The Story Behind Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

This is a guest post by Beth Carpenter, author of the novel A Gift for Santa.

When I was growing up, my favorite Christmas special was always Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. I can still picture it on my parents’ big console television, with commercials showing electric razors gliding across the snow and Burl Ives as the singing snowman.

You all know the story of Rudolph, the reindeer that didn’t fit in because of his red nose. Rudolph struggled, but in the end, he was able to take his place on Santa’s team and become a great success. But do you know the story of Rudolph’s creator? He has some struggles of his own before he became a success.

10 best things to do in London during the holidays if you love movies

Get ready for the most wonderful time of the year with the best London Christmas events for movie lovers in November and December.

London is one of the only cities in the world that is totally immersed in its own typical Christmas magic. In addition to watching the dazzling decorations in the shopping streets and listening to the carol singing around the capital's biggest Christmas tree on Trafalgar Square, there is a bounty of lesser-known holiday activities that will delight any movie fan.

Celluloid Diaries scouted out the best cinematic events in London during the Christmas season. But beware, if London wasn't already on your list of European cities to visit during the holidays, it probably will be after going through this list of activities.

Ten movies to watch if you love Flatliners

Have you guys seen the 2017 remake of Flatliners yet? Just like the original version from 1990, the story focuses on five medical students who embark on a scary but exciting experiment: they stop each other's hearts for short periods to trigger near-death experiences. When they are brought back, it seems like they have taken something from the afterlife with them.

If you haven't seen Flatliners, you should, because the film is super creepy and entertaining.

That being said, this is NOT a piece of art. In fact, the reviews have been awful. With a more honest and realistic direction, Flatliners could have been a compelling, character-based narrative. Instead, director Niels Arden Oplev focuses his energy on making his film hip and creepy, and thus also flat, uninspired, and at times a little silly.

But... it's a fun choice for a scary night out at the movies.

Scary Christmas movies to watch during the holidays

The time has arrived to start watching Christmas films. Are you bored of the usual fare of romance and comedy? Do you like your Christmas movies with hints of terror or blood?

Then you might want to check out the nearly 200 (!) Christmas horror movies featured in the new book Yuletide Terror: Christmas Horror on Film and Television which is now available for pre-order. This comprehensive compendium unwraps the true meaning of films featuring everyone from the Krampus and Scrooge to killer snowmen and evil elves. It contains essays and reviews by acclaimed authors such as Kier-La Janisse (House of Psychotic Women), Amanda Reyes (Are You in The House Alone?), Stephen Thrower (Nightmare USA), Mike Gingold (Fangoria), Owen Williams (Empire), and more.

To celebrate the occasion, seven writers from Yuletide Terror - Mike Gingold, Kier-La Janisse, Paul Corupe, Leslie Hatton, Owen Williams, Alexandra West, and Diane Rogers - share their favorites and why they should be on everyone's list of Christmas horror movies to watch.

The films are in no particular order, but we saved everyone's favorite for last. Can you guess which one it is?

The art of DC - The dawn of superheroes

The exhibitions at the Musée Art Ludique in Paris are a must for everyone who enjoys movies and comic books. Its vocation is to pay homage to the artists who entertain us by imagining and drawing some of the most memorable images of our century, thus becoming a part of art history.

For the end of the year, the museum has teamed up with DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Consumer Products to debut The Art of DC – Dawn of the Super Heroes, a one-of-a-kind exhibition that celebrates DC’s history, mythology, art, and characters. It features nearly 250 original drawings, more than 300 preparatory sketches, and a selection of authentic costumes and props used in the blockbuster DC films.

Here are some pictures of the exhibition, as well as an overview of the movies and superheroes it presents.

Women in Horror and the TV Movie Genre that Embraced Them

This is a guest post by Amanda Reyes, author of the book Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium 1964-1999 

Rising from the ashes of the slasher heyday of the early 1980s, academics and fans alike have embraced the notion of the female-centric horror film. The term “Final Girl” has become part of the genre’s everyday lexicon, and the character has evolved in many different and fascinating ways. Charting the direction of the Final Girl from Laurie Strode in Halloween (1978) to Neve Campbell in Scream (1996) communicates the ways in which horror filmmakers have addressed female spectatorship. And if you were to dig even deeper (and may have already if you read Richard Nowell’s excellent Blood Money), then you can see how second-wave feminism played a part in cultivating the types of images and themes that might attract a female viewer. This goes all the way back to the mid-seventies when Bob Clark’s Black Christmas (1974) gave Olivia Hussey a chance to demand independence, foster female friendships, and direct herself in ways that spoke to the self-aware women in the audience. But even before that seminal proto-slasher set the tone, television was already doing the same work, in an attempt to reach that female demographic, most notably in the made for TV movie, where women were considered the most desirable viewer.