As we enter into our first holiday season since the passing of Christmas Music aficionado Mitchell Kezin, we gather around the microphone at Chez Fashionista to share memories and reminisce about the beloved Vancouver filmmaker, his legacy and his lasting impact on the Christmas music community.
Through his 2013 documentary Jingle Bell Rocks!, in Kezin's words, "A trippy, cinematic sleighride thru the underground subculture of alternative Christmas music", Kezin himself has joined the pantheon of tortured Christmas underdogs along with George Bailey of It's A Wonderful Life, Rudolph, Hermey The Misfit Elf, Charlie Brown,...
As we enter into our first holiday season since the passing of Christmas Music aficionado Mitchell Kezin, we gather around the microphone at Chez Fashionista to share memories and reminisce about the beloved Vancouver filmmaker, his legacy and his lasting impact on the Christmas music community.
Through his 2013 documentary Jingle Bell Rocks!, in Kezin's words, "A trippy, cinematic sleighride thru the underground subculture of alternative Christmas music", Kezin himself has joined the pantheon of tortured Christmas underdogs along with George Bailey of It's A Wonderful Life, Rudolph, Hermey The Misfit Elf, Charlie Brown, Clark Griswold, Kevin McCallister, Buddy from Elf and a host of others.
In one of Kezin's final social media posts he expressed joy and gratitude that in the decade since its release, Jingle Bell Rocks! has become a Christmas tradition for many:
I wanted to take a moment to express my thanks & gratitude to each & every one of you ~ new friends and old ~ who took the time to reach out to me…
I am so grateful for all the incredible support you have shown me once again for Jingle Bell Rocks! Doc and the joy it has brought you this Xmas season!
There is no more flattering and meaningful experience for a filmmaker then to hear directly from folks about how moved they are by your work and that they look forward to their annual Xmas viewings.
To realize that my Lil' Xmas Evergreen has become a part of your own family holiday ritual still blows my mind ! When I began work on the film many moons ago, I had high hopes for some measure of success, but I never dreamed that JBRX! would have the impact it seems to have had, now ten years on from its original release back in Fall 2014.
A very sweet fan recently noted that for her, JBRX! is the "feel good Christmas classic that helps get her thru the holiday"
Well, that is a compliment that fills me with more LUV than you can possibly imagine.
THANK YOU ALL so very much...I wish you peace & prosperity in the coming year...You are something else !!!" - Mitchell Kezin, January 7, 2024
In this Episode we are joined by Christmas Music enthusiast Amelia C. who corresponded with Kezin over the years and met him at the Toronto premier of Jingle Bell Rocks!
Amelia's Christmas Mixes can be found here: christmasmix.wordpress.com
Isle Of Lucy Christmas Mixes: https://www.mixcloud.com/isleoflucy/
Hip Christmas: https://hipchristmas.com/
Christmas Underground: https://christmasunderground.com/
Jingle Bell Rocks! Doc: https://www.facebook.com/jinglebellrocksdoc/
Mitchell's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitchellkezin
Opening track "Christmas Eve" written and recorded by Matthew Grimson from the 2007 Halifax Indie Christmas compilation ELFT. Copywrite 2007 All rights reserved by The Estate of Matthew Grimson https://youtu.be/8nUukbS3LiY?si=whsZDdEeu_y_JkuY
Closing track "Christmas Reason" written by Amelia Chester from the 2007 Halifax Indie Christmas compilation ELFT. Copywrite 2007 All rights reserved by Amelia Chester https://youtu.be/hRpr3fy0Pqg?si=1If-MvxPHGTmcV-P
