Episode 88: Mrs. Santa Claus (feat. B.L. Panther)

Explicit content warning

07/05/23 • 101 min

Kerry and Collin are joined by film critic B.L. Panther to talk about the 1996 made-for-TV musical "Mrs. Santa Claus," starring Angela Lansbury, Charles Durning and Michael Jeter. How did this end up being the perfect film to talk about the week of Independence Day? How is Santa magic used (or not used) in 1910 America? Finally, is it so hard for commercial-based streaming services to put their commercial breaks in where they are actually supposed to go in a made-for-TV movie? All this, plus many titles--old and new--covered on he Blu-ray Gift Exchange.

Blu-ray movies covered:

NEON:

Music Box Films:

Criterion:

"Time Bandits" + "Rules of the Game" & "Red River"

Warner Bros.

"Evil Dead Rise"

"National Lampoon's Vacation"

Warner Archive:

"The Damned Don't Cry"

"Angel Face"

"The Old Man and the Sea"

"Dangerous When Wet"

"Caged!"

Kino:

"Tales From the Gimli Hospital"

"A Zed and Two Naughts / The Fall"

"Draughtman's Contract"

"Anna May Wong" Collection

Blu-ray movies covered:

NEON:

Music Box Films:

Criterion:

"Time Bandits" + "Rules of the Game" & "Red River"

Warner Bros.

"Evil Dead Rise"

"National Lampoon's Vacation"

Warner Archive:

"The Damned Don't Cry"

"Angel Face"

"The Old Man and the Sea"

"Dangerous When Wet"

"Caged!"

Kino:

"Tales From the Gimli Hospital"

"A Zed and Two Naughts / The Fall"

"Draughtman's Contract"

"Anna May Wong" Collection

Previous Episode

Episode 87: Trapped In Paradise (1994)

Kerry and Collin take a look at the 1994 crime comedy "Trapped In Paradise," starring Nicolas Cage, Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz (the previously planned "The Holly and the Ivy" episode had to be postponed). How does this movie compare to other get-out-of-town crime comedies that also take place during Christmas? Is there such a thing as a "nativity sleigh"? What does any of this have to do with 1959's "The Aligator People"? All this, plus three films covered during Kerry's "We Just Say Book' segment.

Book films covered:

Make Way For Tomorrow (1937)

Tokyo Story (1953)

Moonstruck (1987)

Next Episode

Episode 89: Die Hard - 35th Anniversary

Erik Childress and Erik Laws return to talk with Kerry and Collin about the classic action film that redefined the genre while also changing the conversation about what constitutes a Christmas movie: 1988's "Die Hard." Everything about the film today still feels perfect and their discussion covers a wide range of iconic scenes and characters. Who was the script originally intended for? Was giving officer Powell the final kill the right move? Is it a Christmas movie? (of course it is, but it has to be asked no matter what, apparently). The discussion dovetails nicely into Kerry's "Book" segment.

Book films covered:

"Die Hard" (1988)

"Stagecoach" (1939)

"Natural Born Killers" (1994)