ATTACKING XMAS

It is regretful that Marc Shulgold chose to rely upon his self-serving witticisms rather than offer a fair and informative review of our “The Sights and Sounds of Christmas,” which he viciously attacked in Home Tech (Dec. 9).

Shulgold obviously missed the purpose of the video. It was designed to be a musical picture book of the holiday season. Nearly 1,000 images of Christmas are accompanied by 22 traditional and popular songs presented in stereo HiFi, including Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song,” the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Colin Davis with the John Alldis Choir. These very same London Symphony recordings were reviewed as “extraordinary” in Calendar’s Dec. 14 Yule CD guide. Shulgold dismissed all of the music contained in the video as “Muzak.”

He was also most offended by the sights of Christmas . . . trees, kids, Santas, toys. We question why he conveniently neglected to mention the more spiritual themes represented visually. Is the beauty of the Vatican, 14th-Century stained-glass windows, renderings of the Birth Story and children’s drawings deserving of such evil criticism as to be called “Sartres concept of Hell”?

While Shulgold is entitled to his opinion as a critic, the reader is entitled to a comprehensible review and a truthful portrayal of the facts. His assault on “The Sights and Sounds of Christmas” indicates that he viewed it with half an ear and half a heart.

KATHY DELLAR

GINA GOLDMAN

Sugar Plum Productions

Los Angeles