This episode pretty much has it all: stolen art, Nazi's stealing the art, US courts discriminating against the families of European Jews who have claim to the art, possible art fraud, multi-cultural "don't you understand?," and a Jewish family who has a mom who thinks of Christmas. Charlie tells big bro Don, "mom wanted a Christmas tree." Seems reasonable. Happy New Year!
The art in question
Now that's a mathematical map!
This has a two for oner: First there is the introduction of Inspector Henry Christmas of Scotland Yard, and then there is the saga of Plum....she's about to have everything an orphan could want--her best friend explains to Mrs. Bradley and George (her trusted driver), "My parents are adopting Plum by Christmas." Of course, this being a mad cap Mrs. Bradley mystery, things don't always go according to plan! Oh, and there is also a Mr. Valentine...
Not an uplifting episode by any means! Not only does it involve the very violent death of a small boy, but his foster mother states about the boy's biological mother, "Christmas Day, I found here dead on the kitchen floor." Onto much more uplifting stuff!!
Ah, there is nothing quite like being chased by a murderous psychopath when there is an inconvenient Christmas tree loaded with glass ornaments in the way! Leave to Argento!
I guess this attempting to be in the vein of Peter Jackson's Bad Taste--it is certainly very tongue and cheek! I particularly like the bath tub scene with the Santa hat!
Anyone who was reading this blog even "sort of" over the October month, what we like to call "Fright Month," knows that I have a serious affection for black vodka, especially Blavod. Well I saved one tasty Blavod recipe for Christmas. It is a seasonal shot, and cute as can be for packing such a punch! Several sites that feature this recipe suggest that you leave one out for Santa....sounds like a good idea to me....considering who Santa is in my house ;-)
1 oz. Blavod black vodka
1/2 oz cinnamon schnapps
Canned pressurized whipped cream
1 maraschino cherry
Pour in the cinnamon schnapps first, then pour in the Blavod. Top with the squirt of whipped cream from can (or you can use home whipped cream that has been sweetened if you like, in a big dollop). Top with maraschino cherry and serve. This is a real belly warmer.
When I got a copy of this on Blu Ray (which is why I didn't buy it when it was up for Oscars, I didn't own of blu ray player at the time) earlier this year, I made a promise to myself that if I didn't play in on one of the many days in the Fall dedicated to Native American themes and issues, I would definitely play it during the Christmas season. It is set during Christmas.
It happens to be on a subject that I know something about. I don't know how many ordinary Americans or Canadians are aware of how many "Indian Reservations," "reserves" to those of you north of the "Big Medicine Line." cross the International borders of the US and Canada. The Bush administration, for example, jumped all over the Blackfoot community in Montana for supposedly letting some terrorists cross the border in their territory in Alberta....turned out it was just some story that an over waterboarded terrorist suspect in indefinite detention made up so they would stop torturing him (yes, I'm using the "T" word here).
Probably the most well known of these cross border communities is the Akwesasne Reservation (formerly St. Regis Indian Reserve), which is mostly in up state New York, but has some sizable holdings across the border into Quebec--the international border that bifurcates that reservation is basically in a class all by itself. It is still recognized by both the US and Canada as part of a continuous border, but that border gets "reclassified" when it comes to Akwesasne lands. I won't go on...the issue is a complicated one. There is one thing that is for sure, even if citizens of the US and Canada are unaware of these border issues in general...the Mexican drug cartels definitely are not!
I am certainly not trying to be a buzz kill here! But these are real issues that real people deal with at all times of the year. The silly Christmas horror will resume after this--I'm going to need an antidote!!
We are playing the 1976 Christmas episode hosted for the second year in a row by Candice Bergen. This is the (in)famous episode featuring the musical talents of Frank Zappa; but what a lot of people do not know is that it was Zappa who scripted the skit of the killer Christmas tree that become all the Christmas rage in the late 70's and early 80's. Unfortunately, and rather shockingly, there are no clips of it on the web, so here instead are some more recent Christmas skits to laugh by. Be extra sure to check out the Schweddy Balls at least!!
Hey it's got a serial killer, Liev Schrieber in drag and Madeline Kahn stuck in any elevator with a cheap drum kit, Adam Sandler in serenading falsetto, and a suicide hot line run by Steve Martin...not to mention Parker Posey and Jon Stewart with that damn Christmas tree on roller blades! Pretty scary....
I know that there are some out there that would take issue with me allowing my kid to get into South Park's Mr. Hankey (like for example, my mother in law, which might be half the reason I allow it!!); but the kid loves Mr. Hankey and it is a bit of a tribute to his late grandfather, who passed two years ago at Christmas. My dad's humor never made it out of the bathroom! And we love him for it!! So...bring on Mr. Hankey!!
