A Christmas Story (1983): "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!"

[UYI]

Since the Christmas season is upon us now, I thought it was only right that one of the definitive Christmas movies of all time gets its own thread. Love it or hate it, it has its place in film history.

 

For the record, I'm in the "love" category, but I absolutely understand why some might not like it/be tired of seeing it every year on TBS each hour of Christmas (that's why I only watch the DVD! LOL.). Believe it or not, the 24/7 marathons only really took off in the late 90's/early 2000's; it took awhile for that to catch on.

 

Oh, and Peter Billingsley (Ralphie) grew up to be really hot.

 

That is all.

 

Well, that, and Scotty Schwartz (Flick, the "tongue on the flagpole" kid) did porn for awhile in the mid 90's. Apologies in advance to those who didn't know that.

 

 

 

[Ohwell]

I wonder whatever happened to Scut Farkas?

[UYI]

The trailer:

 

[Sharpie66]

You can see Peter Billingsley, briefly, in the first Iron Man film. He's one of the Stark Industries scientists trying to replicate the arc tech for Jeff Bridges. Apparently, he's a buddy of Jon Favreau's.

[nobodyyoucare]

Note you can buy the leg lamp complete with crate from several websites for example. http://www.redriderleglamps.com/products/leg-lamps/a-christmas-story-deluxe-50-leg-lamp

 

Also this was one of a series of films based upon the works of Jean Shepherd

These films all had the Parker family.

 

The Phantom of the Open Hearth (1976)

The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)

The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski (1985)

Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1988)

My Summer Story (originally released as It Runs in the Family) the actual sequel to A Christmas Story in 1994.

A Christmas Story 2 released in 2012. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I wonder whatever happened to Scut Farkas?

 

He probably ended up at the top of the FBI's Most Wanted List. What else can you expect from someone with yellow eyes?

 

The actor who played Scut, Zack Ward, has actually had a decent, if modest, career. He's got 114 credits to his name on IMDB, mostly TV roles. He also looks exactly the same, just older, which goes to prove my theory that gingers don't really age.

[BatmanBeatles]

He kind of reminds me of Prince Harry.

[Ohwell]

He does resemble Prince Harry.  

The leg lamp is also shown in the background on the "Pardon the Interruption" show.  It's a major award!

[Petunia13]

Note you can buy the leg lamp complete with crate from several websites for example. http://www.redriderleglamps.com/products/leg-lamps/a-christmas-story-deluxe-50-leg-lamp

Also this was one of a series of films based upon the works of Jean Shepherd

These films all had the Parker family.

The Phantom of the Open Hearth (1976)

The Great American Fourth of July and Other Disasters (1982)

The Star-Crossed Romance of Josephine Cosnowski (1985)

Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss (1988)

My Summer Story (originally released as It Runs in the Family) the actual sequel to A Christmas Story in 1994.

A Christmas Story 2 released in 2012.

I thought the book this is based on was called In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash.

[spaceytraci1208]

I don't remember the last time I watched this movie in its entirety, but I always have to watch Ralphie beat Scott Farkus' ass one good time lol

[nobodyyoucare]

I thought the book this is based on was called In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash.

Some elements of the film came from Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories, others from short stories originally published in Playboy Magazine or told on the radio such as Flick's Tongue. Others apparently came from unpublished anecdotes told on the college circuit. If you listen to the dvd commentary it details the sources. Hence why I said works rather then a single book. DVD apparently also has the radio broadcastings available for listen. 

 

if you ever are in Toronto you can visit the place where they had to get Chinese duck. http://www.achristmasstoryhouse.com/index.php/filming-locations/bo-lings-chop-suey-palace/

[BatmanBeatles]

I don't remember the last time I watched this movie in its entirety, but I always have to watch Ralphie beat Scott Farkus' ass one good time lol

And Scut cried like a little girl.

[Ohwell]

And Scut cried like a little girl.

I remember Scut's short henchman who hauled ass when Ralphie was beating Scut.

[spaceytraci1208]

All these years I thought his name was "Scott"...I always learn something here! :)

[Ohwell]

Ralphie was no innocent, hee.  He said "fuck" when dad was changing the tire, and his mom asked him where he heard that word and he panicked and said he heard it from his innocent, clueless friend.  He couldn't tell her that he heard his dad say it, probably numerous times.  Ralphie's outraged mom calls innocent, clueless friend's mom and tell her what Ralphie said.  She screams bloody murder over the phone and you can hear her whipping the crap out of him and the poor kid was screaming and not knowing what the fuck was going on.  That was funny and sad at the same time.  

Edited November 28, 2015 by Ohwell

[nobodyyoucare]

Well the mother had heard the father ranting at the furnace so why did she not put 2 and 2 together?

[Ohwell]

That's a good question.  Maybe she didn't want to acknowledge that her husband was a potty mouth?  

[Rick Kitchen]

<small voice>I've never seen it.</small voice>

[Brn2bwild]

<small voice>I've never seen it.</small voice>

 

Lucky you.  That means you'll get to experience it fresh -- it is a charming movie.  Avoid the TBS 24-hour marathon at all cost, as it will bleed every ounce of enjoyment out of the scenes.

[BizBuzz]

I am most assuredly in the "love" category, one of my top 5 favorite movies of all time.  I wait all year to watch this in December, and I haven't grown tired of it yet.  Wow, owning it on DVD ... I do think that would put a different spin on it for sure.  I wouldn't know what to do if I had to watch it without commercials.

 

I just cannot complete the year until I have seen this movie.

 

<small voice>I've never seen it.</small voice>

 

Awwww ... that is so cool.  I think maybe we should all pick a time to watch it, then host a live chat.  Wouldn't that be so much fun?

[Sharpie66]

I always loved Roger Ebert's original review of the film, which started:

 

Of course. That's what I kept saying during "A Christmas Story," every time the movie came up with another one of its memories about growing up in the 1940s. Of course, any nine-year-old kid in the '40s would passionately want, for Christmas, a Daisy Brand Red Ryder repeating BB carbine with a compass mounted in the stock. Of course. And of course, his mother would say, "You'll shoot your eye out." That's what mothers always said about BB guns.

 

 

He later went on to write a more detailed review in his Great Movies collection, but I always remember the original review.

[Kromm]

Since the Christmas season is upon us now, I thought it was only right that one of the definitive Christmas movies of all time gets its own thread. Love it or hate it, it has its place in film history.

 

For the record, I'm in the "love" category, but I absolutely understand why some might not like it/be tired of seeing it every year on TBS each hour of Christmas (that's why I only watch the DVD! LOL.).

I can (and have) watched this movie dozens of times.

 

One of the few movies I can actually say that about.

 

In an odd way a movie I think its very similar to, but people don't recognize it, is Woody Allen's Radio Days.

[UYI]

I can (and have) watched this movie dozens of times.

 

One of the few movies I can actually say that about.

 

In an odd way a movie I think its very similar to, but people don't recognize it, is Woody Allen's Radio Days.

 

I LOVE Radio Days! And yeah, I can kind of see that. 

[BizBuzz]

In an odd way a movie I think its very similar to, but people don't recognize it, is Woody Allen's Radio Days.

 

Putting this movie on my list.  Thanks!

[Kromm]

I LOVE Radio Days! And yeah, I can kind of see that. 

Putting aside any issues of whether or not the Woodster is an old creeper or not... the reason I love Radio Days is that it always seemed to me to be the movie where Woody most displayed his heart. It's nostalgic in exactly the same way that A Christmas Story is, even with it being about a Jewish kid in Queens rather than a white-bread kid in Indiana. There are even parallels in how the kids view/interact with their parents.

[UYI]

Has anyone ever seen It Runs in the Family (aka My Summer Story)? It was another film with Jean Shepherd from 1994, similar to A Christmas Story; Tedde Moore (Miss Shields) is in it. I know it won't be as good as the original, but I'm interested in watching it some day (and it HAS to be better than A Christmas Story 2--I will NEVER be able to bring myself to watch that).

Edited December 14, 2015 by UYI

[Kromm]

I've seen it. It's not bad.

To be clear I mean that about It Runs in the Family. That said, A Christmas Story 2 isn't nearly as bad as I'd feared it would be.

It's not stupendous, but looking at some of the online comments and reviews you'd think it was a lot worse than it actually is. It's not unwatchable. It's just not magic like the original.

[millk]

The A Christmas Story house is a big tourist attraction in Cleveland.

 

Parts of the movie were filmed in St Catharines Ontario. Ralphie's school was Victoria Public School. It is closed now and is a woman's shelter Gillian's Place. The field where the pole now holds a seniors condo complex.

 

The producers gave the city a Red Ryder gun and a pair of glasses. They are in the St Catharines Museum. I live in the area and always take any Flat Stanleys who visit me to see them along with Niagara Falls. 

[Ubiquitous]

CMT marathonned ACS2 on Xmas. Do NOT watch it -- it's a blatant attempt to cash in on the original movie.

I like the original but they're overdoing it with a Xmas marathon (and two stations this year! ).

[Petunia13]

Every year there's a marathon for a long time. Back in the Stone Age when I was kid there was no marathon but it was on.

My mom used to really like this and I'm not sure why.

[Ohwell]

CMT marathonned ACS2 on Xmas. Do NOT watch it -- it's a blatant attempt to cash in on the original movie.

I like the original but they're overdoing it with a Xmas marathon (and two stations this year! ).

I watched about 10 minutes of ACS2 and switched channels.  It was awful.

[Kromm]

I watched about 10 minutes of ACS2 and switched channels.  It was awful.

I'd say mostly in comparison (to the original). If it didn't have that 2 on the end and was magically just it's own movie, then it wouldn't compare that badly to lets say... that endless parade of shitty shoveled-out budget Lifetime and Hallmark Christmas movies. It's only holding it up against the magic of A Christmas Story that it seems THAT painful--but I do understand that for many there's likely no way to emotionally separate themselves enough from the original to do that.

[Lovecat]

You can see Peter Billingsley, briefly, in the first Iron Man film. He's one of the Stark Industries scientists trying to replicate the arc tech for Jeff Bridges. Apparently, he's a buddy of Jon Favreau's.

He also plays Ming-Ming (an elf) in Elf, another Jon Favreau joint. I think he cameos in just about every Favreau film.

[UYI]

Every year there's a marathon for a long time. Back in the Stone Age when I was kid there was no marathon but it was on.

My mom used to really like this and I'm not sure why.

 

I don't think the TBS marathons began until the very late 90's, and then it just kept going once the merchandise related to the movie became bigger and bigger.

[BetterButter]

 

[UYI]

An initially small film that grew into a sleeper hit, and ultimately a Christmas classic, starring Melinda Dillon and Darren McGavin, with Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, the young boy growing up in 1940's Northwest Indiana (outside of Chicago, although the film itself was actually shot in Cleveland), who wants nothing more than "an official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200 shot range, model air rifle" ("...oooh") for Christmas. Narrated by Jean Shepherd; directed by Bob Clark.

It wouldn't be Christmas Eve without watching this movie every year for me and my family. Just the absolute best Christmas movie ever; I look forward to it every year.

And just a reminder: Peter Billingsley grew up to be EXTREMELY hot.

Those blue eyes! *swoon*

 

And in what might be a case of TMI trivia: Scotty Schwartz (Flick, aka "the kid who got his tongue stuck to the flag pole") was actually a porn star for several years in the nineties; he even got his own E! True Hollywood Story because of this, called "Scotty Schwartz: From Child Star to Porn Star" (insert "he found other uses for his tongue" jokes here--apologies for those who now need brain bleach). 

Edited December 2, 2020 by UYI

[BetterButter]

 

[UYI]

Of course I forgot that I had already started a thread for the movie years ago! Could we still subtitle it "you'll shoot your eye out, kid!", though? I'd change it, but I started this thread five years ago and I can't edit the title anymore. 

[Dandesun]

My winemaker friend has that leg lamp and it's the first thing to go up in the tasting room. Whenever I see it, 'Fra-gee-lay! It must be Italian!'

[Cobalt Stargazer]

On 12/3/2020 at 2:16 PM, Dandesun said:

My winemaker friend has that leg lamp and it's the first thing to go up in the tasting room. Whenever I see it, 'Fra-gee-lay! It must be Italian!'

"It's a major award!"

[Cobalt Stargazer]

Well, at least he won't shoot his eye out with it.

[Kel Varnsen]

On 11/26/2015 at 8:50 PM, spaceytraci1208 said:

I don't remember the last time I watched this movie in its entirety, but I always have to watch Ralphie beat Scott Farkus' ass one good time lol

Watched it yesterday with my kids. One thing I just sort of realized about that scene is that from the Mom's point of view Ralphie I'd pummeling some kid to the point of giving him a bloody nose. And yet after she pulls Ralphie off she just leaves the other kid lying bleeding in the snow and doesn't even ask if he is ok. It just seemed kind of funny.

[Boys2kayla]

I enjoyed reading the five life lessons, however totally disagree with the last one.  I have watched this movie so many times and LOVE the last scene in the Asian restaurant and have NEVER felt that it was racist or discriminatory.  If anything I have always admired the restaurant owner and workers for producing a meal to ensure that the only family in the restaurant has a special day.  They are trying to assimilate while respecting their own culture and producing an Asian meal (duck with the head) on an American holiday.  They are working hard to make a living as many immigrants do.  My daughter in law is an immigrant from Korea (been in Canada for 1.5 years) and speaks English with a distinctive Asian accent which we love, and she will probably always have.  There is nothing racist about this scene.  This scene shows real people in a real situation.  Stop promoting racism where there is none.  

[rmontro]

On 12/26/2020 at 8:20 AM, Boys2kayla said:

There is nothing racist about this scene.  This scene shows real people in a real situation.  Stop promoting racism where there is none.  

I agree with the thrust of your post.  But I think the main thing people find questionable is the way they play the mixing up of the r's and l's for comedy.  

[JAYJAY1979]

People are too woke nowadays.

This is my favorite Christmas movie and always will be.

[MissAlmond]

On 12/3/2020 at 1:16 PM, Dandesun said:

Whenever I see it, 'Fra-gee-lay! It must be Italian!'

"I think that says Fragile."  

[stealinghome]

"YOU USED UP ALL THE GLUE ON PURPOSE!!!!!"

I grew up watching it and absolutely love this movie. I can rewatch over and over--it's so satisfying every single time. For me it's the parents who make the movie. They're just pitch-perfect.

[RedDelicious]

On 12/26/2020 at 8:20 AM, Boys2kayla said:

I enjoyed reading the five life lessons, however totally disagree with the last one.  I have watched this movie so many times and LOVE the last scene in the Asian restaurant and have NEVER felt that it was racist or discriminatory.  If anything I have always admired the restaurant owner and workers for producing a meal to ensure that the only family in the restaurant has a special day.  They are trying to assimilate while respecting their own culture and producing an Asian meal (duck with the head) on an American holiday.  They are working hard to make a living as many immigrants do.  My daughter in law is an immigrant from Korea (been in Canada for 1.5 years) and speaks English with a distinctive Asian accent which we love, and she will probably always have.  There is nothing racist about this scene.  This scene shows real people in a real situation.  Stop promoting racism where there is none.  

Agree, and I don't think fa-ra-ra is any different from frageelay.  Its equal opportunity mispronunciation for comedic effect and Ralphie's mom trying to control her laughter and the culmination of the Peking duck getting cleavered is one of the best parts of the movie.

[BetterButter]

‘A Christmas Story’ Sequel in the Works With Original Star Peter Billingsley

[BetterButter]