Movies set at Christmas that aren’t necessarily ‘Christmas movies’

[Orang Utan]

You know, not marketed as Xmas movies but nevertheless set at Christmas time, such as Die Hard and Trading Places.
For instance, Lethal Weapon is sort of a Xmas movie and so is First Blood and Rocky IV.
I’d certainly rather watch such fare instead of Miracle On 34th Street and A Christmas Carol and other saccharine hackneyed nonsense.
What else can we have?

 

[Sue]

The Apartment
Carol

 

[A380]

Well, Die Hard is set ar Christmas, it's surprising that no one has ever discussed whether it's a Christmas movie or not...

 

[Orang Utan]

Well, Die Hard is set ar Christmas, it's surprising that no one has ever discussed whether it's a Christmas movie or not...

You’re kidding - it’s been online fuel for pointless nitpicking for decades

 

[Reno]

There is a whole subgenre of Christmas horror films, Black Christmas being the most famous. The Lodge, Silent Night and Better Watch Out are some more recent ones which are good. The Curse of the Cat People (1944) being my favourite.

 

[Orang Utan]

This thread was prompted by my current earworm that came out of nowhere:

 

[danny la rouge]

You’re kidding - it’s been online fuel for pointless nitpicking for decades

Yeah, A380 ! The fuck you talking about?

 

[blairsh]

Gremlins.

 

[T & P]

Trading Places an obvious one, as previously mentioned.

Also, even though Bad Santa’s premise is of course about Xmas, it is also arguably the most anti-Christmas film ever conceived

 

[Santino]

Wind in the Willows has a Christmas scene but is not considered a Christmas book/play/film.

 

[danny la rouge]

I’ve not seen Die Hard, but I’ve seen Home Alone, which is basically the same plot, so I feel like I have.

 

[T & P]

I’ve not seen Die Hard, but I’ve seen Home Alone, which is basically the same plot, so I feel like I have.

I was going to retort that the Xmas connection in the basic premise of Die Hard is far more tenuous than any other film, and the script would have worked almost identically with minimum changes if the date had been set on any other weekend of the year. But come to think of it, the same could be said about the basic premise of Home Alone, so you’re quite right.

 

[danny la rouge]

I was going to retort that the Xmas connection in the basic premise of Die Hard is far more tenuous than any other film, and the script would have worked almost identically with minimum changes if the date had been set on any other weekend of the year. But come to think of it, the same could be said about the basic premise of Home Alone, so you’re quite right.

Yes, Home Alone really isn’t a Christmas Movie. It’s a action movie that happens to take place over Christmas.

 

[scifisam]

I was going to retort that the Xmas connection in the basic premise of Die Hard is far more tenuous than any other film, and the script would have worked almost identically with minimum changes if the date had been set on any other weekend of the year. But come to think of it, the same could be said about the basic premise of Home Alone, so you’re quite right.

I don't think that's true for either movie.

 

[danny la rouge]

I don't think that's true for either movie.

It’s true of Home Alone.

 

[T & P]

I don't think that's true for either movie.

Die Hard would have worked without any significant plot changes if Bruce Willis was just visiting his wife during any other kind of work party her company was holding at any other time of year. Similarly, there are plenty of alternative scenarios for a busy family visiting relatives for a special occasion and forgetting about one of their kids. Thanksgiving or other American holiday, or simply a birthday or vacation.

Home Alone is a comedy home invasion film and Die Hard a crime action thriller that happen to be set at Christmas. Don’t know about Home Alone, but I reckon the makers of Die Hard hadn’t really expected the film to be seen as a Christmas flick when they first conceived it.

 

[Orang Utan]

I was going to retort that the Xmas connection in the basic premise of Die Hard is far more tenuous than any other film, and the script would have worked almost identically with minimum changes if the date had been set on any other weekend of the year. But come to think of it, the same could be said about the basic premise of Home Alone, so you’re quite right.

 

[Orang Utan]

Die Hard would have worked without any significant plot changes if Bruce Willis was just visiting his wife during any other kind of work party her company was holding at any other time of year. Similarly, there are plenty of alternative scenarios for a busy family visiting relatives for a special occasion and forgetting about one of their kids. Thanksgiving or other American holiday, or simply a birthday or vacation.

Home Alone is a comedy home invasion film and Die Hard a crime action thriller that happen to be set at Christmas. Don’t know about Home Alone, but I reckon the makers of Die Hard hadn’t really expected the film to be seen as a Christmas flick when they first conceived it.

How is any of that relevant considering the OP?

 

[Orang Utan]

Meet Me In St Louis isn’t technically a Christmas movie either but it’s as Christmassy as Gremlins and Trading Places

 

[scifisam]

It’s true of Home Alone.

Nah - everyone in the area's away at the same time (rather than being spaced out over several weeks of summer holidays) so his family can't call his neighbours and he can't just go round to a friend's house. And the snow makes the phone lines being down seem reasonable. Christmas also makes last-minute international travel much more difficult, even if you're rich. And it's a special family time of year, making him feel extra sad about wishing his family away, and his Mom feel extra need to get back that specific day. Also the American "family counts" movie tradition.

Wouldn't work for any other time of the year.

 

[danny la rouge]

everyone in the area's away at the same time

Which is the exact opposite of Christmas, when everyone is at home.

 

[T & P]

View attachment 354010

Well yeah, once it’s set at Xmas you might as well add a few Xmas gags, and thank fuck for that because they were funny. Alan Rickman’s voicing of ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ in that scene would have almost been the admission price by itself. But clearly add-on gags, though, and easily replaceable if the film had been set at Halloween.

 

[AverageJoe]

30 Alternative, Unconventional Christmas Movies You Should Watch Right Now

Deck the halls with lesser-known but hugely enjoyable holiday movies from this definitive roundup of alternative Christmas fare.

parade.com

 

[Orang Utan]

Well yeah, once it’s set at Xmas you might as well add a few Xmas gags, and thank fuck for that because they were funny. Alan Rickman’s voicing of ‘Ho, Ho, Ho’ in that scene would have almost been the admission price by itself. But clearly add-on gags, though, and easily replaceable if the film had been set at Halloween.

Have you even read the OP?

 

[scifisam]

Die Hard would have worked without any significant plot changes if Bruce Willis was just visiting his wife during any other kind of work party her company was holding at any other time of year. Similarly, there are plenty of alternative scenarios for a busy family visiting relatives for a special occasion and forgetting about one of their kids. Thanksgiving or other American holiday, or simply a birthday or vacation.

Home Alone is a comedy home invasion film and Die Hard a crime action thriller that happen to be set at Christmas. Don’t know about Home Alone, but I reckon the makers of Die Hard hadn’t really expected the film to be seen as a Christmas flick when they first conceived it.

Die Hard has a few "family are special" elements, but where it fails for me is a company having a Christmas party that close to Christmas. I do like it as a Christmas movie, but it's definitely an add-on to an awesome movie, same as the bells in East 17's Stay.

 

[Orang Utan]

I’m gonna call it for Planes, Trains & Automobiles, despite being set around Thanksgiving. Same vibes

 

[scifisam]

Which is the exact opposite of Christmas, when everyone is at home.

Not as common in the US as the UK.

 

[Orang Utan]

Which is the exact opposite of Christmas, when everyone is at home.

That’s not true though. Half of us are at home, the other half are visiting others’ homes

 

[Orang Utan]

ANYWAY. read the OP again folks.

 

[danny la rouge]

Not as common in the US as the UK.

Well, in every Christmas episode of Friends they’re at home. Except one, where Chandler is in Oklahoma. But then he misses Monica so he goes home.

Also, the song isn’t Driving Somewhere Else For Christmas, is it? Huh?