Christmas Television: An Escape to Festive Films

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Christmas is a time for families.

It is a magical time of the year, a moment when watching the Queen's Speech is an event to be quietly savoured, followed by the realisation that she only takes up a very tiny part of the Christmas TV schedule.

The holiday season is also when the terrestrial channels try to outdo each other with a feast of films that you have already seen at the cinema, streamed through the internet or watched on a gaming console.

This is also the time of the year when watching The Wizard of Oz or The Great Escape is as much of a tradition as turkey with all the trimmings.

Sadly, it seems that this Christmas we will only see Dorothy grace our televisions as The Great Escape won't be screened, but thousands of people with DVD players will always be able to watch Steve McQueen fail to clear a huge fence on a small motorbike.

There are still plenty of tasty cinematic treats to keep viewers entertained and with the holiday season being so family-orientated, it is no surprise that the majority of the films will be of the PG variety.

BBC One has put together a schedule that leans heavily towards animation with Shrek 2, Shrek the Third, Kung Fu Panda, Monsters vs Aliens, Ratatouille and Madagascar 2 all appearing in the bank holiday programming.

ITV has also watered down its adult film content by broadcasting Aladdin, Happy Feet and The Polar Express although it is also screening the first two Harry Potter films.

Channel 4 has pulled off a Christmas cracker with modern classics Elf and The Muppet Christmas Carol, although for some reason it also thinks that Fred Claus and Garfield will be worth tuning in for.

Contemporary fairytales are also high on its agenda with Penelope and The Princess Diaries lightweight enough to ensure that Dad might be interested in seeing Christina Ricci sporting a pig's nose.

BBC Two has concentrated more on classic comedy than feature-length presentations this year, although it has The Magic Roundabout, The Sword in the Stone and Camp Rock to tempt younger viewers.

Channel 5 will be the place to catch Dorothy and Toto with the original film and 1985's Return to Oz screening as part of an Oz-fest.

Eventually, though, the kids will go to bed and there are enough films on TV this Christmas to keep adults glued to their televisions.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Sweeney Todd, Watchmen, The French Connection and Monsters are the pick of Channel 4's selection while Bad Santa and 21 on Five are also worth investigating.

The BBC is showing the guilty pleasure that is Tropic Thunder and the slightly more sedate Emma, but the award for most inappropriate Christmas movie goes to Channel 4 who believes that what the festive season needs is a big helping of Bruno - one movie that everyone should be pleased to escape from.