#gwenn cooper

[screenshothaven]

Pride and Prejudice (1940)

[zooterchet]

EON Productions (IRS Debt on a Couch)

Casino Royale: 

007: DEA Sanctioned Kills: Carlin Sarkesian, Alan Laverdiere the First.

Felix Leiter: Reagan's Lipitor Medication; Bromide, for a heavy mense.

Le Chiffre: Boris Yeltsin, taken through a bank heist on the Bank of England.

Quantum of Solace:

007: DEA Sanctioned Kills: Luke Stetson, Calvin Williams.

Felix Leiter: Print of "The Last Witch Hunter", Kaulder, "The Nolan Trilogy", Scarecrow, Joker, and Bane, "Wolfram and Hart", Israeli intelligence services.

Mister White: Elie Wiesel, taken through Johnny Cochrane's law, downfalls of Hunter S. Thompson, OJ Simpson, and Osama Bin Laden.

Skyfall:

007: DEA Sanctioned Kills: Richard Coughlin, Jenna Williamson.

Felix Leiter: Print of "Assassin's Creed", basic combat tactical theory of modern US Army, given to USMC; non-hegemon source of hierarchy logic, battlefield.

Raoul Silva: Stan Lee, major writer, scened as pornography actor, in "Batman" print of pornography; recovery of nursing sector, through cop spouses, Frank Miller ruled away in "Sin City" and "Sin City 2", "That Yellow Bastard" as cop's posture.  Fan films interdicted, by United States Fraternal Order of Police.

SPECTRE:

007: DEA Sanctioned Kills: John Washburne, Gwenn Pratt.

Felix Leiter: Print of "Gotham", COINTELPRO dossier on MI-6 Bellevue, Irish Resistance to German print houses; revealed to British, as German and Israeli complicity.

Ernst Stavro Blofeld: "Death by Chocolate" double fudge cake served to Elizabeth II; priests as revealed as spies, for Kingdom of Italy; cake, wine, and architecture, the three points of a heterosexual child; having refused Catechism, as having admitted to homosexual; rapist, pedophile, homeless, and in different combinations, the lackluster of the Synagogue, the rackets.

No Time to Die:

007: DEA Sanctioned Kills: Christine Warren, Michael Fargnoli.

Felix Leiter: Arranged method of "John Wick", "The Matrix" and "John Wick" arranged to provoke Wachowskis as "bastards", illicit cooperation in underground bondage parlors, intended for "Crime Council" of Connacht, Ireland, the five government membership of proper assassins; CIA, IDF, MI-6, ExSec, and MSS, through major scandal.

Safin Lucypher: Humiliation of George W. Bush prior to Obama, shutdown of "Saint's Row" and related publication studios, as against FBI, Rockstar Games; "all crime is now gay", users of the GTA 3 camera as having admitted the deaths of police officers through theft from "Arkham Asylum" writers, out of DC Comics, the CIA. 

[byneddiedingo]

Jerry Mathers in The Trouble With Harry (Alfred Hitchcock, 1955) Cast: John Forsythe, Shirley MacLaine, Edmund Gwenn, Mildred Natwick, Mildred Dunnock, Jerry Mathers, Royal Dano, Parker Fennelly, Dwight Marfield, Barry Macollum, Philip Truex. Screenplay: John Michael Hayes, based on a novel by Jack Trevor Story. Cinematography: Robert Burks. Music: Bernard Herrmann. The Trouble With Harry, which many people remember as "the one in which Beaver Cleaver finds a corpse," needs to be thought of in connection with Alfred Hitchcock's other films about small towns, such as Santa Rosa in Shadow of a Doubt (1943) and Bodega Bay in The Birds (1963). Like the Vermont village of The Trouble With Harry, these are places where anomalous events, like the return of a native son turned serial killer or a disruption in the natural order or just a mysterious dead body, can be viewed through a privileged, if somewhat cracked, lens. Cities can take serial killers, birds behaving badly, and the occasional unidentified corpse in stride, but they're a big deal in small towns. For an urbanite like Hitchcock, the small town settings are themselves anomalous, which is why he treats them to varying degrees with condescending whimsy. Of those films, The Trouble With Harry is the most whimsical, which may have something to do with its source novel, which was set in one of those cozy English villages so beloved of mystery readers. There are some who think Hitchcock should have left it in that setting, but I don't think much harm was done by the change. For one thing, it gives us a chance to look at New England fall foliage unblocked by tour buses full of leaf-peepers. Even though it was hindered by an unexpected storm that caused many of the leaves to fall prematurely, Robert Burks's achingly lovely cinematography combines well with Bernard Herrmann's score -- his first for Hitchcock -- to meld whimsy with an autumnal wistfulness. It helps, too, that we have actors skilled at sprinkling a little salt and vinegar on the whimsy, particularly Edmund Gwenn and the two great Mildreds, Natwick and Dunnock. Shirley MacLaine's debut film went a long way toward establishing her as a specialist in quirky, but it would take a more charismatic actor than John Forsythe to bring off his role: With his disregard for convention and monetary reward, Sam Marlowe seems to have wandered in from a Frank Capra film like Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), which needed Gary Cooper -- though James Stewart could have handled it equally well -- to pull it off. I think in the end, your reaction to The Trouble With Harry mostly depends on your tolerance for twee, and if it's low you may not want to stay much past the opening credits designed by Saul Steinberg.

[bigfinishaudioreviews]

Featuring: Eve Myles and Freema Agyeman

Set Between: Before ‘The End of time’

Stand alone? : Yes

Marks out of 10: 9/10

*Jump on point*

Summary of the plot

When Gwenn Cooper seeks out former colleague Dr Martha Jones to carry out an autopsy in secret, Martha’s not too happy about it. She’s keen to perform the task quickly and correctly and leave. But Gwenn has a bad feeling about all this, things are never that black and white with Torchwood and although the man is unmistakably dead, Gwenn’s scanner shows clear signs of life.

Review

When I saw that Big Finish had released a two-hander audio with Even Myles and Freema Agyeman I jumped at the chance to listen to it. For the most part it’s a character piece which gives both actors equal chance to show their skills, and they really do! The two clearly have great chemistry and bounce off each other well.

Tim Foley’s writing for both characters is spot on. What we have here is two confident and assertive people working together and understandably there’s clear friction between them. At times it’s almost a fight to be heard and respected but underneath that the compassion that both characters have also shows through. I find it hard to understand how Martha was such an underrated character in her time on Doctor Who. This story is set sometime before the events of “The end of time” and you can get a sense of a similarity in characterization. She’s far from the person who first stepped on board that TARDIS. This story bridges that gap nicely.

Despite the short length, the pacing is also spot on, shifting smoothly between each scene. Since the entire audio is set in one location and has a clear focal point that it is centered around, this made for a well-grounded and structurally sound story. I love a creepy story and, although they didn’t appear until later in the audio, there were some definite disturbing elements to this. Once again Big Finish’s sound department nails the atmosphere. Even in audio form, you can really sense the tension and claustrophobia in this lab and the sounds of the body at some points of this audio were just skin crawling.

This is Agyeman’s first Big Finish story, but after her strong performance here, I really hope it isn’t her last.

Buy it here

[saturdaynightmovie]

Melville Cooper, Edmund Gwenn, Mary Boland, Greer Garson, Maureen O’Sullivan, Ann Rutherford, Heather Angel and Marsha Hunt

Pride and Prejudice (1940)

Director: Robert Z Leonard

[lifejustgotawkward]

Lana Turner, Gladys Cooper and Edmund Gwenn in Green Dolphin Street (1947, dir. Victor Saville).

[papermoonloveslucy]

NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH

May 3, 1943

The  Screen Guild Theater presents Nothing But The Truth, which was a 1941 Paramount Pictures release.

Produced by: Arthur Hornblow Jr. 

Directed by: Elliott Nugent

Written by: Ken Englund, John Hartman

Synopsis ~ Gwen Saunders teams up with her uncle's employee, Steve Bennett, in an attempt to double her $10,000 investment in the family firm. If she can reach the $20,000 mark, her uncle T.T. Ralston will match the figure. Steve bets that if he can spend an entire day without telling a lie, Ralston and his business partners must double Gwen's money. Bennett then earns the enmity of everyone involved in his attempt to win the bet.

The Screen Guild Theater (aka The Screen Guild Players), was one of the most popular drama anthology series during the Golden Age of Radio. At this point it is being sponsored by Gulf Oil. From its first broadcast in 1939, up to its farewell in 1952, it showcased radio adaptations of popular Hollywood films. Many Hollywood names became part of the show, including Bette Davis, Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, and many more. The actors’ fees were all donated to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, an organization that provides aid to retired actors. Screen Guild Theater was heard on different radio networks, beginning with CBS from 1939 to 1948, NBC from 1948 to 1950, ABC from 1950 to 1951, and back to CBS until its last episode on June 29, 1952. Throughout its run, a total of 527 episodes were produced.

The radio show brought movies to radio for thirty minutes each Monday evening on CBS. The show aired for 242 programs beginning with “Yankee Doodle Dandy” starring James Cagney and ending with “My Reputation.” In between were all time classics such as “Casablanca” with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, “Sergeant York” with Gary Cooper and “Holiday Inn” with Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, and Dinah Shore.

At this point in its history, the series is sponsored by Lady Esther Cosmetics. 

Nothing But The Truth was a 1941 comedy starring Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard, their third movie together in three years. The premise of the film, that the protagonist must tell the truth for the next 24 hours, is based on a play of the same name written by James Montgomery, itself loosely adapted from the novel by Frederic S. Isham. The book and play had previously formed the basis of an earlier movie, also called Nothing But the Truth, starring Richard Dix and Wynne Gibson. The 1941 film follows the plot of the play much more closely than the 1929 version. The same premise was used for a 1997 Jim Carrey movie, Liar Liar. In 1952, television adaptations were aired in both the US and Canada, and in 1958 in the UK.  

Nothing But The Truth was also presented on radio’s “Old Gold Comedy Theatre” on  January 14, 1945 starring Anne Baxter and Alan Young.

CAST

Lucille Ball

(Gwenn Ralston) was just finished filming of

Best Foot Forward,

her 58th film, which would be released later in 1943. 

Ball plays the role originated by Paulette Goddard. 

Frank Morgan (Steve Bennett, a stock broker / Frank Morgan) is probably best remembered as Professor Marvel and The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz (1939). He had just finished filming Thousands Cheer with Lucille Ball, and the two had also done The Affairs of Cellini in 1934. 

Morgan plays the role originated by Bob Hope. 

Hanley Stafford (T.T. Ralston, Gwenn’s Brother) was born Alfred Austin in 1899 and changed his name to Hanley Stafford to honor his birthplace, Hanley, Staffordshire in England. He was a radio actor famous for playing Baby Snooks’ father. A 1962 episode of “The Lucy Show” was his final screen credit.

Stafford plays the role originated by Edward Arnold. 

Herb Vigran (Muscles) was a character actor from the 1930s to the 1980s.  Over his 50-year career, he made over 350 television and film appearances, many with Lucille Ball or for Desilu. Vigran occasionally turned up on Lucille Ball’s radio show, “My Favorite Husband” (1948-50) and on “I Love Lucy” in various roles. 

Truman Bradley (Announcer) 

Cynthia Ralston, Linda Graham, Iron Man, are played by uncredited performers.  

“TRUTH” TRIVIA

In addition to Bob Hope, one of Lucille Ball’s frequent on screen collaborators, the film also featured Will Wright in an uncredited role. On “I Love Lucy” Wright played the Yonkers locksmith and Sheriff of Ben Fork, Tennessee.  

The film also features Leon Belasco as Dr. Zarak. On “I Love Lucy” he played the art store clerk in “Lucy Becomes a Sculptress” (ILL S2;E15), first aired on January 15, 1953. He has done two other movies with Lucille Ball between 1939 and 1944. He also appeared in three episodes of “The Lucy Show”, all playing the violin. 

In this radio version Hanley Stafford plays T.T. Ralston. His final screen credit was as Kenneth Westcott, Principal of Danfield High School, in “Lucy is a Chaperone” (TLS S1;E27) on April 8, 1963.

From late 1942 to July 1947 Lady Esther Cosmetics sponsored the show which had been previously sponsored by Gulf Oil. It was first known as the “Lady Esther Presents the Screen Guild Players” and then became “The Lady Esther Screen Guild Theater.”

A wager whether someone can keep from lying for 24 hours is also the premise of “Lucy Tells the Truth” (ILL S3;E6) aired on November 9, 1953. Like Steve Bennett, Lucy is put to the test, resulting in some brutal honesty that hurts people’s feelings.   

The commercials are delivered by ‘Lady Esther,’ the spokeswoman for the Lady Esther Cosmetics company. Both commercial breaks pitch anti-aging Lady Esther Face Powder. 

Meta Morgan!  At one point in the narrative, Gwenn tries to convince someone that they didn’t hear Steve (who is hiding under her bed), but heard Frank Morgan on the radio!   

After the story ends, Lucille Ball does a pitch for student nurses.  “War work with a future - as a nurse.” 

CREDITS

Announcer Truman Bradley verbally thanks Paramount Pictures, and says that their latest film is China, starring Loretta Young and Alan Ladd. 

Henry Morgan can currently be seen in MGM’s The Human Comedy.

Lucille Ball will soon be seen in MGM’s Du Barry Was A Lady.

[sleepykittypaws]

2018 Holiday Classics

Where to watch classic holiday movies, animated specials and my made-for-TV favorites this season. (NOTES: Only initial seasonal airing is noted here, but channels frequently re-air holiday classics multiple times during the holidays; Check local listings for potential additional dates. Network or basic cable aired films may be edited for content or time)  

Updated: December 8, 2018

ABC

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973 animated special) - Nov. 21

This is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers (1988 animated special) - Nov. 21

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970 Rankin-Bass animated special) - Nov. 23

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017 special based on the characters from Disney’s Frozen) - Nov. 29

Toy Story That Time Forgot (2014 animated special) - Nov. 29

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965 animated special) - Dec. 6

Disney Prep & Landing (2009 animated special) - Dec. 13

Prep & Landing 2: Naughty v Nice (2011 animated special sequel) - Dec. 13

The Sound of Music (1965 movie musical classic starring Julie Andrews) - Dec. 16

Shrek the Halls (2007 animated special) - Dec. 19

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003 animated special) - Dec. 21

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1985 animated special) - Dec. 27

Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (1976 animated special) - Dec. 27

NBC

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 animated special) - Nov. 23

Dreamworks: Trolls Holiday - (2017 animated special, featuring characters from the 2016 Dreamworks feature film) - Nov. 23 Review

It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra’s 1946 classic starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed) - Dec. 24

CBS

Frosty the Snowman (1969 animated special) - Nov. 23

Frosty Returns (1992 animated special) - Nov. 23

Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire (2002 animated special) - Nov. 24

Robbie the Reindeer in Legend of the Lost Tribe (2002 animated special) - Nov. 24

The Story of Santa Claus (1996 animated special) - Nov. 24

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 animated special) - Nov. 27

I Love Lucy Christmas Special (colorized version of “The Christmas Episode” and “The Pioneer Woman”) - Dec. 14

The Dick Van Dyke Show: Now in Living Color! (colorized episodes of the classic series handpicked by Carl Reiner, “Where Did I Come From” and “Never Bathe on Saturday”) - Dec. 14

CW

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer (2000 animated special) - Nov. 23

TCM

The Shop Around the Corner (1940 movie classic starring Jimmy Stewart) - Nov. 5

Susan Slept Here (1954 movie classic starring Debbie Reynolds) - Nov. 5

Little Women (1949 movie classic starring June Allyson) - Nov. 22

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944 movie classic starring Judy Garland) - Dec. 1

The Bishop’s Wife (1947 movie classic starring Cary Grant) - Dec. 1

It Happened on 5th Avenue (1947 movie classic starring Victor Moore) - Dec. 2

Meet John Doe (1941 movie classic directed by Frank Capra) - Dec. 2

A Christmas Carol (1938 movie classic starring Reginald Owen) - Dec. 2

Holiday Inn (1942 movie classic starring Bing Crosby) - Dec. 8

The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942 movie classic starring Bette Davis) - Dec. 8

Christmas in Connecticut (1945 movie classic starring Barbara Stanwyck) - Dec. 9

Holiday Affair (1949 movie classic starring Robert Mitchum) - Dec. 9

3 Godfathers (1948 movie classic starring John Wayne) - Dec. 15

Star in the Night (1945 Oscar-winning short film) - Dec. 15

In the Good Old Summertime (1949 movie classic, a remake of The Shop Around the Corner, starring Judy Garland) - Dec. 16

Little Women (1994 movie starring Winona Ryder) - Dec. 16

All Mine to Give (1957 movie classic starring  Glynis Johns) - Dec. 19

Remember The Night (1940 movie classic starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray) - Dec. 22

Christmas in Connecticut (1945 movie classic starring Barbara Stanwyck) - Dec. 22

A Carol for Another Christmas (1964 dystopian take on A Christmas Carol, directed by Joseph Mankiewicz) - Dec. 22

The Holly and the Ivy (1952 movie classic) - Dec. 23

TCM Night at the Movies: Merry Christmas! (2011 special look at the most iconic holiday films of all time, including perennial favorites It's A Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street) - Dec. 23

A Christmas Carol (1951 movie classic starring Alastair Sim) - Dec. 23

Scrooge (1935 movie classic starring Seymour Hicks) - Dec. 23

Little Women (1933 movie classic starring Katherine Hepburn) - Dec. 24

Meet John Doe (1941 movie classic directed by Frank Capra) - Dec. 24

Bundle of Joy (1956 movie classic starring Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher) - Dec. 25

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938 movie classic starring Mickey Rooney) - Dec. 25

Freeform

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993 Tim Burton stop-motion animation movie) - Oct. 2

Christmas with the Kranks (2004 movie starring Tim Allen) - Nov. 1

Snowglobe (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Christina Milian) - Nov. 1

Frozen (2013 animated Disney movie) - Nov. 2

12 Dates of Christmas (2011made-for-TV Christmas movie starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Amy Smart) - Nov. 2

The Holiday (2006 movie starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz) - Nov. 3

Life-Size (2000 Disney movie starring Lindsey Lohan and Tyra Banks) - Nov. 3

Snow (2004 made-for-TV movie starring Tom Cavanagh) - Nov. 4

Angels Sing (2013 movie starring Harry Connick Jr and Connie Britton) - Nov. 6

The Family Stone (2005 movie starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Diane Keaton) - Nov. 7

Love the Coopers (2015 movie starring Diane Keaton and John Goodman) - Nov. 8

Richie Rich's Christmas Wish (1998 movie) - Nov. 10

Dr. Suess’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 live-action film, starring Jim Carrey) - Nov. 10

Call Me Claus (2001 made-for-TV movie starring Whoopie Goldberg) - Nov. 10

Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic (2017 special looking at how the Disney parks are decorated for Christmas) - Nov. 11

Norm of the North (2016 animated movie) - Nov. 11

I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998 Disney movie starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas) - Nov. 13

Beethoven's Christmas Adventure (2011 movie) - Nov. 24

The Santa Clause (1994 Disney movie starring Tim Allen and Martin Short) - Nov. 24

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006 Disney movie sequel starring Tim Allen) - Nov. 24

Eight Crazy Nights (2002 animated movie starring Adam Sandler) - Nov. 27

Unaccompanied Minors (2006 movie) - Nov. 28

Disney’s A Christmas Carol (2009 animated movie starring Jim Carey) - Nov. 29

Jingle All the Way 2 (2014 direct-to-DVD sequel starring Larry the Cable Guy) - Nov. 29

Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012 Disney movie) - Dec. 1

Home Alone 3 (1997 made-for-TV sequel) - Dec. 1

Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish (1998 movie) - Dec. 2

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999 animated compilation) - Dec. 2

Winnie the Pooh and Christmas, Too (1991 animated special) - Dec. 3

The Little Drummer Boy (1968 Rankin-Bass stop-motion special) - Dec. 3

Decorating Disney: Holiday Magic (2017 special about the Disney parks) - Dec. 3

This Christmas (2007 movie starring Loretta Devine) - Dec. 4

Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983 animated movie) - Dec. 5

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970 Rankin-Bass special) - Dec. 5

A Belle for Christmas (2014 family made-for-TV movie starring Dean Cain) - Dec. 7

Deck the Halls (2006 movie starring Danny Devito) - Dec. 9

Holiday in Handcuffs (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez) - Dec. 10

Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure (2001 family made-for-TV movie sequel) - Dec. 11

Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (2004 animated compilation) - Dec. 15

A Miracle on Christmas Lake (2016 movie starring Will Sasso) - Dec. 16

Snow 2: Brain Freeze (2008 made-for-TV movie sequel starring Tom Cavanagh) - Dec. 19

The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special (2018 animated special) - Dec. 21

Disney’s Prep & Landing (2009 animated special) - Dec. 25

Disney’s Prep & Landing 2: Naughty v Nice (2011 animated special sequel) - Dec. 25

AMC

Elf (2003 movie starring Will Ferrell) - Nov. 26

Miracle on 34th St. (1947 movie classic starring Edmund Gwenn) - available now

Christmas in Connecticut (1945 movie classic starring Barbara Stanwyck) - Nov. 27

White Christmas (1954 movie classic starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney) - Nov. 27

The Santa Clause 2 (2002 sequel movie starring Tim Allen) - Nov. 27

The Nuttiest Nutcracker (1999 animated special) - Nov. 28

12 Dogs of Christmas: Great Puppy Rescue (2012 made-for-TV kids movie) - Nov. 28

All I Want for Christmas (1991 Disney movie) - Nov. 28

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987 movie starring John Candy and ?Steve Martin) - Nov. 28

Gremlins (1984 movie directed by Steven Spielberg) - Nov. 28

National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989 movie starring Chevy Chase) - Nov. 28

The Christmas Star (1986 Disney movie starring Ed Asner) - Nov. 29

A Holiday To Remember (1995 made-for-TV movie starring Connie Sellica and Randy Travis) - Nov. 29

The Sons of Mistletoe (2001 made-for-TV movie starring Doris Roberts) - Nov. 29

Samantha: An American Girl Holiday (2004 made-for-TV movie) - Nov. 29

The Polar Express (2004 animated movie starring Tom Hanks) - Nov. 29

Last Holiday (2006 movie starring Queen Latifah) - Nov. 30

Jingle All the Way (1986 movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger) - Nov. 30

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July  (1979 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

Little Drummer Boy: Book II (1976 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

The Story of the First Christmas Snow (1975 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

The Leprechauns' Christmas Gold (1981 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

Jack Frost (1979 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 1

Pinocchio’s Christmas (1980 Rankin/Bass animated special) - Dec. 2

The Nativity Story (2006 movie starring Keisha Castle-Hughes and Oscar Isaac) - Dec. 3

Ernest Saves Christmas (1998 movie starring Jim Varney) - Dec. 3

To Grandmother’s House We Go (1992 made-for-TV movie starring Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen) - Dec. 4

A Dennis the Menace Christmas (2007 movie starring Robert Wagner) - Dec. 5

The Madagascar Penguins In a Christmas Caper (2005 animated special band on the Madagascar movie character and spin-off TV series) - Dec. 7

Merry Madagascar (2009 animated special based on the Madagascar movie series) - Dec. 7

All I Want For Christmas is You (original animated movie based on the 2015 children’s book of the same title; featuring Mariah Carey) - Dec. 7 (Trailer) Review

One Magic Christmas (1985 Disney movie starring Mary Steenburgen) - Dec. 13

TBS

Love, Actually (2003 movie starring Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson) - Nov. 23

Fred Claus (2007 movie starring Vince Vaughn) - Dec. 2

Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 animated special) - Dec. 6

The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story (2011 animated special) - Dec. 6

24 Hours of A Christmas Story (annual tradition of 12 back-to-back airings of the 1983 Christmas classic) - Dec. 24-25

Cartoon Network

Elf Pets: Santa’s St. Bernards Save Christmas (2018 original animated special featuring the Elf on the Shelf, also available on DVD) - Dec. 3 (Trailer)

We Bare Bears: Christmas Parties (2016 special episode of the animated series) - Dec. 3

Teen Titans Go Save Christmas (2016 special episode of the animated series) - Dec. 4

The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf’s Story (2011 animated special) - Dec. 8

Hallmark

A Holiday Engagement (2011 made-for-TV movie starring Bonnie Somerville) - Nov. 21

Snow Bride (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Katarina Law) - Nov. 24

The Nine Lives of Christmas (2014 made-for-TV movie starring Brendan Routh) - Nov. 26

A Boyfriend for Christmas (2004 made-for-TV movie starring Kelli Williams) - Nov. 27

Hallmark Movies and Mysteries

The Christmas Card (2006 made-for-TV movie starring Ed Asner) - Dec. 1

Lifetime Movie Network

Snowed Inn Christmas (2017 made-for-TV movie starring Andrew Walker) - Nov. 20

A Snowglobe Christmas (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Alicia Witt and Christina Milian) - Nov. 27

UP

Gilmore the Merrier (epic marathon of all 7 seasons of the Gilmore Girls hosted by Scott Patterson) - Nov. 19-25 (Preview)

ION

Snowmance (2017 made-for-TV movie starring Ashley Newbrough) - Dec. 15

Disney Channel

Duck the Halls: A Mickey Mouse Christmas Spectacular (2016 animated special) - Dec. 1

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999 animated compilation) - Dec. 1

Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (2004 animated compilation) - Dec. 2

Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas (2011 movie based on the series) - Dec. 2

The Toy Story That Time Forgot (2013 animated special featuring the character’s from Disney-Pixar’s Toy Story movie series) - Dec. 2

MTV

Friday After Next (2002 movie starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps; holiday-themed sequel to Friday) - Oct. 18

Comedy Central

Bad Santa (2003 movie starring Billy Bob Thornton and Lauren Graham) - Dec. 8

Drunk History Christmas (2011 special episode of the series) - Dec. 18

BoJack Horseman: Sabrina's Christmas Wish (2014 special episode of the animated adult series) - Dec.19

Jeff Dunham’s Very Special Christmas Special (2008 holiday special with the comedian) - Dec. 25

South Park Christmas Marathon (four-hour marathon of Christmas episodes from the series) - Dec. 25

Cinemax

Why Him (2017 holiday comedy starring Bryan Cranston and James Franco) - available until Dec. 1 on MaxGo or On Demand

HBO

Surviving Christmas (2004 movie starring Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini) - Oct. 19 or On Demand/HBO Go

Showtime

Christmas Eve (2015 movie starring Patrick Stewart and Gary Cole) - available until Dec. 15 on Showtime Anytime or On Demand

A Bad Mom’s Christmas (2017 movie starring Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis) - Dec. 1

Starz Encore

Scrooged (1988 take on A Christmas Carol, starring Bill Murray) - Oct. 11, also On Demand until 3/31

Arthur Christmas (2011 animated movie) - Oct. 15, also On Demand until 3/20

Trapped In Paradise (1994 movie starring Nicolas Cage) - Oct. 21, also On Demand until 5/31

Andy Richter’s Home for the Holidays  (2016 Seeso holiday special) - available until 3/31 On Demand

Home for the Holidays (1995 movie starring Hollie Hunter and Robert Downey Jr.) - available until 11/30 On Demand

Home Alone (1990 comedy starring Macaulay Culkin) - available until 12/31 On Demand

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992 comedy starring Macaulay Culkin) - available until 12/31 On Demand

Maisy: Christmas And Other Stories (2002 animated special) - Dec. 1 On Demand

Food Network

Thanksgiving Day Marathon (classic holiday-themed episodes of nostalgic Food Network series, including Good Eats, from 9-6 ET) - Nov. 22

Nick

Friends Thanksgiving Marathon (all the Thanksgiving episodes from the series) - Nov. 21

BBC America

Dr. Who Christmas Special marathon (Christmas special episodes of the series) - Dec. 24

Me TV

A Very Brady Christmas (1988 movie based on the classic 1970s series) - Dec. 2

Alf’s Special Christmas (1987 special episode of the series, one of the weirdest Christmas specials ever) - Dec. 9

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Santa Claus and the Tenth Avenue Kid (1955 TV special starring Barry Fitzgerald and Virginia Gregg; a paroled convict helps a boy) - Dec. 25

Alfred Hitchcock Presents Back for Christmas (1956 TV special starring John Williams and Isobel Elsom; a murderer worries about being caught during the holidays) - Dec. 25

Get TV

The Sons of Mistletoe (2001 made-for-TV movie starring Doris Roberts) - Nov. 25

The Christmas Wish (1998 made-for-TV movie starring Neil Patrick Harris and Debbie Reynolds) - Nov. 25

The Kid Who Loved Christmas (1990 made-for-TV movie starring Cicely Tyson) - Nov. 25

Ms. Scrooge (1997 made-for-TV movie starring Cicely Tyson) - Nov. 25

Once Upon a Christmas (2000 made-for-TV movie starring Kathy Ireland) - Nov. 26

Twice Upon a Christmas (2001 made-for-TV movie sequel starring Kathy Ireland) - Nov. 26

Father Knows Best: Home for Christmas (1977 movie based on the classic 1950s series) - Dec. 2

Christmas in Connecticut(1992 remake of the classic, starring Dyan Cannon and Kris Kristofferson and Tony Curtis) - Dec. 2

A Town Without Christmas (2001 made-for-TV movie starring Patricia Heaton) - Dec. 2

Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus (1991 movie starring Richard Thomas, Ed Asner and Charles Bronson) - Dec. 2

A Christmas Carol (1999 made-for-TV version of the classic tale, starring Patrick Stewart) - Dec. 2

The Johnny Cash Christmas Show (1970 TV special) - Dec. 2

Cher Christmas Special (1975 TV special) - Dec. 2

Perry Como’s Early American Christmas (1978 TV special) -Dec. 3

A Song for the Season (1999 made-for-TV movie starring Naomi Judd and Andy Griffith) - Dec. 3

I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1997 made-for-TV movie starring Ann Jillian) - Dec. 3

Miracle in the Wilderness (1991 made-for-TV movie starring Kim Cattrall) - Dec. 9

Secret of Giving (1999 made-for-TV movie starring Reba McEntire) - Dec. 9

The Christmas Gift (1986 made-for-TV movie starring John Denver) - Dec. 9

The Johnny Cash Christmas Special (1977 TV special) - Dec. 9

Johnny Cash Christmas 1983 (1983 TV special) - Dec. 16

The Lemon Drop Kid (1951 Bob Hope classic) - Dec. 21

Perry Como’s Christmas in the Holy Land (1980 TV special) - Dec. 25

Perry Como’s Christmas in Austria (1976 TV special) - Dec. 25

Perry Como’s Christmas in Paris (1982 - Dec. 25

Netflix

Abominable Christmas (2012 animated special) - available now

Albert (2016 animated special) - available now

Bad Santa (2003 movie starring Billy Bob Thornton and Lauren Graham) - available now

Bad Santa 2 (2016 movie starring Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates) - available now

Bob’s Broken Sleigh (2015 animated special) - available now

Christmas Cracker (2015 British documentary about those obsessed with the holiday) - available now

Christmas Inheritance (2017 original Netflix movie, starring Eliza Taylor) - available now

A Christmas Prince (2017 original Netflix movie, starring Rose McInver) - available now

Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas (2009 animated movie) - available now

El Camino Christmas (2017 movie starring Jessica Alba and Tim Allen) - available now

The Family Man (2000 movie starring Nicolas Cage) - available now

Friday After Next (2002 movie starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps; holiday-themed sequel to Friday) - Dec. 1

The Koala Brothers: Outback Christmas (2006 animated special) - available now

Get Santa (2014 British Christmas movie starring Warwick Davis and Jim Broadbent) - available now

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker (1993 New York City ballet production, narrated by Kevin Kline) - available now

Happy 

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000 live action film, starring Jim Carrey) - available now

The Gruffalo (2009 animated special) - available now

The Gruffalo’s Child (2011 animated special) - available now

A Holiday Engagement (2011 made-for-TV movie starring Bonnie Somerville and Shelley Long) - available now

Home for the Holidays (2017 animated special based on the Dreamworks movie characters from Home) - available now

Kung Fu Panda Holiday (2010 animated special) - available now

The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005 animated sequel to the classic special) - available now

Love, Actually (2003 movie starring Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson) - available now

Mariah Carey’s Merriest Christmas (2015 musical special) - available now

The Magic Snowflake (2013 animated movie) - available now

Merry Madagascar (2009 animated special; packaged with other Dreamworks holiday shorts as “DreamWorks Holiday Classics”, also listed as Happy Holidays from Madagascar) - available now

Mickey’s Magical Christmas: Snowed In at the House of Mickey Mouse (2001 animated Christmas compilation) - available now

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas (1999 animated compilation) - available now

Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas (2004 animated compilation) - available now

Pee Wee’s Playhouse Christmas Special (1988 special) - available now

Pottersville (2017 movie starring Michael Shannon, Judy Greer and Christina Hendricks) - available now

Reindeer Games (2000 action movie starring Ben Affleck) - Dec. 1

Santa Buddies (2009 Disney movie) - available now

The Search for Santa Paws (2010 Disney movie) - available now

Santa Paws 2: The Santa Pups (2012 Disney movie) - available now

The Star (2017 animated film telling of the Christmas story from the animal’s perspective) - available now

Stick Man (2015 BBC animated special; starring Martin Freeman, based on the book by Julia Donaldson) - available now

Trolls Holiday - (2017 holiday special starring Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake and Zooey Deschanel, featuring characters from the Dreamworks feature film) - available now

A Very Murray Christmas (2015 variety special starring Bill Murray) - available now

White Christmas (1954 movie classic starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney) - available now

Hulu

Bah, Humduck! A Looney Tunes Christmas (2006 animated special) - available now

Barbie: A Perfect Christmas (2011 animated special) - Dec. 1

Barbie in a Christmas Carol (2008 animated special) - Dec. 1

Barney: Night Before Christmas (1998 special) - available now

Barney A Very Merry Christmas: The Movie (2011 movie) - available now

Barney: Christmas Star (2002 special) - available now

Bob the Builder: Christmas to Remember (2001 animated special) - available now

Christmas Caper (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Shannen Doherty) - available now

Christmas Cupid (2010 made-for-TV starring Christina Milian) - Dec. 1

Chasing Christmas (2005 made-for-TV movie starring Tom Arnold) - available now

A Christmas Crime Story (2017 movie starring Adrian Paul and Eric Close) - available now

Christmas Do-Over (2006 made-for-TV movie starring Jay Mohr) - available now

A Christmas in New York (2016 movie starring Ross McCall) - available now

Christmas in Wonderland (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Patrick Swayze) - available now

Daddy’s Home 2 (2017 holiday comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell) - available now

Dear Santa (2011 made-for-TV movie starring Amy Acker) - available now

Drinksgiving (2017 movie starring Pamela Mitchell) - available now

Elf: Buddy’s Musical Christmas (2014 animated special) - available now

Eve’s Christmas (2004 made-for-TV movie starring Elisa Donovan) - Dec. 1

A Fairly Odd Christmas (2012 made-for-TV movie starring Drake Bell; one in a series of live-action adaptations of the animated series The Fairly OddParents) - Nov. 1

The Great Christmas Light Fight (season 6 of the limited-run reality competition featuring outrageous holiday displays judged by Carter Oosterhouse and Taniya Nayak) - available 24 hours after airs on ABC

Happy Christmas (2014 movie starring Anna Kendrick) - Nov. 1

A Holiday Engagement (2011 made-for-TV movie starring Bonnie Somerville and Shelley Long) - available now

Holiday in Handcuffs (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez) - available now

Holidaze (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Jennie Garth) - available now

Home by Christmas (2006 made-for-TV movie starring Linda Hamilton)

Home for the Holidays (2005 made-for-TV movie starring Sean Young) - available now

It’s Christmastime Again, Charlie Brown (1992 animated special) - available now 

Jingle Bell Rocks (2014 non-traditional Christmas music documentary) - available now

A Legendary Christmas with John and Chrissy (2018 musical special featuring real-life husband-and-wife John Legend and Chrissy Teigen) - available now ***Review***

Life-Size 2: A Christmas Eve (2018 movie sequel o the 2000 Wonderful World of Disney film, starring Tyra Banks) - available now (Teaser, Trailer)

Love at the Christmas Table (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Danica McKellar) - Dec. 1

Miracle on 34th St. (1994 remake of the classic starring Mara Wilson) - available now

A Miser Brothers Christmas (2008 animated special, sequel to a A Year Without a Santa Claus) - available now

The Mistle-Tones (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Tori Spelling) - Dec. 1

My Dad is Scrooge (2014 family movie) - available now

My Santa (2014 made-for-TV movie starring Samaire Armstrong) - available now

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993 Tim Burton stop-motion animation movie) - available now

Pop Up Santa Special (2018 gift-giving special with Freeform’s “Pop Up Santa”) - available now

Rare Exports: A Christmas tale (2010 holiday horror movie) - available now

Santa Baby (2006 made-for-TV movie starring Jennie McCarthy) - available now

Santa Baby 2 (2009 made-for-TV movie sequel starring Jennie McCarthy) - Dec. 1

Santa Hunters (2014 made-for-TV family movie starring Benjamin Flores Jr. and Breanna Yde) - Nov. 1

The Secret of the Nutcracker (2007 movie starring Brian Cox and Tom Carey) - Nov. 15

Serendipity (2001 movie starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale) - Dec. 1

Snow (2004 made-for-TV movie starring Tom Cavanagh) - Dec. 1

Snow 2: Brain Freeze (2008 made-for-TV movie sequel starring Tom Cavanagh) - Dec. 1

A Snow Globe Christmas (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Christina Milian, Donald Faison and Alicia Witt) - Dec. 1

Snowglobe (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Christina Milian) - Dec. 1

The Spirit of Christmas (2015 made-for-TV movie) - available now

So This Is Christmas (2013 movie starring Vivica A. Fox) - available now

The Stingiest Man in Town (1971 animated special) - available now

The Swan Princess Christmas (2012 animated movie) - available now

Taraji’s White Hot Holidays (2016 musical special) - available now

Terrific Trucks Save Christmas (2016 animated movie) - available now

The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn’t (1972 animated special) - available now

Tiny Christmas (2017 made-for-TV family movie starring Riele Downs and Lizzy Greene) - Nov. 1

Three Days (2001 made-for-TV movie starring Kristin Davis and Reed Diamond) - available now

The Truth About Christmas (2018 made-for-TV movie starring Kali Hawk) - available now (Trailer)

A Very Brady Christmas (1988 movie based on the classic 1970s series) - available now

The Wiggles, Go Santa Go ( 2013 musical special) - available now

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration (2018 musical celebration from the Disney parks hosted by Jordan Fisher) - available now 

Amazon Prime

12 Days of Christmas Eve (2004 made-for-TV Christmas movie starring Steven Weber and Molly Shannon) - available now

Abbott & Costello Christmas Show (1955 Christmas special) - available now

An All Dogs Christmas Carol (1998 animated movie) - available now

All I Want For Christmas is You (original animated movie based on the 2015 children’s book of the same title; featuring Mariah Carey) - available now (Trailer) Review

An American Girl Story, Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas (2016 original movie) - available now

An Angel for Christmas (1995 animated special) - available now

Arthur’s Perfect Christmas (2011 animated special) - available now

Babes in Toyland (1996 movie starring Keanu Reeves and Drew Barrymore) - available now

Babes in Toyland (1997 animated movie) - available now

The Bear Who Slept Through Christmas (1973 animated special) - available now

Beyond Christmas (1940 colorized movie classic starring Harry Carey) - available now

Blizzard (2004 live-action kids movie directed by Le Var Burton) - available now

Bob Hope Christmas Special (1968 variety special) - available now

Brer Rabbit’s Christmas Carol (1992 animated special) - available now

A Bush Christmas (1983 movie starring Nicole Kidman) - available now

Charles Dickens: A Christmas Carol (1982 animated movie) - available now

Charles Dickens' The Christmas Carol (1949 tv special narrated by Vincent Price) - available now

Charlie Brown’s Christmas Tales (2002 animated special) - available now

A Child’s Christmas (2008 British animated special, narrated by Matthew Rhys) - available now

A Child’s Christmas in Wales (1987 movie starring Denholm Elliott) - available now

Christmas, Again (2014 movie written and directed by Charles Poekel) - available now

Christmas Bunny (2010 family movie) - available now

A Christmas Carol (1951 movie classic starring Alastair Sim) - available now

A Christmas Carol (1969 animated special, originally aired on NBC) - available now

A Christmas Carol (1971 animated movie) - available now

A Christmas Carol (2016 Australian musical version aimed at kids) - available now

Christmas Carol (2017 animated movie where about a selfish teen duck who is visited by three ghosts then gets superpowers) - available now

Christmas Cartoons (14 Christmas shorts from Fleischer Studios/Famous studios 1930s-40s collection) - available now

Christmas Cartoon Wonderland (collection of 1930s-40s cartoons) - available now

Christmas Comes But Once a Year (1936 animated short) - available now

The Christmas Dragon (2015 animated movie) - available now

Christmas Dreams (2017 children’s movie narrated by Kevin Sorbo) - available now

Christmas in Car City (2017 holiday series of preschool animated shorts from Amuse Entertainment) - available now

Christmas in Wonderland (2007 made-for-TV movie starring Patrick Swayze) - available now

Christmas is Here Again (2007 animated movie) - available now

Christmas Lilies of the Field (1979 made-for-TV sequel starring Billy Dee Williams) - available now

Christmas Miracles (2017 Richard Thomas and Nia Peeples-hosted series featuring holiday stories of hope) - available now

A Christmas Story Documentary: Road Trip For Ralphie (2008 documentary about the classic Christmas film) - available now

The Christmas That Almost Wasn’t (1966 Italian movie, avant garde take on A Christmas Carol) - available now

The Christmas Wife (1988 made-for-TV movie starring Jason Robards) - available now

Christmas with the Kranks (2004 movie starring Tim Allen) - available Nov. 1

A Christmas Without Snow (1980 made-for-TV movie starring John Houseman and Michael Learned) - available now

Click, Clack, Moo: Christmas at the Farm (2017 animated special) - available now

Daddy’s Home 2 (2017 holiday comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell) - available now

Deck the Halls (1994 Reynolds-Harris animated special) - available now

The Elf Who Didn’t Believe (1996 family movie) - available now

Fanny, Annie & Danny (2010 Christmas movie) - available now

The First Silent Night (2014 documentary about the famous Christmas carol, narrated by Simon Callow) - available now

The Great Rupert a.k.a. A Christmas Wish (1950 movie starring Jimmy Durante) - available now

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (1985 animated special) - available now

The Hebrew Hammer (2003 movie starring Judy Greer) - available now

A Hobo’s Christmas (1987 made-for-TV movie starring Gerald McCraney) - available now

Holiday Engagement (2011 made-for-TV movie starring Bonnie Somerville and Shelley Long) - available now

Home for Christmas (1990 made-for-TV movie starring Mickey Rooney) - available now

If You Give a Mouse a Christmas Cookie (2016 animated special) - available now

I Want a Dog for Christmas, Charlie Brown (2003 animated special) - available now

It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra’s 1946 classic starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed) - available now

Jack Frost (1979 Rankin-Bass animated special) - available now

Jingle Bell Rap (1991 Reynolds-Harris animated special) - available now

Jolly Old St. Nicholas (1994 Reynolds-Harris animated special) - available now

Just Getting Started (2017 movie starring Morgan Freeman and Rene Russo) - available now

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1976 Rankin-Bass animated special) - available now

The Little Christmas Burro (1977 animated special available as part of “Christmas Classics Vol. 2″) - available now

Lost Christmas (2014 movie starring Eddie Izzard) - available now

Love at the Christmas Table (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Danica McKellar) - available now

The Magic Christmas Tree (1964 fantasy movie) - available now

Magic Gift of the Snowman (2003 animated special) - available now

March of the Wooden Soliders (a.k.a. Toyland, colorized version of the 1934 Laurel and Hardy movie) - available now

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017 movie starring Dan Stevens) - available now

Meet John Doe (1941 classic directed by Frank Capra) - available now

The Merry Gentlemen (2009 movie starring Michael Keaton) - available now

Mister Scrooge to See You (2013 movie starring Matt Koester and Shannon Moore) - available now

A Merry Mirthworm Christmas (1984 Reynolds-Harris animated special) - available now

Merry Christmas from Funny or Die (2010 special featuring Ryan Gosling and Will Ferrell) - available now

A Merry Friggin Christmas (2014 movie starring Robin Williams) - available now

Miracle at Sage Creek (2005 Western holiday film starring David Carradine and Wes Studi) - available now

The Miracle on 34th Street (2006 made-for-TV version of the movie classic) - available now 

Mr. Bill’s Christmas Special (1994 Canadian special) - available now

The Night Before Christmas (1994 animated special) - available now

Night of the Comet (1984 holiday horror camp classic) - available now

The Night of the Meek (1954 class Christmas Twilight Zone episode; season 2, episode 11) - available now

Nutcracker: The Motion Picture (1986 family movie starring Vanessa Sharp) - available now

O Christmas Tree (1994 Reynolds-Harris animated special) - available now

Oddbods: The Festive Menance (2017 animated special) - available now

Pete the Cat: A Groovy New Year (2017 animated special) - available now

Pete’s Christmas (2013 made-for-TV Christmas movie starring Bailee Madison) - available now

Pieces of April (2003 Thanksgiving movie starring Katie Holmes) - available now

A Pink Christmas (1978 animated special) - available now

Prancer (1989 movie starring Sam Elliott) - available now

Red Skelton Christmas Classics (1955 variety specials highlights) - available now

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1948 animated short) - available now

Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964 camp classic) - available now

Santa and Pete (1999 made-for-TV movie starring James Earl Jones and Hume Cronyn) - available now

Santa and Three Bears (1970 animated special) - avialavailableable now

Santa Claus vs the Devil (a.k.a. Santa Claus, 1959 Mexican fantasy movie) - available now

Santa Who? (2000 movie starring Leslie Nielsen) - available now (currently only Spanish-language version available via Prime)

Scrooge (1935 movie classic starring Seymour Hicks; colorized version also listed as “A Christmas Carol in Color!”) - available now 

Scrooge (1970 movie classic musical movie classic starring Albert Finney) - available now

A Snow Globe Christmas (2013 made-for-TV movie starring Christina Milian, Donald Faison and Alicia Witt) - available now

The Snowy Day (2016 original animated special, based on the classic children’s book) - available now

The Snowman (1982 animated special based on classic children’s picture book) - available now

The Snowman and the Snowdog (2014 animated special sequel to The Snowman) - available now

Snow Queen (1967 Russian movie) - available now

The Snow Queen (1957 animated movie) - available now

Some Girls (1988 comedy starring Patrick Dempsey and Jennifer Connelly) - available now

Stick Man (2015 BBC animated special; starring Martin Freeman, based on the book by Julia Donaldson) - available now

Switchmas (a.k.a. Ira Finkelstein's Christmas; 2012 movie starring Elliot Gould) - available now

This is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers (1988 animated Thanksgiving special) - available now

A Thanksgiving Tale (1983 puppet special from the producers of Alf) - available now

Tokyo Godfathers (2003 off-beat Japanese animated cult classic) - available now

The 12 Brother-Months (1956 Russian animated movie) - available now

The Ugly Duckling’s Christmas Wish (1996 Reynolds-Harris animated movie) - available now

Unlikely Angel (1996 made-for-TV movie starring Dolly Parton) - available now

Up on the Housetop (1992 Reynolds-Harris animated special) - available now

A Very Pink Christmas (2011 animated special) - available now

A Very Wompkee Christmas (2002 animated special) - available now

We Wish You A Merry Christmas (1994 animated special) - available now

Yes, Virginia (2009 animated special) - available now

Yo Gabba Gabba: A Very Awesome Live Holiday Show! (2014 special) - available now

Hallmark Movies Now

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (2004 made-for-TV adaptation starring Kelsey Grammar) - available now

Mrs. Santa Claus (1996 made-for-TV movie starring Angela Lansbury) - available now

Truman Capote’s One Christmas (1994 made-for-TV movie starring Katherine Hepburn, based on the short story) - available now

A Family Thanksgiving (2010 made-for-TV movie starring Daphne Zuniga) - available now

A Season for Miracles (1999 made-for-TV movie starring Carla Gugino) - available now

Jingle All the Way (2011 animated special) - available now

Unlikely Angel (1996 made-for-TV movie starring Dolly Parton) - available now

Britbox

Christmas Lights (2004 made-for-TV movie starring Robson Green and Mark Benton) - available now

A Child’s Christmas in Wales (1987 movie starring Denholm Elliott) - Dec. 7

Clash of the Santas (2008 made-for-TV movie starring Robson Green and Mark Benton) - Dec. 15

[docrotten]

CHOSEN SURVIVORS (1974) – Episode 171 – Decades Of Horror 1970s

“May God bless you. This message was pre-recorded and automatically programmed.” It’s so nice to know they gave it the personal touch. Join your faithful Grue Crew – Doc Rotten, Chad Hunt, Bill Mulligan, and Jeff Mohr – as they check out a nuclear apocalypse as imagined in Chosen Survivors (1974).

Decades of Horror 1970s Episode 171 – Chosen Survivors (1974)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

Synopsis: After being selected at random by a computer to seek safety in an underground bomb shelter on the eve of a nuclear attack, a group of refugees makes a horrible realization: They are sharing the space with a colony of vampire bats.

  Director: Sutton Roley

Writers: Joe Reb Moffly, Harry Spalding (credited as H. B. Cross)

Special effects: Tony Urbano (bat effects)

Selected cast:

Jackie Cooper as Raymond Couzins

Alex Cord as Steven Mayes

Richard Jaeckel as Major Gordon Ellis

Bradford Dillman as Peter Macomber

Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. as Luis Cabral (as Pedro Armendariz Jr.)

Diana Muldaur as Alana Fitzgerald

Lincoln Kilpatrick as Woody Russo

Gwenn Mitchell as Carrie Draper

Barbara Babcock as Dr. Lenore Chrisman

Cristina Moreno as Kristin Lerner (as Christina Moteno)

Nancy Rodman as Claire Farraday

Kelly Lange as Mary Louise Borden

Chosen Survivor is a movie Grue-Believers will remember as one mentioned more than once by The Black Saint. It took the 70s Grue Crew a while, but they are finally covering it. Chad describes Chosen Survivors as an apocalyptic tale with cool actors that he kind of likes but with which he is also kind of bored to tears. In the end, he was hoping the bats would eat everyone. Chosen Survivors feels like a 70s TV movie to Bill and most of it looked to him almost like it was shot through gauze. On top of that, a fear of bats is not one of his phobias and the inaccuracy in the film’s depiction of vampire bats took him out of the movie.

Jeff thinks the Chosen Survivors has a lot of cool visuals despite the omnipresent soft focus. He enjoys it even though the plot is a bunch of nonsense and found it a little interesting in conjunction with the actual plan the government had formulated in the event of a nuclear apocalypse. The pure, 70s-gold cast is the high point for Doc. Describing Chosen Survivors as more science fiction than horror with reasons to like it, in the end, he admits it’s not very good.

If a group of people locked up in a facility far underground during a nuclear apocalypse while under attack by unnaturally behaving vampire bats is your thing, you need to check out Chosen Survivors. At the time of this writing, it is available to stream from YouTube and on physical media as a Kino Lorber Blu-ray.

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror 1970s is part of the Decades of Horror two-week rotation with The Classic Era and the 1980s. In two weeks, the next episode in their very flexible schedule, chosen by Jeff, will be Lady Snowblood (1973), complete with swordplay and blood galore.

We want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: comment on the site or email the Decades of Horror 1970s podcast hosts at feedback@gruesomemagazine.com. 

Check out this episode!

[winter-sword]

It had been years since she had last played, and while part of her worried she had forgotten how, the rest of her knew it didn’t matter. Much like picking up a sword again, or practicing dance, her mind would remember regardless of how long it took hr body to cooperate smoothly. Gently running her fingers over the keys, Gwenn settled onto the bench, more than a bit emotional thinking about how much she had always enjoyed playing. She was pleasantly surprised to find the harpsichord in prefect tune when she began to play, and truthfully couldn’t bring herself to think much more about the “real” training she should’ve been doing, instead.

Surely, no-one would begrudge her a few minutes...

[hsperson]

hey gwenn, hope you're doing ok. just wondering if you had any tips on how to cope when someone says "you're too sensitive" or "you're getting too emotional about this". it really hurts hearing these words but at the same time, i don't want to feel hurt by it because i don't want to be ashamed about myself being a hsp. no pressure on answering btw - take your time :-) thanks for reading

Hi there! I’m sorry to hear that sensitive people still have to deal with comments like these. Even though there is some truth to these comments - namely, our emotions shouldn’t be so overwhelming that they consume us in everything that we do, preventing us from living healthy lives - ultimately most of these are terribly out of place and hurtful. 

Maybe it helps if you think about where these people are coming from, if you can frame their comments into a context of desensitization, of emotional ambivalence and of anxiety and self-protection.

Let me put it this way: in my experience, there are two groups of people who make the “You’re too sensitive” comments. The first group are people who cannot feel the emotional depth that we do. They just can’t understand why images, music, stories, news, … move us the way they do. They don’t understand why we feel a need to help other people even if we get nothing in return. They’re not necessarily emotionally ambivalent, but their emotions -or their capability to understand them- are more blunt than ours. The second group are people that could reach a similar depth of feeling, but are afraid to reach too deeply into their own emotional world, so they purposely remain on the surface. These are the people that have learned that vulnerability and sensitivity lead to discomfort and sometimes even pain. When they tell us “you’re too sensitive”, in a way they talk from experience. They may feel like sensitivity disturbs a safe routine, a comfortable way of living with minimal disturbance. Also in this second group are people who are worried about us, parents or friends who are afraid that we’re going to hurt ourselves. Like I said earlier, there’s a genuine concern here that sensitive people should take seriously. 

But ultimately the only one to decide whether your sensitivity is bearable, is you. Do you think you’re being too sensitive? Do you think you’re being too emotional? Does it overwhelm you? Does it limit you in your daily functioning? Even if the answer to these is yes, that still doesn’t mean that you have to blunt your emotions, but it may mean that you need to reach out to others, possibly a professional, to help you carry all of it, or that you need to rearrange your life to make it more bearable. The idea is that you shouldn’t try to get rid of your sensitivity, but learn how to cooperate with it. 

So do not be ashamed. Sensitivity and empathy are precious. It’s what ties people together, and it’s always necessary.

[zooterchet]

Chet’s Happy Time Pretend RL (David Champlain, “Scarecrow”)

Chas T. Main:

Target: Saudi Arabia (Date of dispatch, 1998).

Commanding officer: George W. Bush, counter-Morningstar, married into same family, via father, sperm stolen from Sam Brown’s family, MI-6 Narcotics Bureau, gifted to Senator Prescott Bush (only proper sperm semenal theft allowed under British law, into wealthy family of influence, otherwise sperm thieves targeting by Knights Templar, O’Neills and Geogian Caspians and Taiwanese and Egyptian Sudanese and other lines, especially Hispanic Iberian Queens).

Secondary Target: European medical psychology programs, using film and movies, as examples for psychiatrists to apply medication with.

Frame: Police officer, mother, Irish Mob, father, CIA, Southie Boston.

Truth: Spy, father, Irish Vatican MI-6 Double Agent through Imperial India, father, MI-6 Narcotics Bureau IDF, out of South End and North Attleboro, multi-millionaire, both sides.

Medication: Ineffective, Catholic.  Practice of ninjitsu, age 9, and Catholic ritual for government with law, without force, hence government is always resisted, unless incentivized, New England law; unless Mafiaso, laws of religion applied as if police, refused.

Collections Agency:

Origin: Ikagawa-kai, George W.  Bush, Bush Society, O’Neill Tyrone Hugh infiltration of Neo-Nazi 19th century farm Bund country attorneys, abolitionists, mutual multivariable movement of fingers, George W. Bush and self, freeing labor from factory, white, chattel, sweat shop, and extorted salary slavery of commission.

Target: Teamsters refusing nation of trade, upon offense against War on Terror pact nations (Britain, Israel, Canada, Russia, African Union), for violating American law of Patriot Act (guarantee of rights to suspect, first and second page, all other pages, cop legal defenses and resources for having violated rigid libertarian application of US Constitution, considered military code under police rights, military secondary, police first, military having fewer domestic rights than police, military held under brig if acting under police code, police removed from force and banned from social security number, if stealing identity, considered terrorist).

Method: Jehovah’s Witness.

Sigil of Baphomet:

Pacifist as pederasty considered common street fight, insurance for gift of rich to poor, murder to defend impoverished, film used as lure in defense, film in defense of law.

Each reversed, a queer mark on individual reversing, until all five, transgender for male killing, if female, then marriage boon.

Three letters, ‘i’ as one.

Crazy Train, Ozzy Osbourne, selected.

Gifted song, “Patient Number Nine”, MI-6 on American soil, written into film by Jewish bigots (talent producers, bullies of family, extortion artists with Mob).

Narcotics Bureau:

Office: Kayem Old Tyme franks and cheese, grocer’s exchange of Chelsea, Massachusetts.

Target: York Fens family (alias: Moen), acting through Donald Nixon, to spread rumor of cooperation between British Commonwealth and Israeli interests (false, British at de facto state of war, common in propaganda overseas, since 1948).

Solution: Salvo House, placed under control of Donald Nixon’s descent, Gwenn Pratt, through false invocation of God, self-marriage trap, Torquemada, Kurdi immunity to hypnosis played into shape to remove Salvo House from quarantine from Italian misregistered as Irish by Eillis Island Slavic Jews, distaste of tomato (Italian genome, Irish preferring tomato, nightshade).

Narcotics Trump: Victims of families involved, children placed in juvenile hall, women committed, through Salvo feminist rally (Stasi, without dam necessary to build, own proletariat framed as false Chinese Mob registration of sex offender on stalker websites for private detectives, through sports fans).

End: Arrest of York Fens family working through Belgian Jews, as gangster, through minority whip of Congress, historian journalist and communications disorder, writer and private detective, placing, decades in future, candidate unknown.

COINTELPRO:

COIN (Currency).

TE (Tele Fiction)

L (Location Essential)

PRO (Prostitution Exchange).

DC Comics, and other comics, manipulating political ideologies, considered unsavory to the British Commonwealth, through CD (Canada Department).

Targets:

Vanderbilt (monopoly over delivery food, via courier, to cop families, an extortion practice, for control of city development and city unions).

Johnson (the Carnegie Institute, strips of corporate executives attending universities, a B+ overall cumulative for two individual semesters, five classes per semester, unless sexual assault charge placed on potential executive, otherwise declared a “sociopath”, a psychiatric abuse victim).

Kennedy (separation of Jewish community, into NSA, INTERPOL, Mossad, to force all Jews to work together through three continents, Hitler’s myth come to life, for North America, Europe, and the Middle East).

Kemp (use of first week classes at one hundred level, elective studies, to control marginalized industrial labor, through poor education, guilt by association, Kaiser’s laws of New Rhodesia).

Holland NORML (spraying of marijuana with infertile solutes, Mussolini, to sell corrections munitions to prisons, for male and female victims of drug dealers out of intelligentsia, hidden from charges by campus professor nominations).

[placetobenation]

Miracle on 34th Street

Released on May 2, 1947

Budget: $630,000

Box Office: $2.7 Million

Starring: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Edmund Gwenn, & Natalie Wood

Director: George Seaton

Plot (Per Wikipedia): Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) is indignant to find that the man (Percy Helton) assigned to play Santa in the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is intoxicated. When he complains to event director Doris Walker (Maureen O’Hara), she persuades Kris to take his place. He does so well he is hired to play Santa at Macy’s flagship New York City store on 34th Street.

Kris directs one shopper (Thelma Ritter) instead to another store because the desired item is not available at Macy’s. Initially confused, but nevertheless impressed, because Kris tells the truth (and ignores prior instructions from Julian Shellhammer (Philip Tonge), head of the toy department, to steer parents to Macy’s items), she informs Julian that she will become a loyal Macy’s customer.

Attorney Fred Gailey (John Payne), Doris’s neighbor, takes the young divorcée’s daughter Susan (Natalie Wood) to see Santa. Doris has raised her to not believe in fairy tales, but Susan is shaken after seeing Kris speak Dutch with a girl who does not know English. Doris asks Kringle to tell Susan that he is not Santa, but he insists that he is.

Worried, Doris decides to fire him. However, Kris has generated so much positive publicity and goodwill for Macy’s that Macy (Harry Antrim) promises Doris and Julian bonuses. To alleviate Doris’s misgivings, Julian has Granville Sawyer (Porter Hall) administer a “psychological evaluation”. Kris passes easily, but Sawyer still recommends his dismissal.

The store expands on the concept of steering customers to competitors if necessary. To avoid looking greedy, Gimbels implements the same policy, forcing Macy’s and others to reciprocate. As a consequence, Kris does the impossible, reconciling bitter rivals Macy and Gimbel (Herbert Heyes).

Pierce (James Seay), the doctor at Kris’s nursing home, assures Doris that Kris is harmless. To alleviate Doris’s worries, Pierce suggests Kris stay with someone. Fred volunteers. Later, Kris makes a pact with Fred: he will work on Susan’s cynicism while Fred does the same with Doris’s. When Susan reveals to Kris she wants a house for Christmas, showing him a photo of her dream house torn from a magazine, he reluctantly promises to do his best.

In the company cafeteria, young employee Alfred (Alvin Greenman) tells Kris that Sawyer convinced him that he is unstable simply because he is kind-hearted. Kris immediately goes to Sawyer’s office, to confront him, eventually striking him on his head with an umbrella. Sawyer exaggerates his pain to have Kris confined to Bellevue Hospital. Tricked into cooperating, and believing Doris to be in on the deception, Kris deliberately fails his examination and is recommended for permanent commitment. However, Fred persuades Kris not to give up.

At a hearing before Judge Henry X. Harper (Gene Lockhart), District Attorney Thomas Mara (Jerome Cowan) gets Kris to assert that he is Santa Claus and rests his case. Fred argues that Kris actually is Santa. Mara requests Harper rule that Santa does not exist. In private, Harper’s political adviser, Charlie Halloran (William Frawley), warns him that doing so would be disastrous for his upcoming reelection bid. Harper buys time by hearing evidence.

Doris quarrels with Fred when he quits his law firm to defend Kris. Fred calls Macy as a witness. When Mara asks if he believes Kris to be Santa, Macy starts to equivocate, but when pressed, he responds, “I do.” On leaving the stand, Macy fires Sawyer. Fred then calls Mara’s own young son (Bobby Hyatt), who testifies that his father told him that Santa was real. Mara concedes the point.

After his son and wife leave the courtroom, Mara then demands that Fred prove that Kris is “the one and only” Santa Claus on the basis of some competent authority. While Fred searches frantically, Susan writes Kris a letter to cheer him up, which Doris also signs. When a New York Post Office mail sorter (Jack Albertson) sees Susan’s letter, which is addressed to Kris at the New York courthouse, he suggests delivering all of the letters addressed to Santa Claus, in the dead letter office, to Kris.

When court resumes, Fred still has not found some competent authority to back Kris’s claim, but then an official gestures to Fred about the arrival of the mailbags at the courthouse. Fred presents Harper with three of the letters, addressed simply to “Santa Claus” that were just now delivered to Kris, asserting that the Post Office–a branch of the U.S. federal government–has acknowledged that Kris is the one and only Santa Claus. When Mara objects, on the grounds that three letters alone do not constitute sufficient proof, Fred tells Harper that he hesitates to produce many more such letters that he says that he has. Following Harper’s insistence for Fred to produce the other letters, Fred signals to the official to direct the postmen to dump all of the letters addressed to “Santa Claus”, in all of the mailbags, onto Harper’s desk. Unpiling himself from the deluge of letters, Harper (with great relief) dismisses the case.

On Christmas morning at a celebration at Dr. Pierce’s clinic, Susan loses faith in Kris when he does not give her the house she wanted. Kris offers Fred and Doris a route home that avoids traffic. Along the way, Susan sees the very image of her dream house with a “For Sale” sign in front. Susan demands that Fred stop the car, whereupon she joyfully runs into the house, exclaiming “Mr. Kringle IS Santa Claus!” Fred learns that Doris had encouraged Susan to have faith and suggests they purchase the house–a proposition with which Doris joyfully agrees. He then boasts that he must be a great lawyer since he proved an eccentric old man was Santa. However, when he and Doris spot a cane in the house that looks just like Kris’s, he is not so sure that he worked this miracle alone.

Final Thoughts:  When I think of classic Christmas movies, I think of 3 movies, It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, & Miracle on 34th Street.  If you were to have asked me when I was a kid, I probably would have given you a different answer, most likely it would have included Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, & Home Alone.  Though those movies are great in their own right, to me this movie trumps them all.  It takes a simple concept that for all Christmas lovers hold true to themselves, the existence of Santa Claus.  What would you do if someone came up to you claiming that they were Jolly Ole St. Nick himself?  Would you believe him or would you cast him aside believing him to be mentally insane?  

What I love about this movie is that even though the movie is 73 years old, whenever I see it I feel like I am 8 years old again.  It brings me back to a time when I believed that there truly was a Santa Claus.  To the point where I would have gone to court to prove there was a real Santa Claus.  It didn’t hurt that this movie brought together two of my favorite holiday event, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (Which I still watch to this day) and the entire Christmas season leading up to the big day.  

The movie itself has a great pace to it, with some great dialogue.  That keeps you entrenched in the story.  The movie is so well written that it won Academy Awards for Best Writing, Original Story & Screenplay.  Just the interactions between Kris Kringle & Susan steal the show.  The Edmund Gwenn would go on to win the Best Supporting Actor Award for his role and it was well deserved.  I firmly believe that the young Natalie Wood stole the show here.  She would go on to act in many great movies, such as Rebel Without a Cause & The Searchers to name two.  But her start here showed how great of an actress she would become.  

This movie is a must see for any Christmas movie junkie with great acting and a great story.  It leads you into a world of true fantasy that will always put  a smile on your face.

Final Score: 5 out of 5

Next Review: Treasure Island

[thewebofslime]

NEWSCOURT DOCS: Prosecutors Ask To Present Evidence That NXIVM Sex Cult Leaders Illegally Bundled Money For Hillary Clinton CampaignPublished 2 hours ago on Apr 17, 2019 By Patrick Howley  aSharedTweetWFlipk Prosecutors have asked to present evidence in the NXIVM sex cult racketeering trial showing that NXIVM leaders including Nancy Salzman and Clare Bronfman illegally bundled money for Hillary Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign by compelling members to donate to Clinton and then reimbursing the members. (READ: Ex-NXIVM Employees: Kirsten Gillibrand’s Father and Stepmother, Second Cousins, Were Very Active In The Cult, Acted As Broker To Democrat Politicians). “I was there, and I knew that the contributions were made by more than a dozen NXIVM members to Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign,” former NXIVM employee Frank Parlato tells Big League Politics, confirming that the court documents refer to Clinton’s campaign. Bronfman’s donations to Clinton are recorded here. Document 414 – Memorandum Of Law In Support Of Government’s Motion To Admit Certain Rackleteering Evidence (03.12.2019) advertisement - story continues below Trending: Two Fox Hosts End Interviews When Guests Bring Up Pattern of Church Fires in France The prosecutors state: “Campaign Contribution Evidence i. Facts At trial, the government intends to introduce witness testimony and documents demonstrating that in 2007, the defendants and their co-conspirators were involved in an illegal scheme to exceed contribution limits to a presidential primary campaign. Witness testimony, corroborated by documentary evidence, will demonstrate that at least 14 members of the Nxivm community, including at least five defendants and co-conspirators, made the maximum campaign donation to a primary campaign with the understanding that they would be reimbursed by Bronfman or Nancy Salzman. At the suggestion of a political operative, who has since pleaded guilty to an unrelated New York state bribery charge also involving campaign contributions, the contributions were “bundled” and presented to the candidate at a fundraising event attended by conspirators, including Nancy Salzman. advertisement - story continues below A cooperating witness who attended the event will testify that the defendants and their co-conspirators made the contributions in hopes of obtaining political influence to advance their own agenda, including targeting perceived enemies of Raniere. The government will also seek to introduce evidence of similar conduit contributions to other elected officials, as well as use of other political lobbyists in attempts to gain influence. ii. Admissibility The defendants’ and co-conspirators’ involvement in the conduit contribution scheme and related acts described above, is direct evidence of the charged racketeering conspiracy. Their work together to commit crimes as part of a coordinated effort to curry political favor, evidenced in part by the records of maximum contributions by members of Nxivm on the same day, demonstrates the relationship of trust among the defendants and coconspirators, which is proof of the Enterprise’s existence. … The same evidence also demonstrates the nature of the criminal relationships between the defendants, which defendants are attempting to portray as a purely legitimate association. The evidence of the conduit contributions is also direct evidence of the existence of the Enterprise and the pattern of racketeering activity because it is probative of the defendant and co-conspirators’ “us[e of] harassment, coercion and abusive litigation to intimidate and attack perceived enemies and critics of RANIERE,” (Indictment ¶ 6(f)). Specifically, the bundled campaign contributions were part of an attempt to curry favor with a presidential nominee to advance the goals of the defendants and co-conspirators, including by obtaining indictments against enemies and gaining advantages in litigation. The evidence of the conduit contributions also demonstrates the relatedness of the predicate acts, because it demonstrates the attitude of defendants and co-conspirators that they must “cheat to win” to fight the conspiracy they believed was operating against them. advertisement - story continues below … Moreover, the conduit contributions is also probative of motive and intent as to the DOS-related acts and charges, because the evidence at trial will demonstrate that one of the defendants and co-conspirators purposes in forming DOS was to have a pyramid of collateralized powerful women who he could order to do things for him or order to vote in a group to “turn elections.” Finally, because several cooperating witnesses are implicated in the campaign contribution scheme, such evidence is also admissible to corroborate their testimony and to front issues that are expected to be raised on cross-examination.” Court document passage ends I reported: Democrat senator and presidential candidate Kirsten Gillibrand’s family ties to the NXIVM sex cult are coming to light, raising serious questions about her relationship with the cult that she once denied knowing about. Gillibrand’s father and stepmother, who are second cousins, were both heavily involved in the cult in the period shortly before they got married, according to eyewitness accounts from ex-NXIVM employees who spoke on the record to Big League Politics, and according to court documents proving that Gillibrand’s father Doug Rutnik was employed by NXIVM. Gillibrand’s father served as a broker between NXIVM cult leader Keith Raniere — whose initials were branded on his female sex slaves — and then-New York attorney general Eliot Spitzer to resolve Raniere’s financial problems with the state, according to ex-employee whistleblower Joseph O’Hara, whose revelations are printed below. Gillibrand’s stepmother Gwenn Belcourt got “hooked” on the cult as did Bill Clinton’s close friend Richard Mays, according to the whistleblower. Nancy Salzman, the NXIVM president, acted as a personal “guru” for Gillibrand’s stepmother. Ex-cult employee Frank Parlato — who exposed the fact that Raniere was branding women — is working with Big League Politics to uncover the deep longstanding links between Gillibrand, the Clintons, and NXIVM. “The very first time I ever met Gillibrand she was at an event for Hillary Clinton in the Hall of Springs in the State Park. This was in 2006. I was at a table with a Russian friend and Mike Roohan and his wife. I was on the Democratic committee at the time and was given two comp tickets. Gillibrand came up to me introduced herself and said she was running against John Sweeney. This was before all the stories of his drunken behavior came out. He was still congressman kickass at that time. I promised my support and wished her well. i than commented to Mike that with her baby voice and demeanor that she was a lightweight. Boy was I wrong. But the kicker was when the mixing was over and Clinton went to speak. Gillibrand sat with one of the front tables. Yeah the three front VIP tables were all brought by NXIVM and she was sitting with Nancy Salzman. You can quote me on that,” said witness John Tighe in a statement provided to Big League Politics. Nancy Salzman has pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy while her daughter Lauren Salzman admitted to enslaving a woman, stating in court, “I knowingly and intentionally harbored Jane Doe 4, a woman whose identity is known to me, in a room in the home in the Northern District of New York” and “threatened to deport Jane Doe 4 back to Mexico if she did not complete labor requested by myself and others.” JOSEPH O’HARA TELLS BIG LEAGUE POLITICS HIS NXIVM STORY Joseph O’Hara was living in Saratoga Springs at the time, and a woman he met socially called him up out of the blue and asked for him to meet with the leaders of NXIVM. “I agreed to meet with them. We met the very next day. We had coffee and that’s when I was introduced to Nancy Salzman, the president of NXIVM, and she described to me the various problems they were having,” O’Hara said, referring to lawsuits, public relations issues, and governmental issues stemming from trying to get a building permit for a NXIVM center. “I said give me a day or two,” O’Hara said. “After I thought about it, I wrote back to them and said I don’t think there’s anything I can do personally but I can play centerfielder and pull in people you need. I think you need a bigger law firm on this. Yes I can get you a PR firm that can come in and help you. That’s what I proposed to them, that I would be a middle man.” “They hired me in October of 2003 and I worked for them for 15 months. At the end of 2004 a variety of issues had come up and I resigned.” O’Hara, whose official title was “consultant,” said he “met primarily with Keith” Raniere and with bookeeper Cathy Russell and legal liaison Kristin Keefe. O’Hara remembers Raniere vividly. “I thought he was a little strange. He was an odd fellow. Before I met him I had been told a lot about him. I guess when I met him I was a little underwhelmed,” O’Hara said, referring to a tall tale about how Raniere supposedly tied a record in the hundred-yard dash. Raniere held volleyball games with the women in his cult, but O’Hara did not attend. Kirsten Gillibrand’s Father Doug Rutnik Acted As A Broker Between NXIVM and then-Attorney General Eliot Spitzer “I had known Doug Rutnik for a number of years. He was one of the people I thought of immediately for a couple of the problems that he (Raniere) had,” O’Hara said, including the fact that Raniere agreed to pay a certain amount of money to New York State stemming from the bankruptcy of his previous venture Consumer’s Buyline. “Keith never made the payments. I think it was around 45 or 50 thousand dollars.” “I contacted Doug, and explained to him the situation. Doug could be the broker between Keith and the attorney general” O’Hara said. The attorney general was then Eliot Spitzer. “Doug and I, Nancy and Keith had lunch at a little club. Keith came in and looked like a young middle-aged business exec. Doug said let’s check this out a little further,” O’Hara remembers. NXIVM was trying to get a license for a school. The meeting occurred at the Fort Orange Club in Albany in 2004, according to O’Hara. O’Hara hired a third party attorney in Albany to take a 5-day executive course at NXIVM, and the attorney expressed concerns about the group potentially not paying taxes and “living off the grid.” Doug Rutnik’s Second Cousin, Gillibrand’s Future Stepmother, Got Very Involved “Doug said I know somebody else I could send in. It’s his cousin Gwenn Belcourt. She comes back with rave reviews and Doug gets hired. Keith comes up with the money and pays off the attorney general.” Thus, Gillibrand’s father acted as the broker between NXIVM and attorney general Eliot Spitzer after Gillibrand’s future stepmother Gwenn Belcourt gave NXIVM her full seal of approval. “Doug was the one, I don’t know who he talked to, but he was the one who got the okay for…NXIVM sent Doug the check, and it was expressly to resolve the issue over Consumers Buyline. And then the issue went away.” “Gwenn and I met. Doug said let’s have Gwenn go in and take a week-long course. She went in and she wrote up a report and was extremely positive. No issues with the schooling. No issues with the curriculum” at the NXIVM Center, O’Hara recalled. “He told me this is my second cousin Gwenn. She was engaged at the time. She was a lawyer, someone Doug trusted.” “Things were happening, one right after the other. Gwenn comes in, she writes the report, and Doug is doing work for them.” “Meanwhile Gwenn does her thing and she starts taking more classes on her own. We paid for the one class she took…at some point Doug says, this is getting a little weird with Gwenn. He said she broke off her engagement because Nancy told her she needed to re-think her life. Nancy Salzman became Gwenn’s personal guru. She wanted to bring Gwenn in as full-time in-house counsel.” “I know that she was taking a lot of classes at NXIVM,” O’Hara said of Gwenn Belcourt. “NXIVM initiates a lawsuit against me and Doug, and Gwenn is still involved in NXIVM at that point. Doug goes in like a rescue mission. He finally convinces her what’s going on there and she leaves NXIVM. The next thing I know all of a sudden he said Gwenn and I are dating now. Shortly after that they’re engaged.” “For several years, I saw them after they were married,” O’Hara said, noting that the couple was no longer in the cult. Clinton Friend Richard Mays and Gillibrand’s Stepmother Gwenn Belcourt Both Got “Hooked” on the Cult “I had done work down in Arkansas, I had met Richard (Mays) down there. He had great connections with Governor Clinton. His lieutenant governor Tucker became governor. I was trying to get in to make a presentation to the governor. Richard got me the meeting. He got me the meeting with Jim Guy Tucker,” O’Hara said. “One of the other problems Keith had, he had an unpaid bill in Arkansas and he wanted to get an exoneration in Arkansas so he brought Richard Mays in and he got involved. Richard Mays started taking classes and got his daughter taking classes” at NXIVM. “There were people who got hooked on it. Richard Mays was one. Gwenn Belcourt was another,” O’Hara said. “I Had Created This Monster” O’Hara said that he uncovered Raniere evading taxes and illegally obtaining private investigator information on his enemies, which led him to quit. NXIVM then waged lawfare against him. “They destroyed me. I had created this monster. They didn’t know how to get political consultants. They didn’t know how to hire former senator D’Amato, they didn’t know how to hire Richard Mays out of Arkansas, best friends with the Clintons. They had all these people now in their arsenal and they destroyed me in short order,” O’Hara said. Raniere once admitted in a videotape pulled from the Internet, “I am just a demon.” PROOF RUTNIK WORKED FOR NXIVM Former NXIVM employee Frank Parlato provided Big League Politics with copies of the court documents in NXIM’s suit against Rutnik, which prove Rutnik’s employment by the group. (READ THE FULL DOCUMENTS HERE). “I worked as the publicist,” Frank Parlato told Big League Politics. “We ran into a major disagreement and we split. At the time I worked for them I thought they were a little peculiar but it wasn’t until the end that I realized they were a downright evil group.” “There are women on the record who are now adults who have accused Raniere of statutory rape and there are some very suspicious incidents where Mexican girls came under the perimeters of Raniere’s control and left under suspicious circumstances. They came from Chihuahua Mexico. I reported this to the authorities,” Parlato said. “Her father Doug Rutnik came to work as a consultant for NXIVM…he was fired, they sued him, and he had to pay them $100,000,” Parlato said, referring Gillibrand’s father. Parlato is the NXIVM whistleblower who blew the lid off the case, including the revelation that NXIVM leader Keith Raniere’s cult was branding women with his initials. “Her father’s wife, her stepmother, was also a member of NXIVM…Doug got her into the cult, Gillibrand’s father got Gillibrand’s future stepmother into the cult. Doug left the cult because he was sued. Clare Bronfman after her father was sued donated money to Gillibrand. Gillibrand accepted it.” “One is inclined to call her a liar,” Parlato says of Gillibrand.

[lifejustgotawkward]

365 Day Movie Challenge (2017) - #262: Green Dolphin Street (1947) - dir. Victor Saville

MGM pulled out all the stops with this lengthy costume drama based on a popular novel of the time, Green Dolphin Country by Elizabeth Goudge. The mid-nineteenth-century-set story focuses on a pair of French sisters, Marianne (Lana Turner) and Marguerite Patourel (Donna Reed), who both fall in love with a handsome young man who moves in next door to them, William Ozanne (Richard Hart in one of his few films before his untimely death). William’s father, Edmond (Frank Morgan), was once in love with Marianne and Marguerite’s mother, Sophie (Gladys Cooper), but the romance ended when Sophie wed a wealthier man, Octavius Patourel (Edmund Gwenn) – a fact unbeknownst to Sophie’s daughters when they become acquainted with Ozanne fils and père.

William’s heart belongs to Marguerite and they plan on marrying when he completes his service with the navy. After an unfortunate incident causes William to miss his ship’s departure from a port, he is unfairly labeled a deserter; he is forced to flee to New Zealand, where the military won’t find him. He finds work with a sheep herder, Timothy Haslam (Van Heflin), who is hiding in the country for similarly criminal reasons. Coincidentally, Timothy used to live in the same French town as the Patourel family, and he has loved Marianne from afar for years.

One night, a drunken and lonely William writes a letter home, intending to ask for his beloved’s hand in marriage, but in his stupor he scribbles “Marianne” rather than “Marguerite.” When the letter reaches at the Patourel house, Marguerite is devastated, but Marianne jumps at the chance to be with William and boards the next boat bound for New Zealand. William is horrified to realize the mistake he must have made when he sees Marianne on the day of arrival, but he does not admit his error and he marries the wrong sister, uneasily building their union on a set of lies.

Green Dolphin Street packs a lot of melodrama and heartache into its 141-minute running time, including an earthquake scene created by A. Arnold Gillespie, Warren Newcombe, Douglas Shearer and Michael Steinore, which won them the Academy Award for Best Special Effects. (Three other nominations honored the film’s black-and-white cinematography by George J. Folsey, editing by George White and sound recording by Douglas Shearer.) Much of the film is melodramatic to the point of ridiculousness - many problems could have been avoided or fixed with clearer thinking or apologies - but at least the actors all look terrific in the costumes designed by Walter Plunkett and Valles. I also enjoyed the scenes in which the jilted Marguerite finds comfort in the church run by a compassionate Mother Superior (Dame May Whitty); Donna Reed does the best acting in the film, followed by Edmund Gwenn as her kindhearted father and Richard Hart as Marguerite’s suitor/Marianne’s husband. Hart reminds me a good deal of Joaquin Phoenix, which may have influenced my decision to watch The Yards shortly afterward - neither is a bad thing by any stretch.

[dancewithmeplano]

10 of the Most Covered Tunes in Music History

Alfred Hitchcock’s The Trouble With Harry includes all the trappings of the normal Hitchcock film, including a puzzle, a lifeless person, a beautiful young woman, along with a darkly handsome top man. However, it has something that   The Birds, Psycho, Vertigo,  and Hitchcock’s other horror offerings don’t: humor–and tons of it.  

The 1955 dark humor about a pesky corpse might not be among Hitchcock’s most well-known films, but it has developed a cult following–and Hitch himself always had a soft spot for this. Here are 15 things you need to understand concerning  The Trouble With Harry.

1. BEFORE IT WAS A FILM, THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY WAS A SHORT COMIC NOVEL.

Much like lots of his films, Alfred Hitchcock found his inspiration from a novel. Unlike many of this other work, however, this one was a funny book–not a horror or thriller. He managed to purchase the rights for only $11,000 by maintaining his identity a mystery. When he tried to revive the rights several years after–at no cost–author John Trevor Story fought back, he had “no purpose of maintaining Alfred Hitchcock in his older age.”

2. IT WAS A BOX OFFICE FLOP.

Apparently folks were not considering Hitchcockian humor in the time: Despite how it was made on a small budget, the movie lost $500,000 in the box office. Yet, it was clearly one of Hitchcock’s favorite films.

3. IT WAS SHIRLEY MACLAINE’S FILM DEBUT.

She might be a Hollywood legend now, but in 1955, Shirley MacLaine had been an ingenue chorus girl. Even though Hitchcock had desired his own mainstay Grace Kelly in the role, she was inaccessible. He believed French actress Brigitte Auber, but did not wish to mess with her own accent. A manufacturer mentioned he had seen The Pajama Game on Broadway and was particularly impressed by a young chorus girl who stepped into the lead character for a single night. Hitchcock interviewed her discovered MacLaine utterly charming–but he also liked the idea of directing somebody that hadn’t acted in films before. “This simply means is that I will have fewer bad pitches to untie,” he informed her when he first hired her.

4. STUDIO HEADS CALLED MACLAINE TO TELL HER TO STOP EATING SO MUCH.

Not everyone was charmed by MacLaine. Horrifyingly, the actress was subject to a call from the president of Paramount, who was unhappy with her look after reviewing film. She had gained some weight over the duration of shooting, thanks in part to this excellent meals she shared with Hitchcock every single day. “He knew I was only from this chorus, so I hadn’t eaten in years,” she stated. Studio heads noticed, also called to tell her to stop undermining her career. In the following interview, she remembered, “I believe that the term was ‘blimp. ”’

5. THE MOVIE NEARLY KILLED HITCHCOCK.

Although you may expect something to go awry on a few of Hitch’s scarier collections, The Trouble With Harry was the one which nearly did him in. He was in Vermont once a mount holding an 850-pound VistaVision camera unit snapped. The unit plummeted to the floor, clipping Hitch from the shoulder and trapping a team member to the floor. Had he had been standing a couple of inches over, Hitchcock could have been a goner.

6. IT WAS PARTIALLY SHOT IN A GYMNASIUM.

Vermont, of course, is remarkably scenic, and Hitchcock meant to film what on location. However, the weather did not always cooperate, or so the crew needed to build sets at a nearby gymnasium. That did not work well, either; when it succeeds, which was often, the falls off the tin roof of this building, ruining takes.

7. HITCHCOCK DISCOVERED JERRY MATHERS BEFORE THE REST OF THE WORLD DID.

The manager throw then-unknown child actor Jerry Mathers as MacLaine’s highlighting boy, small Arnie. Two years after, Mathers would land the part that educated him in tv history: Beaver Cleaver to Leave It to Beaver.

8. JOHN FORSYTHE, ON THE OTHER HAND, WAS ALREADY WELL-KNOWN.

Forsythe had a terrific career under his belt when he signed to play the part of Sam, but the roles which could come to set him could come later in his career: He was the voice of Charlie on Charlie’s Angels, also played Blake Carrington on Dynasty.

9. RESHOOTS WERE PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT.

When Hitchcock later decided he had more shots of Harry’s corpse from the leaves, and there have been just two issues: No corpse and no leaves. Philip Truex, the actor who played with Harry, was inaccessible for reshoots, also naturally, L.A. leaves are not really exactly like Vermont leaves.

To solve the Harry issue, a double was throw, his mind hidden by a bush from the shot to disguise the difference. The leaf problem was more complicated–Hitch ended up with boxes of autumn leaves sent by Vermont, subsequently had any poor supporters painstakingly pin them on trees.

10. IT WAS THE START OF HITCHCOCK’S ASSOCIATION WITH “FUNERAL MARCH OF THE MARIONETTE.”

Composer Bernard Herrmann went on to score lots of Hitchcock’s films, such as North by Northwest (1959), Vertigo (1958), along with Psycho (1960). But he made one of his most lasting contributions with The Trouble With Harry, though audiences not heard it. Herrmann temporarily tried”Funeral March of the Marionette” because the music for the opening credits. Though they ultimately utilized another tune, “Funeral March of the Marionette” will later be used among the most well-known theme songs ever: Alfred Hitchcock Presents.

11. THE MOVIE’S WORLD PREMIERE WAS HELD IN VERMONT.

Paying homage to the shooting place, Hitchcock arranged for its premiere to take place at a very small movie theater at Barre, Vermont. As you may imagine, the city was delighted to roll out the red carpet for your Hollywood cast and crew. Based to the Barre Times they had been fed with a Vermont-themed meal, such as freshly squeezed apple cider, sliced Maine lobster with peanut butter, prepared according to the Vermont recipe that won the New England Lobster Contest at 1954;” and “pitched Vermont harvest salad,” along with other Vermont-y products. They also presented MacLaine using a red rose corsage “on behalf of the individuals of Barre,” and handed Hitchcock a Vermont map made of granite.

12. IT INSPIRED HITCH TO PROMOTE VERMONT TOURISM.

When the movie was released nationwide, moviegoers have been treated to a special opening film: A three-minute promotional brief, directed by Hitchcock, known as “Vermont that the Beautiful.”

13. The Movie WAS ONCE KNOWN AS ONE OF THE FIVE LOST HITCHCOCKS.

Along with Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Rope, and Back Window,The Trouble With Harry was among those five films Hitchcock himself purchased the rights to –and chose, for various reasons, to continue to himself.   When he died, he left the rights of his daughter, Patricia, who was more forthcoming with circulating them.

14. AS USUAL, THERE’S A CAMEO BY HITCHCOCK.

Hitchcock shows up in the majority of his films, if only for a second or 2. However, this cameo is truly blink-and-you’ll-miss-it–that’s him at the trench coat behind the vehicle.

15. THERE’S A SINGLE LINE THAT CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF THE WHOLE MOVIE.

During a series of interviews for François Truffaut’s book Hitchcock, Hitch told that the French manager that one simple piece of dialogue from the movie sums up the whole thing:

“Among the greatest lines is when older Edmund Gwenn is pulling on the body along for the very first time and a woman comes to him and says ‘What seems to be the trouble, captain?’ To me, that’s terribly amusing; that’s the soul of the entire story.”

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