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FourFifty
11-30-2012, 06:44 PM
So I'm not going to whore out my blog on tpww.net, but I gotta ask this to a wider audience- Does Gremlins count as a Christmas movie?
I've read a lot of "Top XX Christmas Movies" lists, and some of the movies just needs to mention Christmas to get on there by default. Movies like Die Hard and Batman Returns that just takes place around Christmas have been seen on multiple lists. While I haven't gotten any arguments with saying Die Hard isn't a Christmas movie, but a movie that takes place during Christmas (let's face it- that movie could have taken place during Arbor day).
I made a list of "rules" for a movie to be considered for a top xx Christmas movie list, and the first rule is Christmas has to be a theme, not a time of year.


-Christmas has to be a theme, not a time of year.
Most notable movie that is disqualified- Die Hard… I’m just gonna say this: It’s a great story about a man saving his a lot of people, including his wife as he shoots up some bad guys. However, I’m sure that he could have saved everyone on Arbor Day. Christmas is just a time of year for that movie. It’s trivial that it takes place during Christmas,
Christmas is not a theme in Die Hard. It’s a good movie, but not a good Christmas movie.

After I did my top five favorite Christmas movies, I did a top five list of Christmas movies I disqualified with my rules. Gremlins is number 2.


2- Gremlins (1984)
I had an argument about this one being disqualified from my list. A co-worker of mine insists that it is a Christmas movie. I say it’s not, it just takes place around Christmas. It’s a wonderful movie that I love, but Gizmo could have been a birthday gift as easy as he was a Christmas present. For the record, we were not, by any means, debating if it was a good movie. It’s awesome!

So, I figured I'd ask around- Do you consider Gremlins to be a Christmas movie, or just a movie that takes place during Christmas?

XCaliber
11-30-2012, 06:53 PM
Absolutely!

Ermaximus
11-30-2012, 06:56 PM
Yes! Also, Phoebe Cates is still sexy as fuck.

DLVH84
11-30-2012, 07:34 PM
Yes.

Corporate CockSnogger
11-30-2012, 07:39 PM
No. I haven't seen it for a good while, but from what I can remember, it has nothing to do with Christmas really other than Gizmo being a Christmas present. Like you said that could have easily been written as a birthday present, or even just a simple "hey, you wanted a pet, have this" plot.

Tom Guycott
11-30-2012, 09:27 PM
Look, it is really simple... if Die Hard counts, GREMLINS FUCKING COUNTS!!!

Emperor Smeat
11-30-2012, 09:29 PM
Depends since it would fit as a Christmas horror or Christmas comedy but no as a traditional Christmas film.

It has Christmas themes but not as the main focus since its still about horror and gremlins. Even the comedy parts are more about being random than being Christmas focused.

Skippord
12-01-2012, 08:21 AM
I would like to see your blog, 450

whiteyford
12-01-2012, 09:30 AM
Of course it counts and anyone who says otherwise is a fucking liar or scouse.

Ermaximus
12-01-2012, 10:38 AM
450, ask Ermaximus, he and I once had a 45 minute discussion of why Gremlins truly is a Christmas movie in all regards.

RP
12-01-2012, 11:14 AM
If you're counting Die Hard then you have to count Friday part 3.

Corporate CockSnogger
12-01-2012, 12:13 PM
Would you all include all of these films as well then, which all also have minor Christmas parts in the story that are not actually relevant to the plot?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_films#Films_related_to_Christmas

YOUR Hero
12-01-2012, 03:08 PM
It does not come to my mind as a Christmas Movie.

Furious Beardsley
12-01-2012, 06:42 PM
yes siree bob

FourFifty
12-01-2012, 09:52 PM
Would you all include all of these films as well then, which all also have minor Christmas parts in the story that are not actually relevant to the plot?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_films#Films_related_to_Christmas

Most of those movies I would not consider to be Christmas movies. Citizen Kane is not a Christmas movie, it just has a Christmas scene. The Harry Potter movies are not Christmas themed, they just have Christmas scenes. Jaws: The Revenge... really?!?!?!? They are some good movies, some bad movies, and a hell of a lot in between. However, they are not Christmas themed movies, and should not be put in there with the Miracle on 34th Street, Home Alone, or It's A Wonderful Life. Come on, that Wiki page even has Roger & Me as a "film related to Christmas".

SlickyTrickyDamon
12-01-2012, 09:56 PM
Not just Christmas scenes but Christmas themes. The first two Potter movies nailed the "childhood wonder" of Harry discovering he's a wizard. That is probably why people liked the first two movies alot more than the third until the real-plot story of Voldemort coming back starts up in the fourth. Childhood wonder is a Christmas theme. Potter movies also have a lot of scenes with snow which is another thing associated with Winter and Christmas.

FourFifty
12-01-2012, 10:05 PM
Yes, they have a lot of Christmas scenes, and the sense of wonder is fantastic, but Childhood wonder is more than a Christmas theme. It's part of life, just like death and paying taxes. Death and paying taxes aren't Christmas themes, just part of life.

FourFifty
12-01-2012, 10:32 PM
Upon further thinking, it'd be better compassion to talk about religion, the Easter bunny, or pro-wrestling. Death and taxes are pushing it a little, but the idea is the same. Having your sense of disbelief suspended like that is pretty awesome, but that sense of wonder is a piece that can fit in multiple puzzles.

Shisen Kopf
12-02-2012, 01:32 AM
Correct answer is dunno. Rest of you all are wrong. There is just no way to tell without a visual aid like a venn diagram or summink