Reel Reflection: Looking Back on Some Forgotten 2017 Movie Anniversaries

By Michael Lyons

Ah, the end of the year, a time to reflect.  For many, this means looking back over life’s accomplishments, challenges, joys and tears.

For film buffs, reflection may not delve this deep, but instead is focused on: “What were my favorite films of the year? My top 10!”  Additionally, Film Buffs also love Anniversaries and will also think back on some of their film favorites that reached major milestones.

And so, as the year closes, here’s a look back at some movies that celebrated anniversaries in 2017.  

While the list of movies commemorating an anniversary could probably initiate a series of blogs and many that have been celebrated are award winners or box office blockbusters, the list below focuses on some forgotten films, that celebrated this past year and are worth celebrating themselves:

The 10th anniversary of “Meet the Robinsons” (released March 30, 2007)

The word “Underrated” seems to have been created for this film.  An earnest, heartfelt gem from Walt Disney Feature Animation, the film is based on the book “A Day with Wilbur Robinson” and tells the tale of young orphan named Lewis, who finds himself caught up in a dizzying, time travel search for his parents.  

In world of familiar (particularly in animation) “Meet the Robinsons” is a true original that keeps the audience guessing and engaged through a breakneck plot that ends on such an emotional note, you can’t help but keep the film with you long after it ends.

The 15th anniversary of “Treasure Planet” (released November 27, 2002)

If one isn’t using the word “Underrated” for “Meet the Robinsons,” they may want to apply it to another Disney animated feature, “Treasure Planet.”  Directors Ron Clements and Jon Musker, who have navigated Disney animation through many changes with films such as “Aladdin” to “Moana,” worked long and hard on this labor of love; a sci-fi adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.”

Feeling both comfortable and innovative, “Treasure Planet” works as a sci-fi, action adventure yarn (with some creative creatures and settings) and as an impressive character piece (the relationship between Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver is animation movie magic).

“Treasure Planet” didn’t fare well at the box-office when released over Thanksgiving weekend of 2002, but deserves the ever growing audience of admirers its gained since then.

The 30th anniversary of “Innerspace” (released July 1st, 1987)

Released over July 4th weekend of 1987, summer movies don’t get more popcorn-fun than “Innerspace.”  Produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Joe (“Gremlins”) Dante, “Innerspace” tells the tale of a test pilot (Dennis Quaid) who is shrunken and accidentally injected into an unsuspecting simpleton (Martin Short).

A frenetic and funny take on “Fantastic Voyage,” “Innerspace” has some hysterical moments (most courtesy of Short) and amazing special effects (for which the film won an Oscar).  Best of all, Quaid and Short have great chemistry... and are in almost no scenes together.  “Innerspace” is, literally, a small wonder!

The 35th anniversary of “Night Shift” (released July 30, 1982)

Two guys operating a prostitution ring out of the city morgue may sound like fodder for a Martin Scorcese drama, but “Night Shift” is a comedy and a really funny one at that.

Director Ron Howard’s first major studio film, “Night Shift” stars Henry Winkler and Michael Keaton (absolutely hysterical) as the mis-matched co-workers who become the unlikeliest of pimps.  Smart writing and sharp timing, “Night Shift” may be low-class subject matter, but it’s a high-class comedy.

The 40th anniversary of “Rollercoaster” (released June 10, 1977)

George Segal delivers a solid performance as a safety inspector on the hells of a terrorist (Timothy Bottoms) who is making his way through the country’s theme parks planting bombs on roller coasters.

Released using the ‘70’s fad of “Sensurround,” a sound system that amped up the bass and replicated the sensation of being on a rollercoaster for theater audiences, “Rollercoaster” is more than a movie gimmick, it’s a tense, well-crafted thriller.

The 75th Anniversary of “The Man Who Came to Dinner” (released January 1, 1942)

If you missed watching this gem over the holiday season, put it on your list for next December.  Based on a popular stage play of the time, the film tells the story of cultured radio personality, Sheridan Whiteside (Monty Woolley from “The Bishop’s Wife,” so good here), who slips on a family’s icy front stoop while visiting a small Ohio town during a lecture tour, just before the holidays. Sheridan then winds up having to recuperate with the family during Christmas.

What follows is a witty clash of cultures that’s as funny and endearing as vintage, Hollywood black and white gets.  With solid supporting performances from Bette Davis, Jimmy Durante and Billie Burke (Glinda the Good Witch from “The Wizard of Oz”), “The Man who Came to Dinner” is a glowing Christmas movie classic.

So, as 2017 closes out and the winter days ahead are filled with movie marathons, consider visiting or re-visiting these often forgotten films, that deserve to not just be remembered, but celebrated as well.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy and Healthy New Year!

Sources: Wikipedia

IMDb

Happy Cruise Year: “The Poseidon Adventure.”

By Michael Lyons

During the era of ‘70’s-all-star-disaster-movies, there were few movies more ‘70’s, more all-star and more disaster-y than 1972’s “The Poseidon Adventure.”

Considered by many to be the movie that ushered in films like “Earthquake” and “The Towering Inferno” (both 1974), “The Poseidon Adventure” centered on a cruise ship, on which passengers are reveling in a New Year’s Eve celebration when an enormous tidal wave capsizes the ship, forcing a small group of survivors to make their way through the sinking vessel to the bottom of the ship...now the top.

“The Poseidon Adventure” checks all of the boxes that would become standards of the disaster movie genre: scenes of chaos and mayhem in the face of nature’s fury (with special effects that won an Oscar), characters meeting their demise one-by-one,  a love ballad theme song (“The Morning After,” also an Oscar winner) and, of course, a Cast of who’s-who actors of the time.

Gene Hackman is the minister who serves as the leader of the survivors, Ernest Borgnine is the tough cop on vacation, Shelly Winters and Jack Albertson are lovable grandparents, Red Buttons is the earnest, mysterious stranger, Roddy McDowall is a ship’s waiter and Leslie Nielsen (when he was serious) is the captain.

In a standard marketing tactic of the time, all of the actors faces were splashed across the bottom of “The Poseidon Adventure’s” movie poster, with dynamic artwork of the disastrous havoc along with splashy text: “Hell, Upside Down.  At midnight on New Year’s Eve, the S.S. Poseidon was struck by a 90 foot tidal wave and capsized.”

Released on December 9, 1972, “The Poseidon Adventure” was anything but a disaster, ranking as the second highest grossing film of the year (behind “The Godfather”).  Producer Irwin Allen, who would become synonymous with the disaster genre, knew how to build a tense, audience pleasing movie.  To this day, even though its fashions have gone out of style, “The Poseidon Adventure” still works as a great movie thrill ride and the perfect product of a seemingly-innocent time gone by.

With its New Year’s Eve setting, along with its 45th anniversary this month, “The Poseidon Adventure” would make the perfectly-themed viewing experience for this New Year’s Weekend.  Pop in the DVD and pop in the Dramamine, because “There’s got to be a Morning After!”

Sources: Wikipedia

Touched by An Angel: Celebrating the Christmas Classic “The Bishop’s Wife.”

By Michael Lyons

When the term “classic Christmas movies” is used, titles ranging from 1946’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” to 1996’s “Jingle all the Way’ (yikes!) are often mentioned.  Seldom does the title “The Bishop’s Wife” ever make it into that conversation, which is a shame.

Starring Cary Grant, Loretta Young and David Niven, “The Bishop’s Wife” is well known to film enthusiasts and Christmas movie purists, but beyond that, this undeappreciated classic has fallen off of the holiday radar, usually only discussed when the film’s remake, 1996’s “The Preacher’s Wife” is the topic.

Released December 9, 1947, this month marks the 70th anniversary of “The Bishop’s Wife.”   It seems the perfect time to make sure that the film returns to everyone’s Christmas watchlist.

The film tells the simple tale of an angel named Dudley (Grant), a Bishop named Henry (Niven) and his wife, Julia (Young).  Dudley has been sent to Earth just prior to Christmas, to assist the bishop, who is experiencing a crisis of faith while struggling to fund and build a new cathedral.

While assisting Bishop Henry, Dudley finds himself becoming attached to Julia and suffering somewhat of a crisis of faith himself.

Directed by Henry Koster (who would go on to helm the famous biblical epic “The Robe” in 1953), “The Bishop’s Wife” is as charming as movies get.  In the role of Dudley, Grant exudes his trademark suave style, as never before.  It’s no wonder that he seems to have so many in the film under an angelic spell.  It makes one hope and wish that all guardian angels could be Cary Grant.

Grant plays perfectly off of the frustrated Niven, as the Bishop, who is the only one allowed to know the truth about Dudley being an angel.  They have some great, quiet comedic moments together.

And, as the title character, Young, in what could have been a thankless role, plays Julia as sympathetic and vulnerable.  As the audience, we root for all to work our for her and her family.

Adding to this are two wonderful supporting roles from then-veteran character actors Monty Woolley and James Gleason.

With scenes in which Dudley “magically” decorates a Christmas tree and also conducts a choir as they practice for Christmas services, “The Bishop’s Wife” runneth over with the joys of the season.

Best of all, the movie also connects with the message of Christmas, summed up perfectly in the sermon that Dudley writes for the Bishop, which is used at the film’s conclusion:

“Tonight I want to tell you the story of an empty stocking. Once upon a midnight clear, there was a child's cry. A blazing star hung over a stable and wise men came with birthday gifts. We haven't forgotten that night down the centuries; we celebrate it with stars on Christmas trees, the sound of bells and with gifts. But especially with gifts. You give me a book; I give you a tie. Aunt Martha has always wanted an orange squeezer and Uncle Henry could do with a new pipe. We forget nobody, adult or child. All the stockings are filled... all that is, except one. And we have even forgotten to hang it up. The stocking for the child born in a manger. It's his birthday we are celebrating. Don't ever let us forget that. Let us ask ourselves what he would wish for most... and then let each put in his share. Loving kindness, warm hearts and the stretched out hand of tolerance. All the shining gifts that make peace on earth.”

Few films, classic or otherwise, make such a strong faith-based connection, along with a message of holding strong to those who mean the most to us, which is why “The Bishop’s Wife” deserves a solid place in everyone’s Christmas viewing rotation.

Here is wishing you and yours a Very Merry Christmas!

Sources: IMDb

A “Special” Place in TV History: “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol”

By Michael Lyons

Before Rudolph took flight, Before Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang put on a Christmas pageant; even before the Grinch stole Christmas, there was...Mr. Magoo...?

Not a typo.   The seldom seen Christmas Special, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol,” debuted on December 18, 1962 on NBC, making it the very first animated television Christmas special.  It aired a full two years before “Rudolph,”  three years before “Charlie Brown” and four years before “The Grinch.”

And yet, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” has become, at best, a footnote in the ever growing history of television Christmas specials.

As this year marks the 55th anniversary of this special that led the way for so many others, it seems only appropriate to give Magoo his due.

At the time of the special’s debut, Mr. Magoo was a well known star of theatrical cartoon shorts from United Productions of America (UPA Animation Studio).  The character, an older, near sighted wealthy man, whose challenges with his vision result in comical situations, was a perfect choice for Scrooge.

UPA put a few spins on the classic story for “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol.”  First, there is a “story within a story” as the film takes place in contemporary times with Magoo starring on Broadway in a musical version of “Christmas Carol.”  Second, the story changes up the order of the Ghosts.  The Ghost of Christmas present comes first, then Past and Future.

The remainder of the special, like many versions of Dickens classic, pulls scenes and dialogue right from the text, adding songs, some of the most beautiful in fact, ever written for a TV Christmas special.

Crafted by songwriting legends Jules Styne and Bob Merrill, who would go on to compose songs for the Barbara Streisand classic “Funny Girl,” the songs for “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” rival the brightest Broadway production or latest Disney animated feature.

From the haunting “All Alone in the World” to the lovely “Winter was Warm” and the bouncy “Lord’s Bright Blessing,” these are the kind of songs that stay with you long after the show ends.

Bringing the songs to life is a roster of who’s who comedians and character actors from the sixties.  Jim Backus, best known as Mr. Howell on “Gilligan’s Island,” does his standard great cackles and asides as the title character, which he had been performing since 1949.  There’s also the wonderful deep tones of Jack Cassidy as Bob Cratchit and Royal Dano with a haunting performance as Jacob Marley.  Additionally, Paul Frees, a Mel Blanc-like vocal chameleon, voices several characters.

All of this comes together with unique, stylized animation that was a hallmark of UPA (and many say that they created). The “very ‘60’s” character design and sparse backgrounds give the special a charm unlike any other.

In all, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol” is the best holiday TV Special you’ve never seen. Now available on DVD and Blu-Ray, its definitely a worthy addition to any Christmas Viewing rotation.

As author Darrell Van Citters sums up in his excellent book, “Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special”:

“A lot of factors have to line up to create a classic and fortunately, in 1962, a lot of them did.”

Sources:

Wikipedia

IMDb

Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special”:

By Darrell Van Citters

“There Goes Mr. Humbug!”: The 25th Anniversary of “The Muppet Christmas Carol”

By Michael Lyons

Who would have thought that the most faithful version of Charles Dickens immortal, holiday classic “A Christmas Carol” would star a cast who were made mostly of felt and fur?

“The Muppet Christmas Carol,” celebrating its 25th anniversary this month is not only faithful to Jim Henson’s Muppet Universe, but to Dickens’ original source material, as well!

In fact, the movie even stars Charles Dickens (played by Gonzo - who else?) as the narrator.  Familiar Muppet faces play key roles: Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, Miss Piggy as Mrs. Cracthit and Robin as Tiny Tim, with some very Muppety touches, such as Statler and Worldorf as “The Marley Brothers” and Fozzie Bear as “Fozziwig.”

Originally, there was a thought that other well known Muppets would play the Ghosts (Animal was originally cast as Christmas Future), but this was changed to newly created (and amazing) Muppets in these roles, which adds a somber and moody element to these scenes.

In the lead as Ebineezer Scrooge, it was decided that a well known actor should play off of the Muppet canon and none other than Michael Caine was cast, who brings his usual “he makes every role look so easy” talent to the role.  What’s especially convincing is that Caine plays Scrooge completely serious, never once joking or mugging for the camera, while treating the managerie of Muppets around him as fellow thespians

Caine even sings one of a number of songs written for the film by Paul Will;aims, who had also penned the songs for the original “Muppet Movie” in 1979.  For “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” Williams brought his knack for easy to take musical numbers and, among the most memorable are the anthem-like “It Feels Like Christmas” and the heart-tugging ballad, “When Love is Gone.”

As in all good musicals, the songs help support the story, which here was adapted by longtime Muppet writer Jerry Juhl, who was very familiar with the characters and how to be true to their personalities, but was also extremely faithful to the source material, pulling entire lines of text from Dickens and also never straying too far from the story, as other versions of “Carol” have.

“The Muppet Christmas Carol” was a very important film for this familiar and beloved franchise.  Coming just two years after the death of Jim Henson and as one of the first major projects for the Muppets since joining the “Disney fold,” there were a lot of eyes on “Muppet Christmas Carol.”  Many wanted to make sure that there was still the same magic.

Luckily with Jim’s son Brian Henson at the helm directing and the familiar “Muppet Performers” returning (such as Frank Oz and Dave Goelz), the humor, heart and, yes, lunacy, so familiar is very apparent.  “The Muppet Christmas Carol” feels like a visit from old friends.

Released on December 11, 1992, the film didn’t initially fare well at the box office.  With “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” and Disney’s own “Aladdin”  already vying for the family audience, “The Muppet Christmas Carol” debuted well behind at #6 opening weekend and quickly faded fast as the holiday season passed.

Thanks for home video, TV Showings, a loyal Muppet fan base and an annual Christmas Season, the film has found it’s audience in the 25 years since its release.

Another major part of the appeal of “The Muppet Christmas Carol,” is its connection to the themes and messages that Dickens wrote of in 1843.  Or, as one of the songs in the film states: “Wherever you find love, it feels like Christmas.”  

Sources: Wikipedia