Hamish Downie’s Holiday PlayList Part 3
Hamish has another Holiday Playlist for us today. He’s got some classics and some new items. Alos, one of our favorite films, Hugo. Can’t go wrong with a pseudo-bio of yhe man who in essence singlehandedly created the film industry and a little fairytale all wrapped up in one.
Let us know what you think in the comments section below. As always we welcome your feedback and input on all of our published content. Than you for stopping by and spending time with us.
I have a few more films for you today, this Christmas Eve.
WHITE CHRISTMAS
Listen, even the original trailer doesn’t pretend that there’s much of a story. This is basically about watching talented people do what they do best. Bing Crosby sings his signature song twice (which I think k.d. lang should cover someday). His duet with Rosemary Clooney is incredible. As are Vera Ellen and Danny Kayne dancing together. Then there’s the touching story of the unemployed General, played by Dean Jagger. And the incredible Mary Wickes (who you might remember from the Sister Act movies) rounds out the cast as the General’s Girl Friday at the Hotel. Don’t forget you’ve got Irving Berlin’s music, and Edith Head’s costumes (watch how all the shoes match the color of the pants so your eye can look at the dancing seamlessly). A lovely film for Christmas.
NINOTCHKA
Garbo laughs! In this comedy, penned, but not directed by Billy Wilder, which is unfortunate, because it doesn’t quite move at the
pace which we’ve come to expect from Wilder himself. But, this is still a wonderful film. Basically, Russia needs money, so they’ve sent special envoys (which eventually includes Garbo) to Paris to sell off anything they can to the highest bidder. But, while on the outside, they fall in love with Paris and freedom. It’s a delightful film. It does get off to a slow start, but it did make me laugh several times, so I highly recommend seeking it out.
HUGO
Another film that isn’t exactly a Christmas film, but certainly feels like one. Next is Hugo. It’s about a boy who lives in a Paris train station, guarded by a fierce dog (and Borat). His father has died, leaving him with a Robotic mechanism which he must learn how to fix, and brings him into contact with an old filmmaker. Again, it’s a lovely film with a sense of family and love and adventure. Thank you Ben and Keith for the recommendation.
MATCHA & VANILLA
Finally, please do go watch my film, which comes out today. It’s also about family, and being with the ones you love until the very end. It also features this lovely new Christmas song penned by Deron Reynolds and sung by my school friend, Karen Hitchcock.
It’s available for streaming from Gagaoolala now.
Merry Christmas everyone.
