Friday night, I sat in the theater chair wondering as I looked around at the 20 or more people in the theater, what will these people think about a film centered around people like me who enthusiastically love and collect Christmas music? Will they think we are nuts or just like anyone who collects baseball cards, coins or cars someone who has a passion for what they love?
I attended the Kansas Film Festival with my good friend Der Bingle who collects Christmas music like me and has a great blog devoted to Christmas music Merry and Bright ! We were there to meet Mitchell Kezin a very talented filmmaker from Canada.
Mitchell Kezin loves Christmas music and the more obscure the better. Mitchell scours every vintage vinyl store he can for the rarest of rare, a one of a kind 45rpm or album of the most unusual Christmas music ever recorded. For the past 25 years he would organize and make a mix tape of these songs to give to friends and family. I have been doing the same since 2005. In an article by Jon Niccum , Mitchell was quoted, “I knew the impact that this mix has had on people’s holiday celebrations, but I wanted to reach beyond the small circle of my mailing list,” Kezin says. “And I was frankly tired of having people look strangely at me when I would express an affinity for the music or the eye rolls that inevitably came when I’d say, ‘Wait a second, you don’t understand …’”
Thus Mitchell started what would become the documentary film "Jingle Bell Rocks
Jingle Bell Rocks Trailer HD from EyeSteelFilm on Vimeo.
Mitchell Kezin weaves a perfect film of his own story with interviews and stories of artists who made musical masterpieces for Christmas. "Blue Christmas" by bebopper Bob Dorough for jazz great Miles Davis and Hip Hop legend Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons of RUN DMC who wrote "Christmas in Hollis" provide wonderful stories of how the songs were created. Other notable artists include The Flaming Lips, The Free Design, Low, Clarence Carter, Film maker great John Waters and many more. We follow Mitchell and his quest to find out more about a song that shaped his youth and fascination with Christmas music. One song an obscure Nat King Cole song "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot" is one that touched Mitchell's soul. The song tells of a young boy, fatherless and alone at Christmas time and yes Santa does forget to stop at his house. Bummer I know but this was all of our's worst nightmare at Christmas. I can relate. In the end Mitchell ends up meeting legendary calypso king "Mighty Sparrow who actually records a version of "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot" bringing tears to eyes of Mitchell and mine.
What I love about this film is it's story of one man's human story along with an fascinating look at the world of Christmas music, it's making, popularity and place in musical history. Anyone who loves Christmas will get something out of this film. It reminds me of everything that's great about Christmas. It's all the things that make us smile, make us love, make us relive our youth. My Christmas music reminds me of years gone by. Most very happy but some with some sadness too. It's not about dwelling on the past but understanding how the past makes us who we are today. Mitchell Kezin understands it and embraces it. He's was not afraid to put his life on display and say "This is who I am." I think a lot of you will see a little of Mitchell in yourselves.
At the end of the film, I was pleasantly surprised as many of the audience applauded loudly and even stayed longer to meet the filmmaker and ask questions. I thought to myself, maybe these people don't think a person like me who collects Christmas music is nuts. Maybe we are just like everyone else who has a passion in life and wants to preserve it.
Jingle Bell Rocks has been picked up by film distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories and will be available via Amazon and iTunes.
Get it Here!
Get this film and get to know the people in this film, you might like em!
Jingle Bell Rocks Trailer HD from EyeSteelFilm on Vimeo.
Mitchell Kezin weaves a perfect film of his own story with interviews and stories of artists who made musical masterpieces for Christmas. "Blue Christmas" by bebopper Bob Dorough for jazz great Miles Davis and Hip Hop legend Joseph "Rev Run" Simmons of RUN DMC who wrote "Christmas in Hollis" provide wonderful stories of how the songs were created. Other notable artists include The Flaming Lips, The Free Design, Low, Clarence Carter, Film maker great John Waters and many more. We follow Mitchell and his quest to find out more about a song that shaped his youth and fascination with Christmas music. One song an obscure Nat King Cole song "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot" is one that touched Mitchell's soul. The song tells of a young boy, fatherless and alone at Christmas time and yes Santa does forget to stop at his house. Bummer I know but this was all of our's worst nightmare at Christmas. I can relate. In the end Mitchell ends up meeting legendary calypso king "Mighty Sparrow who actually records a version of "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot" bringing tears to eyes of Mitchell and mine.
What I love about this film is it's story of one man's human story along with an fascinating look at the world of Christmas music, it's making, popularity and place in musical history. Anyone who loves Christmas will get something out of this film. It reminds me of everything that's great about Christmas. It's all the things that make us smile, make us love, make us relive our youth. My Christmas music reminds me of years gone by. Most very happy but some with some sadness too. It's not about dwelling on the past but understanding how the past makes us who we are today. Mitchell Kezin understands it and embraces it. He's was not afraid to put his life on display and say "This is who I am." I think a lot of you will see a little of Mitchell in yourselves.
At the end of the film, I was pleasantly surprised as many of the audience applauded loudly and even stayed longer to meet the filmmaker and ask questions. I thought to myself, maybe these people don't think a person like me who collects Christmas music is nuts. Maybe we are just like everyone else who has a passion in life and wants to preserve it.
Jingle Bell Rocks has been picked up by film distributor Oscilloscope Laboratories and will be available via Amazon and iTunes.
Get it Here!
Get this film and get to know the people in this film, you might like em!
