Perfect Pairings: Four Iconic Holiday Films and
Sound Bars That’ll Bring Them to Life

Since it debuted nearly sixty years ago, this Peanuts classic about finding the true meaning of Christmas has become synonymous with the sounds of the holidays, sending viewers into celebratory contortions, heads tilting and arms waving, at the first piano plinks of Vince Guaraldi’s breezy jazz score.

The Scene: The Auditorium Dance Party

Throughout the film, Guaraldi and his trio perform a mix of standards and original compositions that capture the magic and melancholy of Christmas. But one song, “Linus and Lucy,” stands out for its ability to instantly evoke holiday feelings, providing the soundtrack for Charlie Brown and the gang as they dance onstage, infusing the moment with exuberant enthusiasm. It’s just one of the many reasons why A Charlie Brown Christmas has become an enduring holiday tradition and so, too, has Guaraldi's music.



The Sound Bar: Signa S2D

The Signa S2D brings Polk’s signature high-performance audio to your living room at an unbeatable value. Enjoy your favorite movies, TV, and games in Dolby Digital and DTS surround sound, with powerful, effortless bass via the included wireless subwoofer. Optimize your audio with VoiceAdjust and Music, Movie, and Night Modes, and stream your favorite holiday playlists via Bluetooth.

Henry Selick made his feature directorial debut with this holiday-spanning stop-motion musical masterpiece. Produced and envisioned by Tim Burton and featuring a whimsical score by Danny Elfman, this dark fantasy film follows the misadventures of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who stumbles upon Christmas Town and schemes to take over the holiday.



The Scene: Jack Skellington Discovers Christmas Town

In the “What’s This?” scene, Jack Skellington steps through a magical door in a tree and discovers Christmas Town, an enchanting, snowy village where Yuletide festivities are underway. Captivated by the scene, Skellington hatches a plan to bring Christmas to Halloween Town. The track sets the tone for the adventures ahead, with a soundscape of shimmering sound effects adding depth and emotion to one of the movie’s pivotal moments.

The Sound Bar: Signa S4D

The Signa S4D, Rolling Stone’s “2022 Best Sound Bar for Home Theater," immerses you in Dolby Atmos 3.1.2 sound, thanks to a seven-speaker array with upfiring height speakers and an included wireless subwoofer. Bluetooth music streaming and VoiceAdjust and Music, Movie, and Night Modes round out the features of this streamlined system.

A Picture With a Built-In Playlist

Love (or is it Christmas?) is all around you in what is admittedly one of the season’s most polarizing films. But whether you’re a hopeless romantic who gets swept away by the movie’s nine intertwined love stories or you eyeroll your way through its clichéd and overwrought moments, one thing that puts a smile on everyone’s face is the soundtrack, which features the likes of The Jackson 5, Wyclef Jean, Justin Timberlake, Otis Redding, Darlene Love, Santana, Norah Jones, and Joni Mitchell.

The Scene: The School Christmas Pageant

In the movie’s final act, young Sam performs at his school’s nativity play, backing his crush on drums as she sings “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” As the song—and the chaos—unfolds, revel in the pure joy of this climactic scene, in which the now-classic holiday anthem amplifies the emotions of love, young and old.

The Sound Bar: React

Polk’s React is equally at home with movies as it is with music. Built-in Alexa support and preset modes let you dial in optimal sound using voice commands, keeping your hands free for popcorn. Enjoy React’s built-in virtual surround sound or expand the immersion with available SR2 wireless surround speakers and wireless React Sub.

This action blockbuster follows New York cop John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, who fights to rescue hostages captured by terrorists in a Los Angeles skyscraper on Christmas Eve. McClane’s one-man battle against the bad guys, led by Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber, unfolds in a high-octane thriller that’s become an unlikely holiday classic.

The Scene: The Rooftop Battle Royale

Between hovering helicopters, flying bullets, shattering glass, and an onslaught of explosions—peppered throughout with the best one-liners in the history of action films—the climactic sequence atop Nakatomi Tower is a symphony of sounds that is best enjoyed in immersive surround. Yippee Ki-Yay!

The Sound Bar: MagniFi Max AX

MagniFi Max AX envelops you in the heart-pounding, cinematic thrills of 3D sound, thanks to an 11-speaker Dolby Atmos-enabled array with upfiring drivers for overhead action and Polk SDA technology for an extra-expansive soundstage. Stream music over Wi-Fi with Apple AirPlay 2, Google Chromecast, Spotify Connect, or any Works with Alexa-compatible music service; dial in optimal sound using preset modes and enjoy deep, rich bass via a powerful 10” wireless subwoofer. For even greater immersion, add Polk SR2 wireless surround speakers, available separately or included with the MagniFi Max AX SR 7.1.2 Sound Bar System.