When people list their must-watch or favorite holiday movies, the list usually contains one or more movies that are simply set during the season; chief amongst them: Die Hard. What if this was an intentional campaign to distort the idea of what a holiday movie was? This Christmas Eve column provides a brief history of Nadiel and Gruber, Angel and Demon of Holiday Movies.
While there have been plays and films set during the holiday season ever since there was a holiday season Heaven and Hell took little notice. Then, in the 1970’s a young Balseraph named Gruber pitched an idea to his boss, Nybbas: what if one way to erode the warmth and message associated with the season was to introduce subversive movies set during the season? Nybbas approved and the Liar known as Gruber began his campaign.
In 1974, Gruber saw his first project come to life in the film Black Christmas. While not entirely noteworthy it was enough of a good start to earn the demon a knighthood. But not a Word. Gruber helped push a few other movie attempts in the 70’s but with continued limited success. It was the early 1980s and the growing popularity of the VCR began to change everything for the Liar. With a catalogue of older films that took place during the holidays but had nothing to do with the holidays, people began to watch more non-“Holiday Movies” during the holiday season.
Ten years after the release of Black Christmas, three distinctly holiday movies that muddied the season’s sentiments were released: Don’t Open till Christmas, Gremlins, and Silent Night, Deadly Night. For the latter film, Heaven—specifically, Christopher, Archangel of Children—took notice. Silent Night, Deadly Night was pulled from advertising and scheduling as it was thought to make children fear Santa Claus and lose the wonder of the holiday. Gremlins was the only successful endeavor. As the Balseraph continued to refine his tactics his efforts and the idea of how humanity was using holiday movies piqued the interest of one of Blandine’s Mercurians. The angel, named Nadiel, began to closely watch Gruber’s movements.
The demon shifted his focus to action movies set during the season and worked towards the release of Lethal Weapon in 1987. But the backdrop of Christmas in that film went largely unnoticed and was quickly forgotten. It was Die Hard in the following year that finally gave the demon enough clout to petition and earn his Word: Holiday Movies.
Nadiel quickly petitioned for the same Word, believing in how important it should be for Heaven. Though the Host typically wanted little to do with media Words, the Seraphim Council debated and eventually agreed. The Dreamer accepted the Word Friction as a duty rather than a burden.
The two celestials have been battling each other ever since though have never come to direct blows. The angel wants movies that encourage people to act on the ideas presented in wholesome movies; to dream about the movies then act accordingly. Gruber’s focus may be on people watching movies without a message, but his bosses are just as happy if people are binge-watching any type of holiday movie and be lulled into inactivity. Each advance in technology and immediate movie-watching has only made Gruber more favored in the eyes of Hell. He has since earned the distinction of Captain, while his Mercurian rival remains a Vassal of Dreams.
Both celestials spend most of their time in Los Angeles. Gruber works in Hollywood as a script doctor, usually suggesting an action or horror movie take place during the holiday season. Nadiel works with celebrity charities, contacting actors and directors to use the popularity of their wholesome holiday films to encourage people to do more.
Adventure Seed: The Yuletide Cat
For the past decade Gruber has focused on anti-holiday movies for teens and adults; pushing and doctoring a number of horror and action movies. While Die Hard is still considered one of his greatest successes, the demon has noted that Gremlins often makes peoples holiday movie lists and is even played for the children—an audience he feels he has neglected. The balseraph believes the time is ripe for another family-friendly movie during Christmas that has nothing to do with bringing warmth or joy. Introducing Jolakotturinn: The Yuletide Cat.
With a script green-lit, the file “The Yuletide Cat” will be a live-action and puppetry-infused production about how important it is to receive a gift or be eaten by a giant, black cat. The violence is minimal and cartoonish and the script has enough tender moments to make it a PG movie with overall family appeal.
Nadiel is aware of the film and is doing his best to shut it down, but with little luck. His calls to protest the film or have celebrities chastise it have largely gone unnoticed. The Mercurian has put out a call for angels and Soldiers—particularly those of Children, Dreams, and Flowers. Their goal will be to halt filming and production before the movie is ever “in the can.”
The City of Angels, however, is anything but, and there are a number of Hell’s Princes that want to see the movie made. Nybbas, Beleth, and Kronos are especially interested in this development and will send aid if angels threaten the production.
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