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The Judy Garland Holiday Special

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This DVD set features the Christmas episode from "The Judy Garland Show" that was taped December 6, 1963 and aired on December 22, 1963. Judy Garland, along with the rest of the world, was deeply sad as this was produced only a few days after President Kennedy was assassinated. Judy especially was having a hard time as the President was a close friend of hers. Nevertheless, this Christmas show has gone on to be one of the most beautifully produced Holiday specials ever made for television. It was also Judy's favorite out of the 26 shows she made. Miss Garland is joined by her children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft (in her TV singing debut), and Joey Luft. Mel Torme and Jack Jones also guest star. Songs in this wonderful episode are "Jingle Bells", "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town", "Silent Night", "Deck The Halls", "Have Youself A Merry Little Christmas", and more. The highlight is Judy's rendition of "Over The Rainbow" that she performs as a closing number. You will watch this timeless classic every Holiday season!

I have watched this many times and each time I watch it I have to say it gets more enchanting. The Judy Garland Show has stood the test of time over the years, and this episode from that series is not exception. Each song is thrilling and to watch her with her children is a real treat. The folks at Pioneer Entertainment have done a great service to us all by restoring this show from original video elements and creating a magnificent 5.1 experience. From one of the best singers of the 20th century comes a treat that you will enjoy over and over again. Buy this DVD you will not be sorry.

"The Judy Garland Christmas Show/Holiday Special" (taped December 6, 1963 and aired December 22, 1963) is said to be Judy's favorite episode from her 1963-1964 CBS musical variety show. It is easy to see why. Judy's children, Liza Minnelli and Lorna and Joey Luft, are her very special guests. The episode is structured like an "informal" Christmas party, and the set is a facsimile of Judy's own home at the time in Brentwood, California.
Several songs from Broadway shows ("Steam Heat" from "The Pajama Game", "Consider Yourself" and "Where Is Love?" from "Oliver!"; and "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" from "My Fair Lady") are included alongside traditional Christmas favorites. Young Lorna Luft sings a swinging rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town." Liza Minnelli, joined by her "beau", dancer Tracey Everitt, sings "Alice Blue Gown." Guest Jack Jones sings a beautiful ballad titled "Lolipops And Roses." Judy is most magical of all when she sings an emotionally charged version of "Little Drops Of Rain", a song from the animated film "Gay Purree", for which Judy provided the voice of the cat Mewsette.
Halfway through the episode, the party is interrupted by dancers dressed as Santa Claus, who dance an odd chorus line to "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (twice, actually-- once, joined by Judy). The "dancing Santas" are soon followed by Mel Torme and the Jud Conlon Chorus. Mel Torme, whom a friend of mine referred to as "a frog in a tuxedo", is called Mel Torment by some of Judy's die-hard fans-- because he wrote a very unflattering book about working with Judy; published after her death. For years, Mel's account was taken as Gospel truth about "The Judy Garland Show"-- until other writers and books, fortunately, offered a more balanced perspective. I love how Judy (intentionally?) flubs the lyrics to Mel's "Christmas Song", and also changes the word "reindeer" to "rainbows." Mel doesn't look too pleased.
Judy opens the show with "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", from her classic 1944 film "Meet Me In St. Louis." She was asked to close the show with another of her signature songs. Because Judy sang "Over The Rainbow" in virtually every one of her countless concert appearences, she did not want to sing it on her TV show. For this Christmas show, however, she made an exception-- singing an extremely relaxed rendition of "Rainbow" to Lorna and Joey. Just before the final phrase, Joey whispers into Judy's ear. According to Lorna's award-winning documentary "Judy Garland: The Concert Years", Joey whispered, asking Judy to stop singing so they could continue talking! Judy's fans, of course, could listen to her sing forever.
This is one classic Christmas special that generates genuine warmth, decades later-- and Judy's fans will undoubtedly include this as one of our most cherished Christmas Treasures.

The Judy Garland Christmas (aka "Holiday") Special features a mighty fine performance by Judy, her children Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft and Joe Luft, Jack Jones, and others including Tracey Everitt as Liza's "beau" and a wonderful chorus line of Santas who dance their way into your heart as Judy joins them, too. The quality of the print is really quite good and the acting is excellent--overall it looks fairly spontaneous even though of course it was rehearsed. The TV special also has a wonderful, elaborate set made to look as much like Judy's real home as possible; they didn't spare too much expense to make it look warm and cozy--and it works! I also like the way they performed a few songs that are not associated with Christmas; at first you might think that it wouldn't fit in but it adds to this experience.

There's so much here I scarcely know where to begin. The show begins with Judy welcoming us into an elaborate set made to look like her actual home in California at the time; and that's a nice touch. Judy gives an outstanding performance of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," a song she sang in the MGM film "Meet Me in St. Louis;" she does this so well that it brought a tear to my eye! Judy's "flubbed" lyrics to Mel Tormé's "The Christmas Song" might have been intentional--they weren't exactly getting along too well in real life. Other holiday songs include "Jingle Bells," "Silent Night" and Lorna's wonderful rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town."

Other non-holiday treats include "Consider Yourself" which is enthusiastically performed by Judy and her children; and guest Jack Jones does "Lollipops and Roses;" with panache and I'm very impressed! In addition, Liza performs wonderfully as she sings "Alice Blue Gown" even if her initial "reaction" that they were on TV is the one moment when things seem a bit stilted. Look also for Judy's son Joe to sing "Where Is Love" from the show "Oliver;" and Judy's "Little Drops of Rain" is terrific.

One other very special treat is near the end of the show; Judy sings one of her biggest, if not THE biggest, signature songs of her entire career; we get a rarely televised "Over The Rainbow" which Judy performs very sweetly as a lullaby while her children Lorna and Joe sit snuggled up to her on a couch in their pajamas. This is really the icing on the cake!

Overall, The Judy Garland Holiday Special remains one of the best TV Christmas specials of all time; and just one viewing proves it. This is, of course, a must-have for any Judy Garland fan; and fans of the other performers in this show would do well to add this to their DVD collections.

Judy's love of Christmas comes through beautifully with warmth, and love, and brilliance. But then you also have Jack Jones giving one of the most tender and beautiful performances in the history of television. And a young Liza who seems so sweet and talented it's almost too good to be true - but it is true. It's a nice slice of the early 60's, when Christmas was Christmas and Judy was Judy. If you like Judy. If you like Christmas. You're going to treasure this show.

P.S.
There are some mean-spirited comments in some of the reviews here at Amazon, rest assured that those comments are completely inaccurate.

I watch this Christmas show every year and it always produces the same reactions in me.....Garland looks lovely in this episode of her short-lived series....beautifully quaffed & wearing a very flattering hostess gown, she's in very good voice..... exquisite when singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Little Drops of Rain, and an incredibly moving Over the Rainbow....and to hear her beautiful voice wrapping about The Christmas Song (in spite of whatever her and "Torment" were going through) is a very special moment. As for the other elements of the show, for me it's mostly a mediocre affair. Jones is boring, I'm not fond of Mel (Mort!), and cannot stand the way he "conducts" that phony, plastic-sounding chorus. Lorna and Joey should have spent the night with Joan Crawford and her kids (they cannot even remember the words to Silent Night heaven help them!), and Liza is, as another reviewer so aptly put, definitely not ready for prime-time, extremely embarrassing to watch her romping about with her "beau" Tracy, and her rendition of Alice Blue Gown is suitable for today's wretched "American Idol" standards.
Why oh why couldn't the forces at hand just given us more Garland without all the tacky christmas kitsch going on about her?
Again, Garland's artistry is magical to behold as usual, and is the only reason to view this Christmas concoction.
Luigi ~ nyc

I have started a small collection of judy garland DVDs and Videos to view and couldn't live without this one. I recall seeing it as a child and knew it would be a great addition to my new collection, I wasn't wrong.

For pure holiday schmaltz and early 1960s nostalgia, this Judy Garland Christmas show delivers. However, a better description of this classic TV show is intriguing. It is clear she was too intense and mercurial for homespun TV audiences, very neurotic and jerky throughout, only relaxing when tenderly crooning "Over the Rainbow" to her babies at the show's closing. Worth the price alone for that celluloid moment! For all Judy's attempts at yuletide gaiety, she seems depressed and drawn, no doubt realizing her show was headed for cancellation. Irresistible is the very visible tenseness between her and Mel Torme. She forgets his name twice. Ouch! He ungallantly got even years later with a hatchet book of his TV travails with her. Behind-the-scenes distractions to the side, Judy, a not-ready-for-primetime Liza, Jack Jones and company do capture the holiday spirit in a lively caroling songfest, sadly not seen anymore on today's overdosing of reality TV. So, God bless us everyone, even Mort, uh.. I mean.. Mel Torme!