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Whltby Free Press, Wednesday, November 22,1995, Page 7 Christmas movies Counting today there are five more Wednesdays until Christmnas. That also means five more columne. After today, four. Thue it seeme fitting that we could devote some time and energy defining home videos worth adding to your private library of Christmas movies. By definition, these muet fit three criteria: they muet be movies with Christmas as a main theme; they muet be worth watching and rewatching, they muet be available on video. With these ground rules, I offer the fbllowing as my own private recommendations. Most now exiet in the Swan t'amily video archives; some we rent when time and availability ailows. My favourite haif dozen, give or take a couple, given in no particular order: Frank Capra' Its a Wonderful Life (1946), etarring Jimnmy Stewart and Donna Reed, will be broadcast over many channels over the holidays. That means there's no real need *te buy your own version, unless you have a hankering te watch this enduring classic without commercial interruptions. If 'you're a puriat, buy the colourized version and turn the colour off. Whatever. And turn off your harsh, cynical, critical mind. You deserve it. Beet of rash of modern "classics" is -a 1990 charmer, Pranoer, released on video by Nelson Entertainment. This s tars Sam Elliott as the father. and Rebeoea Harreil as nine 1-year-old Jessica, who nurses Prancer back te health juat in time for Christmas. Filmed ini Michigan, this movie bias the feel of rural poverty anywhere. Elliott has hie mle down so pat that in sevemal places in the movie he is my cousin Donny te perfection. Ile fantasy in thie one worke only because of the close attention te detail. And the cameo mole played by Clones Leacliman: only a star sure of her own talent could pull that one off. Not ail Christmas videos work o well. Tim Bumton'e T/he Nig/ttmare Defore Christmas wiil neyer be the instant classic the video case boasts. iàke us, you may have now nunibemed it axnong the justifiably ignored tities on your sheif. Hype does that, especially with children in the house. Slightly more memomable, and worth buying if you will have younger childmen in the bouses even for an afternoon, are the following four television productions: The Little Drummer, Boy (1958), narrated by Greer Garson, featuring the song by Katherine Davis; Raymond Briggs' Thte Snowman, an Academy Award nominee in 1982; Rudolph thte Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964, 1 think, but the type on the package je getting awfully tiny), Burl Ives narrates and singe; Frosty t/te Snowman (1969), sung and teld by Jimmy Durante. What the heck. The eong's a classic. Back te movies: T/he Santa Clause includes some chealp. 1995 family moments, and uses special effects te answer that age-old stumper: EHow doee Santa get down the chimney when we don't have a fireplace? Watch Tim Allen literally grow into this role. No list would be complete without Alastair Sime playing Scrooge in A C/tri stmas Carol. I also like A Muppet Christmas Carol, but then rve been described as a bit bent. And no list of mine would be complete without A Christmas Story starring Darren MéGavin. Itfs the one about tlh oywho wannte aRe Ryder crbneatin - YESTERDNWO O!DONOVAN'S CAiUUAGE FACTORY, BROCK STRE SOUMfI 1875 This is a rare photograph of Michael O'Donovan'e Carrnage Factory, located where the Price Chopper store ie now. The fr-aie building was constructed i 1869 and demolished in 1907. The buckle factory replaoed the carniage factory in 1887. Whitby Archives photo 10 YEARS AGO from the Wednesday, November 20, 1985 edition of the WH1TY FREE PRESS *Muriel Coatee has retired after 32 yeare as administrator of Fairview Lodge. *Sixteen-year-old Chrietina McDonald of Wbitby je the top female gymnast in Canada and 26th in the world. *Frankljn'e je eelhing bonelese butt pork chope for $1.79 a Pound. *Owasco Volkswagen je expanding its promises. 35 YEARS AGO from the Thureday, November 17, 1960 edition of the WBITY WEEKKLY NEWS " Coîborne Street Public School je planning to present the light'opera 'The Pirates of Penzanoe." " Walter Pitman, M.P. will be speaker at the first New Party meeting to be held in Whitby on Oct. 26. " A five-year programn to replace ail Hydro Poles i Whitby bas been completed. " The largeet graduating clase ever from the Whitby District High School bas 20 honour students. 80 YEARS IAGO from the Thureday, Nove mber 18, 1915 edition of the WR1TBY GAZE¶TE AND CHRONICLE " Night watchman Pattereon discovered a fire in a pool hall at 2:45 a.m. and saved the