This movie is strangely structured and though, the parts are excellent they don't always come together to create one whole. This movie starts with a bunch of musical performances featuring various popular Christan artists performing classic Christmas hymns. Between these performances are brief sermons on the names Jesus has been called in the bible and the significance of each one. This takes up the majority of the film. After that comes what is essentially a theatrically released episode of The Chosen TV show. All of this is very well done, but because of the way this is set up, the majority of the movie can feel like pre-show entertainment before the new episode.
The music is excellent. These Christmas hymns have stayed with us so long for a reason. They are great songs. These Christian artists are incredibly talented, and it should come as no surprise that they do such an excellent job with these great songs.
The episode portion of the movie is also excellent and has everything that has made the series so popular. This is not a neat or sanitized version of the Christmas story. There is little here that is made to look pretty or like it is on the front of a Hallmark Christmas card. This is an important part of what makes this work so well. It lets us fully see that Jesus' birth was not what this world would call attractive. This was a dirty barn and despite Mary being a virgin, the birth process was the regular human birth process. Yet through this seemingly mundane event, the whole world was permanently changed. That God would choose his own son to be born like this says a lot about his character and about how different he sees the world from how we do. This movie also presents Mary and Joseph as real people. Though they are people who have an incredible amount of faith in God, they are also human and not flawless. This makes the story feel more real and personal instead of just a nice story we heard in Sunday school.
This is an excellent film, even if all the parts don't always make one cohesive movie.
Hello, my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing Christmas Is Always, the title track from their 1969 Christmas album. In 1958 Dale had written a book entitled Christmas is Always, where she not only talked about her Christmas seasons but her childhood summers visiting with her family. About these summers she stated, "This was Christmas too in our hearts, for there was an abundance of peace and love for God and each other." Next comes everyone's favorite cowboy/hippie Willie Nelson with It Came Upon a Midnight Clear. The song was written by Edmund H. Sears. This hymn first appeared in Boston's Christian Register, on December 29, 1849 (yes after Christmas). That version has a verse that does not appear in this version, "But with the woes of sin and strife the world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not the love-song, which they bring: O hush the noise, ye men of strife, and hear the angels sing!" This verse reflects the state if America at the time this song was written. The Civil War was approaching, and Sears found himself concerned with the division in our country. Unlike many Christmas songs, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear is not a song about peace on Earth but rather a plea for it. With the division and anger that is so prevalent today, this is a perfect Christmas song for our time. This song has been put to different tunes over the years and the two most prevalent are Carol (by Richard Storis Willis in 1850) and Noel (by Sir Arthur Sullivan in 1878). Carol is the preferred version of this song in the U.S. and is the one Willie performs here. The tune had been used for other lyrics dating back to when it was written in 1850, and was first used to accompany, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear in 1878. Willie's version comes from his 1997 Christmas album, Christmas with Willie Nelson. Next comes the Maddox Brothers and Rose with their 1949 recording of The Unclouded Day. This song was written in 1879 by Josiah Kelly Alwood. Alwood later wrote about how this song came to be, “It was a balmy night in August 1879, when returning from a debate in Spring Hill, Ohio, to my home in Morenci, Michigan, about 1:00 a.m. I saw a beautiful rainbow north by northwest against a dense black nimbus cloud. The sky was all perfectly clear except this dark cloud which covered about forty degrees of the horizon and extended about halfway to the zenith. The phenomenon was entirely new to me and my nerves refreshed by the balmy air and the lovely sight. Old Morpheus was playing his sweetest lullaby. Another mile of travel, a few moments of time, a fellow of my size was ensconced in sweet home and wrapped in sweet sleep. A first class know-nothing till rosy-sweet morning was wide over the fields. To awake and look abroad and remember the night was to be filled with sweet melody. A while at the organ brought forth a piece of music now known as “The Unclouded Day.” A Day and a half was bestowed on the four stanzas.” I have mentioned before on this blog, how much I love Waylon Jennings' recordings of classic Christmas hymns. His voice suits this material just as well as it suits the outlaw country he is known for, which is to say absolutely perfectly. Well today's music selection continues with him and his wife, Jessi Colter's lovely version of Silent Night and once again this is Christmas music perfection. This song was written in 1818 by Josef Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber. Raised in Salzburg, Mohr became an ordained priest on August 21, 1815. He was then sent to a town just north of Salzburg called Obendorf. That is where he met a schoolteacher named Franz Xaver Gruber, who would later become the organist at Old Saint Nicholas Church in 1816. They were in a need for a song on Christmas Eve, 1818. Mohr presented Gruber with a poem he had written a few years before and Gruber quickly put it to music on his guitar (the organ was broken) and that Christmas Eve the first ever audience heard Silent Night. The tempo of that earlier version was faster paced than the one we know today but it was still very popular with the audience and would soon become a song synonymous with Christmas. Next comes Hank Williams with Lord Build Me a Cabin. This song was written by Corporal Curtis Stewart, who little is known about and who has seemingly written nothing else. By the time Hank recorded this song, there was only one other known recording (by Southland Dixie Quartet). Later, inspired by Hank's version Bill Monroe, Roy Acuff and ithers would record it. This is followed by The Statler Brothers with Who Do You Think. This song comes from their 1978 Christmas album, Christmas Card. I hope that this Christmas season, you will believe such a thing. We continue with Gene Autry singing Here Comes Santa Claus. Gene wrote this song's lyrics (the music was written by Oakley Haldeman). He was inspired by a time when he rode, Champion Jr. in Hollywood's Santa Claus Lane Parade. He rode in front of Santa Claus and heard a small boy shout, "Here comes Satna Claus." He knew that this would make a perfect Christmas song. This song became such a hit that many Christmas recordings followed as well as songs for other holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving. Today's musical selection ends with the Sons of the Pioneers with All Wild Things. This song was written by Stan Jones, who cowboy music fans might know for writing the Cowboy classic, Ghost Riders in the Sky. This recording comes from the band's 1963 gospel album, Hymns for the Cowboy.
Next comes a 1952 Christmas episode of Roy Rogers' radio show.
Next is the Reverend Billy Graham with a special Christmas message.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9
No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. John 6:44
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Acts 2:38
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses. Proverbs 10:12
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1 John 3:1
When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:9–10
Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly. Leviticus 19:15
It is a sin to despise one's neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy. Proverbs 14:21
Whoever mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished. Proverbs 17:5
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Isaiah 58:6–10
Thanks for joining me, come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello, my friends and happy Saturday Morning. Once again, it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a Christmas classic, Pluto's Christmas Tree (1952). Like many of the post-1930's Mickey Mouse short films, Mickey is not really the star of this cartoon. Instead, the movie centers around Pluto and Chip and Dale. Though Chip and Dale are mostly recognized for fighting with Donald Duck, they did make their film debut as antagonists for Pluto in Private Pluto (1943). This movie features a great cast of animators including, George Kreisl, Fred Moore, Bill Justice, Volus Jones, Blaine Gibson and Dan MacManus. Dan MacManus animates the opening scene of the cartoon. Fred Moore is recognized as one of the greatest Mickey animators of all time and he gets to show that off here as he animates Mickey chopping down the tree, Mickey decorating the tree, Mickey with the Christmas gifts, Mickey's reactions to Pluto's antics, Mickey holding the chipmunks and him and Pluto looking out the window. Bill Justice and Volus Jones animate much of the Chipmunks. Justice also animates the cameo of Minnie, Donald and Goofy at the end. George Kreisl animates much of Pluto's antics. Blaine Gibson animates very little in this movie with the tree lights going off and on. This cartoon was directed by Jack Hannah, who directed the majority of the Chip and Dale shorts.
Next, we join The Pink Panther in Trail of the Lonesome Pink (1974).
Next comes a classic silent era Fleischer Brothers film, Now You're Talking (1927). Like the studio's Out of the Inkwell cartoons, this movie features both live action and animation. This short film is believed to have been made for and funded by American Telephone and Telegraph. It was disrupted by the YMCA and was released in non-theatrical venues.
Santa's Surprise (1947) is an especially delightful Christmas cartoon from Famous Studios. This cartoon is best remembered as the first cartoon to feature the character of Little Audrey. Little Audrey was an original character for the studio and also a replacement for Little Lulu, who the studio had made a series of cartoons with, in the past. Little Lulu was not created by the studio but was the star of a comic strip by Marjorie Henderson Buell. When Paramount decided not to renew the license for Famous Studios to use that character, Little Audrey was created. The character was designed by veteran Disney animator Bill Tytla (possibly my favorite Disney animator), who was now a director at Famous. This short's lead animator was Myron Waldman, who specialized in cute animation (often shining his best in the studio's Casper series). Myron would later remember this cartoon as one he was especially happy with.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes another real classic, Falling Hare (1943). This cartoon features one of the few characters to get the upper hand of Bugs, the gremlin. Despite only appearing in this one short, the character has proven quite popular and has appeared in quite a few Looney Tunes spin offs. The original title for this movie was going to be Bugs Bunny and the Gremlin. However, since Disney was working on an animated feature film about Gremlins (a movie that would never be finished), the studio took the word Gremlin out of the title of this cartoon to appease the Disney studio. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Literally and figuratively, Bugs Bunny, already a prime favorite among current cartoon characters, gets off to a flying start in the distribution season just started. The buck-toothed, long-eared clown meets up with a gremlin and both find themselves aloft in an airplane, with Bugs or what's left of him being darn glad to get back to earth. There are plenty of laughs throughout. The tough Bunny, if this initial '43-'44 offering of his producer Leon Schlesinger, is any criterion, is in for a further rise in popularity among fans who like humor. Of course, the reel is in Technicolor. It was supervised by Robert Clampett and animated by Roderick Scribner. Warner Foster wrote the story and Carl W. Stalling handled the musical direction." This movie amounts to one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons and it is appropriately in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.
Motion Picture Daily, 1941
Up next is the 9th Dogfather film, Saltwater Tuffy (1975).
Next is the Van Beuren cartoon, Opening Night (1932). This cartoon introduced a new character, Cubby Bear. This is one of the many Mickey Mouse lookalikes that populated American cartoons of the 1930's. Almost every studio was guilty of having Mickey Mouse clones at this time, since Mickey had become such a sensation. In fact, the Van Beuren Studio once took this too far, when they made some cartoons featuring Mice that looked just like Mickey and Minnie in 1931. Walt would sue the studio over those cartoons. This cartoon is also a rather historically interesting film for another reason. It was made for the opening of the RKO Roxy Theatre. It is not subtle about this either. Since the theatre opened in late December, the film begins with Santa Claus riding his sleigh and takes out of his bag various stars which form the words "RKO ROXY." The meaning is simple to decipher, the theatre was a Christmas gift to movie fans.
Let us close this post with a song.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another selection of animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
This is by far the sweetest and most powerful film that you can see in theaters right now. This movie tells a simple story, yet one that is completely captivating. A reporter (Joaquin Phoenix) who interviews kids about the future, finds himself having to look after her sister's (Gaby Hoffmann) son (Woody Norman) when she needs to take care of sick husband. The two grow into a relationship that will forever change who they are as people. While this may sound like a traditional storyline, it is told in anything but a traditional way. First of all, a lot of time is dedicated to the interviews the reporter does with these kids. These scenes are downright brilliant. This allows the film to explore deeper themes in a way that never feels pretentious or preachy. That is because we feel as we listen to this that we are simply listening to what some kids think rather than a specific point of view of the filmmakers. This is especially shown in how some of the kids' opinions differ from each other. For instance, when asked about what happens after death, one believes in a heaven, while others do not. This is also because hearing the words come out of kids' mouths, makes the answers sound like they come from average people rather than academics. Despite this what the kids say is often really intelligent and somewhat thought provoking Yet what is most effective is how much these scenes will get you into thinking deeply about how you feel about all these questions and the answers you receive. Another this differs from traditional storytelling, is that the film frames the story as many little incidents that happen over the course of the time that the uncle and the kid spend together. Many of these moments are very touching and instantly relatable both to those who spend a lot of time around kids and those who don't. because they are so universal in their humanity. Underneath all the thought-provoking moments and experimentations in storytelling, there is much sentimentality to this movie. This sentimentality sneaks up on you and is extremely effective. I certainly found myself very moved watching this film. Much of this is due to the pure chemistry between Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman. When these two share the screen, the movie truly lights up. You completely believe that you are watching an uncle and nephew, who deeply care about each other.
It has often been said that Disney films are just simple escapism that simply sugarcoats everything. While this may be true of the studio's worst films, many of their films do not fall into this category. One Magic Christmas is a perfect example. This movie may have some great moments of Christmas fantasy, but it also hardly overlooks the harsh realities of life. The darker moments of this film, never talk down to anyone, as they deal with such subjects as how hard Christmas can be when you are poor, living with a job you hate, Christmas becoming a chore (even though it is meant to be a joyous time) and even the death of a family member. These scenes hit you emotionally because they are so real. Yet this movie is not at all lacking in the department of Disney and Christmas magic. This is a movie after all that features Santa Claus (Jan Rubes) and a Christmas angel (Harry Dean Stanton). The way these actors play the characters are not the way most people would picture them being played. Both are played in a more subtle and subdued manner than you might excepts. Yet for a film like this that works perfectly. It makes this magically moments and the darker moments feel like they are from the same movie. Yet at the same time, these magically moments are not any less magical. You leave this movie believing in Christmas magic, because of how much these scenes work.
On the downside the special effects in this movie are very dated. They actually feel more dated than some of the special effects in Disney movies 2 decades earlier. There are also some really forced lines of dialogue and some awkward deliveries.
This is one of only five feature films directed by Phillip Borsos and his only one for Disney. This is also one of the only two of his movies he was a writer on (the other being Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995)). The other writers were Thomas Meehan (Spaceballs (1985)) and Barry Healy. This is one of the only two feature films written by Barry Healey, the other being Hollywood North (2003). Healey directed one feature film, Big Deal (1985). He also was a co-producer for the movie The Grey Fox (1982) directed by Phillip Borsos.
This is an excellent Christmas time treat for any fans of Disney movies.
Hello my friends. Some of you saw yesterday my Silent Film of the Month post, where I wrote about F. E. Kleinschmidt's film Santa Claus. Today we dig further into F. E. Kleinschmidt's life and career with some vintage articles about him.
Moving Picture World, 1912
The following is from a 1913 issue of Cinema News and Property Gazette. If you are having trouble reading, click on the page and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you are still having trouble, click here.
The following from a 1916 issue of Motion Picture News. If you have any trouble reading it click on the page and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you are still having trouble click here.
The following is from another 1916 issue of Moving Picture World. If you have any trouble reading it click on the page and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you still have any trouble click here.
The following is from a 1915 issue of Moving Picture World. If you are having any trouble reading this click on the page and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you still have trouble click here.
The following is from a 1912 article of Moving Picture News. If you have any trouble reading this, click on the pages and use your touch screen to zoom in. If you still have trouble, click here.
For many movie buffs, December is a time to watch as many classic Christmas films as possible. Though today Christmas movies are all over the place, even with TV channels like Hallmark showing nothing but Christmas movies starting in October (and liberally sprinkling them throughout the rest of the year), during the silent era Christmas films were not anywhere near as common and most of these films were shorts with very few feature length Christmas movies. Yet when you do some digging through the silent era, you will discover some real Christmas gems hidden in there. This month, I want to showcase one of my favorite silent era Christmas movies, a delightful short, Santa Claus.
The very premise of this movie is very charming. Two kids stay up late on Christmas Eve to try to see Santa Claus for themselves. When they see him, they ask him the age-old question of what Santa does when it is not Christmas time.
An opening title states, “A fantasy actually filmed in northern Alaska.” This lets us know just what sort of film we are going to watch. This movie is a delightful mixture of Christmas fantasy and documentary footage. The use of combining these two elements is excellent. For instance, as Santa starts telling the kids about his home life, he describes the area in which he lives resulting in some breathtaking footage of not only Alaska but the animals who live there. To then go from this documentary footage to seeing Santa in his workshop helps make the fantasy scenes feel more real because the atmosphere surrounding it has been so beautifully set up. This is excellent filmmaking for what could have been a cheaply made and corny film. There is also the simple fact that the documentary footage is so great. Even if the fantasy elements didn't work (which they do), this documentary footage would be more than enough reason to watch this film. Yet at the same time this movie is a Christmas fantasy and knows to truly play up this fantasy aspect. This is done excellently. I love the scenes involving the elves in workshop, the scenes involving Jack Frost and the little moment where the fairies dance for Santa, all of which have a distinct charm to them. However, the fantasy scenes that really stand out are the ones where the reindeer are pulling Santa's sleigh. I can't say anything more about those scenes than that are simply magical. Yet the framing scenes involving the kids and Santa are delightful themselves. The early scenes of the kids trying to stay up to see Santa Claus are something that anyone who has ever been a kid can relate to, and something that will bring a smile to every child at heart. This film may be really corny in some spots, but this hardly takes away from the magic of the movie.
The Film Daily, 1925
Amateur Movie Makers, 1927
Though it may seem unthinkable to audiences used to the long list of credits we have today, one problem with writing about silent film history is the lack of credits on many silent movies. The only people who receive credit for this movie are "Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Kleinschmidt." Frank E. Kleinschmidt was an artic explorer, who had already made some documentaries on the locations he explored including, The Arctic–Siberian Expedition (1912) and Captain F.E. Kleinschmidt’s Arctic Hunt (1914). His films were highly praised for their incredible photography of such locations most of us will never see outside of a cinema (or TV or computer screen in today's case). His wife, who shares a credit with him, was a fearless woman who went along with her husband on these expositions and was believed to have helped her husband with the making of the films as well.
The following is from a 1925 issue of The Film Daily.
"Of this Capt. Kleinschmidt says:
"'This is the best and most successful picture I have ever produced in the North. Two hundred prints are already on the road. If it were not for the too close approach of Christmas to cover all the territory in the United States, we do not know where we would wind up.
"'Curiously enough I started this picture in Alaska and finished the interiors here in New York with the greatest of misgivings; in fact, I was on the verge of dropping it many times because the wise-acres in the film industry pointed out the fact that it was a short seasonal picture, could be run only at Christmas time and the result would be the prohibitive price for print and profit the exhibitor would have to pay.
"'To these wise-acres I can know say that I have booked this two-reel picture for as high as $800 for a single print and have already prosects of many bookings for next year when I will be able to furnish the small exhibitor next year with the print I am using in the first run houses this year.'"
The following is an article from a 1927 issue of Moving Picture World.
"H.M. Addison, of Binghamton, N.Y. has been working the baby contest in a big way at the Symphony Theatre. Working under the usual arrangements, a local photographer shot 729 babies, of which 654 turned out well enough to be entered.
"These were shown at the rate of 50 a day, once in the afternoon and again in the evening. Postcards were sent the parent notifying them when the child was to be screened that they might rally their friends.
"Working with the Kleinschmidt picture of Santa Claus, Mr. Addison made a special clean-up with a four-column cut and a two-column story on the front page of the second section of the local paper and a single column follow story.
"These announced the personal appearance of Santa Claus at the three local houses. There was an extra performance at the Symphony Theatre in Binghamton under the auspices of 'Ned Jr. and Raymond,' Ned being the seven year old son of Ned Kornblite and Raymond the three year old child of Davis Cohen, heads of the Binghamton theatres.
"This was held on the Saturday before Christmas and the pictures of the children made for the baby contest were shown in addition to the film. This was in the nature of a treat to the youngsters and admission was only 15 cents.
"This film was regularly shown at three other houses of the circuit and a Santa Claus distributed gifts to the children."
The following is a review from The Exhibitor's Trade Review.
"This is a Christmas novelty that won't fail of appeal to the kiddies. The idea is novel, and the far north background faithful to the locals represented. Capt. Kleinschmidt has shot these scenes in the most northerly parts accessible by camera exposition, and this fact is graphically borne out by the hugs ice floes, the schools of porpoises, polar bears and reindeers that figure in the close-ups. The story of Santa Claus is presented with naive human interest that will undoubtedly bring glee and good cheer to the hearts of children."
The following is from a 1929 issue of Exhibitor's Herald World.
"Ray Grombacher, president of the chain bearing his name, is in a splendid tieup with Spokane Press, a tieup that is notable because the newspaper stories are written in a form that preserves the Santa Claus illusion for the child readers of the paper. A two-column story on the first page of the issue announcing that 'Santa Claus explores are ready to hop northward' reads in part:
"'Winging its way across country to New York City, Nick Mamer's plane is hurrying to Long Island airfield to join with Captain F.E. Kleinschmidt in his great Spokane Press Exploration trip to the North Pole to find Santa Claus. With the exposition will go a cameraman from Liberty theatre sent by Ray Grombacher, owner of the Liberty, so that the children of Spokane can see the movies of the great event on the return of the expedition...
"'Various Spokane merchants have joined in supplying the expedition.'
"Exhibitors are all aware of course that Capt. Kleinschmidt makes pictures especially for Christmas distribution."
Exhibitors Herald, 1926
For anyone interested in watching this delightful film, it can easily be found on YouTube.
