How Elf Became a Modern Christmas Classic

Hint: It’s all thanks to Rankin/Bass.

source: New line cinema

Every year, the same Christmas movies make their rotations on cable television channels in addition to the dozens of new Hallmark movies made every year; but one always stands out as a classic that my family and I watch over and over again.

My parents, the SNL buffs that they are, rented Elf from out local Blockbuster to watch for family movie night. It was Will Ferrell’s first big film after leaving SNL and they figured it would be appropriate for their 6-year-old daughter to watch. Little did they know I’d grow up to watch it every December at school and always find it lurking on cable after Home Alone and before Love, Actually.

Elf was released on November 7th, 2003, although the script was written a decade prior by David Berenbaum.

It tells the story of Buddy the Elf (Will Ferrell) who made his way to the North Pole as a baby when he accidently crawled into Santa’s sack. The elves take him in as one of them. He is adopted by Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), who later tells Buddy where he came from - New York City.

Buddy sets off from the North Pole to New York City in hopes to find his father, Walter Hobbs (James Caan). There he meets his first love Jovie (Zooey Deschanel) who helps him navigate human life and to ultimately save Christmas.

It was picked up by director Jon Favreau (The Mandalorian, Marvel’s Happy Hogan), who in a 2013 Rolling Stone interview, shared how he came to pick up a Christmas movie: “I remember reading it, and it clicked: if I made the world that he was from as though he grew up as an elf in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, one of those Rankin/Bass Christmas specials I grew up with, then everything fell into place tonally.”

source: rankin/bass animated entertainment

Favreau was really interested in drawing inspiration from Rankin/Bass’s 1964 animated movie Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. This is another film that makes its television rotation every year and rightfully so.

The claymation inspired by Robert L. May’s 1939 story of the same name featured Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman, who narrates the story of Rudolph. Rankin/Bass used stop-motion animation to create one of the most heart-warming Christmas specials in television history.

This was my favourite Christmas special growing up and it still is today. I always love hearing Burl Ives’s voice around the holidays and the aesthetically pleasing imagery is engulfing.

It was important to Favreau for this film to look like something out of a Rankin/Bass studio to recreate that classic, Christmas feeling.

From there, production began and decisions were made in how to make this early 2000’s Christmas comedy resemble a nostalgic childhood animated special.

The first notable comparison is in the character appearances. Buddy wears a similar ensemble to Elf Foreman in the claymation – a pointy hat with a yellow ribbon, a green, fur-lined coat, yellow tights, and curly-pointed toe shoes. In fact, all the elves in Elf dress like the elves in Rudolph. Others wear blue and pink like Hermey the elf who wants to become a dentist. At the end, when Jovie and Buddy live at the North Pole, she wears a fully pink outfit like the female elves in the Rankin/Bass special.

There are also notable character comparisons besides the characters. In building the North Pole scenes for Elf, set designers took more inspiration from Rudolph. When the elves are inside the workshop building toys, they are in a similar, grey-wooded building that the elves in the Rankin/Bass work in.

For the snow covered North Pole, a real set was created for actors to film on. It was snowy and white, covered in Christmas trees like in the claymation.

These little details made Elf such a memorable film for those who grew up watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but production didn’t stop there.

Favreau also wanted to incorporate elements of stop-motion and old-school techniques: “We didn’t have a tremendous amount of dough. Part of the pitch, to make it a Rankin/Bass world and not a big CGI extravaganza – part of it is my aesthetic. I like the techniques and technologies used when I was growing up. It feels timeless.”

Stop-motion was used in the opening sequence as a storybook flips pages to reveal the cast and production crew. The penguin ‘Artic Puffin’ makes an appearance here and later along with the other puppets, polar bear, the walrus, and Mr. Narwhal who talk to body and wish him good-bye when he sets off for his journey to New York.

A part of the gag of Elf is that Will Ferrell is huge next to the elves, but believe it or not, no CGI was used to create this illusion. Instead, Favreau reveals that forced perspective was used: “The forced perspective is where you build two sets, one smaller than the other. One set is raised and closer and smaller, and one is bigger and further away. And if you line up those two sets and measure them, you can have one person on one set appear to be much larger than a person on the other set.”

source: new line cinema

Avoiding CGI and opting in for classic film and animation techniques worked in this film’s favour - it made Elf a timeless piece. The stop-motion, large-scaled sets, and costume design played a special homage to Rankin/Bass that also makes this film nostalgic for those who grew up with the Rankin/Bass Rudolph.

Now, only 14 years later, Elf is on everyone’s television screen this Christmas. It is available to stream on Crave, but keep an eye out if you have cable; it will most likely be on a different channel everyday leading up to Christmas.

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Sarah Travis

Sarah is a second-year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. When she’s not in zoom classes, she’s either making coffee for the green siren, or at a thrift store.

What Makes Lady Bird so Special

Greta Gerwig’s Directorial Debut Raises the Bar for all Coming-of-Age Films to Come

Source: a24

In an era of popular young adult media, consumable for teens but also adults, a fair share of cheesy, unrealistic coming-of-age films have hit our screens. As an avid consumer of all things teen when it comes to my media selection, most movies over the years have slipped behind the curtain – except for one.

Greta Gerwig made her directoral debut in 2017 with the release what I consider to be one of the best coming-of-age films of all time, Lady Bird.

This semi-autobiographical piece follows Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) throughout her final year at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic high school, where she embarks on daunting, yet simplistic coming-of-age journey.

Lady Bird doesn’t think about consequences. She is quick to make a move on Danny (Lucas Hedges) when she falls for him during his theatre audition, resulting in a budding relationship. When that ends, she’s quick to capture Kyle’s (Timothee Chalamet) attention after forming a friendship with his friend, popular mean girl, Jenna (Odeya Rush).

Lady Bird is good at getting what she wants, especially when it comes to romance and friendship. But her spontaneity comes back to bite her. After Danny says he loves her, she catches him kissing a boy and breaks her heart. When she moves onto Kyle, she realizes he’s not at great as she thought he was after he lies to her about being a virgin and ditches her on prom night.

What she desires most in the film is to leave Sacramento, California, longing to “go where culture is like New York. Or at least Connecticut or New Hampshire where writers live in the woods,” as she tells her mother.

She decides to apply to colleges on the East Coast behind her mother, Marion’s (Laurie Metcalf) back in attempt to prevent an argument.

source: a24

Her relationship with her mother forms most of Lady Bird’s hatred for Sacramento. As the family struggles financially, the mother daughter duo have a strained relationship.

Marion is tired of worrying about finances. She puts her stress out on her daughter, getting into arguments about what Lady Bird does and how she presents herself. She wants Lady Bird to do better than she did.

source: a24

She takes the time to take Lady Bird dress shopping and makes the alterations herself. She comes home in the morning to get the family ready for the day and cook breakfast. She works extra shifts to pay Lady Bird’s tuition so she doesn’t have to go to the public school where her brother saw someone knifed.

As Lady Bird graduates, she receives an acceptance letter from a university in New York City. She paints over Danny and Kyle’s names she wrote on her walls and finally gets her driver’s license. Her time in Sacramento comes to a close, setting off on her next adventure.

Lady Bird dwells on this move for the span of the film, thinking about how free she will be; however she never thought about the consequences of moving.

She finds herself one Sunday morning in the hospital after being rushed by ambulance for alcohol poisoning after her first party. She leaves and walks though the city’s streets, finding herself at a Church. It all starts to come back.

Lady Bird doesn’t think about consequences. She surely didn’t think she would miss home so soon. The choir’s song inspires her to call her mother.

Her voicemail on her parents’ phone say “Mom, did you feel emotional the first time that you drove in Sacramento? I did. All those bends I've known my whole life, and stores, and the whole thing. But I wanted to tell you I love you. Thank you.”

And that is the end.

This was Lady' Bird’s consequence of moving to New York; making the realization no matter how much she hated it and how far away she is now, Sacramento is home.

The film teaches the lesson on focuses on the present instead of dwelling on the future, which is often lacking in other coming-of-age films, where characters move off to college and never look back. Gerwig gives us closure to Lady Bird’s story, that she isn’t this big, strong adult that has made it on her own.

She’s still a kid even though she’s across the country from her family. She’s still learning and growing, and still needs her mother and the love from her family.

This refreshing ending shows teenage viewers that they still won’t know everything when they move away from home. Home will always be with you in the lessons you learned there and how you continue to grow no matter how far you travel away.

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Sarah Travis

Sarah is a second-year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. When she’s not in zoom classes, she’s either making coffee for the green siren, or at a thrift store.

The Comforting Escape of Gilmore Girls

Entering the Warm World of Stars Hallow

When I moved away from home to attend Carleton University in 2016, I found myself in a constant blur of lectures, homework, and socializing. My mind was always racing with worries about grades and homesickness.

I missed my mom, with whom I’ve always shared a close relationship. I often found (and still find today) myself constantly calling her to hear her voice. My first year living away from her was difficult, and my longing for her company was a new feeling.

I didn’t find an outlet to escape these thoughts until my friends suggested I watch Gilmore Girls.

Source: vogue.com

Gilmore Girls premiered on October 5th, 2000 and aired for seven seasons. It follows Lorelai Gilmore, a young, single mother and her daughter, Rory, born when Lorelai was 16. After Rory’s birth, Lorelai moves out of her parent’s mansion in Hartford, Connecticut, to a garden shed in the fictional town of Stars Hallow.  

Enjoying its second wind in the streaming world, Gilmore Girls has welcomed new fans to the world of Stars Hallow. To accompany its streaming success, Netflix produced A Year in the Life, a reboot picking up nine years after the series finale, to check in on what the titular ladies have been up to.

source: life and style

The show is simple, reflecting on real-life scenarios with a hint of family drama. It runs on quick dialogue and a relatable storyline, which have played factors in the show’s success.

The characters of Rory and Lorelai, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, undergo series of life events. They are relatable, making it the perfect, slow-paced show to watch.

Looking at Lorelai, she is a motherly figure who is far from perfect but does everything in her capability to be the greatest mother she can be. She goes back to college and navigates her way through her career and her romantic life.

As a young adult, I harbour some sort of a relationship with Lorelai myself, although I am not a mother. She is likeable not just for her spunky fashion and quick humour, but for her vulnerability as a character. Lorelai consistently fails but is always back on her feet.

Rory is shy and soft-spoken, unlike her mother; however, she is incredibly smart and gained her mother’s wit. As Rory develops from a high school sophomore to an Ivy-league student, she undergoes many firsts throughout the series that I and countless other viewers relate to.

When she experienced her first romance, I instantly related. I felt those butterflies she had when she had her first kiss, and I felt the heartbreak when she got dumped.

As someone known for being quiet and would rather stay in and read than go to a party, I continue to feel a deep connection with Rory.

source: imdb

The dynamic mother-daughter duo makes me feel closer to my mother. Seeing Lorelai and Rory experience a similar mother-daughter relationship that I share with my mom brings me a warm sense of comfort.

It is refreshing to have a teenage female protagonist who doesn’t hate their mother, a common trope in many shows and movies featuring teenage girls. As close as they are, Rory and Lorelai both make mistakes and experience bumps along the way, which make this dynamic even more realistic.

I felt like Lorelai and Rory were real people in my life, and I was getting a glimpse not only into their lives but my own. The show is raw and emotional but funny and happy at the same time.

It creates a sense of warmth, welcoming its viewers to sit down with a cup of coffee on a chilly night, and become engulfed in the lives of the Gilmore Girls.  

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Sarah Travis

Sarah is a second-year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. When she’s not in zoom classes, she’s either making coffee for the green siren, or at a thrift store.

How Sex Education’s Adam Groff Became a Fan Favourite

Incoming spoiler alerts for the newest season of Sex Education

Two and a half years ago when Sex Education first premiered on Netflix, no one knew that a show about sexually curious British teens would display some of the best character development on the network. Come September 2021 upon the release of the show’s third season. Viewers have fallen in love for these dimensional and emotional characters, especially none other than Adam Groff (Connor Swindells).

Source: The Tab

Adam was not always the lovable character he became in season three. He was a bully in his introduction and taking interest in tormenting Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa), one of the few openly queer students at Moordale Secondary School. Diving deeper into season one, writers create a motive behind Adam’s inability to control his anger: his father. Adam’s father, Mr. Groff is the Head Teacher at Moordale, and lacks the ability to show love to his son, resulting in Adam’s behavioural problems.

Adam takes steps towards his redemption when he finally admits his feelings for Eric. They start seeing each other in secret. Adam reveals a calmer side to himself, but still isn’t ready to come out at school. Eric calls things off because of the shame Adam holds over himself. Continently around this time, Adam’s mom offers a piece of advice at the end of season two: if you love someone, tell them.

Adam decides to tell Eric and the whole school about his feelings. He interrupts the school musical and tells Eric in front of everyone to show he no longer has shame. This is a milestone in Adam’s redemption story, considering his inability to communicate his feelings and habit of lashing out in season one.

Season three opens with a glimpse into Adam and Eric’s newfound love. The whole school knows about their relationship, but not Adam’s parents. This bothers Eric as audiences get a deeper glimpse into their relationship as they fall in love, begin having sex, and learn about one another. The chemistry is undeniable but there is one lingering element; Adam identity relies on Eric. When coming out to his peers, Eric was and continues to be his support.

On Adam’s trip to Nigeria, he kisses another boy at a gay club. He tells the truth after Adam rejects Eric’s suggestion to go to a gay club. Adam is crushed when Eric ends their relationship because he feels Adam is holding him back. Next is another milestone in Adam’s journey; he confides in his new friend, Rahim and asks for advice for writing poetry. Rahim advises he write a poem from the heart, and Adam does exactly (photo of poem below). This is a full circle from the boy in season one who struggled to communicate, to now writing poetry, a difficult medium of expression.

source: mashable

In addition to taking up poetry and a new friendship with Rahim, Adam enters a dog competition with Madame, his mother’s dog who shows Adam unconditional love, unlike Eric and Mr. Groff. Eric fails to place and tells his mom that his father would be disappointed, despite how proud she is of him. He takes this moment to do what Eric wanted him to do: he tells his mom that Eric was his boyfriend and that they broke up.

Adam has grown from an angry boy with the inability to communicate, to an emotional young man, with feelings and outlets to put them Adam is the perfect example of how good writing can make any dull, unlikable character into a dimensional, and loved character

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Sarah Travis

Sarah is a second-year Professional Writing student at Algonquin College. When she’s not in zoom classes, she’s either making coffee for the green siren, or at a thrift store.