Summary
A Colbert Christmas is a knockout thanks to the strength of the holiday parodies by David Javerbaum (The Daily Show executive producer) and Adam Schlesinger (songwriter and Fountains of Wayne co-founder), providing some of the best goofs on Christmas since South Parks Christmas specials. One of the most ingenious finds Canadian folk singer Feist riffing on "Angels We Have Heard on High" in the form of a call-waiting message from Heaven: "Due to increased prayer amounts, seraphim will have delays/ Serving your prayer accounts for the next five million days." Willie Nelson's song not only tweaks "The Little Drummer Boy," but also specifically footnotes the beloved, inexplicable 1977 TV duet of the song between David Bowie and Bing Crosby, who didn't seem exactly sure who the other one was.
For a refresher as to why Crosby is almost synonymous with Christmas in some circles, check out the new release of 1942's Holiday Inn (Universal Studios, $26.98), which features Crosby singing the Christmas standard-of-standards, "White Christmas." Holiday Inn falls a little short of classic status, relying on a thin plot about a passive-aggressive romantic triangle between Crosby, Fred Astaire and ingénue Marjorie Reynolds at a hotel/club that only opens for national holidays. But the film finds Crosby and Astaire in excellent form, and the veteran hoofer does a remarkable tap dance routine with firecrackers for the July 4 number. Knowing the seasonal premise, the film's appeal partly lies in seeing how legendary tunesmith Irving Berlin will write numbers about the likes of Thanksgiving or George Washington's birthday. (Warning: The Lincoln number, "Abraham," is performed in blackface in a sign of racial condescension that's shocking by contemporary standards.) Holiday Inn features three discs that offer the original black-and-white film, a new colorized version (meh) and a CD of the songs.See the full content of this document
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Disc the Halls
The economic downturn threatens to make 2008 one of the tightest Christmases ever. With a goal of making spirits bright, light-hearted DVD gifts may be bona fide necessities rather than luxuries. The following suggested comedies- some hip, some heartwarming-span seven decades with the hopes of offering som...
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