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Like so many things in life, snow can either be great fun or great danger. Those who experience it tend to love it or hate having to shovel the driveway. Still, you’d have to have a cold heart to not see any beauty in any wintry scenes, and plenty of films have great snow moments. Here are ten classic snow moments to be enjoyed any time of year (and yes, there will be spoilers ahead!).
Snow Moment #1: The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz takes young Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) down quite a winding road away from her farmhouse into the land of Oz. In retaliation for an alleged dog bite from Dorothy’s dog Toto, mean old Miss Gulch (Margaret Hamilton) threatens to take the dog and have it legally destroyed. Understandably, the dog escapes from Gulch’s bicycle basket, flees back home into Dorothy’s arms, and Dorothy ponders running away to protect her dog.
Then a tornado happens and, through the magic of head injury, Dorothy ventures into the magical Land of Oz to retrieve the illusion of stable home life. However, Toto isn’t safe there, either, and neither is Dorothy, as Miss Gulch has transformed into the Wicked Witch of the West and is now fixated on Dorothy’s ruby slippers (to be fair, it really is some stylish footwear, and the magical powers are certainly an added bonus).
Pro Tip: After meeting the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), Tin Man (Jack Haley), and Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), and heading off to Emerald City in search of the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan), remember to have a good witch (Billie Burke) to give you some snow to reduce the intoxicating effects of wicked poppy fields along your way. Yes, it’s a scene that confuses plenty of younger viewers, and one is tempted to overanalyze what the scene symbolizes, but it’s definitely a moment where snow (or, in real life, asbestos) comes to the rescue and seemingly prevents Dorothy from an indefinite rest.
Later, the Witch kidnaps Dorothy in an attempt to make her give up her slippers. By that point, it is obvious that Dorothy has gone a long way just to go back home again. Dorothy is a fabulous female character, and the story lets her be herself, never fully transforming into some exaggerated bad-ass warrior trope. In fact, she ends up saving the day almost by accident, using various household objects along the way (a broom and a bucket, among other things). These are not Marvel superheroes we are talking about here, but relatively normal, ordinary characters put through hell over wanting mundane things (more knowledge, love, courage, and just getting the hell back home already!).
Snow Moment #2: The Shining (1980)
Though Stephen King famously derided Stanley Kubrick’s cinematic version of King’s novel, plenty have come to see it as a horror classic, if not a masterpiece. It initially centers on Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) landing a job at the scenic Overlook Hotel. It ends up being about a man whose marriage is on the verge of failure, haunted both by guilt and more literal ghosts. Yes, the hotel is cursed, but so is the new caretaker, whose feelings of isolation and failure are exploited by evil forces hellbent on bringing out his previously pent-up rage over his own feelings of inadequacy.
Jack’s wife, Wendy (Shelley Duvall), and son, Danny (Danny Lloyd), end up battling dear ol’ dad, but not entirely alone. Danny, fortunately, has some spiritual guidance from the hotel’s top chef, Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers), who makes clear Danny’s psychic powers, even warning him not to enter Room 237 (advice that dumb little Danny ignored anyway, of course, which ultimately sends the situation spiraling out of control).
Jack and the family appear to be trapped in the hotel, which seems to have a hunger for murder. In fact, Danny frequently has visions of the hotel’s evil nature, most clearly demonstrated by walls of blood flowing through the hotel elevator. He also sees some Doublemint Twins (Lisa and Louise Burns) who were chopped up by their old man, the delirious and illustrious (though apparently rather racist) Delbert Grady (Philip Stone). In a few key scenes, Jack bonds with Grady over killing his family (or “correcting” them, as Grady puts it, with a fancy rolling of R’s).
Interestingly, though, the same winter wonderland that seemingly dooms Danny and Wendy actually kind of saves their skin. After wacky Jack attacks with splintery whacks from an ax, savvy Danny uses wintry trick foot tracks to strand daddy back in a hedge maze in the film’s amazing final act. Also, when it comes down to it: Jack Torrance makes the fatal mistake of getting out of bed. Had he just hibernated the whole time and let his wife do all the work, they could have just gotten a divorce later on and no one would have been killed. Oh well!
Snow Moment #3: Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Irvin Kershner’s Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back starts off snowy and icy. The Rebel base celebrates the destruction of the Death Star, no doubt, but Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) heads to the ice planet Toth, where he is attacked by some ice beast called a “wampa.” Luke defeats it using a force-assisted lightsaber shop, but it’s really Han Solo (Harrison Ford) who arrives to save the day.
Han and Luke are on the ice planet for a short amount of time, but long enough for us to learn what a wampa and “tauntaun” are. After Luke defeats the wampa, we are reminded that he’s not some almighty warrior. Obviously, one relatively straightforward creature nearly does him in. It reminds the viewer that heroes can be vulnerable, which makes the threat of characters like the Emperor (Clive Revill / Marjorie Eaton) and Darth Vader (David Prowse / James Earl Jones). It’s just a boy and his lightsaber and a few magical powers. That being said, it would have been nice to have seen a wampa throw the emperor from an icy cliff or something like that.
Snow Moment #4: The Thing (1982)
One of the ultimate snowbound horror movies, John Carpenter’s The Thing was not popular at first. In fact, critics hated the isolation and wintry paranoia themes in the film, and even the gross-out effects. The question emerges: Were critics and moviegoers absolute wusses in 1982? Were they incapable of understanding what a great, or even good, film was? Who knows? However, that question is every bit as mysterious as the nature of the creature we call “The Thing” itself.
The film can’t even really be accused of being anti-patriotism, as seeing characters brandishing flares at each other resembles Lady Liberty’s torch, a symbol of hope amidst impending despair. Hell, the movie is ultimately about self-sacrifice, as well as battling a threatening, invasive force. What is more American than that idea?
It even has some of the apocalyptic symbolism that so many love. When the conflagration arrives, the fire can burn all sides, right? On that note, the movie even ends with a fantastic, Hollywood explosion that appears to light the sky as two key survivors discuss an uncertain future. Again, name an image more American than that!
If “The Thing” is damaged by anything, it’s that it’s not constantly progressing at a lightning-fast pace, and the fear ends up painting a startling picture of “the enemy within,” which some might consider polarizing. Still, the slow-burn aspects of the movie aren’t overwhelming, and the wintry chill is relatable to anyone who’s ever been in such an environment. So, really, maybe some moviegoers and critics just haven’t experienced winter enough to “get” that part of the story, and how scary it would be o be stranded with this weird alien force? Again, who knows?
However, much like in The Shining, these characters have a rough time getting any help. In fact, not only is their radio not up to snuff, but characters like s R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) and Blair (A. Wilford Brimley) ultimately find wisdom in staying abandoned, lest the bizarre threat they face make it out from their Antarctic setting and into some government laboratory (where it would inevitably spread like a wildfire and consume humanity, and all earth life, with people and other animals emerging from vaguely differentiated pools of grossness to become mere elements of “The Thing” itself).
Snow Moment #5: Gremlins (1984)
Ho ho ho, we have a Christmas movie for you! And yes, Joe Dante’s Gremlins is a Christmas movie! For starters, Gizmo (Howie Mandel) is originally given to Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) as a cute pet Christmas gift. Christmas trees and music are constantly present, themes of family togetherness are always relevant, and Kate (Phoebe Cates) even tells a memorable tale of her father dying in a chimney dressed as Santa Claus and that it forever ruined her ability to celebrate the holiday!
Is that not enough? Well, okay, Corey Feldman’s character literally dresses as a Christmas tree at one point, in addition to Gremlins attacking Billy’s mom (Frances Lee McCain) from inside a Christmas tree. Oh, and Mrs. Deagle (Polly Holliday)? Well, she is the film’s version of Ebenezer Scrooge, obviously!
So yes, you can say “I don’t like Gremlins,” or “I don’t like Christmas-themed horror movies,” but you cannot reasonably say “Gremlins is not a Christmas movie.” Okay? That’s equivalent to saying “Barbie isn’t a famous child’s doll.” At a certain point, arguments must just be for argument’s sake.
That being said, instead of gifting your loved one a Mogwai for Christmas, maybe just give them some cheap jewelry or something. Maybe it could become a family heirloom, or maybe it could also end up sold in some shop in Chinatown. Still, unless we’re discussing a bizarrely cursed amulet, it’s not a gift that’ll become monstrous if you feed it chicken after midnight, then self-replicate when touched by water. Jewelry doesn’t normally freak out like that, even in the movies.
Snow Moment #6: Willow (1988)
There’s a seemingly endless supply of memorable scenes in Ron Howard’s Willow.
There’s a scene where Willow (Warwick Davis) successfully fakes the death of a sacred child called Elora (Kate and Ruth Greenfield/Rebecca Bearman), fooling the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). There’s the moment Madmartigan (Val Kilmer) accidentally gets intoxicated with a love potion and, through his foolhardy, spellbound obsession, convinces Bavmorda’s daughter, Sorsha (Joanne Whalley), to give up her evil ways.
However, one moment as memorable as any has Madmartigan and Willow escape on a sled, with Willow holding the threatened child. Willow maneuvers skillfully through obstacles, and they make their way through ice tunnels at some pretty epic speeds. After Willow safely crashes lands into a house, we see poor Madmartigan rolling down a hill, trapped inside a giant snowball, only to crash into a wall. Ouch!
It’s a fun scene, especially for anyone who has ever been sledding and knows it can indeed be adventurous. Sure, we don’t always go sledding down a huge mountain or have such dangerous moments, but sledding can be fun and there is always some slight element of danger and exhilaration to it even on a relatively safe hill. Also, should you be in such a scenario as Elora’s, you’d be lucky to be in the care of Willow. Not only does he have some surprising sled skills, but he has a good heart.
Okay, so Willow barely succeeds at fending off a pack of richly-furred trolls, but what can you spect? He represents the human element of what might be called “Fabletown,” who only becomes a man worthy of myth in the end. He does not always work miracles! The point is, Willow is undeniably better than many other adoptive parents, and lightyears better than Bavmorda.
Snow Moment #7: Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Tim Burton seems capable of taking a story anywhere. Had he willed it, the character of Edward Scissorhands (Johnny Depp) could have become almost a Freddy Krueger-like menace, or maybe a hitman whose hand-blade slashes could have been signature crime scene calling cards. Maybe mobsters could have paid Edward to kill people. Basically, the dark possibilities are inherent to such a character.
In the end, Edward Scissorhands is pretty far from that type of story, which is what makes it such a unique movie. Burton created a character who encourages us to see different people, well, differently. After the grandmother version of Kim Boggs (Winona Ryder) relates her tale, we get the idea that Edward Scissorhands has a majestic gift when it comes to the art of ice sculptures. Sure, technically a bully character named Jim (Anthony Michael Hall) is killed in self-defense, but no one familiar with Edward thinks he is a cold-blooded murderer.
That being said, when Peg Boggs (Dianne Wiest) first sort of “rescues” Edward from his isolated life in that castle, it’s still perhaps proof that sometimes help can backfire in unexpected ways. In other words, Tim Burton is not someone whose moral messaging is easy to pin down.
Finally, for an interesting note: Disney now owns Edward Scissorhands’ awkward-yet-lovable, black leather-clad butt, so expect certain audiences to start crying about that weirdo being available on Disney+ to corrupt their kids (or whatever). In a very real way, those types of moral panicky “culture warriors” perfectly embody the themes so prominent in Edward Scissorhands itself. The film offers a few discernable lessons: Don’t judge a book by its cover, moral panics are dangerous, and people are easily manipulated into outcomes that are dangerous for everyone.
Snow Moment #8: Home Alone (1990)
In Home Alone, Chris Columbus and John Hughes delve into the subtler side of family dysfunction, and it’s spelled out quite literally. When parents take a side and argue with their children, there can be unexpected consequences that ultimately create a distance between themselves and the child. Obviously, had Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) and his mom (Catherine O’Hara) been more accommodating and mindful of each other, Kevin might not have been left home alone. Right?
That being said, the McCallister family Christmas movie wouldn’t have been as exciting had it been devoid of conflict, or criminal home invaders like Harry (Joe Pesci) and Marv (Daniel Stern). In fact, Home Alone would have really sucked if Kevin merely woke up on Christmas morning, opened his presents, and said, “Gee, thanks! You’re the best family in the whole wide world!” You want something to come in and mess things up, and since the Loch Ness Monster wasn’t available, we got two bumbling criminals going after a kid who’s pretty smart and resourceful when it comes to booby traps, including some key moments where Kevin uses Christmas ornaments and plain old ice to give the two miscreants a bad day.
So yes, not everyone does their family duties, and sometimes chaos can result, but that’s just life. Still, if you’re rushing through the airport and nearly cause a stampede to catch that plane, and you also left one of your children behind, let’s hope you somehow accidentally clasped the hand of a chimp and take it onboard with you.
Frankly, Home Alone could have used a chimp to make things even zanier. The John Candy cameo is nice and all, but Catherine O’Hara’s journey back home would’ve been more interesting if she had a wacky chimp doing some creative hijinks as she makes her way back to Chicago. It could have been a 3-hour cinematic epic journey about returning to her son while also stressing about returning the chimp to its proper home. Now that’s a story with even more layers!
Snow Moment #9: Misery (1990)
Rob Reiner and Stephen King’s Misery“is a different kind of winter survival epic. After being rescued from a winter car accident, novelist Paul Sheldon (James Caan) has small-town local Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) to thank for his rescue and immediate life-saving care. At first, she seems an unlikely person to act as the story’s antagonist. However, after Annie reads the manuscript to Sheldon’s latest novel in his “Misery” series, where he kills the title character off, it sends her off the rails.
Rebelling against the disturbing nature of the death of Misery, she doesn’t merely approach Paul about re-finishing his work to keep the character alive. First, she makes sure that his initial manuscript is burned, and then she tasks Paul with rewriting a whole new novel (and wants him all to herself). As an unwitting middle finger to Paul, she has him use what could be considered a cast-off typewriter. Before long, it’s obvious that she begins dictating, and he has no choice but to comply with her demands – as failure means possible death. The unspoken question is: Can he escape the madness before it kills him, and can he do so without further ruining his perceived reputation by unleashing another trashy novel he doesn’t even respect?
Snow Moment #10: Hook (1991)
As we saw with The Wizard of Oz, not all memorable snow elements in a film take up the entire movie. Steven Spielberg’s Hook is another example. At one point in this story, the character of Tootles (Arthur Malet) greets Peter Banning (Robin Williams) and his family by yelling “It’s snowing!” and slamming the door in their face.
It’s a silly scene for a mostly silly movie and helps establish Tootles as a character little different from children at play in the park. It also offers a playful introduction to Peter’s complicated relationship with Wendy (Maggie Smith) and how, back in the day, Peter would have been akin to Tootle’s spiritual identical twin. Even though Hook has some elements of a dark fairytale, and we do have some sympathy for the adult Peter, and Peter’s wife (Caroline Goodall), we quickly learn Banning must become Peter Pan if he cares about chasing the criminal Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman) away…or maybe finishing him for all time.
The middle-aged Peter Banning, devoid of his previous youthful energy and rambunctiousness, enters the fight by saying it would be futile. His sense of adventure and vitality wandered away from him, but the Lost Boys help him get it back. Still, Tootles, seemingly an unstable man named Tootles hints at the manic energy we will see later on, with all the frenetic energy of a snowball fight (though none of those are thrown). This is part of what makes Hook work for some people, even though not everyone gets it.
What do you think of these snow moments? Let us know in the comments!
