Holiday Foreplay with Jenn Bennett + Giveaway
We all have a mental list of our favorite holiday movies. Yours might include IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, or MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET. I love those, too; however, sometimes I’m in the mood for something less traditional. If you find yourself looking for alternatives to watch this time of year, here’s a list to lead you down a darker—yet, still festive!—holiday path.
1) THE THIN MAN (1934). A witty, dark murder mystery, starring my all-time favorite screen couple, Nick and Nora Charles. He’s a former detective and full-time alcoholic who gets pulled back into a case during Christmas time; she’s his rich and delightfully funny wife. Nora: “How many drinks have you had?” Nick: “This will make six Martinis.” Nora (to the waiter): “Will you bring me five more Martinis, Leo? Line them up right here.”
2) BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974). A sorority house is terrorized by a stranger over Christmas break. Crazy people! Murder! 1970s sorority girls! I mention this movie in Arcadia #3, BINDING THE SHADOWS. Ignore the recent remake and go for the classic, directed by the same guy who made A CHRISTMAS STORY.
3) GREMLINS (1984). Young Billy gets a cute Mogwai for Christmas named Gizmo, only things go bad when the little cutie is fed after midnight. Tiny, crazed devils running around after everyone: what’s not to like? Maybe this influenced the Imps in the Arcadia series.
4) BRAZIL (1985). Terry Gilliam’s dystopian masterpiece is retro-futuristic, sci-fi noir, and just plain charming. Sometimes people forget it takes place at Christmas. If you like steampunk, this film has been cited as an influence by several writers.
5) TALES FROM THE CRYPT (1972). A British horror anthology film, based on stories from EC Comics. The first story, “And All Through the House,” stars Joan Collins, who kills her husband on Christmas Eve while a homicidal man dressed as Santa Claus stalks the neighborhood. Suspenseful, bloody fun!
 |
Jenn Bennett is an award-winning artist and author of the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series from Pocket Books. Born in Germany, she’s lived and traveled extensively throughout Europe, the U.S., and the Far East. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two very bad pugs.
|
|
 MAGICAL TRICKS. DEMONIC TREATS. After narrowly escaping her fate as a sacrificial scapegoat, Arcadia Bell is back to normal. Or at least as ordinary as life can be for a renegade magician and owner of a tiki bar that caters to Earthbound demons. She’s gearing up for the busiest day of the year—Halloween—when a vengeful kidnapper paralyzes the community. The influential head of the local Hellfire Club taps Cady to track down the fiendish bogeyman, and now that she’s dating red-hot Lon Butler, the Club’s wayward son, she can hardly say no. |
 
|
 Pre-order: In the third book in this beloved and “riveting” (Romantic Times) urban fantasy series, demon-friendly tiki bar owner Arcadia Bell discovers more about her own evolving, and possibly destructive, magical abilities when her bar is the target of a demonic crime wave. |
About the Blogger
I review Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance books with a focus all things werewolf. Based out of Ottawa, Canada
Owner, designer and main blogger behind Rabid Reads.I also offer virtual assistance to authors and webmaster services to bloggers. I ♥ #werewolves.
27 Comments
Nominations Start May 20th
Pack Mates
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Currently Reading
Pageviews
Affiliates / Advertising
|
| |
 |
|
OK, my favorite “holiday” movie is not really Christmas themed, we just tend to watch this movie every Christmas eve – Lord of the Rings. If the weather is really frightful, we’ll watch all three movies in our pj’s.
My favorite holiday movie is Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. The original none of those remakes or anything like that. I’m a dork, what can I say? lol
My favorite movie is A Diva’s Christmas Carol, but I love all the cartoon specials.
*Grimaces at Gremlins* I remember watching that as a LITTLE LITTLE kid and being scared out of mind. Nightmare inducing.
My picks are a little more happy =P I love Home Alone and the *commentary* on Love Actually. If you haven’t listened to it, I would suggest you do so. The conversations between the director, Hugh Grant, and Bill Nighy are giggle worthy.
I love 3 Days but it hasn’t been on at Christmas for a while. Tore923@aol.com
ELF is my favorite holiday movie. It used to be Die Hard but Buddy Elf makes me laugh so hard my belly hurts
.
Thank you.
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com
My favorite holiday movie is The Nightmare Before Christmas!
It is a 3-way tie between The Christmas Story, ELF, and Charlie Brown Christmas. I love watching Christmas movies, and the best part is introducing them to my kids.
Thanks for the giveaway.
christinebails at yahoo dot com
My favorite holiday movies are Elf and Love Actually.
jochibi AT yahoo DOT com
I enjoy watching Home Alone.
Cambonified(at)yahoo(dot)com
It’s A Wonderful Life!
Thanks,
Leanne
My favorite holiday movie is Miracle on 34th Street.
My favorite holiday movies are The Muppet Christmas Carol, A Charlie Brown Christmas, and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Non holiday movies that I always feel like watching are Harry Potter and Lord to the Rings.
My favorite holiday movie is Christmas Vacation. I have to watch it every year!!!
I love the traditional movies. My favorites are The Holiday, Polar Express, and White Christmas.
Old fave is National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. New kid friendly fave is Arthur Christmas. The grandpa makes the movie!
Fav holiday movie is Christmas Vacation.
The Holiday and Elf are two of my favorites.
This is easy for me…my fav holiday movie(s) are the Home Alone movies!! LOVE LOVE LOOOVE them so much! They always manage to cheery me up and get into the holiday spirit!
My favorite holiday movies are White Christmas and Christmas Vacation!
White Christmas
I love the Thin Man movies! Nick and Nora are great! My favorite Christmas movies are Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut and A Christmas Story. Thanks for the contest and Happy Holidays!
The Year Without A Santa Claus- Heat Miser and Snow Miser crack me up! sdylion(at)gmail(dot)com
I’m weird – I like Jack Frosr Killer Snowman
and the sequel is HILARIOUS!!!! PICK ME!
Gosh your book sounds amazing. My favorite holiday movie is Home Alone and National Lampoons. But I also recently really liked Holiday in Handcuffs.
My favourite movie is Elf! So good!
Happy holidays and thanks for the giveaway.
My favorite is Elf.