Discover the best Christmas movies of all time
The Christmas season is the most magical time of the year, a time to enjoy with family and loved ones. To eat together and enjoy a good Christmas movie on the couch, with the compilation of films that have generated joy for generations. Discover with us the best Christmas movies of all time.
Who hasn't enjoyed great classics like 'It's a Wonderful Life' by Frank Capra, 'The Apartment' by Billy Wilder, 'Plácido' by Berlanga, 'Home Alone' or 'A Christmas Story'... We'll perhaps reveal something more to you unknown, what are the soundtracks of these incredible films, which have created endearing moments in all families in the best company.
How did Christmas music come about?
The villancico, as its name indicates, is a village song, which served to record the daily life of the towns. Some historians indicate that this song emerged around the 13th century., being spread in Spain in the 15th and 16th centuries. In its beginnings it was a Spanish poetic form and was used as a record of the main events of a certain region.
Throughout history, it has undergone various transformations, until in the 19th century its name was exclusively used to refer to songs that allude to Christmas. The Christmas carol not only consolidated itself as a genre, but also became the archetype of the 'Christmas song'. Its theme focuses on the baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, the Three Wise Men, the shepherds and the Star of Bethlehem.
There are different versions about the creation of this musical genre. Some sources indicate that The composer of the first Christmas carols was the Marquis of Santillana. Others, for their part, affirm that the first carols were created by evangelizers of the 5th century. But scholars such as Samuel Miklos Stern, have located the first manifestations of carols in the Mozarabic ditties of the 11th century.
In our times it is, par excellence, the music associated with Christmas. Its evolution, with a religious theme, has maintained the Christian custom of celebrating the Lord's Christmas feast. Currently, a Christmas carol is called a Christmas song, of any kind of length, meter and rhyme, both in Spanish and other languages, being Carol in English, Noël in French, Laude in Italian and Weihnachtslied in German.
The soundtracks and songs of the best Christmas movies
The Christmas movie soundtracks are a fundamental part of getting us excited and making us feel like family.. Cinema has this wonderful ability to take us out of our lives to introduce us to mysterious adventures, and it is partly thanks to the songs that accompany the characters in the best Christmas movies.
It's a Wonderful Life!, the most viewed Christmas movie in history
Living is beautiful! has become a Christmas classic since the year it was released, 1946. Directed by Frank Capra, it is based on the story The Greatest Gift, written by Philip Van Doren Stern in 1939, and which, in turn, is loosely based on Charles Dickens' novel, 'A Christmas Carol'.
The composer Dimitri Tiomkin, born in the Russian Empire, in the Poltava Governorate, what is now Ukrainian territory, obtained American citizenship and received 22 Academy Award nominations, in addition to winning four Oscars for his innovative music.
The soundtrack of the film Living is beautiful, is a dramatic score in which the composer prioritized the most optimistic aspects of the film, as emotional support for the protagonist. He also resorted to Christmas melodies, but substantially gave them a very emotional vitalist tone. As he had already done in Capra's previous film, Juan Nobody, Tiomkin chooses the popular theme Buffalo Gals, from 1844, very rhythmic and cheerful, which deals with the theme of nightlife. It is based on the prostitutes of the Buffalo neighborhood of New York and it rings in several moments of the film, which are transcendental, such as the moment the church bell rings in the credits and at the end.
Movie soundtrack Home alone
Another of the great Christmas classics is Home alone, directed by Chris Columbus and with a score by the legendary John Williams. The original soundtrack, apart from Williams' composition, allows you to listen to songs by other artists such as Bobby Helms, The Drifters, Brenda Lee or Chuck Berry, as well as classic carols reinterpreted by Williams, such as 'Holy Night' or 'Carol of the Bells '. Home alone It received 2 Oscar nominations, for Best Original Score and Best Original Song.
John Williams is one of the most awarded and critically and publicly acclaimed living composers, creator of enormous and unforgettable film scores that we all remember. He was the creator of much of the music of Star Wars (1977), he was able to terrify us with two simple notes on the soundtrack of Jaws (1975), he is responsible for the soundtrack of Jurassic Park (1993), creator of the main theme with which the Harry Potter films begin (2001), and his most recent work is the soundtrack of The Fabelmans (2023). A career that began its wonderful journey more than 70 years ago.
The soundtrack by Alan Silvestri in A Christmas story
In this symphonic score, Alan Silvestri takes advantage of some traditional Christmas carols to develop a grandiose creation where he also applies original music. The result is impressive in the orchestral and choral aspects, with special relevance in the use of the solo violin, and although at times it becomes excessive and ostentatious, its main theme stands out above the rest of the work.
This Alan Silvestri adaptation of A Christmas Carol also has an impressive version performed by our Film Symphony Orchestra.
Scrooge's Ghosts
This Christmas Carol, whose subtitle is 'Scrooge's Ghosts', is performed by choirs and orchestra conducted by Silvestri himself. With 18 tracks in total, the soundtrack is very coherent and adapts different themes for each of the key moments of the film.
A good number of musical films and plays based on the famous Christmas story by Charles Dickens, have seen the light over a century. From a very first silent version produced by Thomas Edison in 1908, to this digitally animated and 3D version by Robert Zemeckis, released in 2009.
The most popular soundtrack of The Grinch
When we think that composer Danny Elfman will write the original soundtrack for a film, we do not doubt the enormous quality it will achieve. It's also no surprise that he worked in the magical world of Dr. Seuss' children's story. We expect music that surprises us and makes us travel to fantasy worlds and, precisely, this is what happens in the soundtrack of The Grinch.
The composer applies a notable and empathetic main theme, from which he takes good advantage, and which serves to structure the rest of the creation around it. The Christmas spirit, magic, sentimentality and humor are collected and expanded in different moments and themes. The composer exceeds what is expected of him, although it is by no means his best work.
And from here, the Film Symphony Orchestra wants to congratulate all its readers this Christmas. To you who listen to us, read us and make us feel special at concerts, when we see your faces enjoying film music. Merry Christmas to all! And enjoy a movie marathon with the films that we show you in this post, since you will be able to enjoy the most special Christmas movie soundtracks.
