December 6, 2011
IF ONLY GRANDPA WAS STILL AROUND (via Glenn Dryfoos)
That Wish for a BB Gun, Set to Song and Dance (ERIK PIEPENBURG, 12/05/11, NY Times)The world of holiday movie lovers used to be divided into "It's a Wonderful Life" people and "Miracle on 34th Street" people. But for the past few decades the nostalgic comedy "A Christmas Story" has become a holiday film fix for a group of obsessive fans.
Based on the 1966 book "In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash" by the humorist Jean Shepherd, "A Christmas Story" has been embraced by fans for its tale of a late-Depression-era Christmas and a boy named Ralphie with a wish for a BB gun. Years of repeated reruns on television since its 1983 release have given it pop-culture cachet. The house in Cleveland where parts of the film were shot is now a museum. There are "Christmas Story" underpants and ties. A 2000 play version continues to make the regional theater rounds.
Now "A Christmas Story" has been turned into an almost $5 million musical. It's currently on a five-city tour, with hopes to build a holiday franchise in whatever location it plays.
Did your parents ever take you to the Radio City Christmas Show? They'd run a movie and then have a nativity pagaent and the Rockettes. A Christmas Story musical would be a natural.
Posted by oj at December 6, 2011 8:31 PM
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