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 A Christmas Story [Blu-ray] (1983)
MPAA Rating: PG.
Runtime: 94 mins.
Director: Bob Clark
Writer: Jean Shepherd (novel and screenplay)
Cast: Darren Mcgavin; Peter Billingsley; Melinda Dillon ... complete cast
Tagline: A Tribute to the Original, Traditional, One-Hundred-Percent, Red-Blooded, Two-Fisted, All-American Christmas.
Genre: Comedy | Family
Memorable Quote: "I want an official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle!" ... more quotes
Theatrical release Date: November 18, 1983
Blu-Ray Release Date: November 4, 2008
Own it on DVD or Blu-Ray: Buy it here
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Check out the official site: Here
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| Reel commentary: ... a film that is celebrated throughout America – even after the holidays have passed by ... full review |
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Film Synopsis: A Christmas Story, a nostalgic view of Christmastime in Indiana during the 1940s, stars Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, a nine-year-old who has only one thing on his Christmas list: a Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Air Rifle. With his parents unwilling to buy him the gun because he might “shoot his eye out,” Ralphie decides to mount a full-scale, hint-dropping, Santa-begging campaign. He also endures a slew of calamities from snowsuit paralysis to the dreaded tongue-on-a-frozen-flagpole gambit. The New York Times calls A Christmas Story, “maybe the best Christmas movie ever.”
By Loron Hays
Way back in 1983, director Bob Clark (previously responsible for such family friendly features like Porky’s and Black Christmas) gathered a motley crew together and on a shoestring budget shot a holiday-themed film based upon a series of anecdotes written by Jean Shepherd. The film quickly came and went with only a marginal spattering of attention during 1984’s Oscar season, but it won nothing. This little film wasn’t supposed to be remembered. It wasn’t even supposed to have worked in the first place, but somehow Bob Clark’s A Christmas Story became and remains a modern classic. Quite simply, this is THE best holiday film of all time and now, on glorious blu-ray, it shines as never before.
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Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, holding onto slide in A Christmas Story
All images copyright © 2003, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
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It’s the story of young Ralphie Parker [played by child actor Peter Billingsley (who would later produce of 2008’s Iron Man)] and his Christmas misadventures at school, with his parents (played perfectly by Darren McGavin and Mellinda Dillon), some bullies, and friends throughout the town as he pursues his Christmas wish of owning a Red Ryder BB gun courtesy of Santa Clause. His request for the BB gun is always followed by the adult-lead chant of “You’ll shoot your eye out” and yet it never gets tiring to hear. Audiences love and still quote it. Ralphie’s brother, Randy Parker (played by Ian Petrella), nearly steals the show (in every frame he is included in) by simply being there bundled in his snow suit or refusing to eat his meatloaf.
There are so many classic moments from this film and so many moments that audiences already are so well-versed in that it becomes difficult to review objectively; the true sign of a classic. Seriously, we are dealing with a film that families enact, nearly line by line, at the holiday season and quote to friends, strangers on the street, and everybody gets it. It is a film that is celebrated throughout America – even after the holidays have passed by. Really. I’ve seen re-enactments in restaurants and on the streets and, according to the features on the blu-ray disc, so has Bob Clark. Last time I was in a long line at a department store, I turned back to the woman behind me and rattled off in a nasally voice, “I like the Wizard of Oz” and she got it, smiled and laughed.
Loron Hays
 Comments
Frank Says:
Nov 4, 2008 at 10:54
More A Christmas Story quotes:
"It was all over - I was dead. What would it be? The guillotine? Hanging? The chair? The rack? The Chinese water torture? Hmmph. Mere child's play compared to what surely awaited me."
"Aunt Clara had for years labored under the delusion that I was not only perpetually 4 years old, but also a girl."
"All right. Now, are you ready to tell me where you heard that word?"
"Over the years I got to be quite a connoisseur of soap. Though my personal preference was for Lux, I found that Palmolive had a nice, piquant after-dinner flavor - heavy, but with a touch of mellow smoothness. Life Buoy, on the other hand... YECCHH!"
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Now, on blu-ray, the film really sparkles. Forget the repeated versions broadcast on television this year, spend the money and buy this for the family; the colors are sharp, the details are clear, and the sound is 100 times better than broadcast. This is the version you need and, let’s face it, want and no holiday stocking should be without it.
Screen Formats: 1.85:1 (Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV)
Subtitles: Closed Captioned; English, Spanish, French
Language and Sound: English: Dolby Digital Mono; French: Dolby Digital Mono; Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Other Features: Color; interactive menus; scene access; Commentary; 2 Festive featurettes: Daisy Red Ryder: A History and Get a Leg Up Script Pages
Theatrical Trailer.
- Feature-length commentary track with Peter Billingsley and Director/Co-Writer Bob Clark
- 20th- Anniversary Documentary - Another Christmas Story
- Daisy Red Ryder: A History
- Get a Leg Up Script Pages
- Previews - The original theatrical trailer
Number of Discs: 1 with Keepcase Packaging
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Buy the DVD
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Buy on Blu-Ray
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| Melinda Dillon |
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Mrs. Parker |
| Darren McGavin |
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The Old Man - Mr. Parker |
| Peter Billingsley |
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Ralphie Parker |
| Ian Petrella |
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Randy Parker |
| Scott Schwartz |
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Flick |
| R.D. Robb |
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Schwartz |
| Tedde Moore |
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Miss Shields |
| Yano Anaya |
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Grover Dill |
| Zack Ward |
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Scut Farkus |
| Jeff Gillen |
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Santa Claus |
| Leslie Carlson |
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Tree Man |
| Jim Hunter |
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Freight Man |
| Patty Johnson |
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Head Elf |
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