A Very Special Christmas

A Very Special Christmas is Uneven, but with Some Solid Holiday Gems.

By Kristin Battestella

What better way to get one’s charity on then with the festive 1987 compilation A Very Special Christmas? Though dated and uneven thanks to some instant eighties efforts, this multi platinum release has served the Special Olympics well with its offering of a little bit of holiday for everyone. 

The Pointer Sisters ring in A Very Special Christmas with the catchy Santa Claus Is Coming to Town. Some of the grooving style and new harmony rhythms are decidedly eighties dated, sure. However, the old-fashioned verses are all here, and it’s nice to have some length instead of today’s quick and kiddie renditions. We still hear this version on the radio, too - unlike this lesser heard Winter Wonderland rendition by The Eurhythmics. Although the opening eighties beats and Annie Lennox’s effortless vocal delivery carry a fitting ethereal quality, the unusual synthesizers and high tech arrangement are too fast. The music feels jarring as it contrasts Annie’s slower notes, breezy lyrics, and perfect tone. This isn’t un-listenable, but Annie Lennox and no music would have been plenty festive enough. It would have been nice to have a bigger carol that only she can deliver, but Whitney Houston keeps the big notes coming with Do You Hear What I Hear?, the first spiritually themed track on A Very Special Christmas. The tune begins slowly with more hip and pop styled echoes, but Whitney answers each refrain as the backing choir sets the mood with high notes and big gospel feeling.

Bruce Springsteen, of course, has a much cooler seasonal touch with the live recording of Merry Christmas Baby. The E Street Band jams and Bruce opens with some fun before getting to this effortless, infectious, pop ode. Perhaps it’s a touch dated, yet this rendition remains hip in all the right ways. This doesn’t seem like the longest track on A Very Special Christmas, and one can listen to this tune year round without thinking twice. Yes, there’s something about Santa in there somewhere, but couples can dance under the mistletoe with this one for sure. We probably also think of the Pretenders as bigger, edgy rockers, but Chrissy Hinds surprisingly delivers the melancholy merriment of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Her voice may be slightly flat or off key at times, but this is an excellent quirk matching the sad lyrics here. Ironically, the pace is more upbeat than most renditions, but there’s still time to hold all the bittersweet notes. Also one of the longer tracks on A Very Special Christmas, but this one is without any of those of the time bells and whistles and thus remains downhearted and yet so refreshing. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, however, is an erroneous country rock cowbell ditty from John Cougar Mellencamp. It’s fast, happy, and just too weird to rock out to this misunderstood kid’s tune. Wouldn’t a jamming adult such as the Cougar realize what was really going down under the mistletoe?

Unfortunately, lovely as it is, Sting’s rendition of Gabriel’s Message also seems out of place on A Very Special Christmas. It’s a wonderfully moody and medieval chant of solstice miracles and Christ’s birth, but it’s the shortest track here and certifiably squashed in the set listing before Christmas in Hollis. Run-D.M.C.’s head nodding rap single recounts a great story of Santa, family cooking, and good times indeed. Perhaps this is also out of place vintage hip hop among the other decidedly poptastic selections, but it’s all in such cool, festive fun that we don’t mind. U2 also delivers dang fine with Christmas Baby Please Come Home thanks to Bono’s strong, happening vocal. He’s a little bit angry yet edgy enough and perfectly unhappy in his titular plea. My only complaint is this is too short at just over two minutes.  

Also just as big as the original with lots of current airplay, Madonna’s Santa Baby recalls Eartha Kitt’s reissue with perfect bubble gum and kitschy. It’s not quite her usual delivery style, but it fits her then Material Girl persona and the ring a bling bling needed for this Tiffany’s ode. By contrast, The Little Drummer Boy’s low key child perspective isn’t easy to pull off, yet Bob Seger has the soulful rock range required. The rhythmic beats set the mood with increasing intensity while entering instruments finish the rousing carol. Run Rudolph Run doesn’t need to do much to be cool, and Bryan Adams harkens to the Chuck Berry original for this hip, grooving, easy to sing along with titular rift. We feel like we’ve hear this song a lot even if we haven’t necessarily heard Adams’ rendition that often. This version is live, too, with clapping and toe tapping fun to be had.

Surprisingly, Bon Jovi’s Back Door Santa misses with its holiday in full on stadium fashion. It’s tough to understand the naughty lyrics, and clearly more about the guitar set rather than any kind of seasonal sentiment. Since A Very Special Christmas is a decidedly more secular and popular album, it’s also unusual to end the session with two carols. Alison Moyet might not be as famous as the others here, but her The Coventry Carol is likewise all about some dated synthesized echoing. It’s mellow, poetic, and medieval, but also difficult to enjoy the spirituality of it thanks to the strange arrangement. Fortunately, we can count on Stevie Nicks putting the album to bed in style with Silent Night. Her superbly low vocals, backing melodies, and spiritual spins add to this already most inspiring carol. Nicks varies the traditional design just enough for more lift up while she takes her solemn time. The ad libbed confessional refrains are distinctly gospel but also hip at the same time, sending A Very Special Christmas out with a positive spiritual message.

Though readily available on CD or download along with the rest of the A Very Special Christmas charity releases, there are different reissues that swap Back Door Santa for Bon Jovi’s later I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Christmas, a much more pleasant, easy listening, but stirring tune. I’m surprised this series doesn’t go for these types of global and peace loving songs for it’s listings such as Peace on Earth or Happy Xmas (War is Over). Some of the succeeding albums often repeat the same tunes and tracks, and it really seems like there is little rhyme or reason to this debut compilation’s theme or the uneven, nay, all over the place track order. However, this mix of instant of the time singers, pop, rap, and rockers understandably capitalizes on every fan demographic and their need to buy their favorite’s potentially elusive or rare and obscure holiday single. This album ideology is in the best interest of benefitting the Special Olympics certainly, but I’m not sure such a charity model works with today’s individual download opportunities or invisible resale values. A Very Special Christmas is a little eighties preppy with a Members Only style at times, but it delivers some holiday standards and timeless gems – which is perfect for the contemporary listener’s picking and choosing playlist. Older, sophisticated audiences can collect their favorites for a nostalgic party or keep the office merry, mature, and generous with A Very Special Christmas.

Bram Stoker's Dracula

Coppola’s Dracula is Indeed Bram’s

By Kristin Battestella

You know the story I’m sure. Bela Lugosi, the widow’s peak, creatures of the night! Even Leslie Nielson’s spoof Dracula: Dead and Loving It shares those cliché vampire stereotypes. In a hundred years of films, only one Dracula film affirms to the spirit of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. In 1991 director and producer Francis Ford Coppola threw out the widow’s peak and presented the ambitious Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Gary Oldman (Batman Begins, Air Force One) stars as Dracula, the lovelorn count from Transylvania. After his first lawyer Renfield (Tom Waits) returns to England raving with madness, Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) is dispatched to the Count. Dracula grows obsessed with Harker’s betrothed Mina (Winona Ryder, Beetlejuice), and after arriving in London, Dracula preys upon Mina’s friend Lucy Westerna (Sadie Frost, An Ideal Husband). Lucy’s suitors Lord Arthur (Cary Elwes), Quincy P. Morris (Billy Campbell) and Dr. Steward (Richard E. Grant) are helpless against her ailments. Suspecting something unnatural, Dr. Steward contacts his mentor, Abraham Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins).

You’ll notice there’s a lot more characters than your garden variety Dracula picture. Coppola and screenwriter James V. Hart adhere as closely to Stoker’s novel as possible. Previous legal issues with the Stoker estate and stage productions forced dramatic changes and character combinations. Of the many actors, only Keanu Reeves seems out of place. Not far enough removed from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, Reeves’ Tiger Beat persona did however appeal to teenage girls not likely to chance a period piece.

Despite her previous issues with Coppola, Ryder holds her own with Oscar winner Sir Anthony Hopkins. Today’s actors don’t really look the part when making costume pictures. Hopkins, of course, fits in with perfection, as does The Princess Bride veteran Cary Elwes. I can go one about the entire cast-there is something to be said when an entire production clicks together; Fine direction, acting, story, and sets.

Naturally, Coppola had sound source material. If you don’t like Stoker’s gothic, yet erotic and horrific Victorian novel, this film version is not for you. Some lines and scenes are word for word out of the book, and Coppola pays homage to the writing styles of the book by actually showing the characters typing, dictating, or composing the letters that tell the story. Outside of the love story bookends created by Coppola, I don’t think any motion picture has ever been so faithful to its book or origin- except for staple productions of A Christmas Carol.

Bram Stoker’s Dracula has its fair share of blood- blood and sultry vampire brides. While the film is not in itself all that scary, the ideas presented are dangerous and somewhat frightening. Coppola captures Stoker’s original intentions in the character of Van Helsing. Hopkins strikes the perfect balance between kinky eccentric and fearsome vampire undead hunter. His narrations on sex, blood, vampirism, and other beastly incarnations remind us that Stoker’s original tale wasn’t to glorify Dracula-unlike modern takes on vampires in film and literature.

Not only does Oscar winning costumes and sets show off Dracula, impressive effects also highlight Coppola’s production. Misty ships, werewolf transformations, and all those slithery Dracula moves fit seamlessly with the spooky subject matter. All the gruesome scenes and decapitations are on DVD-forget watching Bram Stoker’s Dracula on basic TV. Too much is edited from the film to be appreciated.

Lighting effects and music cues spotlight Dracula’s attention to detail. Dracula’s castle is perfectly shadowed with candlelight, and the gaslights and early technical wonders of London add to the period atmosphere. Likewise the film’s score ups the creepy ante. The haunting work by Wojciech Kilar (The Pianist) enters every scene at the right moment. When the audience hears Dracula’s particular theme, we know something naughty is about to happen. When I heard the closing song in its entirety on the DVD, I knew it was Annie Lennox. As with her Oscar winning vocal performance for Return of the King, Lennox’s unique vibrato tops Dracula.

Of course, Dracula’s length and pacing are its only strikes. The slow pace and more talking less action sequences make the picture seem longer than its two hours and fifteen minutes. The finish however, is fast paced, and Coppola resolves his time traveling love triangle bookends-his only deviation from Stoker’s work.

Not a family film by any means or for the eyes of the squeamish or prudish, Bram Stoker’s Dracula also might not be enjoyed by the traditional period piece audience. Although there is no outright sex in the film, Coppola’s illusions to the vampire bite as penetration, heavy petting and nudity from the vampire brides, a touch of homoerotic undertones, and one count of potential bestiality rape might be too much for fans of films like The Remains of the Day. Quirky Ryder fans will no doubt eat up Dracula, as will Hopkins and Oldman fans. Horror enthusiasts, romance lovers, and proprietors of all things goth can enjoy Dracula with each viewing. Several editions of the DVD are available-from affordable older copies to new anniversary editions with features. Bram Stoker’s Dracula is a must have in any budding horror fan’s library. You can’t be a definitive Dracula fan without it.