Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season (Turner Classic Movies)

There's good and bad in this book, so it's getting a mediocre rating from me.If you want people to know Classic Movies - especially the older ones - you MUST include them. For a Turner Classic Movie book to leave out It Happened on 5th Avenue or Tenth Avenue Angel is just sad. I mean, we're talking Victor Moore's most heartwarming Christmas character - probably anyone's ever, or Margaret O'Brien and a kneeling cow at midnight Christmas Eve!!! To put Gremlins and Nightmare Before Christmas as "classics" before these, or even before Elf (which I do consider worthy) or other newer movies just negates the whole idea of *Classic movies*. They already know the newer movies. Think about your responsibilities as a "Classic" movie channel. Who ever heard of All Mine to Give before TCM? It's an incredible hear-touching movie from when the boomers were children. But it's NOT in this book!!!!Mind you, there are some great inclusions - my favorite Christmas movie, The Bishop Wife - and one of my favorite movies of all time that I don't generally consider a Christmas Movie, The Lion in Winter. It is a classic no matter how you look at it. But that you put Lion and Die Hard both in the book saves it from being a 2 star. There should always be violence and murderous families in Christmas movies.And Not to mention all the Scrooges....I mean it, literally NOT mentioning them....is irresponsible. IMO, the author missed the best Scrooge of all, Seymour Hicks. Everyone who sees that version gets it. George Scott's Scrooge comes in a close second. And who can forget Gene Lockhart's face (Cratchit in the 1940s/Reginald Owen Christmas Carol) when he sees Scrooge at the door? I have never warmed to the Alastair Sim version or the musical version - Sim is a creeper Scrooge and reminds me of his pedophile character in The Terror; of course, only classic movie fans would know that. But I would expect it to be in this book, as that's the only version John Q. Public knows.In the same vein, all the versions of Little Women should have been in the book. Comparing Hepburn to Allyson to Ryder, or all the Professor Baers or Lawries or Amys, is half the fun of it.Don't dumb down books like this because of what the public wants to see. Educate them. Everyone likes to watch a movie they haven't heard of when it's recommended in a book such as this. There's no law you have to have a specific number in a given list. You could have added a few more.

We purchased this book for Christmas for our 10 year old granddaughter who is on the autism spectrum. She likes to have TCM on the television almost all the time. Has to know the years the movies were made and memorizes them and the titles. When she opened her present the biggest smile came across her face! She had to start reading it for awhile before she continued opening her presents. It actually brought tears to my eyes to see how much she liked it! Her favorite movie was on the cover- White Christmas.

Love reading about the behind the scenes with movies. States who is in each movie and short snopsis of what the movie is about and interesting facts about the actors and how the movies were made. Also what makes the movie an important Christmas movie. Photos included. Nice coffee table read for the holidays while you are sipping your coffee and enjoying your cookies!

It took about 2.5 months to receive my copy, but I knew that when ordering. I am puzzled why some movies were not included. "It Happened On 5th Avenue" was a movie that increased popularity thanks to being shown on TCM, and since TCM published this book, its omission is rather curious. The "Santa Clause" series were not included; there's also some Made-For-TV Christmas movies that should have been included as well, such as "The Santa Suit", "Mr. St. Nick" and "Call Me Claus." It's too bad they didn't increase it to "50 Classics To Celebrate The Season." Some of their choices do not conjure up Christmas when viewed: "The Apartment", "Die Hard", "The Lion In Winter", "Gremlins"?! While those are film classics, I don't really consider them Christmas classics. The book itself is nicely illustrated, with movies in chronological order. It's enjoyable to get some backstory on my favorite holiday movies. I just wish there had been other Christmas movies included and a few choices eliminated.

While not a complete summary of all the Christmas movies ever made, this is a well written book that showcases some of the best Christmas movies ever made. A must read if you're looking to find some of the best Christmas movies to watch, rent, or own.

I have enjoyed the book and would agree with most selections but the author overlooked one of the best, most recent Christmas movies 'The Santa Clause' (tsk, tsk)

If you are a classic movie buff and enjoy TMC this is a good book for you. It breaks down some of the classic holiday films and it gives the reader a little insight into how the movie were made.

I found this book delightful. I loved reading about all the holiday films, as a lover of Christmas films I felt I had to read this book. I’m sure in the thirty films this book highlights somebody’s favorite was left out. I questioned a few omissions myself, but overall I thought the thirty they did pick were a good variety of films spanning from the nineteen thirties to the early two thousands. The pictures were lovely, the snippets and facts about the films were interesting, and the layout of the book was solid. It was never dull for me. I loved it. It’s also a great read for folks if their interested in discovering some classic Christmas movies that aren’t as well know today.

I did enjoy this book but was puzzled that so many of the films showcased were not Christmas films just films that had come out over a Christmas period. I did enjoy the trip down memory lane though.

Great for a present at Christnas foranyone who loves the movies.

Lovely useful reference book

a fun book with individual essays on each film with pictures.While I can't say I agree with all the choices , I appreciate the glossy hardcover and the pictures. For the most part, the author gets it right. A great gift as well.

This book is great for the holidays or for anyone who wants to know the secrets behind the making of movies.