A Christmas Story (1983)

This delightfully funny holiday gem tells the story of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) a 1940's nine-year-old who pulls out all the stops to obtain the ultimate Christmas present.Running Time: 98 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: COMEDY Rating: PG UPC: 012569576421 Product Description

Ho ho ho! Ultimate Collector's Editions due out November 4th, 2008, comparison here

New Ultimate editions of A Christmas Story are coming out in standard definition and Blu-ray. It appears from the announcement that each will repackage the current version with special memorabilia. So, the standard DVD Ultimate edition will have the same DVDs as the 2003 2-disc Special Edition, and the Blu-ray Ultimate edition will have the same DVD as the 2006 Blu-ray. In addition, they'll have these non-DVD extras:

-- a collectible retro Christmas cookie tin (the container for the set)
-- 48-page cookbook with recipes inspired by the movie
-- photos and quotes from the movie
-- a red chef's apron with an A Christmas Story logo on it
-- 5 collectible cookie cutters "in iconic Christmas Story shapes" (looks like a star, a house, a leg lamp, Ralphie in his bunny suit, and what may be Peking Duck)

And the Blu-ray will have a leg lamp stand. Not sure exactly what that will be, but it will obviously be smaller than the one in the movie if it fits in the tin.

You can find photos at various sites (google "a christmas story" "ultimate collector's edition" and, for one site I've used, "dvdactive").

There's nothing in the studio press release that indicates the new editions will be remastered.

The 2-disc Special Edition from 2003 and the Blu-ray from 2006 both have the same DVD special features, which are shared by the Ultimate editions:

-- audio commentary by director/co-writer Bob Clark and star Peter Billingsley (Ralphie)
-- two readings by Jean Shepard, author and narrator for the movie (audio only)
-- Another Christmas Story featurette, includes interviews with Clark and a few members of the cast
-- Get a Leg Up featurette, about the making and ongoing sale of the (in)famous leg lamp
-- A History of the Daisy Red Ryder featurette, on the object of great desire's actual history
-- Triple Dog Dare Interactive Trivia
-- Decoder Match Challenge
-- easter eggs (including an actual ad for the leg lamp)
-- original theatrical trailer

The video quality of the 2003 standard DVD release is fairly good, a bit soft, with good mono sound. It includes both the original 1.85:1 widescreen format (anamorphic) and full screen versions. The Blu-ray from 2006 is soft-looking for a hi-def version, with fairly good color and the same mono sound.

Now, about the really good stuff, the movie. A Christmas Story is that odd film that appeals to a cross-section of viewers who often can't agree on what to watch. Fans of sweet Christmas cheer are happily joined by people with a more jaundiced eye to the holiday. To be sure, the movie leans more to the sweet than the sour, but it has enough edge and good-natured twistedness to please some of our darker Christmas angels too. It conveys a genuinely warm nostalgia and some sharp, sometimes pretense-deflating observations about human nature.

The story is set at some indefinite time around 1940 in an Indiana town approaching the holidays. Young Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) wants only one thing for Christmas, the Official Red Ryder Carbine-Action 200-Shot Lightning Loader Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in the stock. (That is, a BB gun, a very particular one.) He plans carefully well in advance how to lay the groundwork for this while avoiding the dreaded rebuff, but almost everyone says it anyway: "You'll put your eye out!" The relentless struggle for the one true gift develops alongside several other small stories and amusing details, a tongue-on-frozen-pole triple-dog dare, facing the local bully, the notorious leg lamp, the Santa slide, Peking Duck for Christmas, and several others, each memorable in itself.

The actors aren't very well known, but they're all just right. There is narration throughout, representing an older Ralphie, done by the originator of the story, Jean Shepard, also just right.

This movie, made in 1983, has gradually become a favorite Christmas classic, now shown in an annual 24-hour Christmas marathon on cable, which attracts a huge number of viewers. If you've never seen it, give it a try, even if you have a little Scrooge in you, and you'll probably enjoy it. If you're a big fan, or know one, you might want the memorabilia with one of the new Ultimate editions for yourself or a gift. If you don't care about such extras, just get one of the older editions.

There are Amazon pages to pre-order the Ultimate editions here (standard DVD) and here (Blu-ray). July 16, 2008

Peter Billingsley is so Hot!

I love this movie it makes you laugh and cry. By the way have you ladies seen Peter Billingsley (Ralphie) lately? He is SOOOOOOOOO HOT. July 14, 2008

My favorite Christmas movie

This is our family's favorite Christmas movie. It's perfect for all ages! The narrator does a great job throughout the movie helping us all to recall fond memories of our childhood Christmases. You'll be giggling throughout the movie! June 15, 2008

Great edition of A Christmas Story

This was part 1 of my husband's Christmas present (I also got him the lamp, the beer stein and the soap, decoder, and of course, the LAMP!

This DVD has a lot of extras on it we enjoyed watching. A family tradition June 5, 2008

Best Ever

Still my favorite movie and in Blu-Ray it doesn't get any better than
this!!! May 31, 2008

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