12 PREVIEW Wednesday, December 23, 1992

Dana Carvey stars in the ~ et

comedy “Opportunity Knocks. Lid

plays a con man vige oe poe 7 i it d there

other identity an fh gor job with a magnate ;

pct Tixtures. Eventually, he be

i bathroom involved with the poser daughter. It airs Sunday, Dec. 27, on NBC.

On Monday, Dec. 28, a pee “What She Doesnt *® . Wy nical that originally aired on February. Valerie Bertinelli s as a law-school graduate who oa daughter of a New York City ll When she gets involved sabes * pro ‘sation of police corruption, yr bie like here the trail leads.

; tars in “Baby Veronica gare 4a rebroadcast

” whic’ Snatcher, Reng on CBS. In the

pase a drama, she plays parson hy in order to save i.

troubled marriage, tells her

i kes band i ting a baby, fa poe . een kidnaps another

NEROISES

In Martin Scorsese’s “Cape Fear,” Nick Nolte (pictured) plays a lawyer whose former client (Robert De Niro) has just been released from pris- on and is determined to exact revenge for his lawyer's less- than-total commitment to his defense. And he considers every one of the lawyer’s friends and family members pawns in the revenge. The result is a thoroughly nasty and gripping - drama. It pre- mieres Friday, Jan. 1, on Showtime.

FINE TUNING

This week, CBC is puttin’ on its ‘Top Hat’

BY BOB REMINGTON

t would be nice to go out on New Year’s Eve and be able to dance like Ginger Rog- ers and Fred Astaire, but those of us with two left feet will have to settle instead for watching the masters at work in “Top Hat.”

Often considered to be the best of the Astaire-Rogers films, 1935’s “Top Hat” airs New Year’s Eve on CBC, im-

Fred Astaire

mediately following a “Kids in the Hall” repeat at midnight. The movie caps four straight nights of films by Hollywood's two most famous hoofers on the network’s classic-films se- ries, “CBC Late Night.”

The Astaire-Rogers theme week begins Monday, Dec. 28, with “The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle” (1939), in which Astaire and Rogers portray the real-life dance team of the early 1900s.

On Tuesday, Dec. 28, it’s “Swingtime” (1936), whose mu- sical numbers include the Os-

INEROIGES

Kevin Costner portrays New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison in Oliver Stone’s provocative 1991 film “JFK,” which makes its cable debut Saturday, Jan. 2, on HBO. The real-life Garri- son; who died earlier this year and plays Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren in the film, devoted the better part of his life af- ter the Kennedy assassina- tion to proving that a con- spiracy was behind the killing of the 35th president.

car-winning “The Way You Look Tonight.” On Wednesday, Dec. 29, “Shall We Dance” (1937) features Gershwin songs such as “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off,” “They All Laughed” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.”

e Also airing New Year’s Eve on CBC is “1992: The Year of the Farce,” featuring the comic talents of CBC Radio’s Royal Canadian Air Farce. It is followed by “Howie,” a com- pilation of the best material from four Howie Mandel spe- cials that aired earlier this year. The “Kids in the Hall” program that rings in the New Year at midnight is part of a full week of “Kids” repeats at the witching hour.

e CBC’s year-ending week begins Sunday night, Dec. 27, with 1991’s “Strangers in Good Company,” one of the most successful National Film Board features ever made. Filmed in Quebec’s lovely Mount Tremblant region, the stery revolves around eight women, average age 71, who are stranded at a farmhouse when their bus breaks down. At the farmhouse, they share their thoughts and feelings - and eventually a plate of frogs’ legs - as they reminisce in this charmer of a movie.

e CTV opens the New Year with the annual Rose Bowl Pa- rade on New Year’s morning, followed by the classic Rose Bowl football game. CBC kicks off the New Year on Fri- day with an afternoon showing of 1988’s “The Outside Chance of Maximilian Glick.”

Tim Allen, Patricia Richardson Taran Smith, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Zachery Ty Bryan (clockwise from top ctr.) star in Home Improvement,” which airs Wednesday, Dec. 30, on ABC. The Popular comedy revolves around the misadventures of the host of a cable-TV “Mr. Fixit” show.

@ Wednesday, December 23, 1992

1ie

The boys are back in town! Ye: legendary rock band ipamertalises in the 1984 comedy “This Is Spinal Tap return in “A Spinal Tap Re- union,” airing Thursday, Dec. 31 on NBC. It chronicles the 1992 tour of David (Michael McKean 1.) Derek (Harry Shearer, c.) and Ni- gel (Christopher Guest, r.).

Jane Seymour sta

estern series cine Woman,” hour

rs in the new “Dr. Quinn, Medi- which airs a two- Friday, Jan. 1, be- to its regular time

Short StoryYCONTEST _

And the winners are,

+ Age 8 and 9: Ashley Phillips — first Jennifer Postnikoff — second Elizabeth Colville — third + Age 10 and 11: Melanie Gorman — first Amanda Parks — second Christine Robertson — third + Age 12 to 14:

Ben Postnikoff — first Valerie Kosowan — second Stephanie Caslet — third Nick.

The News would like to thank the 40-

annual Christmas Short Story Contest. We would also like the thank the Castlegar and District Library for its continued support of | deer. the annual contest. All winners will receive certificates, which can be picked up at The News after Dec. 29.

The sleigh was packed, the reindeer were har- nessed, but no one could find Santa. Mrs. Claus looked all over, no Santa. The elves looked, no San- ta. Where was he?

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it” called out Mrs. Claus.

Jenny, I live close by.

“Would you like to come in?”

“OK,” I said. “I was wondering where Santa was because the reindeer are harnessed and stamp- ing their hooves.”

Mrs. Claus had a frown on her face. The elves and I searched all over, no Santa. Maybe I could find him? I volunteered. OK, but hurry because the presents have to be delivered. I looked but I had no luck either. I suggested that I could deliv- er the presents?

“I don’t think it would be the same and there’s a special way that Santa drives the sleigh.”

‘Just then one of the elves came running in.

“I know here Santa is.”

“Where? Where?”

“Scrooge kidnapped him because Scrooge want- ed to steal Christmas.”

“Well,” huffed Mrs. Claus, “I never.”.

The sleigh was packed, the reindeer were har- nessed, but no one could find Santa. Or at least that’s what I wished.

Why, you might ask why? Well I'll tell you why, Santa Claus (or whatever you might call the kind man who brings you presents on Christmas) had not picked me for the ream of reindeer which pulls his sleigh at Christmas. So if they couldn’t find Santa, then the lucky reindeer who took my place could not get his turn this year Ha, ha, ha.

You also might be asking why this seems to ter- ribly important to me.

The simple answer is this, I am Blitzen, one of the most famous reindeer in the world. Ihave been on Santa’s team for as long as anyone can remem- ber.

Why, I was even in the poem “The Night Before

Christmas” by Clement C. Moore! And now this.

I bet I know what you are thinking, that I

shouldn’t be thinking all these terrible things

about an innocent reindeer, but I guess I was just

disappointed. Thoughts of this floated through my

mind as I drifted off to sleep ...

I was awakened by shouts of “Wake up Blitzen,”

“Why, he has the same name as I have,” thought San- plus children who participated in the | ta. His first words were: “Ho, ho, ho”.

Santa found himself playing with his friends, the rein-

‘...And to all, a Good Night’

St. Nick get locked in the closet...

The sleigh was packed, the reindeer were harnessed, but no one could find Santa.

Santa was getting dressed then he looked in his closet, got his jacket and hat. The closet door shut. He was trapped! He could not get out.

Suddenly, he found himself in a different time zone in the past. He was himself as a little boy. His name was

ho!

He also tried his hand at helping the elves make toys. He was very busy and forgot about his sleigh, when all of

Mrs. Claus saves Santa from Scrooge’s clutches...

a sudden he heard a familiar voice. it said: “Santa, will you hurry up, the reindeer want to go”.

It was Mrs. Claus. She looked all over for Santa, then she noticed a part of his jacket which was caught in the closet door. She opened the closet door and looking quite dazed was Santa.

He told Mrs. Claus that he had had quite an adventure but would tell her on Christmas Day once had had deliv- ered all the presents to the good boys and girls.

The frown was replaced with a smile as Santa hopped into his sleigh and gave her a wink and a hearty Ho, ho,

Ashley Phillips Age 9

Mrs. Claus got on her hat, coat, gloves and boots. She marched over to Scrooge’s house and knocked on the door. Then she went into the living room and screamed at SCROOGE. When Scrooge got tired of her screaming, he left.

Mrs. Claus grabbed Santa, got his hat and scarf. Then Mrs. Claus said, “Hurry there’s not much

Blitzen balks at sleigh after being snubbed by Santa...

and “Get up sleepy head!”

“Wh-what,” I yawned. “Mom, can I put my pre- sents now ... Hey! you’re not my mom! You guys are Santa's reindeer! What are you doing here?”

“We were looking for you,” explained Dasher. “You didn’t show up to help Santa.

“Why should I have gone to help Santa,” I asked “I didn’t get a letter from him asking me to.”

“You didn’t get a letter from him?” asked Vix- en.“But I remember Santa saying your name when he read off the names of all of the reindeer who were to be on his team this year.”

“It must have got lost in the mail,” cried Dancer and Prancer in perfect unison.

“Oh great. Now we have to go and look for San- ta because he’s out looking for you,” said Comet sarcastically.

“Thope it doesn’t take too long,” muttered Cupid.

But it took what seemed like hours (it was re- ally only about 30 minutes). We looked high, we looked low, we asked all the elves if they had seen

Santa but none of them had.

We were just about to give up when we saw Mrs. Claus.

Short Story Contest Continues on Page 18, 19 and 20

time left!”

Santa kissed Mrs. Claus. She still had a frown but before Santa left the frown was replaced with a smile as Santa hopped into the sleigh gave me a wink and hearty Ho, ho, ho!

Jennifer Postnikoff

Age9

“Mrs. Claus, have you seen Santa anywhere in the last few minutes,” inquired Donner.

“Yes, he is in the stable looking for you Blitzen,” answered Mrs. Claus.

The stable that was the only place we had for- gotten to look in! We all ran into the stable to find Santa.

“Santa,” I said. “I thought you didn’t want me to be on your team this year when I didn’t get a let- ter asking me to.”

“What do you mean,” asked Santa.

So we told him about me not getting the letter and how miserable I was.

When we were finished Santa said, “So you re- ally believed that I hadn’t picked you, one of my best reindeer, to be on my team this year.

“If you think I really wouldn’t pick you then maybe I will have to pick some one else next year.”

I frowned.

The frown was replaced with a smile as Santa hopped into his sleigh, gave me a wink and a hearty “Ho, ho, ho.”

Melanie Gorman

Age 10