THE SPIRIT OF CHRISTMAS (1953)

Well, this is my last Ho, Ho, Ho film of this X-Mas season, and I've got to tell you, it actually is a Saturday Night Special event, but hold on, because now comes the boring part where I tell you why!

Puppets can be pretty creepy, and this film is no exception, except these Mabel Beaton Marionettes are pretty amazing looking. Gerry Anderson could have learned a thing or two about details from Mabel Beaton. I looked around but I really couldn't find that much more info about Mabel. She was the writer and the director of "The Spirit Of Christmas" too, but that seems to be her only credit. She also was an author who wrote a book titled "The Complete Book Of Marionettes." So I guess it's time to quote Procol Harum,
"Mabel, Mabel, please get off the kitchen table!"

Look at these Bell telephone workers going to town back in the time when there was a work ethic!

They are making books in braille for the unfortunate blind children of the world!

Since it's for blind kids, they add touch and feel objects! I'm just not quite sold on the whole dead mouse thing!

"The Spirit Of Christmas" is divided into two halves! The first half is a blow by blow re-telling of "Twas The Night Before Christmas" by the author Clement Moore!

 Santa is on the way!

Mom looks like a Lucy who has been up for a while on an all-nighter!

"While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads!"

Where these freaky ginger bread men cookies fit into the deal, I have no idea!

"Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash."

Part two is all about the birth of Jesus Christ! This is Mary!

This is a beggar who tells Joseph and Mary where they can go since there's no room at the inn. So just in case you're ever wondering why the homeless population is so out of control these days, just remember there were people living on the streets over 2000 years ago, so it's no wonder it's a problem today!

Joseph and Mary arrive at the manger.

The wise men show up, and I think it's pretty cool that back in 1953, they made one of the wise men black! Think about it, and it only makes sense!

Look at Mabel's shepherd puppets! They look like real people!

Anyway, I think that in 1953, the fact that a major corporation approached Christmas from both the Santa and the Jesus angles was pretty open-minded and amazing, cause...

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love, and understanding?" - Elvis Costello

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 I hope the spirit of Christmas shines down upon you and

"May your days be merry and bright!"

THE OUTER LIMITS / Season 1 Episode 12 "The Borderland" - 1963

Here's a little stocking stuffer for a Friday... In this story, scientists are working on a machine that can create new dimensions and possibly contact the afterlife, they convince a wealthy man to finance their experiments with the possibility of contacting his dead son.

It stars Philip (THE INVISIBLE BOY) Abbott, Gladys (THE BLACK CAT) Cooper, Nina (CRY OF THE WEREWOLF) Foch, Barry (THE MAGIC BOX) Jones and Mark (AGENT FOR H.A.R.M.) Richman.

Here are Professor Ian Fraser, his wife Eva and Lincoln Russell, they have gone to the house of the wealthy Dwight Hartley to discuss a deal to fund their effort to reach into the fifth dimension, where, they say it's possible to communicate with his beloved dead son. Luckily, the scientists will receive their funding as requested after Ian shows Mr. Hartley this!..

After Ian accidentally stuck his left hand into the magnetic field during an experiment, it's a right hand after he pulled it out... McWeirdsville!!

Anyway, the scientists get a sweet set up inside a super duper power plant, now there's plenty of electricity to proceed with the show!

Before Ian steps into the dimensional field though, they use a lab rat to test the machine. There are phasing problems that have to be resolved...

And at one point, the poor rat explodes!!.. Not a good omen for Ian.

They finally iron out many of the problems with the machine and it's ready to go. Ian speaks with Hartley about his son before he tries to enter another dimension.

So, awaaay we go!!..... Ian enters the dimension with much discomfort and tries to describe what he's seeing and feeling!

Here's Mrs. Palmer and her helper, they decide to (sub plot) sabotage the experiment and they send things into a tail spin! Ian cannot hear so Eva writes out messages for him.

Here, Ian tells them that he seems to be on an alien planet!

Eva gets into the mix and things get super crazy! She tries to reach for Ian through the field.

As you can plainly see, Ian's having one Hell of a time!!

Eva screams for Lincoln to.. PRESS THE GODDAMN BUTTON!!.. And, he does!

Okay, this one doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense, but, it's lots of fun to watch! Ian gets his left hand back but Mr. Hartley bites the dust... Check back tomorrow when Eegah!! spreads his XMAS cheer!!

JINGLE ALL THE WAY - "Could This Be Christmas?" (1996)

 Welcome to the Yuletide Cheer Version of What a Waste of Time and Money Wednesday in The Dungeon!

 "Jingle All The Way" came out in 1996, and  I'm absolutely sure tons of people love it, but all I can think about when I see a film like this is that the estimated 60 million dollars it took to make it could have sure built a whole lot of homeless shelters. It just kind of makes you wonder, with all the good that the people of Hollywood want to do for the world, if they just made ten less pictures like this out of hundreds, that would be 600 million dollars that could actually be put to good use!

 "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....."

".......Everywhere I go!"

Arnold was supposed to purchase a TurboMan doll for his son for X-Mas, but he's been too self absorbed, and now it's come down to the last minute, and the chase is on!!

TurboMan is the most popular toy of the season! I love the cereal box!

Every store he goes too is the same story! The employees usally laugh at him for being such a buffoon!

TurboMan's sidekick Booster sucks, so there are plenty of his doll's available!

One store after another and an ongoing battle with Sinbad who is also trying to find a doll! And it's kind of funny, that it's not really very funny!

 I used to kind of like Arnold's movies, but after his stint as Governor of California......

 ......And going out on his lovely wife with the maid, I lost all respect for the man, when I realized he's only funny, because in real life, he's really a Dummkopf!

The crescendo is a big Christmas parade which adds lots of color!

Just because of all the funny characters, the Christmas parade was my favorite part of the movie!

I think if they had just made a TurboMan superhero movie, it would possibly had a better chance to be a good movie!

Away in a manger, Sleigh bells ring, Tis the season to be jolly, and Jingle all the way!