The Art of Christmas Without ChristmasI guess that this year it would be appropriate to blame Star Wars for this one. After all the events of the world’s most talked about science fantasy saga took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. This would suggest that the Jedi did not celebrate Christmas. (What Christmas special? Hush your mouth, never happened.)
Even so, watching a Star Wars movie always makes me feel like it’s Christmas. Which is odd because many of the movies were initially released around May. It’s pretty easy to blame television networks for this one though. Back in the mists of time before Netflix, before Blockbuster, a little before people taping things off the telly, the television companies liked to schedule movies over Christmas. They still do this, but it is more of a tradition than a sound business idea now. But I was there, and it means that I can’t help but think of Flash Gordon as a Christmas movie, even though they don’t have Christmas on Mongo either. I am, of course, talking about movies that have the power to compel those Yuletide feels even though they have very little to do with the festive season. Some of them are personal, I’m not sure there is a significant contingent of people who remember that Flash Gordon was the BBC’s Christmas Eve family viewing choice some time in the early 80s. However, although any event movie Star Wars, Harry Potter, Avatar can feel Christmassy, this is more of an accident. A phenomenon that occurs because of their status as a special movie treats enjoyed at the time of mince pies and tinsel. Despite all of this there are movies that can inspire that Christmas glow despite having nothing really to do with Christmas on the surface. Yes, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, I’m looking at you. Now, Willy Wonka does have a massive boost to its Christmassy vibe because it is all about magical chocolate. All the chocolate I eat over Christmas has the magical ability to make me eat more of it, obviously this is witchcraft. The confectionery theme can only be bolstered with the addition of spoiled children demanding unreasonable things, songs and a mercurial career-best performance from Gene Wilder. It’s almost a wonder that this movie isn’t a straight up Christmas movie, I’m sure if someone at the studio had thought of it it would have been. And that would have been super crass and annoying, so let’s be grateful for small mercies. A couple of more lateral choices also occur to me. Firstly the marvellously bizarre Grand Budapest Hotel. Again this movie has nothing to do with Christmas specifically. It does however look a bit like a Christmas card at times. The hotel on top of a wintery mountain and scenes in the snow help the Christmas atmosphere. The thing that is the icing on the cake is the delicate off-beat fairy tale that is played out in this winter wonderland. It’s a good Christmas viewing choice because it’s a really good, visually attractive movie with a winter theme. Another film that can stir Christmas emotions is the underrated Coen brothers homage to Frank Capra, The Hudsucker Proxy. Sure, it’s a bit of an awkward movie, Tim Robbins is not Jimmy Stewart by any stretch of the imagination. There’s something about the fantastical air of the movie, and it’s melodramatic story of innocence and good triumphing over selfishness and greed that elevates it into the sphere of great Christmas viewing. Once you’ve got through those movies if you’re hungry for more you could do worse than plunder the 80s. Labyrinth and Explorers are solid Christmas viewing choices. I think the key component here is a magical atmosphere. Every movie I’ve mentioned attempts, with varying success to invoke an air of the magical. I think the key point is that, with a couple of exceptions, they do so without trying too hard (okay, Labyrinth has it’s magic front and centre but, hey, David Bowie plus muppets has to equal win, right?) In a way movies that have an air of mystery and magic without then ladling on the pine trees, baubles and wrapping paper get a boost to their Christmas factor merely because they’re not trying to be Christmassy. Themes can be Christmassy without actually being about Christmas itself. Any movie that attempts to champion the success of the innocent in the face of great evil with a smattering of mystic forces is going to be Christmassy by default. On which note I’m off to dig out my copy of the Goonies. Enjoy Christmas without Christmas everyone! Do you have any favourite Christmas-free Christmas movies? Share your thoughts in the comments bellow! |
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