5 Christmas Films You've Probably Never Heard Of But Should Watch Now
- Eve Andrews
- Dec 15, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Dec 23, 2021
We’re all well aware of the current season’s usuals: The Grinch, Elf, Love Actually, Nightmare Before Christmas, etc. Every year, we look forward to cuddling up on our sofas with a pile of festive food, ready to hit play on one of our favourite Christmas Classics.
But have you ever thought of changing things up a bit? Because I want to share with you a handful of Christmas movies that don’t get near enough the amount of attention they should - well worth a peek if you fancy something different!
No, I’m not talking about the Muppets version.
Okay, I get it; that’s most people’s favourite - fair enough. But the original story of A Christmas Carol was written with a very different vibe. There’s one adaptation in particular that captures the eerie atmosphere of this classic Christmas ghost story particularly well.
Released in 1999, directed by David Jones, the beloved role of Ebeneezer Scrooge is brought to life by Sir Patrick Stewart who portrays the infamously tight-fisted miser as the hardy, thick-skinned Victorian that the 1843 Dickens novella described him as.
As per the original story’s intentions, this more sardonic version of A Christmas Carol goes far deeper than the simple message of “be nice to people”. It dives headfirst into both the societal and personal effects of poverty, loneliness, childhood trauma and the tyranny of obsessive ambition.
This leads me neatly on to The Man Who Invented Christmas - if you watch/ read A Christmas Carol this year, you’ll definitely want to follow it up with this!
The Man Who Invented Christmas is a creative biopic that follows the beloved British author, Charles Dickens, through his struggle of writing the above mentioned Christmas classic. We witness his ongoing battle with writer’s block, self-doubt, obstructive publishers and poor work environments. The movie also delves into the overall life of Dickens, from which he was known to draw from in his writing frequently. This tackles issues such as poverty, child abuse, unhealthy coping mechanisms and systemic failure - a real emotional hit when you notice the parallels between the authors own hardships and the themes explored in A Christmas Carol.
Onto animation now with this beautifully quirky Netflix original! Set in Sweden, Klaus is a unique Norse take on the origin story of Santa Clause. It follows the growth of a spoilt and overprivileged young man named Jesper Johansson. As a disciplinary measure, his father puts him to work in the family postal business in a town picked out specifically to give Jesper one hell of a hard-hitting culture shock. It’s here that he gets the fright of his life after running into the mysterious, taciturn and terrifyingly tall axeman, Mr Klaus, an encounter that leads him into a twisting path he never intended to go down.
Directed by Sergio Pablos, Klaus uses an artistic 2D/ 3D hybrid animation style similar to that found in movies such as Spider Man: Into The Spider-Verse, though with a uniquely charming, picture-book aesthetic. This, paired with its exceptional cast, quick-witted script and pleasingly clever details, Klaus is a sure staple for every Christmas movie list!
We’re heading way back with this one! An oldie but a goodie, The Bishop’s Wife follows Henry Brougham, a Bishop who feels defeated in his efforts to raise money for a new Cathedral. He begs for divine intervention, after which a man by the name of Dudley promptly appears who, to the Bishop’s disbelief, claims to be an angel. He quickly ingratiates himself into Broughman’s household, interferes with his work and even catches the eye of his sweet but long-suffering wife. Extremely perturbed by how God has supposedly interfered for the worse, Broughman decides he’s going to clap back and challenge the authority of Heaven! A sweet story of squabbles of self-growth, this classic vintage piece is a perfect afternoon watch while munching on those boxing day leftovers.
A cult classic for a reason, it’s high time that Trading Places is given its regular spot among the Christmas classics. A hilarious Christmas comedy steeped in real-world commentary and emotional depth, this film will have you clutching your sides one moment and lost in deep thought the next.
Set in the snow-laden streets of New York, starring Dan Ackroyd and Eddie Murphy, it follows the story of two men on opposite ends of the socio-economic spectrum. Louis Winthorpe III (Ackroyd) is a high flying managing director at a major stock exchange firm with a bright future ahead of him; a far cry from Billy Ray Valentine (Murphy), a homeless man hustling just to get some food at the end of the day. However, things take a bizarre twist when Winthorpe rashly accuses Valentine of attempted theft - something that he’ll soon go on to deeply regret.
Through its edgy comical lens with a sprinkling of slapstick, Trading Places explores themes of bigotry, poverty, power, and racism amongst the elite, just to name a few. If you fancy something fun but a little less fluffy than the usual festive flicks, this will make a perfect post-watershed watch this Christmas!
Do you have a favourite Christmas film that doesn’t crop up quite so often? Let us know down in the comments!
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