12 Days of Christmas Movies, Day 4

Emmet Otter’s Jug-band Christmas (1977)

"Golly, you got mashed potatoes?"

Oh, Jim Henson, is there anything you couldn't do? This little heartwarming tale emphasizes the hidden benefits of being a have-not in a sea of haves. If you didn't know better, you'd swear this was a riff on an O. Henry story, with its parable of unity conquering all. Lil' Emmet Otter wants to make this Christmas the best for his mom, but he first has to acquire the means to enter the local talent contest and win the prize money.

And that's all well and good, but holy shit, what makes this film grand is the River Nightmare Band, a heavy metal band that's also in the contest. The band is made of two weasels, a lizard, a catfish, and a rattlesnake. To me, the catfish makes the most interesting character. For one, he provides backing vocals, and on stage his presence is strong, as he flips out of his bucket of water repeatedly, only to sail back into the bucket. Also, the most intriguing thing is that, although he's carried around by the other band members in this bucket, the water never freezes, despite the temperatures being clearly at freezing levels, at least.

Now, what I want to see is a "battle of the bands," between the Riverbottom Nightmare Band and Cold Slither.