This is one of those annual holiday classics that, surprisingly enough, I’ve never seen the entirety of in one sitting. Considering how ofter A Christmas Story
Here’s the review Siskel and Ebert gave the movie thanks to the wonder that is YouTube:
As it turns out, the movie didn’t smash any records when it was released a week before Thanksgiving that year. By the time Christmas rolled around it was gone from most theaters with only a hundred or so still showing the film by January 1984. It grossed a modest $19.2 million which would be roughly $37.8 million today which isn’t bad considering it only cost about $4 million to make or about $7.8 million in today’s dollars. Still, hardly a blockbuster. Who knows how much money its made sense then as its popularity grew through repeated TV airings over the years?
Maybe one of these days I’ll sit down and watch the whole thing in one go.
Found over at Fark.com.
I love this movie…but I was young when it came out so I only remember it on TV…we bought it though to add to our Christmas Movie Collection.
I put TBS on my TV every year (at least the one in my room) and do not change the channel until they stop airing the movie. I love it and it has become a Krismas tradition/joke in my house that it has to be on at least one TV all day.
I think “A Christmas Story” has to be one of the most colossally overrated films of all time. I just don’t see the appeal, particularly after innumerable viewings.
“Fragile”, it must be Italian. it kills me every time.
I think it pretty much didn’t become a “Hit” until it hit cable/HBO back in the day (‘84/85). That’s when I saw it and I remember my parents laughing their butts off every time it played.
Granted I do laugh everytime I see the tongue on the flag pole scene or the big fight where the little brother is turtled in the snowsuit. =P
This is the first time I’ve heard of the flick.
Pass
Watch it every year when it airs on TBS. We open our presents to it.
It helps if you’re an old fart like me and remember something similar to the events depicted. It also helps if you liked The Waltons, Darren McGavin, and tales similar to Truman Capote’s “The Thanksgiving Visitor” (ever so slightly more twisted).
My wife saw pieces and parts of it for years, and she thought it must be stupid and never gave it a chance until just a couple of years ago. I finally got her to sit down and watch the whole thing, and now it’s a can’t-miss holiday event.
You’ll shoot yer eye out, kid!
I don’t watch much holiday programming, or much cutesy family stuff, but this movie is pretty damn funny. Clean enough for the whole family, but with some swearing, schoolyard violence, childhood anxiety, and a completely secular holiday theme of family togetherness, for better or worse. It’s not the best movie ever or anything, but it’s ten times better than most of the other holiday crap that gets spewed out each year. And I want that lamp!
Sonsabitches!! Bumpuses!!!
Neil, you can own that lamp. The folks at Wireless Catalog sell it in two different sizes. The 20” tall one is $40 and the 40” one is $200. Not sure why it jumps from $40 to $200 with an extra 20” on it, but it carries the official A Christmas Story license.
Does it come from Italy too?