Photo Flash: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! in Pictures - Part I
by Caryn Robbins
- Dec 18, 2017
A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! aired last night on FOX, starring Maya Rudolph ('Saturday Night Live,' 'Bridesmaids'), Matthew Broderick, Jane Krakowski, Chris Diamantopoulos, Ana Gasteyer and newcomer Andy Walken. Check out photos from last night's broadcast below!
BWW Review: A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! is a Joyous, Imaginative Adaptation, Despite Inherent Problems
by Matt Tamanini
- Dec 18, 2017
For me, there has always been an inherently cynical, bah-humbug spirit that pervades the majority of the A CHRISTMAS STORY film. The 1983 movie, which brought the phrase 'You'll shoot your eye out,' to basic cable for 24-straight hours every Christmas, is ultimately the antithesis of nearly every other Christmas classic. Though the film is beloved as a holiday cult-favorite, at the heart of the story is a young boy living in constant fear of his parents, bullies, missing out on the gift of his dreams, and practically everything else around him. There's also the issue that the boy's sole (increasingly problematic) wish is to get a gun for Christmas. Despite that depressing take on the holidays, the musical version of the story that was broadcast live on FOX on Sunday night was able to keep the film's story and structure, but to infuse it with an imagination and winsomeness that transformed it into a tale of childhood wonder and persistence. Granted it was a mostly inconsequential tale, but the vibrancy of the score and the performances made it an enjoyable, if not all that memorable, viewing experience.
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