[Massachusetts-NFB] December events

Wed Nov 29 23:26:54 UTC 2023

We hope you will join us for the below events in December! Read about each
presentation below the Zoom platform information. 

All events begin at 8:00 PM eastern

Friday, December 1, 2023

Audio described movie: It's a Wonderful Life

Friday, December 8, 2023

Audio described movie: How the Grinch Stole Christmas 

Friday, December 15, 2023

Audio described movie: National lampoons - Christmas vacation 

Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Audio described: Frosty the Snowman and Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer

Friday, December 22, 2023

Trivia Night

NFB of SC Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09

Meeting ID: 803 254 3777

Passcode: 124578

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It's a Wonderful Life

On Christmas Eve 1945, in Bedford Falls, New York, George Bailey
contemplates suicide. The prayers of his family and friends reach Heaven,
where guardian angel second class Clarence Odbody is assigned to save George
in order to earn his wings. Clarence is shown flashbacks of George's life.
He watches 12-year-old George rescue his younger brother Harry from
drowning, leaving George deaf in his left ear. George later prevents the
pharmacist, Mr. Gower, from accidentally poisoning a customer's
prescription.

In 1928, George plans a world tour before college. He is reintroduced to
Mary Hatch, who has been enamored with him since childhood. When his father
dies suddenly, George postpones his travel to settle the family business,
Bailey Brothers Building and Loan. Avaricious board member Henry Potter, who
controls most of the town, seeks to dissolve it, but the board votes to keep
the Building and Loan open if George runs it. George acquiesces and works
alongside his uncle Billy, giving his tuition savings to Harry with the
understanding that Harry will run the business when he graduates.

Harry returns from college married and with a job offer from his
father-in-law, and George resigns himself to running the Building and Loan.
George and Mary rekindle their relationship and wed. They witness a run on
the bank and use their honeymoon savings to keep the Building and Loan
solvent. Under George, the company establishes Bailey Park, a housing
development surpassing Potter's overpriced slums. Potter entices George with
a $20,000/year job, but realizing that Potter's true intention is to close
the Building and Loan, George rebuffs him.

On Christmas Eve 1945, the town prepares a hero's welcome for Harry, who, as
a U.S. Navy fighter pilot, was awarded the Medal of Honor for preventing a
kamikaze attack on a troop transport. Billy goes to Potter's bank to deposit
$8,000 of the Building and Loan's money. He taunts Potter with a newspaper
headline about Harry, then absentmindedly wraps the cash in Potter's
newspaper. Potter finds and keeps the money, while Billy cannot recall how
he misplaced it. With a bank examiner reviewing the company's records,
George realizes scandal and criminal charges will follow. Fruitlessly
retracing Billy's steps, George berates him and takes out his frustration on
Mary and their children. George appeals to Potter for a loan, offering his
life insurance policy as collateral. Potter scoffs that George is worth more
dead than alive, refuses to help, and phones the police.

George flees Potter's office, gets drunk at a bar, and prays for help.
Contemplating suicide, he goes to a nearby bridge. However, before George
can jump, Clarence dives into the freezing river, and George rescues him.
When George wishes he had never been born, Clarence shows George a timeline
in which he never existed. Bedford Falls is now Pottersville, an unsavory
town occupied by sleazy entertainment venues, crime, and callous people. Mr.
Gower was imprisoned for manslaughter because George was not there to stop
him from poisoning the customer. George's mother does not know him. Uncle
Billy was institutionalized after the Building and Loan failed. Bailey Park
is a cemetery, where George discovers Harry's grave. Without George, Harry
drowned as a child, and without Harry to save them, the troops aboard the
transport ship were killed. George finds Mary, now a spinster, and when he
grabs her and claims to be her husband, she screams and runs.

George flees back to the bridge and begs Clarence for his life back. The
original reality is restored, and a grateful George rushes home to await his
arrest. Meanwhile, Mary and Billy have rallied the townspeople, who come
into the Bailey home and donate more than enough to cover the missing money.
Harry arrives and toasts George as "the richest man in town". Among the
donations George finds a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, a gift from
Clarence and inscribed, "Remember, no man is a failure who has friends.
Thanks for the wings!" When a bell on the Christmas tree rings, George's
youngest daughter, Zuzu, explains that "every time a bell rings, an angel
gets his wings." George looks upward smiling and says, "Atta boy, Clarence!"

Cast

James Stewart as George Bailey

Donna Reed as Mary Hatch Bailey

Lionel Barrymore as Henry Potter

Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy

Henry Travers as Clarence Odbody

Beulah Bondi as Mrs. Bailey

Frank Faylen as Ernie Bishop

Ward Bond as Bert

Gloria Grahame as Violet Bick

H. B. Warner as Mr. Gower

Frank Albertson as Sam Wainwright

Todd Karns as Harry Bailey

Samuel S. Hinds as Pa Bailey

Mary Treen as Cousin Tilly

Virginia Patton as Ruth Dakin

Charles Williams as Cousin Eustace

Sara Edwards as Mrs. Hatch

Bill Edmunds as Mr. Giuseppe Martini

Lillian Randolph as Annie

Argentina Brunetti as Mrs. Martini

Bobbie Anderson as Little George

Ronnie Ralph as Little Sam

Jean Gale as Little Mary

Jeanine Ann Roose as Little Violet

Danny Mummert as Little Marty Hatch

Georgie Nokes as Little Harry Bailey

Sheldon Leonard as Nick

Frank Hagney as Potter's Bodyguard

Ray Walker as Joe (Luggage Shop)

Charlie Lane as Real Estate Salesman

Edward Kean as Tom (Bldg. & Loan)

The Bailey Children

Carol Coomes as Janie

Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu

Larry Simms as Pete

Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

As the inhabitants of Whoville prepare for Christmas, the Grinch, a hostile
green creature who lives in a cave on Mount Crumpit, despises the holiday
and attempts to sabotage their plans. Six-year-old Cindy Lou Who believes
that everyone focuses too much on gifts and not enough on personal
relationships. Cindy encounters the Grinch at the post office and falls into
the giant mail-sorting machine, but the Grinch grudgingly saves her.

Cindy learns from the townsfolk that the Grinch arrived in Whoville as a
baby and was adopted by two elderly women. In school, the Grinch was
infatuated with Martha May Whovier, a girl in his class, but ridiculed by
jealous classmate Augustus MayWho. That Christmas, the Grinch made an angel
as a gift for Martha, then attempted to shave his face, accidentally cutting
himself several times. When MayWho, the teacher, and the rest of the class
saw the result, all but Martha laughed at him. This caused the Grinch to
lose his temper, declare his hatred for Christmas, and flee to Mount
Crumpit, where he has lived a solitary, scheming life ever since.

Cindy nominates the Grinch as the town's Holiday Cheermeister, outraging
MayWho, who is now the mayor. She climbs Mount Crumpit to invite the Grinch
to the celebration, and he eventually accepts, realizing he could
potentially encounter Martha (now the Lou Whos' neighbor) and upset MayWho.
As Cheermeister, he participates in various events and begins enjoying
himself, until MayWho gives him an electric razor as a gift, reminding him
of his childhood humiliation. MayWho then offers Martha a new car while
publicly proposing to her. Enraged, the Grinch snaps and berates the Whos
for their avaricious "love" of Christmas. He shaves MayWho's head, burns
down the town's Christmas tree with a makeshift flamethrower, and goes on a
rampage before returning home.

Learning that the Whos have a spare Christmas tree, and disgusted with the
continuing festivities, the Grinch vows to crush the town's spirit by
stealing all of their presents, decorations and food while they sleep. He
disguises himself as Santa Claus and his pet dog Max as a reindeer, and
descends into Whoville on a hi-tech sleigh. The first house he enters is
Cindy's, and when she catches him stealing their tree, he lies to her to
facilitate his escape. He singlehandedly strips the entire town of Christmas
cheer, stuffing everything into a giant sack, then climbs back to the summit
of Mount Crumpit to hurl the sack off of the mountain.

Awakening on Christmas morning, the people are horrified to discover the
theft, and MayWho blames Cindy for enabling the Grinch to ruin the town's
spirit. However, her cheerful father, postmaster Lou Lou Who, defends her,
declaring that she has tried to tell them that Christmas is not about
decorations and gifts, but about spending time with family and friends. The
townsfolk agree, join hands, and begin Christmas carolling.

Just as he is about to push the sack off the top of Mount Crumpit, the
Grinch hears the people singing; realising he has failed to prevent the
festivities, he understands the true meaning of Christmas. As he breaks down
in tears, the sleigh full of gifts, Christmas trees and decorations begins
to slide over the edge of the cliff, along with Cindy, who had come to visit
the Grinch and climbed aboard. The Grinch saves Cindy and the sleigh, and
they ride down the mountain to return everything. He apologizes for his
scheme and surrenders to the police, who spare him and ignore MayWho's
demand to arrest and pepper spray him. Realising MayWho's cruelty, Martha
returns his engagement ring and declares her love for the Grinch. Later, the
reformed Grinch invites the townsfolk over for the Christmas feast, where he
personally carves the Roast Beast himself in his cave.

Cast

Jim Carrey as the Grinch, a bad-tempered, devious and misanthropic
green-furred creature who despises Christmas and the Whos of Whoville.
Before Carrey was cast as the Grinch, Jack Nicholson and Eddie Murphy[5]
were both considered.

Josh Ryan Evans as the eight-year-old Grinch (his final film role before his
death in 2002[6]).

Taylor Momsen as Cindy Lou Who (in the film, she is six years old, while in
the 1957 book and the 1966 TV special she is "no more than two")

Jeffrey Tambor as Mayor Augustus MayWho, Whoville's arrogant and judgmental
mayor

Ben Bookbinder as eight-year-old Augustus, who bullies Grinch as an attempt
to get Martha to notice him instead.

Christine Baranski as Martha May Whovier, who is mutually in love with the
Grinch. Mayor Augustus Maywho also has feelings for her, but Martha does not
like him because of his arrogance.

Landry Allbright as 8-year-old Martha, who shows affection for the Grinch
and dislikes when kids at school pick on him.

Bill Irwin as Louie Lou Who, Cindy's father

Molly Shannon as Betty Lou Who, Cindy's mother

Anthony Hopkins as the narrator

Kelley as Max, the Grinch's pet dog and sole companion

Frank Welker performs the vocal effects for Max. Welker had previously
provided the vocal effects for Max in The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the
Hat.

Clint Howard as Whobris, the mayor's sycophantic aide and servant

Reid Kirchenbauer as eight-year-old Whobris

Mindy Sterling as Clarnella Who, one of the Grinch's adoptive mothers

Rachel Winfree as Rose Who, the Grinch's other adoptive mother

Jeremy Howard as Drew Lou Who, one of the mischievous sons of Louie and
Betty and brother of Cindy

T. J. Thyne as Stu Lou Who, the other mischievous son and brother of Cindy

Jim Meskimen as Officer Wholihan, the chief of police

Mary Stein as Miss Rue Who, the Grinch's school teacher who later becomes
Cindy's teacher

Deep Roy as Post Office Clerk

Rance Howard as Elderly Timekeeper

Verne Troyer as Band Member

Bryce Dallas Howard as Surprised Who

National lampoons - Christmas vacation

Chicago-area resident Clark Griswold intends to have a great Christmas with
his entire family. He drives his wife Ellen and children Audrey and Rusty
out to the country to find a tree, ultimately choosing the largest one they
can find. Realizing too late that they did not bring any tools to cut down
the tree, they are forced to uproot it instead. Clark's holiday plans
inadvertently cause steadily escalating chaos for the family's yuppie
neighbors, Todd and Margo Chester.

When both Clark's and Ellen's parents arrive for Christmas, their bickering
quickly begins to annoy the family. However, Clark maintains a positive
attitude and remains undeterred in his plans. He covers the house's entire
exterior with thousands of lights, which temporarily cause a citywide power
shortage once he gets them to work properly.

Ellen's cousin Catherine and her redneck husband Eddie arrive unannounced
with two of their younger children, Rocky and Ruby Sue, and their pet
Rottweiler, Snots. Eddie later admits they are living in the RV in which
they arrived, as he went broke and had to sell their home and land. Clark
offers to buy gifts for Eddie's kids so they can still enjoy Christmas. Soon
afterward, Clark's senile Aunt Bethany and cantankerous Uncle Lewis arrive.

Clark begins to wonder why his boss, Frank Shirley, has not given him his
yearly bonus, which he desperately needs to pay for a new swimming pool.
After a disastrous Christmas Eve dinner, during which Aunt Bethany's cat is
electrocuted and Uncle Lewis accidentally burns down the Christmas tree
while lighting his cigar, a courier delivers an envelope. Instead of the
bonus Clark expects, it is a membership in a jelly club. He snaps and
angrily wishes for Frank to be delivered to the house so he can insult him
to his face.

Taking Clark's request literally, Eddie kidnaps Frank, who admits to
canceling the Christmas bonuses but then reinstates them in the face of
Clark's chastisement. Meanwhile, Frank's wife Helen calls the police, and a
SWAT team storms the Griswold house and holds everyone at gunpoint. Frank
decides not to press charges and explains the situation to his wife and the
SWAT leader, both of whom scold him for canceling the bonuses until he
reveals his change of heart.

The family goes outside when Rocky and Ruby Sue believe they see Santa Claus
in the distance. Clark tells them it is actually the Christmas Star and that
he finally realizes what the holiday means to him.

Uncle Lewis says that the light is coming from a sewage treatment plant,
reminding Clark that Eddie had been dumping his RV sewage into the nearby
storm drain. Before Clark can stop him, Uncle Lewis lights another cigar and
tosses the match into the drain, causing a giant gas explosion which sets a
Santa's sleigh decoration afire and launches it into the sky. Aunt Bethany
starts singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" and everyone joins in as the
flaming decoration flies into the distance.

The entire family, along with the Shirleys and the SWAT team, go inside to
celebrate while Clark and Ellen share a Christmas kiss. Clark is satisfied
that he has provided a great Christmas for his family.

Cast

Chevy Chase as Clark W. "Sparky" Griswold Jr.

Beverly D'Angelo as Ellen Griswold

Juliette Lewis as Audrey Griswold. Audrey was previously portrayed by Dana
Barron and Dana Hill in the last two films and later by Marisol Nichols in
Vegas Vacation

Johnny Galecki as Russell "Rusty" Griswold. Russ was portrayed by Anthony
Michael Hall and Jason Lively in the previous two films and later by Ethan
Embry in Vegas Vacation. Notably, this is the only film in which Rusty and
Audrey are not the same age, hence Lewis being taller than Galecki.

John Randolph as Clark Griswold Sr., Clark's father

Diane Ladd as Nora Griswold, Clark's mother

E. G. Marshall as Arthur "Art" Smith, Ellen's father

Doris Roberts as Frances Smith, Ellen's mother

Miriam Flynn as Catherine Johnson, Ellen's cousin

Randy Quaid as Eddie Johnson, Catherine's husband

Cody Burger as Rocky Johnson

Ellen Hamilton Latzen as Ruby Sue Johnson

William Hickey as Uncle Lewis

Mae Questel as Aunt Bethany (Questel's final film role before her death in
1998)

Sam McMurray as Bill, Clark's co-worker

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Margo Chester, the Griswolds' yuppie neighbor

Nicholas Guest as Todd Chester, Margo's husband

Brian Doyle-Murray as Frank Shirley, Clark's boss

Natalia Nogulich as Helen Shirley, Frank's wife

Nicolette Scorsese as Mary, a lingerie counter clerk

Alexander Folk as Lead SWAT Officer

Jeremy Roberts as cop

Woody Weaver as cop

Doug Llewelyn as the voice of the Parade Announcer

Keith MacKechnie as delivery boy

Steve Cook

You are invited to join us on the 1st and 2nd Friday of each month at 8:00
PM Eastern for audio described movies using the below Zoom platform! 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8032543777?pwd=QTVQd2RzN3l6QnNmZ0FmSnp6NG8vQT09

Meeting ID: 803 254 3777

Passcode: 124578

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