Friday Open Thread ~ "What are you Watching?" edition ~ Yuletide films
A story inspired by the Christmas truce of 1914, a miraculous occurrence of peace for two days when men laid down their arms, came out of their trenches, and celebrated the holiday together. The aftermath depicted in the film is also part of history. The German, French, and Scottish commanders were severely reprimanded for "fraternization with the enemy." New troops were brought in to replace those who had been tainted by the experience. After all, war depends upon seeing the other side as subhuman.
In a disturbing scene, Palmer, the Anglican priest, is harshly criticized by his bishop, who argues that Jesus did not come to bring peace but a sword. Later, we see the bishop telling the new recruits that they are in a crusade, a holy war for freedom. Hearing these words and realizing how far this view is from the teachings of Jesus, Palmer takes off his cross, leaves it on a bedpost, and walks away.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc4_24og2RM]
[video:https://vimeo.com/55219040]
[video:https://youtu.be/3FKLlKcBnyk]
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcPLsIy4tys]
[video:https://youtu.be/KdiQhoexwE0?t=95]
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q_ubAEskZQ]
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sG7x8hHFST0]
[video:https://youtu.be/PGPX5sT6o1o?t=50]
[video:https://vimeo.com/161340594]
[video:https://vimeo.com/34173378]
Last but not least, we finish up with Charles Dickens and George C. Scott:
A Christmas Carol is a 1984 British-American made-for-television film adaptation of Charles Dickens' famous 1843 novella of the same name. The film is directed by Clive Donner who had been an editor of the 1951 film Scrooge and stars George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge.
Comments
What could be a purer distillation of “hate” than war?
But I notice that none of the celebrated crackdowns on so-called “hate speech” ever include “war speech” — of course not. As promoters, cheerleaders, and facilitators of war the New York Times and nearly the entire Washington DC establishment would have to cancel itself.
Christmas in the Trenches
One of my favorite Christmas songs about the event you lead with today.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9coPzDx6tA]
As to films here's a story set during Christmas
H. G. Wells' Things to Come 1936 (1.5 hours)
The story shows the destructive nature of war and how it will catapult us back to a state of barbarism, warlords, and another plague called the "Wandering Sickness." However, science lift humans above all this and creates a new, modern society free of warfare. ...Well it is Christmas.
[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atwfWEKz00U]
“Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
Good morning, philly ~~
I do love the original Miracle on 34th Street and any version of A Christmas Carol. A Christmas Story is another favorite and It's a Wonderful Life goes without saying, for me. Including the Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas round out my favorites of the season.
I no longer send cards to anyone - stopped that last year. Minimizing my burden with the holidays is key, and something I've been working on for a few years now. I stopped decorating because it was a burden to take it all down and store it. Now that I'm in a situation where I can only have a few of my things with me, "stuff" takes on a whole new meaning. I have too much of it and I don't really have all that much!
We need to be living as loving human beings. We must bring about unity consciousness to the planet. We are citizens of the earth, let us remember our humanity and embrace our fellow human. That is what the season should celebrate and continue on throughout the year. This is the year to begin that process. Celebrate the solstice, Monday, as it is bringing about great changes to our earth. Let's all unify, as we are unified on this site, and bring it to our neighbor, our city, our world.
Enjoy the day!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Good morning Philly. To be honest, none of the above
nor anything else holiday oriented. Even the existence of the "Xmas miracle" is largely negated by what followed and even the mythical Jesus spoke out of too many sides of his mouth IF you credit his putative scribes' telling.
On a lighter note, Commander Keen was released 30 years ago this week and a playable copy of Invasion of the Vorticons can be downloaded from the Internet Archive. It was actually a somewhat non-agressive game, vastly different from something like Doom and Call of Duty, or even Duke Nukem or Castle Wolfenstein. It came out just in time for the ecksmass holiday and a lot of folks of various ages played the hell out of it over the holidays that year.
Reading all my usual stuff and watching mostly nothing but music, political and "educational-ish" vids. Never a fan of the whole xmas schtick, even the "miracle" really tells, to me, a sick tale - "hey, it's a miracle that for one day, driven by ancient superstitions, we can act in a decent and half-assed intelligent fashion", but that's the cynical old curmudgeon in me, that I somehow became in my pre-teens and stuck with ever since.
be well and have a good one.
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
God morning philly. The solstice
Is my main squeeze. Many years ago now, way before it was politically correct, my kids said no more presents. No more useless consumption. If you must, then gift to a charity in our names.
I really enjoy the season and what it means to each. I love the lights and decorations and cheer people have.
For me, my great joy is in the spinning of the planet and all things cosmic connected to it.
Peace. Take good care.
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Already seeing the Great Conjunction, last night about 6:10
pm either SW or WSW, a bit to the right of the moon, you could tell it was two barely separate planets with the naked eye. My week to cook and I was getting dinner on the table so I didn't break out the binos, but any night that's not cloudy to the west should be good, peak on the 21st. Ig you have anything like Stellariium or Google Sky, you can use it to sort out where it will be from your place. Along the coast should be super.
be well and have a good one
That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --
I'm watching
, well listening to Peter Joseph and his RevolutionNow Podcast series.
[video:https://youtu.be/Fsl4hvTbjNA]
From the video Description
C99, my refuge from an insane world. #ForceTheVote
I do not celebrate Christmas,
other than it being the perfect time to go on some tour, as that is a time when courts do not convene.
In 2017, I spent the holiday in Spain. Flying back home, the movie, "Daddy's Home 2" was showing on the plane. I decided to have a snack, a couple of beers, and a watch a goofy movie to pass the time.
The movie was just a hoot! If anything can go wrong with plans for a perfect Christmas, this movie has it. If any movies show how manufactured Christmas cheer and goodwill are, this movie does it best.
I wound up watching it twice. It made the 8 1/2 hour flight pass easily and quickly. And I just might not appreciate Mel Gibson as a person, but he is one hilarious actor, mostly making fun of himself.
I made it a practice to have my niece select a charity to either give money to, or a needy individual for her to buy and deliver a gift personally. She enjoyed doing both.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981
What I'm watching
I have the TV set to record Rudolph and Grinch for my granddaughter - my 2 favorite holiday cartoons. I've never watched miracle on 34th street, couldn't even say what it's about. FX put out a version of A Christmas Carol last year and it's the best version I've ever seen.
https://www.fxnetworks.com/shows/fxs-a-christmas-carol
I've started watching Stargate SG1. I think someone here recommend it. Never watched it before. Got kind of a Doctor Who feel to it but Who is still better imo. I find myself rolling my eyes whenever they say something good about the US or humans in general.
Is it great yet?
That was me on Stargate
I hope you will stay with it and get to know the characters and the missions they take. It’s my favorite show to just escape into. I just watched Urgo season 3 episode 15 or 16. Watch it before you quit if you do.
I agree that American exceptionalism comes across a lot. I roll my eyes too.
Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.
Here's something to watch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WXroiXWfcI&feature=youtu.be
It's so very relevant to today!
"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11
Thanks ra
Right on. Unlearning the programming. The planetary crisis is not a soap opera.
Stop Climate Change Silence - Start the Conversation
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We heard an odd wild hoarse bark-like set of sounds that went
on for awhile last night. Then we remembered it's often in soundtracks of British films or TV series. On a guess we Googled Fox barking. And there it was.
[video:https://youtu.be/Gv_FZOn7lak]
Also looked up what to do with leftover ham fat. So many ideas. One of those lost agrarian arts. And there are always the birds who need fat in Winter.
Saw the two planets a couple of nights ago with the tiniest sliver of a waxing Moon. So beautiful. Looking for them tonight as it's cold and clear.
Happy Solstice everyone.
A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit. Allegedly Greek, but more possibly fairly modern quote.
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pork fat I render down to a liquid
pour it in a jar, refrigerate it, then use it as solvent for beans, eggs, meats and veggies. Works good with biscuits and gravy as well!
Just so you know, PBF,
I have been aware and reading about those WWI troops calling the Xmas truce since I could read.
I also got schooled on it by my Dad, a WWII soldier who attended OTS, and was an amateur historian.
Any reason to stop killing each other for no good reason is just good.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981