Monday, December 12, 2016

Top 12 Little known Christmas Specials

(Music from the last seasons of the Original Run of American Gladiators play as a Speedy shot of James Faraci riding with Santa on his sleigh is seen, then throwing snowballs, then singing Christmas Carols with The Muppets, then baking cookies, then Waxing Rudolph’s red nose to add to the brightness and pal around with Frosty before fading away to see a picture of the North Pole Santa Workshop appears in the background as Jesus Christ, Santa Claus and Santa Christ appear in the foreground as all three stand as a Christmas Tree land over them and James Faraci stands alongside the Christmas tree with a smile on his face and in Holiday text the words of The Last Of The Americans stand by his side as Jingling Bells and snow falls in the intro before cutting to everyone save for James in the parking lot walking to the studio)

Paulo Fonseca: You're pulling our leg!
Olivia Horvath: No joking I am a Psychic medium!
Renee Miller: That sounds cool.
John Santos: Did anyone ask you if you've seen Elvis?
Olivia Horvath: Constantly! And for the record YES! He is dead! AND IF ANYONE ELSE has any stupid questions I WILL SEND SPIRITS AFTER YOU!
Rebecca Yaun: Well if it's okay I'd like to ask if you know what's on the menu for today with our annual Christmas Reviewerverse Shindig?
Olivia Horvath: Turkey with Cranberry Sauce and Stuffing, Shrimp Cocktail and Garlic Shrimp, Pigs in Blankets, Meatballs and Sausage, biscuits, A Deli Platter, A Veggie platter, various cookies, pies, A Vanilla/Chocolate sheet cake and A make it yourself cocktail bar!
Rebecca Yaun: How did you know that?
Olivia Horvath: He sent me an E-Mail telling me what's on the menu! Didn't you guys check your E-Mails? 
Others: No not really. (Cut to James running out to the outside of The Studio and meeting up with the rest of the team)
TLOTA: GUYS! STAY RIGHT THERE! (James stands a foot away and says the "Apache Chief Growing cry" as he grows to be the size of a 300 story Skyscraper as the Others look up and shout "WHAT THE....?" before multiples continual zooms to James face)
TLOTA: CHRISSSSSSSSSSSSSSTMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! (Cut to Angry Joe in his satellite as James' echo violently wakes him up and he says Ow! before cutting to James Shrinking back to normal as everyone save for Olivia is shocked)
Olivia Horvath: Do you usually do something this extreme to say how much your excitement Christmas?!
TLOTA: Well, let's say after last year's Nostalgia Critic's first Christmas review intro nearly wiped everyone off the face of the earth though Chicago. I scaled back! 
Olivia Horvath: And you guys are not surprised when he does something like this?!

Renee Miller: Last year when he did the intro he was yo-yoing in the center of a green and red hypnowheel!

Olivia Horvath: Well with as loud as you got I'm certain by the end of 2017 we're going to be making first contact!

TLOTA: Well, I can't help it! (Cut to well known Christmas Specials as an electric guitar covers "The 12 Days Of Christmas" and James does a voiceover)

TLOTA (Voiceover): It's incredible to describe, it's the one time everyone reverts to being a kid and we get to watch our favorite animated and live action Specials. But yet for every "Frosty The Snowman" there's a "Cricket On The Hearth". For every "Charlie Brown Christmas Special" there's a "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" and that is kind of sad to know that people don't know about at least HALF of the countless Christmas Specials that don't get shown as much as they should. (Cut to James in his office.)

TLOTA: Well guess what Santa James Faraci The Last Of The Americans is gonna give 12 specials the recognition they deserve! Why 12?  (James grabs a Santa hat off screen and puts it on his head) HO! HO! HO! These are the Top 12 Little known Christmas Specials! (Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the words "The Top 12 Little known Christmas Specials" before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 12 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

12) Joyeaux Noel

TLOTA (Voiceover): I put this one here because it's actually getting more and more recognition. Set in World War I this movie is about the troops in the trenches who make a truce to stop the fighting for one day and celebrate Christmas together. Which is exactly how things are supposed to be for everyone of us. Just this one day when we forget our differences and we call all of ourselves brothers and sisters! They come out of the bunkers, talk to one another, hold a Christmas Mass! It's an amazing thing to know that people can be that good at heart! And this movie shows the sacrifices that these soldiers made NOT to break the bonds they made in that night the troops decided to stop the fighting. If you get a chance to watch it or to find it, get it to maybe just remind us of how good humanity can be!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 11 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

11) The Pee Wee Herman Christmas Special

TLOTA (Voiceover): While it's not as unknown as bigger Christmas specials, it is not as really well known. Partly because it doesn't break any new ground or doing anything different. It does feel like a well done satire of Christmas Specials and it is done in such a weird and crazy way it's hard NOT to enjoy it. It has celebrity cameos because that's what Pee Wee Herman thinks should be in Christmas Specials and to this Christmas Special's credit it doesn't feel like it's bad. If you want to see it, it's available on Netflix and other Streaming services. Check it out if you want to enjoy something so bonkers and yet so full of Christmas Spirit!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 10 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

10) The Rifftrax Live Christmas Shorts-Stravaganza

TLOTA (Voiceover): From the ashes of MST3K Michael J. Nelson, Kevin Murphy & Bill Corbett decided to get together and make a fresh start in a new Riffing medium, The Internet where they could riff on ANYTHING unhindered and this Christmas Shorts-Stravaganza with Weird Al Yankovic on joining them as they primarily take on Public Domain or lesser known movies and Shorts. The Cynicism they exposit on these shorts might actually make you feel better as the Holidays continue on! It's available on DVD and on Hulu and other streaming sites if you're looking for it. Give it a watch, it's worth seeing a bit of Cynicism that doesn't come from a Green guy who thinks Christmas must be stolen for him to enjoy their sorrows.

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 9 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

9) A Claymation Christmas Celebration

TLOTA (Voiceover): If you were a kid of the late 1980's early 1990's and seen the California Raisins ads. Then you know about the Claymation studios of Will Vinton. But this special has got a unique charm around it. It's hosted by Dinosaurs and has musical vignettes in which some of the silliest moments but also some of the greatest covers of Christmas songs. And some of the animation is so abstract you swear you have to pause and double check the animation just to make sure what you're seeing IS animation. That's remarkable! It's available on DVD and while I'm not sure about the Streaming sites I am sure you have to see it to believe it!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 8 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

8) Hey Arnold "Arnold's Christmas"

TLOTA (Voiceover): For those who don't know "Hey Arnold" was about a kid named Arnold whose parents left and never returned possibly the parents are presumed dead and lives with his grandparents in a boarding house full of unique characters. One of them being Mr. Hyunh who left his daughter as he was off doing his duty in the Vietnam war. And as his gift to Mr. Hyunh Arnold decides to find his daughter and reunite the two and if I say any more I'm likely to give away the twists and turns and everything else that makes this one an awesome Christmas Special. It's available on DVD and I think on Shout TV I could be wrong but I'm also sure if you look it's also available on Streaming services. Check it out and see a tale of a Football headed kid just trying to make the world around him a little more bearable.

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 7 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

7) A Chipmunk Christmas

TLOTA (Voiceover): This Special featuring Alvin, Simon & Theodore and their adoptive father Dave Seville is the first one in which Ross Bagdasarian Jr play Alvin, Simon & Dave. The special animated by Chuck Jones could be seen as a semi proto pilot to what eventually became the 1980's Alvin & The Chipmunks series. It focuses on Alvin and his Golden Echo Harmonica and a fan of Alvin's named Tommy and I'm not going to get into too much detail because it will ruin possibly one of the most heartwarming Christmas specials I've ever seen because there is so much to like. The Animation, the music, the story, the twists and turns, I can't do it justice here. If you're looking for it, it's on DVD and I think it's on Blu-Ray I could be wrong on that but  I know it's on YouTube and trust me this special is something that needs to be seen to be believed!

(Cut to James physically)

TLOTA: We've got six more specials to go and three hours before the party so...

Eliza Dushku (Audio only): Hey James, we need more glassware, silverware, plates and more pigs in a blanket!

TLOTA: Well, The next six will be taken care after the break! We'll be back!

(Commercial Sting with American Gladiators first run's final season's ten seconds theme with James Standing alongside a Christmas tree to Holiday Text saying The Last of the Americans. While the sound of Jingling bells and the sight of snow falling are covering the sting then same moment returns to the review)

TLOTA: Whew we are an hour away from this party getting started. So maybe I can finish this countdown without something going wrong again. Let's just say it involved a pressure cooker. Don't ask!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 6 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

6) ALF's Special Christmas

TLOTA (Voiceover): All I can say about this one is YOWZA! This is possibly one of the saddest Christmas Specials I've ever seen! I mean we have Gordon "ALF" Schumway having befriend a little girl named Tiffany who knows this is her last Christmas in a hospital or on this planet, The Tanners' friend whose Cabin they're staying in having lost their significant other and deciding to end his own life and yet they try to balance out this with a woman having  a baby as Gordon assist her in giving birth and the Tanners trying to get through the Holidays in a Cabin with "Humorous" results. As humorous as a special can be when the special ends with Tiffany looking at Gordon outside the hospital's window and the two share sad glances at one another and the last scene is that of an "In Memoriam of..." scene of a fan of the show! (Cut to James physically on the verge of crying)

TLOTA (quietly): What is wrong with you Christmas Special?! (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

TLOTA (Voiceover): If you're looking for it, the special WAS on HULU for a while but you can also check it out on YouTube and other Streaming sites. Give it a watch if you want but be warned if you want to have your heart torn to bits this is the special for you!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 5 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

5) A Family Circus Christmas

TLOTA (Voiceover): Based on the Comic Strip Characters. This special features the characters by Bill & Jeff Keane sees the one of the younger children Jeffy coming along on a sleigh ride with Santa in hopes of getting his dad the best gift he can find. Will Jeffy get it for his dad? Well you'll have to do some searching but it is on YouTube and sadly not on any streaming sites or on DVD. But if you can find it, I STRONGLY Suggest you check it out. It's worth the time to find this jewel and give it the respect it deserves.

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 4 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

4) The S CLUB 7 Christmas Special

TLOTA (Voiceover): This is something that I feel should be more well known for my own reasons. But here's the gist of what you need to know about the special. A musical group of seven singers from the United Kingdom is trying to make it big here in the states but with their careers not getting off the ground they decide to take a break, go home for the holidays and hopefully comeback in the spring of the next year hopefully in Los Angeles to start fresh. But after being fired from their Mall Santa Job and a crash involving some of their members the remaining members must choose to be loyal to their fallen friends and stay in the City Of Angels or go home as is leaving those who are injured and hope for the best. Well, if you want to know the whole story you're gonna have to find it. But as far as I know it's on YouTube either in one whole episode or in multiple parts and I personally enjoy it. (Cut to James physically)

TLOTA: So if everything is about this is enjoyable and has a decent moral decision the group has to make then why isn't this being shown more? (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Because the band are known for the four series of thirteen episodes and not their music and believe me their music is just that right amount of 2000 pop that should've been more than just a one-hit wonder! That's right they only one hit the Aptly titled "Never Had A Dream Come True" peaked at the Number 10 spot for the first two weeks in May of 2001! They deserved better! They deserved to have tour the States as musicians! But no! Their manager thought they weren't worth their time! Their Manager SIMON FULLER WHO ONCE MANAGED THE SPICE GIRLS, WAS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON AMERICAN IDOL AND PRODUCED A TON OF TALENT SHOWS STATESIDE AND OVERSEAS WHO HAD POSSIBLY A GREAT GROUP THAT WOULD'VE LASTED PAST THE ZEITGEST OF WHAT HAPPENED AND GOT THEM TOUR SPOTS WITH SOME OF THE MUSICIANS OF THE TIME STATESIDE AND DECIDED "NO, I WILL NOT LET THEM SUCCEED!" UP YOURS YOU SCROOGE! HERE'S HOPING YOU GET A LUMP OF COAL UPSIDE YOUR HEAD! But thankfully last year they had a reunion tour but if you lived in the UK you were golden. If you were one of the dozens of American fans you had to spend MORE money just to see them perform once again in the May of 2015! Fourteen years AFTER they made it big here Stateside and twelve years after they broke up! Well, here's hoping people eventually find them out whether through Nostalgia or YouTube and people actually see them for what they should've been!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 3 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

3) The Snowman

TLOTA (Voiceover): With amazingly hand drawn animation. This tale of a Snowman coming to life is far removed from "Frosty The Snowman" as it can get. With an intro beforehand by the late David Bowie in some versions of this special, amazing music and no dialogue we see this tale of a magical Snowman taking his human friend to a Snowman party and if I give away too much you might not want to see how it goes but it ends on a simple note that makes this one so compelling! It's on DVD, Blu-Ray and on Amazon Prime and some other streaming services for you to check out. If you haven't seen it then you HAVE to see it. This one has to be seen and just beholden as a cherished classic.

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Number 2 (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

2) The Little Rascals Christmas Special

TLOTA (Voiceover): Set during the Depression this animated special follows Spanky, his little brother Porky and their mom played by original "Our Gang"/ "Little Rascals" actress Darla Hood and how Spanky & Porky need to get the rest of the gang to help their mom get something she needs and that is as far as I dare go. Because there is a lot of to enjoy! One thing I should note is that the Directors of the animation would eventually create the 1980's Animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. And the best place I could find this is on YouTube and Dailymotion if you're looking for it. Check this one to make sure as Buckwheat says best OKAY!

(Cut to a basic animated Snow flurry scene with a blue background as Jingling Bells are heard and "Christmas in Sarajevo" by The Trans Siberian Orchestra plays in the foreground before the number is shown)

TLOTA (Voiceover): And the Number one little known Christmas Special is.....(Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

1) A Christmas Story! (Cut to the cover of the more well known movie DVD)

TLOTA (Voiceover) NO NOT THAT ONE! (Cut to clips of the special as James does a voiceover)

TLOTA (Voiceover): I'm talking about the story about a dog and his little mouse friend trying to make their way to find Santa and give their master's letter to Santa. Will they overcome all the obstacles and give their letter to Santa? Well, for that you'll find it on DVD specifically the Hanna Barbera Christmas Classics Collection but it's not available for streaming though. But I'm sure it's out there on YouTube and other video streaming sites. Check them out, they're worth the time!

(Cut to James physically)

TLOTA: And that was the top 12 little known Christmas Specials and for me this was important! (Cut to clips of Christmas Specials well known and little known as James does a voiceover)

TLOTA (Voiceover): Because these specials need to be remembered even if The Nostalgia Critic can't remember them and to be fair all of them needs to be added to our Holiday Special collection that we all should see and Know that there's room for "Home Alone" and for the animated "Elf on The Shelf" Special equally. There's plenty of room at the table for everyone if we remember that they deserve it even if they are older or lesser known they deserve it as much as the most known of all the Christmas Specials.

(Cut to James physically)

TLOTA: I'm James Faraci The Last Of The Americans. Happy Holidays everyone! (Scene fades to black as the words "A Few Hours Later..." before cutting to James as cleans up the office and finds Aiyanna Wade reeking of booze and half passed out in the kitchen without a word but heartwarming music heard in the ending of The Nostalgia Critic's review of "A Christmas Story 2" is heard as James lets Aiyanna sleep off the drinks she had properly positioned so she doesn't choke on her vomit, hooks her up to an I.V. pump and in case something goes wrong places a bottle of water and aspirin, bucket next to her if she feels ill later on the couch and James goes to his business office and falls asleep on the floor with a blanket over himself curled up in a ball before cutting to the next day as Walter Banasiak finds Aiyanna on the couch)

Walter Banasiak: Hey Aiyanna! (Aiyanna wakes up shocked to see herself hooked up to an I.V. pump with D-5 Half Normal Saline with 20 KCL at 100 CCs an hour, Walter, A bucket, a bottle of Water and a bottle of Aspirin)

Aiyanna Wade: Walter, what happened? I remember going to the bar and making my Batgirl cocktail and next thing I know I'm sleeping on a couch so I don't blow chunks on myself. What happened?

Walter Banasiak: Well, you had more than one and next thing we all knew you grabbed James by the Po-pos! and were stumbling around trying to kiss James under the Mistletoe and well you tried to find more to drink. We lost you in the mix. Apparently James found you and the rest is history.

Aiyanna Wade: Did he...?

ORAC (Audio only): James spent half the night up making sure you were comfortable, the other half... (Cut to Walter and Aiyanna looking into James' business office before cutting to see James asleep on the floor on his side.)

Walter Banasiak (Audio only): Can't believe he spent the night here and made sure you were comfortable. Didn't even have the time to do anything else. (Cut to Aiyanna Wade coming up to James's still asleep body and gives him a kiss on the cheek before walking away and closing the door letting James sleep before cutting to hours later as James wakes up to discover a card saying only one word "Thanks" and James smiles sadly and nod to say to himself "I did the right thing" and walks over to the vault behind ORAC's area and places it in the vault)

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