TV and Movies

[Spurt]

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@Oznell wrote:

Interesting you picked up on that, @Spurt.   I think I noticed, for the first time either last year, or the year before, that suddenly they were showing fewer Christmas movies in the lead-up to December 25.  It seems that they used to fill up December with tons of holiday fare-- I know, because I used to circle all the Christmas movies in their monthly paper guide mazazine (now lamentably no longer published).  There would be lots and lots of circled goodies!  In many cases, they would show something like "The Bishop's Wife" or "Christmas in Connecticut" multiple times.

They used to show other films, not technically strictly Christmas films, in December too-- like "Since You Went Away" and others, that were so full of warm fuzzies that they might as well have been.  

Sometimes for whatever reason they get people doing programming and scheduling who have a "tin ear" for what people want and what's appropriate.  If that's the case, here's hoping that gives way to more insightful programming in the future...

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@Oznell

Well said!  The Christmas Classics are shown later and as you said so scattered and many shown during the day when people are at work...I guess those that have a DVR can record it....Im lucky I work from home and can have the movie on in the background ....and have a lot of vacation days scheduled for December......

TCM thinks nothing of showing some of the same non-Christmas movies over and over like Rear Window-which was just on, Casablanca, The Treasures of Sierra Madre etc etc are on so frequently..It just seems like they could make an exception ONE month out of the year!.....thanks for letting me vent....

[Oznell]

I'm glad you brought this up, @Spurt, since it validates what I've noticed.  I can even remember having a conversation with hubbo about it.  He all commiserated with me, since he's a TCM-er from way back, and if anything, is even more of a lover of the classics and even more sentimental than I am.

Hey, we're reasonable people (ha), but if we notice this again NEXT year, let's mount a spirited protest campaign-- "Bring Back Christmas, TCM!"

[proudlyfromNJ]

@Spurt.  I've noticed many of the classic Christmas movies I like pop up on the PBS channels. I haven't checked yet this season.

[kaydee50]

I'm a big TCM fan but never noticed their lack of Christmas movies.  So many other channels play them over and over.  I know TCM doesn't have the commercials but since I've seen these movies more than once!! it doesn't matter much to me that there are commercials.

[stevieb]

@Spurt The Bishop's wife was on one day recently but I'll never be able to recall when or what channel... I agree, though, I'd like to see some of these movies in the build up to Christmas. By Christmas Eve or Day, it's a day late and a penny short... 

By the way, my little tree (the table top this year) is up and it is gorgeous... Unlike past years, I seem to have tossed it up in about an hour, paid very little attention to what I was doing but somehow it looks lovely. There's just something about a Christmas tree...

[stevieb]

Oh and @Spurt... I'm with you on the Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas movies... There are a few good ones, but with most of them, well, if you've seen one, you've seen them all... And if by any chance you missed it, believe me, they'll show it again... and again... and again... and again... this year and for years to come... 

[vsm]

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@IlliniGirl88 wrote:

@Spurt  -  I agree!  I'm ready to see:

Holiday Inn

White Christmas

Miracle on 34th Street

The Bishop's Wife

It's a Wonderful Life

A Christmas Story

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And don't forget "Bells of St. Mary's" and "Going My Way"!!!

[Tinkrbl44]

I've seen them all .......   and really don't need to see them yet again.  JMO

[cimeranrose]

I'm also a TCM fan, and I agree with all of you - their December programming is kind of disappointing and has been the last few years. So, over the past several years I've built up my own Christmas DVD collection to watch whenever I want.

So far, I have:

Remember the Night

Christmas in Connecticutt

Holiday Inn

White Christmas

Miracle on 34th Street

It's a Wonderful Life

The Bishop's Wife

Two Hallmark movies I taped: "A Princess For Christmas," and "Fallen Angel."

The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Old Summertime, Meet Me in St. Louis, Heidi (Shirley Temple version), and Penny Serenade aren't really considered Christmas movies I guess, but their fun to watch in December too.

[Oznell]

@cimeranrose, the enviable collection of a connoisseur!   You are all set for this month, and beyond...