Two Christmas classics for the most wonderful time of the year. 🎄
Elf (2003; MAX or television or your library)
Buddy (Will Ferrell), a human raised by elves and Santa, sets out to meet his biological, “naughty” father and family in New York City—and spreads Christmas cheer to everyone he meets. It is incredible how a film could give so many nods to the Christmas classics and become a contemporary classic in its own merits. It not only references Rudolph, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, It’s a Wonderful Life, and more—it also stirs our memory of the decades we’ve been waiting for another classic like these. Buddy’s father flips through yearbook photos of “Peace Now” protests during the Vietnam Years; Santa (Ed Asner) and Buddy’s adopted father (Bob Newhart) are played by television stars from hit 70s sit-coms; not to mention his biological father (James Caan) known for The Godfather. In more ways than one, this classic promises to bring that good-old-fashioned, optimistic Christmas spirit into the present—and it delivers. Laugh-out-loud humor, catchy music, and a lot of heart.
One more observation. This movie is chock-full of what some people call “Jewish Christmas carols”: Christmas songs with no reference to the Christian Nativity story, like “Winter Wonderland” or “Let It Snow.” They are placed masterfully, subtly expressing just the right emotion behind the scenes. The director, Jon Favreau (Iron Man, The Jungle Book), is in fact Jewish! He plays the doctor—don’t miss the Menorah in the hospital window.
For sensitive viewers: Rude humor and mild language; a scene with alcohol.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964; Internet Archive)
A reindeer with a glowing red nose faces rejection, sets off to meet new friends, and even saves Christmas. This is the first, and probably most iconic, stop-action animated American Christmas special. Memorable music and songs by Johnny Marks (who wrote “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”). Very quotable! And an off-the-wall sense of humor that never ceases to surprise me. (Ask your grandparents about that “Christmas seals” joke.)
Rather than a separate “for sensitive viewers” section, let’s talk about the alleged sexism here. Rudolph’s father sets out to find him, telling his wife to stay home because “This is man’s work.” If we take this at face value, we are certainly dealing with discrimination—but discrimination is the theme of this movie. Rudolph is bullied for being different; in fact, the first one to condemn him and make him hide his superpower is his father. Likewise, Rudolph’s friend Hermie is yelled at by his boss for wanting to be a dentist rather than a toy maker. We must hear the loud intolerance of these characters in the context of the whole—which repeatedly shows their error. Immediately after Rudolph’s father sets out, his wife and young Faline do the same, and he is no more heroic than they. So, when the narrator finally says, “they decided to get the women home,” he is doing with his tongue in his cheek, and maybe even a little disturbing irony about how easy it is to mistreat people because they are different. It renders it absurd, the same slanted style of humor that characterizes the whole show—like an impatient, skinny Santa.
For another example of irony in a Christmas special, see my video on the “double-voiced” dialogue in A Charlie Brown Christmas.
Nathan’s Writing Update
I’ve been reading a book called Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful inventions in the History of Literature (Angus Fletcher, 2022), and I’ve realized it lends itself to a summary video. I’ve recorded myself swiftly explaining the first nine chapters, and I hope to release a full summary video on YouTube in two weeks!