{"product_id":"strange-and-unusual-christmas-films","title":"Strange and Unusual Christmas Films","description":"\u003ci\u003eA marathon collection of Christmas shorts from the Baby Boomer era -- Some unbelievably creative, some unintentionally hilarious, and some just downright bizarre!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eA Christmas Dream\u003c\/i\u003e (1945): \u003c\/b\u003e This extraordinary Czechoslovakian film uses stop-motion animation to tell the story of an unwanted rag doll on Christmas Eve. The first work of Karel Zeman (\u003ci\u003eThe Fabulous World of Jules Verne\u003c\/i\u003e), \u003ci\u003eA Christmas Dream\u003c\/i\u003e won the Grand Prix International for best short fiction film at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. This is the slightly edited version sold by Castle Films for the home movie market. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSanta Claus' Story\u003c\/i\u003e (1945): \u003c\/b\u003e A maniacally laughing Santa Claus slides down the chimney to regale little Jackie and Virginia with his knowledge of...monkeys. Yes, this Castle Films entry uses Christmas as an excuse to teach children about primates. \"Monkeys are very much like human beings in many ways\", says that jolly old elf. They even have their own Santa! Bizarrely, Virginia is played by a child in some shots, and a midget wearing makeup in others. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Night Before Christmas\u003c\/i\u003e (1946): \u003c\/b\u003e This film mixes live-action and animation to bring Clement C. Moore's immortal poem to life. Castle Films kept this short in circulation until 1972, longer than any of their other holiday offerings, meaning it was seen by generations of schoolchildren as a special treat before Christmas vacation. Santa lights a pipe in the family's living room, something that would never happen today! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSanta In Animal Land\u003c\/i\u003e (1948): \u003c\/b\u003e Scary animal puppets with screechy voices are upset that Santa Claus doesn't bring them gifts, so they head to the North Pole to find him. Before they can perish in the snow, Santa shows up to assure them that he cares about soulless hand puppets, too. A disturbing holiday offering from Castle's competitor, Official Films. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSanta And The Fairy Snow Queen\u003c\/i\u003e (1951): \u003c\/b\u003e This hallucinogenic half-hour was produced and directed by Sid Davis, the man behind classroom scare films like \u003ci\u003eBoys Beware\u003c\/i\u003e (1961) and \u003ci\u003eKeep Off the Grass\u003c\/i\u003e (1970). It was made to fill empty slots during holiday television programming, but its surreal nature meant that it rarely aired. A seemingly inebriated Santa Claus rebuffs the advances of the visiting Fairy Snow Queen, a Germanic ice princess with a fluctuating accent. As revenge, she brings the toys in his workshop to life. Now Santa has to corral them all before Christmas Eve. \u003ci\u003eSanta and the Fairy Snow Queen\u003c\/i\u003e is hosted by an androgynous female called \"Snoopy\", one of Santa's elves (inexplicably called \"brownies\" in this film.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Elf And Mr. Little\u003c\/i\u003e (1953): \u003c\/b\u003e Another short made for television that was rarely if ever utilized by network programmers during Christmastime. Crudely made marionettes tell the story of Mr. Little, a grumpy toymaker who is taught the true meaning of Christmas by a hyperactive elf. Also featuring the All-Youth Choir of Phoenix, Arizona, who were supposedly quite well known throughout the Southwest (at least according to ads promoting the film in \u003ci\u003eBillboard\u003c\/i\u003e magazine.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSilent Night: The Story Of The Christmas Carol\u003c\/i\u003e (1953): \u003c\/b\u003e A solemn account of the writing of the famous Christmas carol, \"Silent Night\", by Austrian priest Father Joseph Mohr and school teacher Franz Xaver Gruber. Made by Coronet Films for use in classrooms. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Little Match Girl\u003c\/i\u003e (1954): \u003c\/b\u003e Castle Films excerpted a 1952 French television adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale directed by Jean Benoit-Levy. An unusual, somewhat bleak version of the classic tale (the Virgin Mary appears at film's end to take the girl to Heaven) it includes a dream sequence featuring famed ballerina Jeanine Charrat. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Little Lamb: A Christmas Story\u003c\/i\u003e (1955): \u003c\/b\u003e A lost lamb helps three shepherds find the Christ child in this Castle Films offering. Azar the Shepherd is played by sci-fi movie stalwart Morris Ankrum (\u003ci\u003eInvaders from Mars\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEarth vs. the Flying Saucers\u003c\/i\u003e.) \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eChristmas Fairy Tale\u003c\/i\u003e (1961): \u003c\/b\u003e The characters in a little girl's nursery rhyme book are brought to life by animatronic figures in this painstakingly-made short from writer-director Jean Downing.","brand":"Alpha Video","offers":[{"title":"DVD","offer_id":45802724524182,"sku":"089218787194","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0703\/9621\/5446\/files\/089218787194.jpg?v=1762201750","url":"https:\/\/moviezyng.com\/products\/strange-and-unusual-christmas-films","provider":"Movie Zyng","version":"1.0","type":"link"}