YOUTUBE TREASURES DECEMBER 2017

Happy Xmas, Scrooge, A Christmas Tree Miracle, The Redheads of New Zealand, This Island Earth, Music Specials (Country Music, Andre Rieu, Kylie Minogue, Natalie Cole – Mormon Tabernacle Choir)

by Charles Canovas

Let´s make this a very special Christmas.  We are living in a time of different worlds. On the one hand, some countries are doing well – with enough food and comforts to celebrate with relative peace and hopeful wishes for the New Year.  Other countries are going through political uprisings, hate crimes, famine and actual or possible wars in the future.  Let us remember our fellow voyagers on this planet and strive together to make this a better place for everyone not only this coming year but for future generations.  In keeping with this wish, here is John Lennon´s Happy Xmas.

Although it was released in 1971, it was not only a Christmas song but also a protest song against the Vietnam War.  This latest version by Josh Groban, I believe, reaches the very soul of the song which is still very pertinent to our times.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaJmopuuhZE
Happy Xmas (War is Over) – Josh Groban, 35 min.  

I´ve included some Christmas films for the whole family including one of the best interpretations of Scrooge by George C. Scott. For those who are not into the holiday mix there´s  a classic sci-fi film and two very interesting documentaries – about the truth behind the movie National Treasures and another which will surprise everyone – the Redheads of New Zealand.

Since the holidays are a time for getting together, snuggling in front of a fire, listening to music and seeing holiday specials, I´ve tried to include something for everyone.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a03A9XE1aOo
Beautiful Christmas Scene – Christmas Snow & Fireplace – 2 hrs.

This 2 hr. video will take you to a lovely modern living room setting with Christmas decorations, a traditional tree, a lovely fireplace with boughs of pine on the mantel and a snowstorm.  No distracting music … only sounds of fireplace and falling snow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI5UWo7NCdY
Scrooge  1984  – 1hr.56min.

It´s Christmas and we have to see or read our beloved A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and then there´s the inevitable reading of ´Twas the Night Before Christmas for all the little ones.  Over the years, we have enjoyed many versions of Dickens´ great novel in film, theater, animation and even a musical. One of the best is this version, Scrooge, released in 1984 and it is due in large part to George C. Scott in what many consider his role to be the most true to life Scrooge to date.   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mALkG7LIjM
A Christmas Tree Miracle –    1hr. 43min.

A heartwarming Christmas tale excellent for the entire family!  Watch for Terry Kiser´s performance playing the eccentric tree farmer, Henry Banks.

Here are the two documentaries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlLHpfG9k_U
The Redheads of New Zealand – Skeletons in the Cupboard – 60 min.

If you look at the composite photograph above, you would be hard pressed to say they were all of the same family – much less the same race.  Actually they are all modern day family members of the ancient indigenous tribe of Redheads who existed there before the island was discovered by the Polynesians.  Their story and history is astounding.

The ancient legends of existing red haired, fair skin, green eyed tribes, living at the present time in New Zealand, passed on from generation to generation about their origins, have long been dismissed by historians and anthropologists.  But now, there’s dramatic DNA proof that these people inhabited New Zealand since at least 3,500 B.C., long before the Polynesians who reported finding a race of white, red haired and green eyed natives upon their arrival. The new evidence uncovered is so different from what the world believed that it will get you wondering whether any of us who are European or Persian have any link to these original inhabitants and even to  the famous inhabitants of Peru or Easter Island.  This is a must-see for inquiring minds and even for unsolved mystery addicts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuqwz4flCaI
Hunting the Lost Symbols  – 1 hr.24 min.

This is a documentary that follows the clues given in The Lost Symbol, the 2009 novel written by American writer, Dan Brown, who is also author of the famous The DaVinci Code. The novel was the basis for the popular action thriller film, National Treasure. In it, a historian (Nicolas Cage) races to discover the legendary Templar Treasure before a team of mercenaries can find it. It contains many stated facts about Washington D.C., the founding fathers, monuments, Freemasons, etc.  Are any of these “facts” real? Are they all real?  You´ll be able to separate fact from fiction in this entertaining documentary – and you may be a little more than surprised

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtggY_tfjWs
This Island, Earth  – 1hr.26min.

If you are at all into science fiction, this is one of the first Technicolor (as opposed to mere black and white) sci-fi movies with novel special effects. Starring Jeff Morrow and Faith Domergue, it was released in June of 1955, and became a commercial success.   Variety wrote “Special effects of the most realistic type rival the story and characterizations in capturing the interest in this exciting science-fiction chiller, one of the most imaginative, fantastic and cleverly-conceived entries to date in the outer-space film field.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZBlISuf4BA
CMA Country Music Christmas 2017   –  1hr.23min.

An hour of country, rockin´ n rollin´, traditional and modern country Christmas songs with guest appearances of all the greats of country music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6P7h9Ktm_s
Andre Rieu Christmas Special  – 1hr.14min.

Rieu, famous for his waltzes and fantastic orchestra, in a Classic Christmas Concert.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8AXtCrb–s
A Kylie Minogue Christmas from Royal Albert Hall  – 1 hr.26 min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dal3WitKfMM
Natalie Cole -The Mormon Tabernacle Choir – 28 min

Last year on the 31st of December, Natalie Cole sadly passed away.  She was an incredible popular and jazz singer, a true inheritor of the talent of her father, Nat King Cole. She also sang in many famous Christmas Specials including with Plácido Domingo in Vienna. This is one of her lesser known appearances at Christmas with the incomparable Choir of 360 singers singing Christmas carols.

A Very Merry Christmas and

A Happy, Healthy and Prosperous

New Year 2018!

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Featured image/Jean L. via Flickr, CC BY2.0