"Live" A Christmas Story and Trains

Agreed. Couldn't make out that steamer in the window as it was such a quick scene.  Was hoping they'd give us more trains like the movie. Even those were fleeting but at least you could identify them. Always recall the UP M10000.

Modern Era steamer.  For what it’s worth, I saw a local community theater company do this show much better a few weeks ago.

Jon

johnstrains posted:

Agreed. Couldn't make out that steamer in the window as it was such a quick scene.  Was hoping they'd give us more trains like the movie. Even those were fleeting but at least you could identify them. Always recall the UP M10000.

Regarding the movie, besides the M10000, there was a Hiawatha set (one car short), and a 773 with assorted postwar cars.  There was a lot of back and forth talk trying to identify the trains for the era of the movie. 

The Lionel display in the store (cut from the movie) was all post war as I recall.

Lou N

I will stick with the movie version!  :-)

The movie is a ritual at our house. Daughters watched it last night and said it was close to horrible...

We watched it last night, and about 30 minutes into it, my wife asked my daughter and I if we were really interested in it, and we weren't.  It really wasn't that well done.

The steam loco in the display was modern era, and the kid who sings they want a Lionel train was a girl!  I loved that!

It was OK....some of the stuff added that was not in the movie was cool. 

Yes....it was a little girl how said 'What about a LIONEL train.

' The store window train was maybe 2 seconds.

The promo for the show had what looked like Flyer S running....tinplate 2 rail at any rate. 

Well!  Seven people in America were watching, even if one of you bailed.

I made it through 30 minutes...yikes! What a waste.

As far as the engine, I'm fairly sure it was a Lionel Mikado Jr/Lionchief Plus Mikado

I made it through 30 minutes...yikes! What a waste.

I tuned into the show three or four times, couldn't last more than a couple of minutes.
The original movie "A Christmas Story" , with Jean Shepherd's narration was wonderful, and didn't need an update. I'm certain some of the stories within the movie were also told on his radio show.
The written stories were even better.

But I am an old fart, how did younger folks like it?

I haven't seen it yet, but when it was announced, I was thinking that this is one of those that shouldn't be touched.  Although I know it is done by theater groups all over the country.  I just think the movie is so unique because of the great narration that anything else would feel so different.  

But it's also good to remember that almost all of these live tv events have gotten terrible reviews.  Except last year's Hairspray seemed to have a better reception.

I didn't like it at all. Numerous mistakes, ie: calling the dogs hounds when they clearly weren't; and adding scenes not in the movie nor book, ie: the whole scene at Schwartz' house.

-Greg

There is absolutely no way anyone could possibly come close to a remake--live or film--that offers more than the original classic. I did watch a few minutes of the live version, but simply could not bear to watch more.

Greg Houser posted:

I didn't like it at all. Numerous mistakes, ie: calling the dogs hounds when they clearly weren't; and adding scenes not in the movie nor book, ie: the whole scene at Schwartz' house.

-Greg

I admit it was not anywhere as good as the movie......They did have to PC the TV version up some and actually explained the 'hounds' were all rescue dogs adopted by the crew....  and while not hounds that's what the story calls them.....

C W Burfle posted:

I made it through 30 minutes...yikes! What a waste.

I tuned into the show three or four times, couldn't last more than a couple of minutes.
The original movie "A Christmas Story" , with Jean Shepherd's narration was wonderful, and didn't need an update. I'm certain some of the stories within the movie were also told on his radio show.
The written stories were even better.

But I am an old fart, how did younger folks like it?

Just for reference.....

The well dressed, bearded gentleman that tells Ralphie [while getting in line to see Santa] "the end of the line in down there" is Jean Shepherd.

Lou N

My wife and I watched it with our 20-something son who is home from grad school for the holidays. Interesting as he grew up with the movie whereas my wife and I have been occasional watchers.

All three of us disliked the musical version. The cast was talented and I give them credit for pulling off the live performance but it just didn’t capture the look and feel of the movie version.

There is a short book available with most of the separate stories by Jean Shepard that were "combined" to make the movie that is a fun read. More info on the neighbors and their dogs. Also the Old Man was a ham aficionado and its Easter but turkey goes better for a Christmas movie.

The book is titled "A Christmas Story" (of course) ISBN 0-7679-1622-0 if you'd like to get it. A wonderful read and I always hear Jean in my head.  

Jean Shepherd wrote a number of books (all hysterical), I believe the stories that formed the basis of this was "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash", which was a collection of his stories.  I watched it and frankly turned it off, while the cast were veteran actors, I didn't think the songs really added to the story, and to be honest it came off, despite the cast, like a community theater production being broadcast. The attempts to make it PC, like the chinese restaurant workers singing in full choral harmony and being explained as they all were students home from Harvard and Yale (to me that stereotype was much worse than the original movie with them trying to sing Deck the Halls), and the addition of the Hanukkah segment didn't add to it either, the story was never meant to be social commentary, it was meant to be a story talking about childhood in a very different time.  

The funny thing is the original movie when it came out was a box office disappointment, it didn't do well, but then later became a kind of icon of the season, go figure, I don't think this production will have the same ultimate fate. 

Best Jean Shepherd "Old Man" Line "To the Old Man, beer proved the existence of God, nothing that good happens by accident" *smile*. 

shawn posted:

Lol, Hollywood and TV have been done for years! Watching, TV is over for me....if I wanted to watch crappy movies made by commies...I would move to china or Russia. Better, playing with my Chinese twins...lol

 

 

I can see "A Christmas Story" isn't the only thing stuck in the 1940's......

Nah, Shawn is right. I find early tv, made before I was born, way more entrrtaining.

It only took the commercial for me to want to skip the new CS entirely.

There is a short book available with most of the separate stories by Jean Shepard that were "combined" to make the movie that is a fun read. More info on the neighbors and their dogs. Also the Old Man was a ham aficionado and its Easter but turkey goes better for a Christmas movie.

Probably a good read, but the reader would miss out on a lot of other wonderful short stories.

There were four books published:
In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash
Wanda Hickeys Night of Golden Memories and other Disasters
The Ferrari in the Bedroom
A Fistful of Fig Newtons

Folks who enjoyed "A Christmas Story" would probably like the first two better than the last two.

C W Burfle posted:

There is a short book available with most of the separate stories by Jean Shepard that were "combined" to make the movie that is a fun read. More info on the neighbors and their dogs. Also the Old Man was a ham aficionado and its Easter but turkey goes better for a Christmas movie.

Probably a good read, but the reader would miss out on a lot of other wonderful short stories.

There were four books published:
In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash
Wanda Hickeys Night of Golden Memories and other Disasters
The Ferrari in the Bedroom
A Fistful of Fig Newtons

Folks who enjoyed "A Christmas Story" would probably like the first two better than the last two.

You can find a few of these and others as movies.....

In God we Trust, chapter 3? (The Cleveland Street Kid) became A Christmas Story, as we all know.

Wanda Hickey also was available on tape.

Additionally there is "The Phantom of the Open Hearth" and "The Star Crossed Romance of Josephine Kosnofsky".

There is also a three cassette set of Jean himself, reading some of his works.

Lou N

I thought is was AWEFUL!!!! The PC stuff was just annoying just put in by the lefties to make some social statement and the acting was just not there. Only Darren McGavin could pull off "Its a major award" and "frageeela".

I always used to listen to Jean on the radio here in NYC. One evening he said to open your window, put your radio on the sill, turn up the volume and proceeded to play about an hour of a train clicking along the track with the occasional whistle. Classic Shepard. I also got the chance to see him live once when I was in college.

This talk of remaking everything leads me to wonder when they will redo "Blazing Saddles". 

Cincytrains posted:

I thought is was AWEFUL!!!! The PC stuff was just annoying just put in by the lefties to make some social statement and the acting was just not there. Only Darren McGavin could pull off "Its a major award" and "frageeela".

The singing at the Chinese restaurant was a real  cop out.....

I couldn't watch it all.  Thought it was poorly cast and just seemed fake.  I'll take the movie version every year!

Three words, it was terrible ! 

 There is only ONE "A Christmas Story" and it is a MOTION PICTURE!  

One thing is for certain: Jean Shepard is an American Treasure!  

Well......even though "The Christmas Story Live" has been universally trashed by everyone, all I can say is I LOVED IT!  The only thing I did't care for was having to put up with the commercials.

I am supprised they have never released a directors cut of the original movie with the cut footage added back in like so many other movies have had done.  

artfull dodger posted:

I am supprised they have never released a directors cut of the original movie with the cut footage added back in like so many other movies have had done.  

Boy don't I wish.  Then you could see the inside layout as well as the toy and camera departments that were set up.

Lou N