A Christmas Story star, R.D. Robb, recently explained why the movie's iconic flagpole scene needed to be reshot. Set in the 1940s, the film centers on the Parker family told through vignettes as ed by Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsley). One such critical moment occurred in the local school's yard during recess when his friend Schwartz (Robb) triple dog dares Flick (Scott Schwartz) to lick the school's metal flagpole. Not backing down, Flick obliges and gets his tongue stuck to the structure.
On the first episode of Peter Billingsley and Vince Vaughn's new podcast, in A Christmas Story. The actors explained that the effect was completed by Scott sticking his tongue to a hole in the hollow pole connected to a vacuum device to create suction. However, the scene had to be completely redone due to a film development error. Read what Robb had to say below:
"This is the second time we shot it because the first time we shot it, they underdeveloped the film, and we had to go back and do it again if you ... we were there a couple days longer because we had to go back and do it again ... the new lab in Toronto underdeveloped the film, and Bob [Clark -- director] came to me. He said, 'Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is you're here an extra three days. The bad news is we gotta go back and do it again.'"
Why A Christmas Story is Timeless?
Directed by Bob Clark and based on Jean Shepherd's In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, the 1983 Christmas film centers on the Parker family going through their lives during the holidays in an American suburb in the '40s. Following the movie's release, A Christmas Story gained popularity due to repeat broadcasts on television during the holiday season. Relying on childhood nostalgia for simpler times with stories many American families can relate to, the movie became a modern holiday classic.
As Ralphie is the movie's focus, A Christmas Story can be seen as a coming-of-age story. The narrative structure is based on the time in a person's life when they transition from childhood. Such a story is inherently relatable as its emotions and experiences resonate with audiences, even though situations in people's lives may vary dramatically. With each holiday season, new young viewers -- possibly going through similar experiences as Ralphie -- discover the movie, keeping A Christmas Story's relevance alive for future generations.
The iconic holiday movie has impacted popular culture, and various sequels were produced to capitalize on the film's positive response. Although some have been relatively forgettable, including the straight-to-DVD A Christmas Story 2, the latest sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas, which sees several of the original cast returning, has been well-received by critics and audiences. Although capturing the magic of the original A Christmas Story is a near-impossible feat, the latest edition to the Parker family franchise honors what made the original timeless.
Source: A Cinematic Christmas Journey, SlashFilm
