A Christmas Story

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I'm finding that I can't wait to dust off some of my favorite holiday DVD movies. At the top of my holiday movie list is the 1983 classic "A Christmas Story". Starring Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon, "A Christmas Story" is based on the short stories of humorist Jean Shepherd.

Set in an Indiana town during a Christmas season in the 1940's, the movie follows Ralphie Parker's quest for the ultimate Christmas present: a Red Ryder BB gun. Unfortunately for Ralphie, all of the adults around him scoff at the idea, saying "You'll shoot your eye out" (even the department store Santa says this to him in a particularly hilarious scene).

Ralphie tries everything-- from beckoning his parents to asking the department store Santa Claus to eventually writing a school paper on the subject. Nothing seems to work-- everyone thinks the idea of a Red Ryder BB gun is entirely too dangerous for a young boy. Ralphie is crushed.

Add to that, Ralphie has to deal with all sorts of other problems as the holidays approach-- the town bully, Scut Farkas, Ralphie's quirky parents, and the annoying dogs next door. When Ralphie's dad wins a "major award", the family is embarrassed by a risque table lamp that glows through their living room window (until it "accidentally" gets broken, that is).

One of the most classic scenes involves Ralphie and his friends doing "triple dog dares" outside of the school yard. Ralphie's friend Flick gets his tongue stuck to a frozen flagpole and none of the students will admit to how it happened.

Another favorite scene is the family's trip to see the Christmas parade, followed by Ralphie reluctantly going to see the department store Santa (he doesn't really believe in Santa any more, but he does it sort of as an insurance policy).

You'll know it's the 1940's when Ralphie waits with bated breath to reveal the secret code from his Little Orphan Annie decoder kit. Ralphie listens to the radio program to reveal the secret clues and Little Orphan Annie's secret message is hilarious-- and typical for how Ralphie's life has been going these days. Indeed, after receiving his lame secret message, Ralphie becomes quite despondent and seems to lose some of his holiday spirit.

In fact, the holiday stress gets to Ralphie and he ends up in a huge scuffle with the town bully, Scut Farkas. Scut and his buddy Grover Dill have finally pushed Ralphie too far! Ralphie also commits another faux pas, blurting out the worst possible curse word in front of his father (don't worry if you are watching this movie with kids, you don't actually hear the word). Things are going very downhill. But then it snows on Christmas Eve and the family wakes up to a beautiful white blanket of snow. Maybe things will be alright after all

Christmas morning at the Parker house is hilarious, especially when Ralphie has to try on a pink bunny suit made for him by an elderly aunt. Ralphie and his younger brother Randy tear through their Christmas presents, tossing aside the boring gifts like socks. With a all of the presents opened, Ralphie just about gives up hope that someone remembered to buy him his ultimate gift, when his father spots one last gift hidden away in a corner. Could it be the Red Ryder BB gun? You'll have to watch and see!

The family settles in after a hectic morning, waiting to feast on the delicious holiday turkey that has been roasting in the oven all morning. But when the crazy dogs next door massacre the family's Christmas turkey, the Parker's find an alternate holiday meal in one of the funniest scenes in the movie. Indeed, you will laugh out loud many times during this movie.

There's a few quirky "dream" sequences in this movie that I find confusing, but they add to the humor in eth movie (apparently Ralghie has a very vivid imagination).

The small town imagery in this movie, from the department store window to the Christmas tree lit up with bulb lights, will make you nostalgic for Christmases gone by. I recommend this classic film to anyone looking for a little holiday spirit-- even if it's July!