It’s A Wonderful Life leaves Mr. Tingle va klempt but I tend to wander off halfway through. However, there are a few movies we always watch together this time of year: Thin Man (for the Christmas party scene); Wonder Boys (not technically a Christmas movie but it feels like one, and not just because of all the snow and sleet); and the extended Lord of the Rings trilogy (because nothing says “Merry Christmas!” like 10,000 Orcs on your doorstep).
The other Christmas-watching tradition calls for Mr. Tingle (who is a tolerant man) to trundle an old television with VCR attachment from our attic so I can watch a VHS tape of Gelsey Kirkland and Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing The Nutcracker. This year I intended to pair it with Mark Morris’s Hard Nut, which Terry recommended here a while back, but Netflix has alas, not obliged.
I plan to pop in here next week. But just in case: I wish you all a merry and joyful holiday!
Terry Teachout on the arts in New York City
