I voted “somewhere in the middle” although I’m definitely on the “like” side. My wife hates it – she thinks it’s just unpleasant. I guess if you don’t sort of buy into the whole premise (i.e., a loving look back at how downright weird it was to be a kid), it does come off as kind of nasty.
I voted “other” because I had read all of the original Jean Shepherd short stories as they were published in the 60’s-70’s. For me, the movie fell flat by comparison.
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More-or-less agreed. I’m not quite to a point of never wanting to see it again, but I’m certainly in no great hurry.
I think it’s an absolutely great film, though. I absolutely love how it has no actual setting – the time period is intentionally muddied as a general sort of postwar mishmash. That’s something done very rarely, and I think it worked fantastically.
It’s OK. I don’t have any nostalgia for that kind of life because no one in my family ever had that type of life, and it really doesn’t look that cool for me. But I’m definitley in the middle of the spectrum, probably leaning more towards “don’t like it”. I don’t care if I never watch it again and if someone suggests it I’ll probably try to switch them to “Rudolph” which I like way, way better, but I’ll sit down and watch it if I must and even laugh at parts.
The other night I came to the conclusion that there are only three perfect movies that have been made. This is one of them.
The other two are This is Spinal Tap and My Cousin Vinny.
I love it.
My ex hates it. HATES it. And he is not someone who tosses that word around. He cannot articulate why he hates it, but hate it he does.
Same here. In fact I may have seen all of it, just never consecutively. I’ve watched bits and pieces of it each Christmas since it usually gets shown all day back to back; some day I’m going to have to watch it start to finish.
Since it’s such a “little” movie, I was surprised to learn that Darren McGavin was paid $2 million to play the dad. Just seems like a movie a name actor would have done for a little over scale and maybe a percentage of the gross.
There’s a sequel of sorts called It Runs in the Family. It’s a totally different cast (Charles Grodin plays “The Old Man”, Mary Steenburgen the mother, and a Culkin as Ralphie) but the characters (including the hillbilly neighbors) are the same and Jean Shepherd narrated. Has it’s moments, but wasn’t nearly as successful.
I was surprised to learn that Shepherd’s real life “Old Man” was only 22 when his son was born.
This is right up there with Galaxy Quest in that other thread for highest quote to screenplay award.
I got more
Miss Shields is played by the same actor.
Super love it wasn’t an option so I had to go with a mere love it.
Last Christmas I got a tiny replica of the Major Award, and it’s been decorating the room ever since (along with a bobblehead of Ralphie as the Pink Nightmare).
I honestly think Peter Billingsley should have been nominated for an Academy Award for playing “Ralphie.” He was perfect. And I loved it.
I admit I didn’t like it the first time around – I never liked Jean Shepherd; his commentary on his PBS show was too much laughing at his own jokes.
But when I watched later, I remember that it was slow, but picked up after the tongue on the flagpole scene. Then I realized this was in thefirst ten minutes.
I don’t hate it but the movie bores me
Meh. The time and the setting are completely foreign to me, but have been done so many times, it’s predictable and boring. The book can be tedious, as well.
LOVE the movie, always play the 24-hour marathon for several hours every year.
Warehouse 13 had Dad’s, “Major Award” in the “Christmas aisle” in their recent Christmas special. Made me laugh out loud.
I guess I don’t entirely hate it, but I do not view it as in any way entertaining to watch, so saying “somewhere in the middle” just seemed like a cop out.
I don’t get it. I never watched it as a kid, and coming to it for the first time a few years ago in my late 20s, it had no effect on me at all. It’s ok, I guess, but I saw it once and that’s plenty. My husband and his family absolutely love it and have it playing all day on Christmas. I guess if you grew up with it, you’re more likely to feel warm and fuzzy about it? For example, I love It’s a Wonderful Life because we watched it every Christmas Eve - my husband saw it for the first time a few years ago and doesn’t get why it’s so popular.
I have seen Wonderful Life since I was a kid and I’m meh about it. I first saw Christmas Story in my 20s and I love it.
I LOVE it. It reminds me of what it was like being a kid.