Christmas in the Movies

30 Classics to Celebrate the Season

Contributors

By Jeremy Arnold

By Turner Classic Movies

On Sale
Oct 9, 2018
Page Count
208 pages
Publisher
Running Press
ISBN-13
9780762492480

Turner Classic Movies presents a bucket list of the best and most beloved holiday films of all time, complete with spirited commentary, behind-the-scenes stories, and photos spanning eight decades of Christmastime favorites.

Nothing brings the spirit of the season into our hearts quite like a great holiday movie. “Christmas films” come in many shapes and sizes and exist across many genres. Some, like It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story, are perennials, while others, such as Die Hard, have only gradually become yuletide favorites. But they all have one thing in common: they use themes evoked by the holiday period – nostalgia, joy, togetherness, dysfunction, commercialism, or cynicism – as a force in their storytelling.

Turner Classic Movies: Christmas in the Movies showcases the very best among this uniquely spirited strain of cinema. Each film is profiled on what makes it a “Christmas movie,” along with behind-the-scenes stories of its production, reception, and legacy. Complemented by a trove of color and black-and-white photos, Turner Classic Movies: Christmas in the Movies is a glorious salute to a collection of the most treasured films of all time.
Among the 30 films included: The Shop Around the Corner, Holiday Inn, Meet Me in St. Louis, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, A Christmas Story, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Little Women,and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

  • "Arnold's second book in Running Press' TCM collection is a savvy roundup of seasonal films, with sharp observations about such perennials as Holiday Inn, It's a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Christmas Story, and Elf. Stalwart film buffs will be especially pleased to find essays and rarely-seen photos covering unexpected choices like Miracle on Main Street, Beyond Tomorrow, Trail of Robin Hood, and We're No Angels, among others. (Any book that includes a tribute to Roy Rogers scores points with me.) An exceptionally handsome design in an unusual format (7 ¼ x 8 1/4") makes this an appealing gift. It can adorn your coffee table without taking up too much space."
    LeonardMaltin.com
  • "This volume is a welcome television table companion."-
    Booklist
  • "Christmas in the Movies is a keepsake treasure perfect for gift giving. And it's very likely that if your loved one doesn't watch classic movies that they've seen several of the classic Christmas films listed in the book. It's beautifully designed and I particularly liked its more compact size. If you're looking for a coffee table type book this is not it. It's better suited on your mantle next to your Elf on the shelf and above your Christmas stocking."
    Out of the Past blog
  • "Another handsome, beautifully-illustrated, and affordable entry in Turner Classic Movies' series of books on film history, genres, and trivia, comes just in time for the holidays... Christmas in the Movies is comprehensive, informative, and fun. It might well be the perfect gift this season for the movie lover in your family!"
    Cinema Retro

Formats and Prices

Price

$24.00

Price

$30.00 CAD

Format

Hardcover

Format:

Hardcover $24.00 $30.00 CAD

Jeremy Arnold

About the Author

Jeremy Arnold is a film historian, commentator, and author of Turner Classic Movies: The Essentials volumes 1 and 2 and Christmas in the Movies: 30 Classics to Celebrate the Season. His writing has appeared in Variety, the Hollywood Reporter, Moviemaker, and the Directors Guild of America magazine, and he has recorded audio commentaries for the Blu-ray or DVD releases of numerous vintage films. He lives in Los Angeles.

photo credit: Kate Butler

Learn more about this author

Turner Classic Movies

About the Author

Kirk Douglas (1916-2020) distinguished himself as an actor, producer, philanthropist, and author. His numerous recognitions for achievements both on and off screen include an Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and France’s Legion of Honor. Over a career spanning seventy years, he starred in some eighty films.

Anne Buydens Douglas built her career in the film industry as a publicist. She met Kirk Douglas during the making of Act of Love (1953) and they married soon after. Anne would become his closest advisor and eventually take the reins as president of their independent production company, Bryna Productions.Turner Classic Movies is the definitive resource for the greatest movies of all time. We entertain and enlighten to show how the entire spectrum of classic movies, movie history, and movie-making touches us all and influences how we think and live today.

Learn more about this author