#omg i want to be a rankin bass stop motion!!!

[flowerandthesongstress]

It’s happened again :-\

Okay, would you like to know just how not-US-culture/media-savvy I actually was? Am. 

Here goes. I’d learned about Sara Bareilles, how US colleges function, Waffle House, Denny’s, Frasier, Mama’s Family, Who’s the Boss, Family Matters, My Dinner with Andre, Dead Poets Society, The Breakfast Club, what GED is, what State bar association is and does, Ding dongs, Charleston chews, Traveling Wilburys, Rankin/Bass, the whole concept of stop-motion Christmas specials, M*A*S*H, G.I. Joe cartoons, Reading Rainbow, Roots, Blazing Saddles, Patton, Sixteen Candles, Animal House, National Lampoon, Apollo 13, Night of the Living Dead, Suicide Kings, Hannah Montana, The Right Stuff, Ken Burns, Law & Order, Cougar Town, and I’m sure I’m forgetting at least two dozen things — only from/thanks to Community. I had learned about Community by accident; someone insisted I watch it because it was ‘up my alley’; and it was. Needless to say, it was streets ahead (if you have to ask, you’re streets behind).

Sure, I’ve been catching up. For years. Right now we’re watching Frasier. 

But I just wanted to say that if you leave a comment in the vein of, ‘omg this reminds me of *a piece of American media*’ and I reply with ‘what’s this, never heard of it’ — I promise I’m neither lying to you, nor ‘messing’ with you, nor being sarcastic or stuck-up. I promise. I replied with that because yes, I genuinely have no idea. I’ve never been to the US. I grew up consuming entirely different media; reading and studying different literature. Even my nostalgia, including radio— movies— shows— musicals— clothes— food—related nostalgia, and my ‘uuuuuugh goddamn boring crap can’t believe I have to read this’—adjacent school grievances lie elsewhere. 

But if you’re in the mood for broadening your horizons, I’d always be happy to dispense a multitude of recommendations. :)

So, uh. Dear Americans, as today you celebrate Christmas and give each other presents, may I please ask you for a humble present. Not even for me personally, but in general. 

Could you please not assume automatically that the person you’re interacting with online is from the US? In fact, maybe it’d be a good idea to assume, by default, that they are not. That’s all I ask for.

Merry Happy. 

PS bonvolu, kredi min, I would have loved it if Esperanto had won; but the world doesn’t work that way.

[brokenmusicboxwolfe]

You know, while Santa Claus: The Movie actually is as bad as it’s reputation, something occurred to me as I watched it….

If it were a Rankin and Bass animated special, and got rid of the first half of the film, it might not be horrible. Most those stop motion specials, would be hard to take as live action too.

Look at the story. An elf that’s into inventing gets a chance to go “high tech”. It goes disastrously wrong. Like hate mail from kids level bad. As a result the elf thinks Santa doesn’t love him anymore, so he runs away to go prove himself. Unfortunately he find himself exploited by a corrupt manufacturer. An ending that shows that Santa, the symbolic parent, still loves you when you goof up would be totally in keeping with the usual cheese…sorry…sentimentality…um…spirit of a holiday special. Honestly all sounds fine for vintage tv animation.

That hypothetical animated special could be a seasonal classic up there with The Year Without a Santa Claus. However, actual movie proves I was 100% right as a kid to not want to see it (though I think I had a comic adaptation).

Still, if you held me at gunpoint and told we I had to chose between this and Rankin and Bass specials ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas (aka Questioning blind faith will cause a vengeful Santa to punish everyone**) and Nestor : the Long Eared Donkey (aka You’re mama will die and you will have a miserable time, but hey, one day you will get to do manual labor hauling a pregnant lady around as a reward), well, I’d watch Santa Claus: The Movie. Probably.

Best moment? Going “OMG! It’s Liz Shaw!” when actress Caroline John unexpectedly turned up for the tiniest of bit parts. What? I’m a Doctor Who fan!

** I am an agnostic, and a questioner by nature. As a child I took it REALLY personally when it suggested that people like me are bad guys that will keep Santa from visiting your town. I was bullied enough being a non-believer in the bible belt. And one on! What kind of Santa won’t visit a whole town of kids just because of ONE letter from ONE kid! Skipping the kid I could understand, even if it seems out of keeping with Santa’s nature, but to punish town where all the other kids were writing perfectly normal letters is simply mean. Santa should NOT BE MEAN!!!

Sorry, all these decades later I am still angry about it.

[inkykeiji]

It’s finally Christmas time!!!!!!! Gonna reread all of my snowman and me and listen to Christmas music!! Was wondering what ur fav Christmas movie is?? I’m excited to start watching some again omg my fav is the family stone!! I watch it every Christmas I love it!! Anyways just wanted to stop by and say hello I hope u have a good weekend Clari!!! 🕊🕊🕊

it IS and i’m soooo excited!!!!!! i LOVE christmas!!!! hehehehe aaah dovey ur so cute!!! i hope you enjoy!!! i have another christmas series as a gift for you all this year!!!!!!!! <33333 i’ll be announcing it very soon!! (´∀｀)♡

HEHEHE oh my gosh i’m so happy u asked!!! i have a few!! i love the grinch, i love jack frost (the one with michael keaton where he comes back to life as a snowman!!), i love scrooged and love actually and literally all of the rankin-bass stop motion films hehehe <3 omg i’ve never seen the family stone!!! aw hehe thank u bb i hope you enjoy your weekend <333