'Polar Express' and 'Home Alone' Among Holiday Films Reaching New Classic Status

'Polar Express' and 'Home Alone' Among Holiday Films Reaching New Classic Status

'It's A Wonderful Life' and Other Traditional Films Remain Tops, According to Holiday Movie Survey by BLOCKBUSTER(R)

DALLAS, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Every holiday season, movie fans watch old favorites like "It's A Wonderful Life" and "A Christmas Story" to get in the spirit. But according to a holiday movie survey from BLOCKBUSTER(R), there are a small handful of films, including "Polar Express" and "Home Alone," that are winning hearts as all-time holiday favorites.

"Making it to holiday classic status is harder than shimmying down a chimney with a bag full of toys," said Joyce Woodward, senior vice president with Blockbuster Inc. "Most of us watch the traditional holiday films we remember from our childhood, and a new generation is beginning to influence what we call 'classic.'"

Most survey participants named older films like "It's A Wonderful Life" or "Miracle on 34th Street" as their favorites. In fact the majority of the top movies were made more than 20 years ago.

But, while most go traditional with their holiday films, some named a handful of relatively "newer" movies including "Home Alone," "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" and "The Santa Clause." "Polar Express" was the only all-time holiday favorite made in the last 10 years.

Close to 90 percent of movie fans watch holiday films to ring in the season and help them get in the holiday mood, according to the survey by BLOCKBUSTER. More than 70 percent watch a particular movie as a part of their holiday tradition.

AMERICA'S ALL-TIME HOLIDAY FAVORITES
According to a September 2006 survey of movie lovers by Blockbuster Inc.

1. "It's A Wonderful Life" (1946)
2. "A Christmas Story" (1983)
3. "Miracle On 34th Street" (1947)
4. "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" (1989)
5. "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1964)
6. "White Christmas" (1954)
7. "Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas" (1966)
"Home Alone" (1990)
"Polar Express" (2004)
8. "A Charlie Brown Christmas" (1965)
"Frosty The Snowman" (1969)
"The Santa Clause" (1994)

About Blockbuster

Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI)(NYSE:BBI.B) is a leading global provider of in- home movie and game entertainment, with more than 8,500 stores throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. The company may be accessed worldwide at www.blockbuster.com.

Source: BLOCKBUSTER

CONTACT: Tami Cannizzaro, +1-214-854-3190 for BLOCKBUSTER

Web site: http://www.blockbuster.com/

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