Christmas in the Movies

October 15, 2018
Film historian Arnold (The Essentials, 2013) assembles a jolly list of 30 English-language movies from 1939-2003 that includes holiday gems like Miracle on 34th Street and A Christmas Story and adds eclectic titles like Die Hard and Gremlins to the mix. There is a brief introduction on the significance of Christmas movies, though no explanation for ending coverage at 2003, and there is a noticeable lack of diversity in this holiday list. Each chapter includes a movie summary, credit list, crisp still images in color where available, and a helpfully boxed Holiday Moment pointing to the significant scene, according to the author, that perfectly encapsulates this special season. This volume is a welcome television table companion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)