by Missy Thompson
STAFF WRITER
Each year around this time critics write about their top 10 favorite Christmas movies. To keep from repeating my favorites from last year, this year's round-up is of some overlooked Christmas films that hopefully will make it into someone's living room this year.
Most people have seen "A Christmas Story" or the many versions of "A Christmas Carol," but other, lesser-known films can be added to one's traditional holiday repertoire. The classics like "It's a Wonderful Life" are wonderful to watch year after year and help get in the Christmas spirit. But I recommend branching out and starting a new tradition with a different festive film.
"Babes in Toyland" -- 1961
This Academy Award-nominated musical may not be the most believable or well-done film, but it deserves a spot on this list because of its imaginative, nursery-rhyme quality. As a young child watching "Babes in Toyland" was like being sucked into another world. It has many adult themes, but the Christmas aspect comes from a toymaker attempting to make enough toys for the holiday.
Mary Contrary (Annette Funicello) and her fiancé Tom Piper (Tommy Sands) are approaching their wedding date when the conniving Barnaby (Ray Bolger) stirs up a plot to get Mary to marry him instead. But the two goons who are sent to drown Tom and steal Mary's sheep chicken out at the last moment, kidnapping him and selling him to a band of gypsies.
Mary discovers Tom is still alive and with the help of the village children, they set off to rescue him and help a toymaker in Toyland bring Christmas joy to all who live there. They also must defeat evil Barnaby before he destroys their Christmas spirit.
"Babes in Toyland" is fun for children and families. The songs will leave you humming the tunes.
"Holiday Inn" -- 1942
Most know the song "White Christmas" because it's a classic. But there is also a misperception that it came from the film "White Christmas" when in fact it came from "Holiday Inn." Starring Rat Pack crooners Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, composer Irving Berlin won an Academy Award for his "White Christmas" masterpiece.
Jim Hardy (Crosby) and Ted Hanover (Astaire) live for the New York City nightlife, but Jim decides to run a farm in Connecticut, which is eventually turned into a entertainment venue called Holiday Inn. Jim writes the song "White Christmas" for their opening night gala that draws patrons from around the country. Every holiday -- including Abraham Lincoln's birthday -- the inn is open for musical performances. This continues until Independence Day when Hollywood scouts venture to the inn and Jim overhears a plot that could ruin the inn's success.
"Holiday Inn" is the type of film that once watched, will want to be viewed again and again each Christmas.
"It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas" -- 2002
Although this Muppet movie was a direct-to-TV special, it still deserves a spot on this overlooked list. Like other Muppet films, the puppet characters are integrated with humans to create a fun, slightly imaginary world. Unlike "A Muppet Christmas Carol," this uses spoofs and homages to tell its story. The most obvious homage is to "It's a Wonderful Life" where Kermit the Frog plays the George Bailey character.
Kermit looses all hope when the Muppet Theater owner Rachel Bitterman (Joan Cusack) forces them to pay her or she will turn the theater into a nightclub. Luckily, Daniel (David Arquette), an angel-like character, sees how distraught Kermit is and goes to his Boss (Whoopi Goldberg) for help. Daniel is sent to make see what Kermit's life would have been like had he never been born.
Of course the ending to this film is similar to "It's a Wonderful Life," but has the magic of a Muppet movie that can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages.
"Scrooged" -- 1988
Just as "It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Carol" mirrors "It's a Wonderful Life," "Scrooged" is very similar to Charles Dickens' classic "A Christmas Carol." This version of the film, however, was modernized so that Frank Cross (Bill Murray) ran a television station instead of being a greedy, uncaring Ebenezer Scrooge.
If you want to change it up and watch a comedic twist to a literature classic, this may be a great addition to your holiday programming. In "Scrooged," Frank is visited by three ghosts of the past, present and future who show him what his life will be like if he continues in his cynically or selfish ways.
missy@tooeletranscript.com