Plot: What’s it about?
“You’ll shoot your eye out!”
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been twenty years since “A Christmas Story” was originally released in theaters. I remember seeing it for the first time and it’s not often that a movie gains such status as to be declared an “Instant Classic”. This is the case, though, and a movie that really lives up to the expectations that everyone has of it. Odds are that you’ve seen the movie a few hundred times. TBS, or some other cable station, has taken to running the movie non-stop on Christmas Day. So whenever you’re in the mood, on that particular day, if you can’t find this movie then something is drastically wrong! What makes the movie so loved by all, though? In the days of shopping online and fighting the crowds at the mall, we’re reminded that there was a time (not so long ago) that Christmas was truly a family affair and see the joy and magic that kids did (and still do) look forward to Christmas. It’s about making lists, being good and hoping that Santa won’t forget you on this one day of the year. There are only a handful of so-called “Christmas” movies that are considered “good” and this is one of them (“It’s a Wonderful Life” and “Miracle on 34th Street” would be two others). We have to wonder, though, did they know what they were making at the time? Did they know how well-received the movie would be and how it would gain popularity over time? Doubtful.
The story follows Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) and it’s through his eyes that the story unfolds. All he wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder BB gun, but keeps getting a certain response when he talks about it (that phrase is located at the top of this review). It seems that no matter how hard he tries, what papers he writes and who he asks; the answer is still the same. His younger brother, Randy (Ian Petrella), is too young to understand the sheer importance of the holiday, but offers up plenty of comic relief nonetheless. And this brings us to Ralphie’s parents (Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon). “The Old Man” is what Ralphie calls him (actually, the narrator who is supposed to be Ralphie) and though gruff on the outside, we see that he’s actually a decent man at heart. Ralphie’s mother is the one who constantly re-assures him and is everything a mother is supposed to be, especially one of the 1940’s. Throughout the movie, we follow Ralphie and his friends as they go to school, get ready for the Holidays and such. The film is more of a snapshot of what life used to be like as opposed to a mere “Holiday” movie. As to why it strikes a chord with audiences worldwide, it has the simple values that are apparent in most any family film.
Through images, dreams, visions and harsh reality we see Ralphie and his series of adventures (saying the “F” word in front of dad, beating up the neighborhood bully and standing in line to tell Santa what he wants) and become involved with him along the way. While calling “A Christmas Story” a classic is now somewhat of a cliché, it’s true. We all have aunts that have knitted us strange clothes (in Ralphie’s case it’s a big pink bunny suit), gotten Christmas presents that we really wanted and had friends who were like Flick (Scott Schwartz) and Schwartz (R.D. Robb). I suppose it would be correct to say that the film is about growing up more than anything. And maybe that’s why it appeals to such a vast number of people. Truly this is one of those movies that they don’t really make much anymore. Warner has done this edition right this time (it’s been released twice before as a full-frame only edition) and with newly re-mastered audio and video, it looks and sounds better than ever before. So aside from wishing for that Red Ryder 200-shot Carbine Action Air Rifle, tell Santa you want the new two-disc version of “A Christmas Story”.
Video: How does it look?
As mentioned before, this is now the third version of this fine movie on DVD. Warner has set a precedent with their “Two-Disc Special Editions” when it comes to how they look, sound and what supplements are included. I’m happy to say that the movie has never looked better than it does in its new 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer. The colors are rich and vivid throughout and though the interior scenes seem to have a lot of muted colors, the majority of the movie looks great. Not to be outdone, the disc also contains a full-frame version that has been re-mastered as well. Knowing that this is a family film, we don’t want the kids asking what those little black bars on the television are, do we? Flesh tones are consistent throughout and edge enhancement isn’t a problem in the least. Although I do remember seeing the movie, I had no idea of what “widescreen” was at the time, so this new transfer really makes it like you’re seeing it for the first time. In any case, this is the best the movie has looked to date and it will not disappoint on any level.
Audio: How does it sound?
Though the movie is somewhat “modern”, we only have the original mono soundtrack to work with here. That’s not a bad thing, though, as it sounds pretty good (even for a mono track). This is a movie that relies pretty much on dialogue and all the surround effects in the world couldn’t improve on it in the least. Dialogue does sound very good, without any distortion. The range is fairly strong as well. Though any soundtrack that is mono will be somewhat limited, there isn’t really a whole lot that could improve on this soundtrack. “Twister” it’s not, then again it’s not supposed to be. Enough said.
Supplements: What are the extras?
As can be expected for a two-disc movie, there are quite a few supplements to take note of. The first disc contains the original theatrical trailer and a commentary by Billingsley and Director, Bob Clark. The commentary is fairly fun to listen to and though there are several spots where they don’t say a word, it’s still pretty entertaining. They do shed some light on some tricks of the movie, too (ever wonder how Flick’s tongue got “stuck” to the pole)? A great track, but they seem to be fans of the movie too and I think they got a little involved in the movie themselves. This brings us to the second disc, which houses the remainder of the extras. First up is a somewhat corny featurette, sort of a “where are they now” type thing. Entitled “Another Christmas Story”, we meet four of the main stars from the movie (characters of: Ralphie, Flick, Schwartz and the bully) as they tell how the movie impacted them and how it’s been ever since. What was so distracting is the pop up things when they’re speaking (such as an arrow that points to a hand and says “Not a real cell phone”). It kind of degrades the entire featurette, but it’s still a bit of fun to watch. A radio featurette features the narrator of the film, Jean Shepherd, as he reads a few stories over the faux radio. This was a bit disjointed, but interesting as well. Matching the scene and the dialog that goes with it will help you decode the correct answer in an interesting piece. True fans of the movie will not have any trouble getting the secret decoder ring to help them answer questions. A trivia game is hosted by Billingsley himself and you start out on the Double Dog Dare Level…will you have what it takes to pass the Triple Dog Dare level? I did. Two more featurettes are included, “A History of the Daisy Red Ryder” which goes to Neoshea, Missouri and tours the Daisy plant. Indeed a history is given and though informative, I’m not sure how many people will be that interested in it. Lastly, we have what almost seems to be a joke, but it’s not! “A Leg Up” is an interview with the owner of the company that makes the famous “leg” lamp seen so prominently in the film. Evidently the operation is a success, but he interviewer seems to be making more fun of them than trying to get any real facts. Needless to say, if you’re in the market for a leg lamp, you have a place to go. Some easily placed Easter Eggs are also present. To sum it up, if you don’t have this DVD, get it. The picture is many steps up from the previous versions and you’ll (or “yule”) need to add this to your collection as soon as possible.
