Happy Happy, Joy Joy

As always, we here at ACME want to help spread hope, peace, joy, and other marketing buzzwords









Hopefully you haven't overeaten this Christmas, but if you have, perhaps you'll get a visit from -



(Remember, it isn't really Christmas until you hear his Hidey Ho.)

Your Christmas gifts are starting to arrive (we'll be keeping a count.)

(Remember, we are going to count this as a unit and not as two individual gifts.)


December 25, 1962 –
Robert Mulligan's adaptation of Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, starring Gregory Peck and Mary Badham opened on this date.



The watch used in the film was a prop, but Harper Lee gave Gregory Peck her father's watch after the film was completed, because he reminded her so much of him.


December 25, 1973 -
George Roy Hill megait of the hoiday season, The Sting, starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Robert Shaw, opened in US theatres on this date.



George Roy Hill made choices that would utilize certain stylistic techniques of the 1930s. For instance, he decided to use an old-fashioned Universal logo from the period at the beginning of the film, immediately evoking a nostalgic tone for The Sting. Hill also employed devices such as editing wipes to transition between scenes and iris shots - all stylistic choices that would help place the audience in a 1930s time frame.


December 25, 1990 -
Francis Ford Coppola's much maligned sequel, The Godfather III starring everyone you would expect (except Robert Duvell, who couldn't come to an agreement about his salary,) went into general release on this date.



Robert Duvall turned down the $1 million the studio offered to re-create his role of Tom Hagen. Duvall did not feel that his proposed salary was commensurate with what Al Pacino and Diane Keaton were getting ($5 million and $1.5 million, respectively). The character was subsequently written out. Duvall later defended his position on the grounds that the only reason why anyone wanted to make another Godfather movie after so many years was to make money.


December 25, 1992 -
Richard Attenborough epic bio pix about the the world famous comedian Chaplin, starring Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Dan Aykroyd, Penelope Ann Miller, and Kevin Kline went into limited release in the United States (the anniversary of Chaplin's death) on this date.



While researching his role, Robert Downey, Jr. visited the Museum of the Moving Image in London, England and persuaded the staff to let him try on one of Charlie Chaplin's "Little Tramp" suits and boots. The latter fit him perfectly, and he found a cigar stub in one of the pockets, which he subsequently treasured.


December 25, 1999 -
The Sci-Fi parody (of Star Trek), Galaxy Quest, Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell premiered in the U.S. on this date.



Director Dean Parisot and star Tim Allen have revealed in interviews that the original tone of the film was much darker, with more scenes of violence. After test screenings, the film was recut to emphasize the comedy and obtain a PG rating.


December 25, 2009 -
Guy Ritchie's twist on the iconic Victorian detective, Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law went into general release in the U.S. on this date.



Attempting to escape the clutches of wearing a tight corset every morning, Rachel McAdams would trick the costumers by pushing her stomach out or eating a big breakfast of oatmeal before being laced up. However, they eventually caught on to her ruse.


December 25, 2013 -
The Martin Scorsese drama The Wolf of Wall Street, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, and Matthew McConaughey premiered in US theatres on this date.



Wanting to work with Martin Scorsese, Jonah Hill took a pay cut by being paid the S.A.G. minimum, which was $60,000.


Once you woke up this morning, you knew where you stood on Santa's list.

Once again, we here at ACME once again want to wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday by sharing this Christmas poem by John M. Morris:


The Christmas Letter -

Wherever you are when you receive this letter
I write to say we are still ourselves
in the same place
and hope you are the same.

The dead have died as you know
and will never get better,
and the children are boys and girls
of their several ages and names.

So in closing I send you our love
and hope to hear from you soon.
There is never a time
like the present. It lasts forever
wherever you are. As ever I remain.



And so it goes.