November 17, 2022
A Christmas Story Christmas is a 2022 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis with a script he co-wrote with Nick Schenk, from an original story co-written by Schenk and Peter Billingsley. It is a legacy sequel to A Christmas Story (1983) and is the eighth installment in the Parker Family Saga franchise, while ignoring the events of My Summer Story (1994) and A Christmas Story 2 (2012). The film was produced by Billingsley and Vince Vaughnalong with Cale Boyter, Jay Ashenfelter, Marc Toberoff and Irwin Zwilling. Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie Parker alongside Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R. D. Robb, Zack Ward, and Yano Anaya returning as Randy, Flick, Schwartz, Scut Farkus, and Grover Dill respectively. Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne play Ralphie's wife and kids, with Julie Hagerty (replacing Melinda Dillon from the original film) as Mrs. Parker. In the film, after the Old Man dies, Ralphie takes his family to his childhood home, reuniting with his mother and old friends, while being tasked to deliver a memorable Christmas.
A Christmas Story Christmas was released in the United States on November 17, 2022, on HBO Max.
Storyline[]
In December 1973, 33 years after the events of A Christmas Story, 42-year-old Ralph "Ralphie" Parker lives in Chicago with his wife, Sandy, and two children, Mark and Julie. Ralphie has been taking the year off from his job to write his first novel, but its excessive length leads multiple publishers to reject it. Mrs. Parker calls to tell Ralphie that his father, "the Old Man", has died, and the grief-stricken family makes its way to Hohman, Indiana to be with her. She gives Ralphie two tasks: write his father's obituary, and take up his mantle of making Christmas special for the family.
Ralphie's children befriend one of the Bumpus kids next door, and have their snowman smashed by two bullies on a snowmobile. Ralphie reunites with Flick, who now owns his father's old tavern, and Schwartz, who still lives with his mother and has run up a large tab at Flick's. While leaving the house to go ice skating, Sandy slips and sprains her ankle.
As Christmas Eve approaches, the family goes to Higbee's, where Ralphie miraculously buys everything Mark and Julie asked for while the children speak to the store's Santa. On the way back, Ralphie's car overheats, and Ralphie accidentally hits Julie in the eye during an impromptu snowball fight. After Julie receives a temporary eyepatch at the hospital, the family discovers their car was robbed in the hospital parking lot; the presents are gone, and there is little money left to replace them.
Back at Flick's, Flick offers to forgive Schwartz's tab if he sleds off a giant ramp; Schwartz manages to complete the stunt, but Mark breaks his arm sledding down the nearby hill afterwards. After Ralphie is rejected by his final prospective publisher, he laments his difficulties, but is encouraged by his mother and Sandy. Remembering his favorite Christmas with his father inspires Ralphie to write a long article instead of a standard obituary; however, he leaves it on the desk, needing to prepare for Christmas Day. Mark and Julie manage to get back at their bullies by building a snowman over a tree stump so that the snowmobile crashes.
On Christmas Eve night, the star falls off the Parker's tree and breaks, upsetting Julie. Frustrated, Ralphie ignores objections from his wife and his mother and goes out to find a new star. All the local businesses are already closed, so Ralphie breaks into Flick's tavern to "borrow" the star from the tree. On his way out, he is apprehended by Scut Farkus, now a Hohman police officer. Ralphie is terrified of what Scut might do to him, but Scut brings him home, saying he owes Ralphie because their childhood fight set him on a better path in life.
Mrs. Parker goes into the basement to change a fuse and finds several thoughtfully-picked, pre-wrapped gifts, which the Old Man had bought shortly before his death. On Christmas morning, the family is delighted to open them, and all their other presents as well. Ralphie is confused by compliments he receives about his piece in the newspaper, and Sandy reveals she found the obituary manuscript and took it to the local paper because of its high quality. The phone rings, and Ralphie is offered a new job as a syndicated columnist, fulfilling his dream of becoming a full-time writer. Much of the town comes to the Parker house for Christmas dinner; after dinner concludes, the core family asks Ralphie to read them his story about the Old Man. Ralphie takes a seat in his father's armchair and begins reading, and his narration slowly transitions into Jean Shepherd's opening narration from the first film.
Also See[]
Sound Effects Used[]
- Elektra Records, Cash Register, Modern Type/Hollywoodedge, Cash Registers Drawe TE021802
- H-B ZIP, CARTOON - QUICK WHISTLE ZIP IN, HIGH
- Hollywoodedge, Belch 7 Long Disgusti PE138601
- Hollywoodedge, Children Sml Grp Laug PE954803/Small Group Kids Laug PE143601
- Hollywoodedge, Dogs Three Barks Howl PE023901
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 5 Man InsaneT PE134601
- Hollywoodedge, Two Body Fall Gravel PE106301 (1st bodyfall)
- Sound Ideas, BABY - CRYING, OUT OF BREATH, HUMAN (Heard briefly once when Ralphie takes a doll that was on the shelf inside of a mall.)
- Sound Ideas, BLINK, CARTOON - XYLO EYE BLINKS
- Sound Ideas, BURP - LARGE BURP, HUMAN 01
- Sound Ideas, CHILDREN - SCREAMING: FRIGHTENED, BOY OR GIRL, HUMAN (1st scream only)
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - CARTOON RICCO 07
- Wilhelm Scream