One of the best parts about Christmas is the movies! Whether it be the classic stop motion movies from the 60s, or live action movies like The Santa Clause, they all have one thing in common: Amazing soundtracks!
The Holiday
Every year when the temperature goes down and the christmas lights go up, I turn on The Holiday. There’s something about the comfort of a Nancy Meyers film that gets me every time, and it’s certainly made The Holiday a christmas classic in my house. In the movie, Cameron Diaz switches houses with Kate Winslet over Christmas, each very much in need of a far away vacation, and they each find the love that they’re seeking within themselves and all around them, with the help of some strangers. In the movie, Jack Black plays a Los Angeles Film Scorer who catches the eye of Kate Winslet. Together, they dream up new melodies and move audiences (or maybe just me) to tears. The score to the actual movie was done by the great Hans Zimmer, who has done work for movies like Interstellar, The Lion King, Dune, and lots of superhero movies. Though the score has no words, it’s melodies give the movie it’s magic, creating themes for different characters, and putting a sound to the feeling of falling in love. It’s simple, understated piano melodies and sappy strings illuminate the story, and put a little bit of Christmas magic into a rom-com classic.
– Avieana Rivera, Music Coordinator
Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer
When I think of certified holiday and Christmas classics, the Rankin & Bass 1964 film Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer is first in my mind. Its iconic claymation style brings so much nostalgia, and the soundtrack brings even more. From Burl Ives’ iconic covers of Christmas songs such as “Silver and Gold” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas” to the Videocraft Chorus’s singing about being Santa’s elves and misfit toys, every track on the record transports me into the miniature snowy sets of the film. And who can forget “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” the namesake of the film, and the signature tale of the film itself. Even just the instrumental scores of Rudolf’s adventures exude jolly and whimsical times. The soundtrack is kitchy in the best way, grand and small at the same time, and will always remind me of being a young kid bundled in blankets watching all the Rankin & Bass movies during the holiday season.
– Lucia Cinquino, Staff Writer
A Charlie Brown Christmas
Even if you don’t know the name Vince Guaraldi, you’ve probably heard his music. The jazz pianist composed scores for many shows featuring the Peanuts gang, including A Charlie Brown Christmas. In my house, it’s not really the holiday season until we watch the Peanuts special, and the music is a huge part of what makes it so nostalgic. After all, what would the iconic dance sequence be without Snoopy jamming on bass and Schroeder playing the piano chords of “Linus and Lucy”? Additionally, it’s hard to name a more iconic cartoon scene than the Peanuts kids gathered around the tiny tree singing Guaraldi’s original “Christmas Time is Here” with heads hung high in the air.
From his melancholy rendition of “O Tannenbaum” to the magical sounds of “Skating,” no one knows how to set a seasonal vibe quite like Vince Guaraldi. If the holidays start to feel like the “big commercial racket,” Linus laments, turn on A Charlie Brown Christmas for some festive cheer.
– Annie Sarlin, Staff Writer
