The 1983 classic motion pictureA Christmas Storyisa staple of the holiday season. The film stars Peter Billingsley as Ralphie, a young boy who will go to the ends of the Earth in order to get a “Red Ryder air rifle” that year for Christmas. The trials and tribulations of Ralphie are based on the stories from Jean Shepherd, who narrates the film as well. In addition to Ralphie’s humorous antics, the film also features his friends, school life and family and how they seem to get in the way of his desire to own that BB rifle.
This original film represents what classic Hollywood film structure is all about. Our hero, Ralphie, has a want. His want is materialistic, therefore, makes it attainable especially for a boy like him around Christmastime. The audience can latch onto Ralphie because we see or have seen ourselves in the position of someone who just wants something they know they can’t have. As an audience member, we can relate to this story and its characters because it just feels real… and like home.
In late 2022, a sequel to the classic film was released on HBO Max.A Christmas Story Christmasrevisits Ralphie as an adult and his life as a dad. In a tribute to his father (played by Darren McGavin), Ralphie seeks to give his children the best Christmas in his childhood home. While the concept of this sequel sounds wholesome and innocent, one must argue if revisiting this story is worthwhile. 40 years later, did we need to go back onto the streets where Ralphie once lived? Could anything meet the expectations set by the original?
A Christmas Story Is a Holiday Tradition
The beauty of the originalA Christmas Storyis that it is a moment frozen in time. Thefilm takes place in the 1940sand establishes a traditional atmosphere that sends the viewer to a simpler and more innocent part of their life.
One of the most prominent factors that makes the originalA Christmas Storyso popular is the24 hour winter movie marathonevery on Christmas Eve. TBS plays the film every year for a full day for audiences to relive the magic of Christmas through the eyes of young Ralphie. It is an event on television that families all over the country get to experience. Since TBS acquired the broadcasting rights to the film in 1991, the network has shown it yearly since 1995. This has become a staple of Christmas traditions, although the movie is still available to stream on platforms like Hulu.
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Streaming has become widely accepted as the most utilized form of viewing, butA Christmas Storyalmost loses some of its value if it is so accessible. Many families specifically wait for all-day airing ofA Christmas Story, but the sequel didn’t exactly get the same hype of its predecessor. In addition, the sequel being sent immediately to HBO Max makes it almost feel like a commercialized byproduct of the original film, and it doesn’t hold that same nostalgia. While a feature film format is the best way to showthe story of Ralphie as an adult,A Christmas Story Christmasdoes not offer the same value as its predecessor. Much of this is due to a common issue with sequels, especially long awaited sequels.
The Problem with Sequels Today
We now live inthe age of reboots, sequels, and continuations of any and all stories one could possibly imagine. Franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been aligned with the foundation of set-ups and continuations in order to tell a larger narrative which is supposed to ultimately pay off. Most sequels outside this format are mainly cash-grabs to achieve the financial success of the original film.
Related:Ralphie Returns in the Official Trailer for A Christmas Story Christmas
However, nostalgia proves to be more lucrative in terms of ticket sales. The problem is that nostalgia only lasts so long. Since the originalA Christmas Storycame out in 1983, and was shown on television for one day a year, that nostalgia does not necessarily set up proof for a franchise. Because the characters and the actors have aged so much since the original film, there is a disconnect with the audience. Peter Billingsly still maintains Ralphie’s essence and persona, even more so after appearing in other Christmas classics such asElf. However, the rest of the cast have been removed from the viewpoint of nostalgia.
Seeing Flick (Scott Schwartz), Schwartz (R.D. Robb), and Randy (Ian Petrella) back in their original roles is a nice gesture, but there is a lack of connection from their childhood characters. Since the original film was told from the viewpoint of the children, it did have a heavier impact on the audience because it maintains that Christmas magic and spirit, with hints of adult themes. The sequel is mainly told from the perspective of an adult, with a plot that we have seen before in countless films about fathers trying to overcome numerous obstacles to make Christmas special for their family (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacationprobably takes the cake, butJingle All the Way, The Santa Clause, Jack Frost, Deck the Halls, and so many others fit the bill).
For all these reasons,A Christmas Story Christmassimply does not carry the same emotional impact as its predecessor. It might be nice to check out once for curiosity’s sake, but there’s no chance that it will become the yearly tradition that the first film birthed.
