For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for October 17, 2013

Wasn’t "Gremlins"set around Christmas?

Or Charlie Brown and the Big Pumpkin or whatever the cartoon is called. But I like the Gremlins too. Hehe

Oh sure. The Sound of Music just screams Halloween.

Gremlins might have been made as a Christmas movie, but it was released in the spring, maybe the parent company didn’t want the backlash……

Saw it in the theater twice!

No, the best Xmas movie is “The Ref” with Home for the Holidays a close secind.

A lot of adults from that era also liked the idea of a family that escaped from the Nazis. I’m sure that part of the movie went completely over the head of ‘little girls’.

I loved “The Sound of Music” but doubt a boy like Michael would. Boys love horror movies. But when I was his age I loved a gothic soap opera named “Dark Shadows” and I ran home from school every day to see it. And it still lives, how many nearly 50 year old soap operas do a remake with Johnny Depp?

I keep thinking of Christopher Plummer’s reported “boy” take on The Sound of Music (he played the dad, Captain von Trapp): He referred to the movie as “The Sound of Mucus.” He reported that the role was the most challenging for him "“Because it was so awful and sentimental and gooey,” he explained with a laugh. “You had to work terribly hard to try and infuse some miniscule bit of humor into it.” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/christopher-plummer-beginners-sound-music-268669

Except for the original “Die Hard.”

The Sound of Music is one movie that many generations enjoy. It’s my mother’s favorite movie, one of my favorites and my 8 year old loves it too.

I never got to see Dark Shadows when it was on TV but I am watching it on DVD now. Much better. At least I don’t always have to wait for a whole day to see what happens next. Love that show.

“The Sound of Music” at Halloween? No.“The Nightmare Before Christmas” seems to be where this group is heading.Some parts of “The Sound of Music” are more for grownups. As far as the Nazis are concerned, I liked the scene at the concert where Max was sitting, looking rather dejected, but when he sees the Nazi Gauleiter looking at him, he straightens up and puts a defiant look on his face. You go, Uncle Max!

argy.bargy2: One of the problems with “authentic location shots” – they are headed in the direction of Hitler’s Eagle Nest bunker! Actually they “escaped” by being on concert tour and just didn’t go back. In a Christian Century review of the Broadway version that it should be sued twice: by the Catholic Church for liable and by Disney for plagiarism.

once was enough

Christmas movies? How can you possibly not mention “Christmas Story”, with Ralphie and the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun and THE lamp!?!?!?!?

1954 “Them” Scared the @#%$ out of me! I was 8. Never watched another horror film until I was 13.

Never saw " Sound of Music" but, remember the song “doe, a deer, a female deer”.

Re: The Lion King. Remember how when it first came out and people were throwing a fit about Mufasa’s death?

Didn’t I hear there was a remake of “Sound of Music” in the works that will try to sex up Maria some? Pretty certain that’s not a good idea.

It is not so much about the “Sound of Music” as it is that Elly feels Michael is too young for horror films. Also she does not appreciate hearing Michael going into graphic detail within earshot. I do remember one matinee that was constantly shown that my family approved of “Mad Monster Party”, which starred Boris Karloff and was made by the same company that did the animated “Rudolph”. Probably because Karloff represented horror movies that did not have gore for gore’s sake!

Well, despite a very disparaging comment about it, I thoroughly enjoy A Christmas Story. Our family looks forward to seeing it every year – at least my younger daughter, son-in-law and grandkids do. My husband isn’t fond of it. Every man to his own taste . . .

Sound of Music on hallowe’en?