace, hehe. Listen more closely and you can also discover some dub-overs made throughout the film. Aside from the "B" word used a couple times, this film isn't too bad languagewise, but lots of phrases sound like garbled recordings. (Example: the old man said "Not A Finger!" because he didn't want the mother to lay her hands on his broken, plastic lamp.)

I should be ashamed to say this, but when I was a kid, the Santa portrayed in this movie used to get me excited for Christmas Eve when he would go down the chimney and deliver presents. Now, I realize that's not what Christmas is about. It's about celebrating the joy of our Lord, and loving one another.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Watch this movie every year.
Review: I have watched this movie every year for the past 5 years. This movie is so funny that my whole family quotes the lines all year long. I even pop the tape in some times just to get my spirits up. The movie really is a classic. The comedy is wonderful. I would recommend this movie to anyone with kids. Or just those who have a kids heart.

Price is great on DVD. Got for it.

"Daddy's gonna kill Ralphie.."

The REAL MCCOY

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Ultimate Christmas Present
Review: "A Christmas Story" is a fun, funny and nostalgic look at Christmas in the late forties or early fifties, when every ten year old boy dreamed of owning a Red Ryder BB gun. I know, because I wanted one too, in spite of the universal warning from every adult I met: "You'll shoot your eye out!"

This film depicts Ralphie Parker, a kid after my own heart, who plots and schemes to get that Red Ryder BB gun. He writes an essay for his teacher about the ultimate Christmas present, and daydreams of winning the Nobel Prize in literature for the essay, or whatever the kid's equivalent may be. But his teacher's reaction is not what he hoped for!

He waits in a long line at a department store to tell Santa to bring him the BB gun, then freezes in fear and can't speak. Finally, he blurts it out. Santa is less than enthusiastic.

Meanwhile, Ralphie deals with bullies, a little brother whose snow suit is so thick he can't lower his arms, a friend who gets his tongue frozen to a pole, and is forced to wear ridiculous bunny suit pajamas that his aunt made him for Christmas.

Ralphie's father, played by Darrin McGavin, is a character himself, always trying to sneak a bit of the Christmas turkey before it's done ("you'll get worms," his wife warns). Dad is proud of a lamp he won, in the shape of a ladies stockened leg (the ultimate in bad taste) which he insists on displaying in the window for all the neighbors. His wife has other ideas.

This film was very reminiscent of my own childhood at Christmas time, and it is true to the time period. Most of all, it is a laugh-riot!

I loved the ending shot as the credits roll - a late forties auto sits in the driveway of a forties style house, its window filled with a sparkling Christmas tree in multicolored lights, as snowflakes fall.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A Christmas Story
Review: All time classic. Very funny. A must own-- except it is not available in wide screen version. Too bad. You can watch it in the cropped format on TV each year. Hopefully it will be released in a wide screen version soon.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: One of the only movies I own -- with good reason!
Review: There are very few movies which I can honestly say qualify as my "favorites." Even fewer among Christmas-themed movies. But "A Christmas Story" is certainly one of them.

Why? Because I laughed as much watching it the 23rd time as I did the first. Because I can watch it every year and never get sick of it. Because I enjoy it as much now as I did as a kid (although for different reasons).

The genius of this movie is its simple, heartfelt story and loveable characters. Every character seems to remind you of people you really know. You can relate to them and the story they're living. Who doesn't remember wishing and begging for that one must-have present?! And how exciting it was to open it up and see that you *actually* got it?!

Who doesn't have parents who do things that are more-than-slightly embarrassing? Or whom you admired and feared at the same time as a kid? Or have a pesky brother, sister, cousin, or would-be friend who just wouldn't leave you alone? Or ever get pushed around by the school bully? (Unless you were the school bully, that is.)

This movie is superb in that it appeals to all audiences. There is no violence, no blood-and-guts, no tragedy or trauma. There isn't even foul language -- although you'd think so with all the huffing-and-puffing the Old Man does. If you listen carefully, you'll notice that not one swear word is used in this movie -- only words that *sound* like swear words. Example: When the Old Man gets mad at Mother for "accidentally" breaking his Major Award and then "using up all the glue" -- he shouts "Nottafingga!!" Not really a word, is it?! But it sure sounded pretty bad!

Over the years I have grown fond of the movie's characters, and I look forward to watching it every year and "visiting" with Ralphie, Randy, Mother, the Old Man -- even nasty Scut Farcus!! I think it would be difficult for you not the feel the same way about this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This Makes Christmas!
Review: This is such a fun story. I have to see it every holiday season or my Christmas is lacking something really special. This is really special.


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