# Non-US Dopers, Have You Seen The Movie 'A Christmas Story'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 14, 2019, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857 "2019-12-14T16:52:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/81 "2019-12-18T01:12:24Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > From what I can gather Paramount owns the distribution rights. In the US television network NBC has the broadcasting rights and now its only shown once a year on Christmas Eve. Since it’s not well known there it’s probably too expensive to show on tv. > I can’t speak for all Americans but I’ve never heard of The Snowman. According to my search results Sky own the rights to it in the UK and showed it on one of their premium movie channels last year (maybe their Christmas movie channel?) and it might be available for download or streaming this year (it’s not clear). So yeah, those are expensive paid channels, not network TV or even general cable. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/82 "2019-12-18T07:21:03Z")
Just spotted this while surfing: > **[A Christmas Story House and Museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum)** > > The home made famous by the 1983 holiday classic is now a perfectly preserved shrine to the movie. Looks like the house where _A Christmas Story_ was filmed has been re-created inside to match the movie, and is now open as a museum. It appears that you can also taste soap, and fire a BB gun in the back yard. Just be careful if you do; otherwise, “You’ll put your eye out!” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/83 "2019-12-18T10:09:14Z")
I think so. Probably a long time ago. But also maybe not, as it’s one of those pop culture things that gets quoted and memed so often my memories have corrupted. Same thing with _It’s A Wonderful Life_ and (non-Christmas example) _Psycho_ - I can’t recall if I’ve seen them or just know it by osmosis. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/84 "2019-12-18T10:16:23Z")
believe it or not, PBS used to show “the snowman” on its preschool channel “sprout” every year for about 5 years until universal bought them out … .they still might since it still shows a lot of British/UK preschool tv shows that PBS did … ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/85 "2019-12-18T12:29:05Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I also recommend _The Ref_, unless you have an aversion to Denis Leary. Or Kevin Spacey, I guess. > > _The Ice Harvest_ is pretty good, too. Both are great movies! I’ve added them to my rewatch list. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/86 "2019-12-18T12:33:08Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Just spotted this while surfing: > > [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum) > > Looks like the house where _A Christmas Story_ was filmed has been re-created inside to match the movie, and is now open as a museum. It appears that you can also taste soap, and fire a BB gun in the back yard. Just be careful if you do; otherwise, “You’ll put your eye out!” 😉 I’ve been there, and the kitchen where they stocked/recreated containers from the time was the first time I knew that it was not set in the late 40s/early 50s since the foodstuffs were obviously from an earlier era. I don’t remember the above activities being offered at the time I was there, but the gift shop across the street was weird enough, with dozens of rows of different sized replicas of the main objects from the movie (i.e. mostly Red Ryders and leg lamps). ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/87 "2019-12-18T12:59:52Z")
What Eclipse Chaser said. UK (Scotland); never heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/88 "2019-12-18T13:18:48Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Just spotted this while surfing: > > [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum) > > Looks like the house where _A Christmas Story_ was filmed has been re-created inside to match the movie, and is now open as a museum. It appears that you can also taste soap, and fire a BB gun in the back yard. Just be careful if you do; otherwise, “You’ll put your eye out!” 😉 A friend was at the Rock Hall of Fame and saw something about tthe museum. They ended up visiting it. He sent me a selfie with the leg lamp in the background, and asked, “where am I?” I’d just read about the Christmas Story house, so I was able to answer his question immediately, and with detail. Freaked him out a bit. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/89 "2019-12-18T21:38:36Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Then again, when I got my hands on a pre-Disney copy of Peter Pan, I realized that Peter IS a damn little shit. As a 7yo I wanted to be Wendy so I could fly away, but flying away to a place where you go from feeling responsible for two little brothers who accept that you’re in charge to feeling responsible for a bunch of brats who don’t give a shit doesn’t count as an improvement. Neverland can go on without this Wendy. I think you would enjoy “_In Skeleton Leaves_” from Seanan McGuire’s recent collection of short stories, **Laughter at the Academy**. ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/90 "2019-12-18T22:21:04Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > I’m American and this board is where I learned about it, although I probably would have encountered it one way or another eventually. > > The TV is tuned to it all day during each year’s marathon. I love it. > > One rather odd result of the movie’s popularity is the phenomenon of people purchasing replicas of the “major award” and using it as a Christmas decoration. Count me as one of those. The late, great Thinkgeek had a replica lamp that I sent to my Father one year as a Christmas gift. I also came very close to getting him an authentic 1950s Red Ryder bb gun, complete with compass stock and fringe. I found one for less than $100; should have bought it then. I saw it in theatre and when it came out on tv my Dad loved(s) it. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/91 "2019-12-18T22:29:01Z")
> [@Banksiaman](#): > > [dateline Australia] I was unaware of it and had to look it up. That doesn’t mean its unknown to others, but the usual Christmas fare does include a lot of snowy / white christmas films on tv. > > Its close enough to Christmas to see what’s on offer on TV, where traditionally many families lapse into a coma watching after the big Christmas lunch. Your Sydney Christmas viewing could be: > … > > Not bad at all. It’s like it was my birthday, not just Jesus’s. It is my birthday! (I have no sympathy with people who won’t wish me a happy birthday because it isn’t _their_ birthday). And you didn’t say [Robbie The Reindeer In Hooves Of Fire](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UWPFnUfFzw) Anyway. Also Aus, also never heard of “A Christmas Story”, have seen White Christmas, A miracle on # street, It happened one ~, Home alone etc etc. It does fall into that gap where it wasn’t old enough to be remembered from theatre release, or new enough to be on cable (which we didn’t have in 1983), or famous enough (at the time) for people to recognise the title. But also, the single sentence description just doesn’t resonate here: a BB Gun? Even if my friends knew what that means, it’s not something they’d think of watching or showing their kids. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/92 "2019-12-18T22:45:06Z")
_The Snowman_ is on YouTube. I was fortunate enough to [first see it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE9KpobX9J8) when I was a kid, even though I live in the US. It was on PBS, I think, and we put it on our Christmas tape. ---
**Author:** ![bmoak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@bmoak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bmoak)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2019, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/93 "2019-12-18T23:29:34Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > Just spotted this while surfing: > > [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/a-christmas-story-house-and-museum) > > Looks like the house where _A Christmas Story_ was filmed has been re-created inside to match the movie, and is now open as a museum. It appears that you can also taste soap, and fire a BB gun in the back yard. Just be careful if you do; otherwise, “You’ll put your eye out!” 😉 There’s also the [It’s A Wonderful Life Museum](https://www.wonderfullifemuseum.com)in Seneca Falls, NY, which its where Frank Capra grew up and is the model for Bedford Falls. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/94 "2019-12-19T01:51:23Z")
[A Policemas Story](https://www.wyff4.com/article/but-i-didn-t-say-fudge-nebraska-state-patrol-goes-viral-with-a-christmas-story-parody/30275075). ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/95 "2019-12-19T01:58:20Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > [A Policemas Story](https://www.wyff4.com/article/but-i-didn-t-say-fudge-nebraska-state-patrol-goes-viral-with-a-christmas-story-parody/30275075). ([And for those who haven’t seen the movie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwvEBhTYV5c).) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/96 "2019-12-19T02:35:36Z")
> [@peccavi](#): > > I think you would enjoy “_In Skeleton Leaves_” from Seanan McGuire’s recent collection of short stories, **Laughter at the Academy**. Thanks, I love her! Just bought the book. On edit: my favorite part of IAWL is Gloria Grahame. I think she’s a very underrated actress. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/97 "2019-12-19T13:44:40Z")
> [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](#): > > A lot of the time you’d just give your weight in stone and ignore the pounds. But Bridget is watching her weight so records stones and pounds, I think she would say something like “eight stone eleven”. Pah! There speaks a man. Every woman I know would include the pounds. I’m 10 stone 3 on an average day. The 3 is important as it can get higher. BTW, I don’t know the film in the OP. Mind you, I hate kids films and haven’t even seen Home Alone (which I realise makes me an outlier). ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/98 "2019-12-19T17:54:47Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > How it became a cultural touchstone is pretty weird. It was pretty well acclaimed at the time of its release. It was nominated as best picture. It lost to the superior and more important film _The Best Year’s of Our Lives_. But no one went to see it. Ok that’s an exaggeration. It did lose money when it was released. > > How it became popular and traditional to watch for many is because in the 70s and 80s the copyright lapsed and it became public domain. Just as cable tv was rapidly expanding. Every local and cable channel could throw it on as part of their holiday programming. By the time the copyright was reestablished in the 90s it had reached traditional status. Those circumstances are pretty unique to the US. IMHO, it is a nice movie, just like thousands made before and after it, but it seems kind of off-putting when I think about its unearned exalted status as a classic. Here’s a good and lengthy description of the situation: [The Curious Copyright Case of “It’s A Wonderful Life”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnUGXQwJMSM) With regards to “A Christmas Story”, I feel it resonates so well with some generations because of its gritty realistic setting, missing much of the social distortion present in most of our films. When Europeans and others speak of being familiar with American culture because it is constantly shown to them in shows and movies, I wonder if they fully grasp how distorted a view of American life is presented by our film industry. No, average families don’t live in houses like that from “Home Alone.” And no, not every American couple is an architect married to a lawyer. “A Christmas Story” seems like any Midwestern setting in the middle of winter, complete with the other kids daring Flick to lick the frozen flag pole and Ralphie regularly being stalked by bullies on the way home from school (and eventually getting into a fight with them). And any homeowner can relate to the father’s constant battle with the furnace, complete with his beautiful woven tapestry of profanity that is allegedly still floating over Lake Michigan somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/99 "2019-12-19T19:30:45Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > IMHO, it is a nice movie, just like thousands made before and after it, but it seems kind of off-putting when I think about its unearned exalted status as a classic. > > Here’s a good and lengthy description of the situation: [The Curious Copyright Case of “It’s A Wonderful Life”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AnUGXQwJMSM) > > With regards to “A Christmas Story”, I feel it resonates so well with some generations because of its gritty realistic setting, missing much of the social distortion present in most of our films. > When Europeans and others speak of being familiar with American culture because it is constantly shown to them in shows and movies, I wonder if they fully grasp how distorted a view of American life is presented by our film industry. No, average families don’t live in houses like that from “Home Alone.” And no, not every American couple is an architect married to a lawyer. > > “A Christmas Story” seems like any Midwestern setting in the middle of winter, complete with the other kids daring Flick to lick the frozen flag pole and Ralphie regularly being stalked by bullies on the way home from school (and eventually getting into a fight with them). > And any homeowner can relate to the father’s constant battle with the furnace, complete with his beautiful woven tapestry of profanity that is allegedly still floating over Lake Michigan somewhere. All of this. It’s like me telling my mom when I was about 8 or 9 that if I could go back in time I’d want to live in the 1930s, because all people did was wear beautiful clothes, live in gorgeous houses, and go to fabulous parties. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2019, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857/100 "2019-12-19T19:33:05Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > BTW, I don’t know the film in the OP. Mind you, I hate kids films and haven’t even seen Home Alone (which I realise makes me an outlier). \*Home Alone \*is in a whole 'nother universe from _A Christmas Story_. Ralphie’s not some fakey plastic Hollywood kid like McCauley Culkin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-us-dopers-have-you-seen-the-movie-a-christmas-story/844857.md?page=6)