The post I originally planned was a bit … heavy. On one hand, I didn’t want to Jones it up and have everything in December be about Christmas. Please – there’s enough of that. On the other hand, I didn’t want to present something un ‘Merry’ either. Then, I realized I could walk that proverbial line – save that original post for a latter date and write about Holiday entertainment. That was never intended to be Holiday entertainment, that is.
Die Hard – release date July 15, 1988
New York City policeman John McClane is visiting his estranged wife and two daughters on Christmas Eve. He joins her at a holiday party in the headquarters of the Japanese-owned business she works for. But the festivities are interrupted by a group of terrorists who take over the exclusive high-rise, and everyone in it. Very soon McClane realizes that there’s no one to save the hostages — but him.
This movie solidified Bruce Willis as the everyday dude with the ‘tude. In this case, that would be yule tude, of course. Just don’t mess with Bruce – remember R.E.D. is his favorite color. Oddly enough, the sequel was released July 04, 1990. And, yes, it takes place on Christmas Eve as well. Gotta love Hollywood!
Trading Places – release date June 08, 1983
Upper-crust executive Louis Winthorpe III and down-and-out hustler Billy Ray Valentine are the subjects of a bet by successful brokers Mortimer and Randolph Duke. An employee of the Dukes, Winthorpe is framed by the brothers for a crime he didn’t commit, with the siblings then installing the street-smart Valentine in his position. When Winthorpe and Valentine uncover the scheme, they set out to turn the tables on the Dukes.
This is a holiday movie if there ever was one – Dan Aykroyd’s ‘Bad Santa’ , Eddie Murpy’s Tiny Tim ‘interpretation’, and Jamie Lee Curtis as a naughty, but very nice Christmas … elf? They even party together on a train New Years Eve. With the butler! And, still, it was released in June. I’ll bet $1 there was a wager between industry heads on that decision. (side note: this was the topic of my original post idea saved for a later date.)
My Favorite Things
Sound of Music release date April 01, 1965
This partridge does not belong in the Christmas caroling pear tree by any means. Yet, it’s included on countless Christmas albums. “Brown paper packages tied up in string” are really cool, but, let’s face it, this song has very little to do with Christmas. Furthermore, the movie wasn’t even remotely considered a holiday movie. It’s all about the marketing, I guess.
Festive idea, eh? I was able to balance my postal entry very well, keeping it bright on both counts – Merry subject matter and a touch of Holiday cheer. Unlike Hollywood though, I’m publishing my post in December. Maybe that’s the problem with my bah-fucking Humbug sales.
