Gaming
If Hollow Knight: Silksong Feels Too Hard, Git Gud With These Metroidvanias Instead
15. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was voiced by a woman
The iconic voice of Rudolph was performed by a woman! Actress Billie Mae Richards brought the lovable misfit to life, though the credits listed her as Billy Richards to keep her gender secret. She was paid just $1,000 for her work, even as the special went on to rake in over $100 million. | © GoodTimes Entertainment
14. The Muppet Christmas Carol used extensive visual effects
The Muppet Christmas Carol movie magic was everywhere to bring the story to life. Michael Caine had to carefully walk on narrow planks between the Muppets and their puppeteers, seamlessly blending the human and puppet worlds. | © Disney
13. Love Actually began as two separate films
Love Actually began as two completely separate films. Writer and director Richard Curtis originally wrote individual scripts that evolved into Hugh Grant and Colin Firth’s iconic storylines. In the process of merging them, Curtis trimmed down his ambitious 14 storylines to 10, even cutting 2 after filming them. | © Universal Pictures
12. Tom Hanks portrayed five different roles in The Polar Express
Tom Hanks delivered a magical performance by taking on not one but five different roles. Originally set to play just the conductor and Santa Claus, Hanks ended up embodying the hero boy’s father, the hobo, the Scrooge puppet, Santa, and the narrator. | © Warner Bros. Pictures
11. It's a Wonderful Life was filmed during the summer of 1946, and heat waves occasionally shut down production
It’s a Wonderful Life may look like a winter wonderland, but it was filmed during the scorching summer of 1946. The heat was so intense that production occasionally had to shut down. | © RKO
10. The Santa Clause used real reindeer borrowed from the Toronto Zoo
In The Santa Clause, Santa’s trusty reindeer were real animals borrowed from the Toronto Zoo. Filmed in the Greater Toronto area, the production used these local animal actors to bring Santa’s sleigh-pulling team to life. | © Disney
9. The Nightmare Before Christmas was initially conceived as a television special
The Nightmare Before Christmas was almost a holiday TV special, as the original story was inspired by classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Disney initially considered it for a short film or a 30-minute special but dismissed it as too weird and even fired Burton in 1984. | © Disney
8. In Home Alone, a real tarantula, named Barry, was used in the scene with Daniel Stern
The iconic tarantula-on-the-face scene with Daniel Stern was as real as it gets - Barry the tarantula was an actual spider. When Stern expressed concern about screaming in the spider’s face, the animal trainer reassured him with a surprising fact: “Barry doesn’t have ears. He can’t hear you!” | © 20th Century Fox
7. Donald Trump required a cameo in Home Alone 2 in exchange for a filming permit at his Plaza Hotel
Donald Trump's appearance in Home Alone 2 wasn't a fun addition but a requirement from the President. When the production needed to film at his Plaza Hotel, Trump agreed, but only if he got a part in the movie (this was the standard practice for Trump’s properties). | © 20th Century Fox
6. It’s a Wonderful Life was nearly developed with an entirely different storyline
It’s a Wonderful Life could have been a completely different movie. The early version of the screenplay, written by Dalton Trumbo, reimagined George Bailey as a cynical politician who tries to end his life after losing an election. | © RKO
5. In A Christmas Story, the scene where Flick's tongue sticks to the pole was cleverly created using a hidden vacuum
The iconic tongue-to-the-flagpole scene was created using a piece of plastic with a hidden suction tube beneath the snow. A small vacuum motor made the tiny hole in the plastic “grab” anything that touched it, perfectly simulating a frozen-tongue mishap. | © MGM
4. The script for Home Alone was completed in just over a week
The holiday classic Home Alone came to life in record time, John Hughes wrote the first draft in just nine days. Inspired by his travel anxiety after a family trip to Europe, Hughes imagined the chaos of accidentally leaving a 10-year-old behind. | © 20th Century Fox
3. In Elf, the only CGI used was for the snow effects
While creating the North Pole, directors of "The Elf" relied on stop-motion animation and forced perspective instead of CGI, except for the snow! By crafting two sets of different sizes and aligning them just right, they created the illusion of Buddy towering over his fellow elves. | © New Line Cinema
2. In Die Hard, Bruce Willis wore fake rubber feet for his barefoot stunts
In Die Hard (yes, it’s a Christmas movie—don’t fight it!), Bruce Willis pulled off those intense barefoot stunts thanks to fake rubber feet. Designed to protect his stunt during action-packed scenes, these faux soles let him sprint across glass-covered floors without a scratch. | © 20th Century Fox
1. In How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Jim Carrey's Grinch costume was crafted from yak hair
In How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Jim Carrey's iconic Grinch costume was made from dyed yak hair! The green fur was crafted by sewing the yak hair onto a spandex suit, creating the perfect shaggy look. | © Universal Pictures
