Santa Baby!

Let’s review their very last animated original Rankin Bass Christmas film with Santa Baby!.

When people think the title, they think of that generic ABC Family Christmas Drama film that we’ll forget quicker, or a song by Eartha Kitt. In fact, Eartha Kitt did play Emerald the cat, not a human that turn into a cat that was saved by a mistaken order of Assembled Giant Trampoline. This was aired once on Fox 5 back when Fox used to air variety of Christmas specials such as Olive the Other Reindeer, Robby the Reindeer, and Cinder Elmo for some reason. Nowadays, Fox just airs mostly nothing of value and Christmas Story Live proves one of that points. This was released on DVD, but that’s hard to find. I know I spotted a whole rack of them at Beach Haven Library, but I didn’t have the credit card at the time of 2012. I got back to Beach Haven (or Long Beach Island I mostly called) 5 years later due to other places for vacation and one Hurricane. I got back to that same library, but both the place and DVD are gone. So I can only find the damaged film on youtube.

A partridge named Melody Birdsong tells a story how a little girl named Dakota is volunteering for the animal shelter in a rundown neighborhood. The Supervisor named Mr. Sweet wants to close the shelter down, because he hates animal, except for a lobster he hopes to cook. Dakota’s Dad named Noel (voiced by Gregory Hines) is having a block on writing new music for his job. Dakota wishes her dad to write a hit song, though not simple. Noel dressed as Santa as part of the wish. As time went on through trial and errors, the people in the neighborhood grow the Christmas spirit, except for Mr. Sweet. Anymore would spoil the story who may predict where it goes.

This was written by Suzanne Collins, the author of the Hunger Games. You can never the style difference with the specials tone vs. Hunger Games tone. This is the only Rankin Bass film with the all African American cast, as in the past they’re rarely a background character or Friday from Robinson Crusoe. The animation and style has gotten for last project. I would almost think the animals are a big distraction to the film, but they’re part of the story. If they didn’t speak, it either makes the film better or worst. I could say them mute would ruin the film as seen in King and I, but that’s bad because they’re unnecessary additions to focus on and don’t add the story. The music I’m really split on. When it’s Christmas, it’s decent. When it’s on the animals, it’s kinda annoying.

I like the arc that goes on with Noel. He had to go through effort of making music, but instead he unintentionally helps his town in need, just like Santa Claus. I can relate as this December, as I volunteer for Toys 4 Tots at the Salvation Army at Cary North Carolina to put the stocking in the slots, helped the Angel Runner, and moved the discarded boxes. It’ll give blisters to my feet, but that’s fast effort I give. That’s the best to describe Santa Baby; A little Christmas effort that may have some slow or cheesy moments that can make a lasting impression. I wish it can be seen more on TV as it desperately needs some variety for Christmas than little they can accept. It’s not bad, nor is boring, nor good, it mostly OK enough to be shown on TV than crap.

And folks, that was it for Rankin Bass reviews. It’s really emotional to see the rise and fall of their career. I’ll get to the Rankin Bass TV series, Wacky World of Mother Goose in the future when they’re available. If it’s possible for any specific film to move on to, I think I’ll cover films that the people in the production of Rankin Bass did such as Nutcracker Fantasy.

Here’s my Top 10 best and worst Rankin Bass to describe their strength and weakness. Not counting their related sequel. Let’s start with the worst list.

10. Mad Monster Party: Not a bad Halloween movie, but Felix, love plot, and padding are what break the reason to be full length.

9. Return of the King: Don’t tell about the war you survived in.

8. Pinocchio’s Christmas: A pointless reason to be a Christmas special.

7. The Wind in the Willows: Lose most of the music and you’ll get to be in the honorable mentions

6.  Twas the Night Before Christmas: A short story + a terrible story = A terrible story with a decent short ending and song.

5. The First Christmas: The most boring original Christmas film that Angela Lansbury can’t save.

4. Sleeping Beauty: The most recycling characters I’ve seen from them.

3. Tom Sawyer & Swiss Family Robinson: Either abridged version of the story that’s best to be abridged under 5 minutes than half an hour.

2. Mad Mad Mad Comedian: An animated stand-up that should sit down.

1. Red Baron: Never team up with Filmation, and rely entirely majority on pointless talking.

Now the Top 10 best!

10. Jack Frost: A nice spin-off with one of the best villains.

9. Mad, Mad, Mad Monsters: The best of the Halloween specials.

8. The Hobbit: The redefying film that help the none-Holiday Rankin Bass film.

7. Flight of Dragons: An underrated Middle Earth set animated film that deserves a blu-ray.

6. Life and Adventure of Santa Claus: A nice epic reboot to end, even if it’s the third time for Santa.

5. The Year Without Santa Claus:  A best of the sequels, even if it was unintended. Come for the Miser Brothers, stay for the songs and humor.

4. Frosty the Snowman: A charming snowman film. Once you hear the original dub, you can never unheard it.

3. Here Comes Peter Cottontail & The Emperor’s New Clothing: Both are great with Danny Kayes as I recommend them together.

2. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: The groundbreaking Christmas film that’s loved every year.

1. Santa Claus’ Comin’ To Town: The best redefying Santa Claus thanks to Rooney.

Thank you for watching my review, Merry Christmas and a have Happy New Year!

A Miser Brothers' Christmas

Apparently people still love to talk about the Miser Brothers from The Year Without Santa Claus and it’s remake that we get A Miser Brothers’ Christmas. 

Or maybe they got reminded from a terrible TV season that came out between the Remake film and this film with Moltar and Flurious from Power Rangers Operation Overdrive. Coincidentally, this was written by Power Rangers RPM writer for first half, Eddie Guzelian. This is the only Rankin Bass related sequel to be produced by Rankin Bass.

Ms. Claus tells the story how there almost is a year without Christmas. Santa does his usual inspection onto the elves and reindeer before Christmas. He gets to Tinsel, the youngest elf, who constructs the new super sled. Heat Miser (reprised by George S. Irving) and Snow Miser (this time voiced by Juan Chioran) go to the family reunion with Mother Nature. One of the siblings is the North Wind wants to take over Christmas (who I swear is the ghost of the villain from Corpse Bride, after he became a corpse.) Santa had an accident in the middle of the Miser Brothers brawl partly because of North Wind’s minions and unnoticed to the Misers. Santa is out of commission around Christmas. Mother Nature brings the Miser Brothers to punish them by taking Santa’s place.

The design was “intended” to combine the design of Rudolph’s phase designs and The Year Without Santa Claus’ phase designs. That explains why the elves and reindeers. Santa is closer to the original with Rooney’s voice. Though I kinds wish they stick to one phase on style, since this is either feels like a loose continuation or another reboot. It’s still the Miser Brothers, though I miss the insane energy Dick Shawn created for the original, as it was his own as shown in Mad. Mad, Mad World. This is the last time we hear both Mick Rooney as Santa and George as Heat Miser. It’s sad to lose them both.

The stop-motion was done by Cuppa Coffee Studios, who gladly continued Celebrity Deathmatch, and sadly created Glen Martin, DDS. They did an OK job for the animation, but I really miss the original style, wide expressions, and energy. Maybe if they used Stoopid Monkey’s production to do the animation. They proved it a little better with the Animated Elf Musical and Spongebob Christmas. They have experience doing Rankin Bass related in Robot Chicken. The background music can never top Maury Laws’ music. Then again, I ever recall good background music lately aside from Steven Universe and most of MLP:FiM. The only music that worked is the Miser Brothers music, but not much when they did a remix of it.

I didn’t like A Miser Brother Christmas when it first came out, but it got harmless with time, unlike a certain rotten egg (Peter Cottontail: The Movie). I like the backstory of the Miser Brothers they showed through the Naughty and Nice list. It’s just an average Rankin Bass related sequel with Rankin Bass involved, as it’s the last of the sequels. It has some of the spirit of the original, but the spirit of ABC Family and the stop-motion is sorta dragging it down. It’s not the last Rankin Bass film for me to review, that’s reserved for their very last original film.

The Legend of Frosty the Snowman

Will we get a better Frosty sequel than Frosty Returns? *sigh* No we don’t. While they learn their lesson in animation, Legend of Frosty is probably on par with Frosty Returns film. I didn't like this when it first came out, but it got slightly better by an ounce.

In the 50s town of Evergreen, the Tinkerton has a father as the rules strict mayor. (voiced by Tom Kenny. Crap, I’m getting a Peter Cottontail flashback.)

They go to school in an orderly fashion and have a strict principle Hank Pankley. (Voiced by Nutty Professor’s Dean, Larry Miller)

Tommy Tinkerton (voiced by Kath Soucie) was first noticed by a magical hat as it flies to the other kids of Evergreen. The magic hat came and drafted Walter, as once it placed on a pile of snow to create Frosty the Snowman. Frosty’s plan is for the kids are to have fun. He would later have fun with Tommy’s brother, Charlie and Sara (voiced by Tara Strong) to the point of being a secret society.

Tommy discovered the comic about Frosty, as it reveals the slightly different origin including boy in blue shirt and his father, Professor Hinkle from the original film. As Frosty has fun with the children, it’s chaos for Mayor Tinkerton, as its opportunity for Pankley to be mayor with a chance of getting Everlasting Gobstoppers. (General Zod approves in Shape of Water.)

The animation has gotten better, as it was the last 2D animated related sequel. It’s not as good it can, but it’s best to appreciate hand drawn animation before the later films would switched to bad flash animation or bad CGI that the film will be next year that shall not be spoken more than once.

It’s strange that Bill Fagerbakke voiced Frosty, and only gets Patrick out of him as it would make Frosty real dumb and only a shell. Even more strange that we already have a Patrick the Snowman in a Jimmy Neutron Christmas Short, and that’s actually funny! It does show something new with Frosty such as him absorbing snow, creating a double, and to name a few that’s minor to the film.

The kids here are split while the actors are good; Tommy is just there, Walter is either a jerk or wimp, Charles is a bully, and Sara is OK. I can’t tell if they’re better or worst. It’s usually one of the kids I like. If I had to like any kids in this film, it’s an extent of Tommy and Sara. It’s hard to top Karen and maybe Holly. Burt Reynolds, but he’s not an engaging narrator and singer here.

This film is a combination of the original Frosty and the Frosty comic that did exist. The advice of having fun is needed nowadays in what’s mostly a depressing and grim world, something I was advice twice this year by Arthur Burghardt (the voice of Devestator) and Walter Jones (the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers) at two different convention.

The Legend of Frosty the Snowman is not bad, nor good. If you can’t stand one of those films where fun is taken away by a stick in the mud, then this is a film can just melt away.

Frosty Returns

After Rankin Bass ended their business, they wouldn’t have the money to create another film on their film unless they produced it. While that’s not entirely bad for them much, CBS desperately wants a Frosty sequel of their own they can air, since they weren’t allow to air Winter Wonderland and Christmas In July because Warner Bros. owned them, despite being aired on the Disney Channel, then Fox Family, as it became ABC Family and as currently as Freeform because of Disney. So the only solution was to make the start of the Rankin Bass related sequels; sequels from a Rankin Bass film not done by Rankin Bass.

So yay, Frosty Returns, again!

Its snow day in the town of Beansboro, the kids are playing out while the adults are miserable shoving away snow. Holly is a lonely girl, tries to be a magician with her only friend Chuck, but loses her hat to the wind. The magic hat landed on a snowman to become Frosty the Snowman to befriend Holly.

Meanwhile, there’s a businessman named (voiced by Brian Doyle Murray) who created a spray called Summer Breeze to instantly clear away snow.

Is Frosty safe from such a product?

This was done by Bill Menedez, the voice of Snoopy and part of the Peanuts Production, and the music was done by Mark Motherbaugh, the same guy who did the Rugrats music.

I remember watching this when I was young on Christmas, along with Rover Dangerfield and when I had a plastic tent. Don’t ask what kind of tent was it!

I liked it OK back then, but it has gotten a lot worst with time. It’s definitely because of the story. Anytime we have an environmental film, they’re usually predictable crap, unless you’re Wall-E, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Power Rangers RPM, and Sonic SATAM. Half the times you root for the villain and the heroes are mostly prissy. Has the plan to remove snow, which can, to the kids it’s destroying their enjoyment, as to the adults, he is doing them a favor. The only way he could be a bigger villain if he uses his Summer Breeze to remove all the snow in the entire world, even the Himalayas, Greenland, Iceland, the South Pole, and the North Pole. If he does success, then he and everyone would be drowned to death, alive while in boats or floating without being killed by sea life or going mutated into sea life or Kevin Costner.

John Goodman is the replacement voice since Jackie Vernon died shortly before the making. Not a bad replacement, you couldn’t tell its Goodman, but nowadays I get a Scoop T. Snowman vibe out of him. Jonathan Winter is kind of a pointless, as he can’t be involved much being the size of Papa Smurf. So pointless that CBS remove Jonathan on a snowflake from the beginning and end of the film. Holly might be the best human character of the Frosty film since Karen. What’s different than the others before and after is she’s not a perfect child, but a lonely smart kid, and so would I when living in this town. She played by Elizabeth Moss, who voiced Michelle in Once Upon A Forest, and her acting is still there as she grows in Mad Man. 

I could say this is a weak start to the related Rankin Bass film, but rarely do any of them go uphill from here. Much like a light flurry, Frost Returns is harmless at most with some salt for the safety sake than a Summer Breeze. It’s best to watch this film with FHE Christmas 1993 promo, as it gives some of the Christmas magic, including the artwork on the Tape Cover. This is just the calm before the storm of the Legend of Frosty the Snowman.

The Life and Adventure of Santa Claus

Let’s review their last stop-motion Christmas special with a film about Santa Claus. Wait, didn’t we have Santa Claus Comin’ To Town? Yes we do, but this story of The Life and Adventure of Santa Claus, written by Wizard of Oz’s creator, L. Frank Baum, and technically the story was made first.

It starts with an epic opening; all the Nordic Immortals arrived down the stair for the meeting that Great Ak about Life and Adventure of Santa Claus at the forest of Burzee. The opening is by far the most epic in terms of Christmas Special. The chorus is deep and grand as the appearance of the Immortals. The beat matches the characters pacing, and it feels important.

Great Ak found an abandon mortal baby Claus, as he left him to a lioness named Sheagra to mother him. One of the sprites named Necile steals the baby from Sheagra, because she sings about her loneliness for a child as she raised the trees. Peter Nook (voiced by Peter Newman) warns how he can’t control Sheagra, and he’s the master of animals. With some convincing, Great Ak allows Necile to raise Claus. Throughout the years, Claus grows up with the Sprite, Tingler the Sound Imp, and has the world view with Great Ak in their mostly cruel ways. (Apparently, first location they viewed was January Junction, as it’s the same peasants from Jack Frost.) Claus leaves the Immortals to the snowy Laughing Valley of Ho Ha Ho. Claus has bring joy to children over the years at the Valley. An orphan stumbles upon Claus (assuming from Kids Town.).  Claus made his first toy as a black cat.

King Awgwa of the Awgwa demands Klaus to stop making toys and joys to children. They kidnap Claus while being invisible in the middle of the night, but were saved by summoning the Knooks. After the Awgwa have stolen all of Claus toys, Great Ak and the Immortals have declare war with the Awgwa. (It does go not The Hobbit intense with the war here, but intense for a Christmas Special.)

The rest goes Santa Claus’ Comin’ To Town in how Santa operates minus a tyrant.

The cast are mostly from the Thundercats. Santa Claus is voiced by Mumm-ra’s actor, Earl Hammond. King Awgwa is voiced by Panthro’s actor, the late Earle Hyman. Queen Zurline is voiced by Cheetara, Lynne Lipton. The Commander of the Wind Demon is voiced by Lion-O and Sonny of Cocoa Puffs, Larry Kenney. Fun fact: I met Tygra’s voice actor, Peter Newman at Retrocon. I was talking to him with the films he was in I liked. I forgot the character he voiced in Life and Adventure of Santa Claus. I was thinking about the character throughout the convention, until I remembered it was Peter Nook. I got back to his booth to remember the name, and coincidentally Peter Newman was signing The Life and Adventure of Santa Claus on VHS. This was so funny, Pumyra’s voice actress, Gerrianne Raphael was laughing hard at this moment, and she was next to Newman.

Santa Claus has the deep mighty voice, but I do prefer Rooney’s role. Try to do a counting game how many times Claus says “Must”. I like the film, but since Santa Claus’ Comin To Town came out first and had the bigger magic. Think of it as the John Carter effect where the book came first, a film influence by the book was made, and then the originator was came out with lesser spirit than the influenced made more.

There’s another version of Life and Adventure of Santa Claus, two different animated versions; one was part of an episode of Oz Kids, and the other is done by Mike Young’s Production. The Mike Young’s version filled the holes that Sheagra died from old age, Santa’s connection to one of the child that grows up with him, and they showed the Spirit of Death. However, the Awgwa are made really stupid.

The Life and Adventure of Santa Claus is a nice ending Christmas special for Rankin Bass. However, their career is mostly over for a while after Wind In The Willow, but there are sequels made with little to no approval from Rankin Bass, as you’ll figure which out is next.

Leprechaun's Christmas Gold

Let’s celebrate something in Ireland with Leprechaun’s Christmas Gold. I have this special on VHS as it’s shown after Frosty’s Winter Wonderland.

Art Carney plays a leprechaun named Blarney Kilakilarney, as he tells the story how a human sailor Hermy named Dinty Doyle was going to get a pine tree at an Ireland island that barely inhabited by leprechauns. When Dinty pulled out the pine tree, it freed a banshee, as her the storm happened. He got across Blarney at a hidden cavern, where he guards the gold. Blarney inceptionally tells the story how he had a married life with a shoemaker named Faye. The Banshee tries her best to steal the leprechaun’s gold with her shape shifting powers, but it failed the gold miners when she took the form of the poor woman, but not Faye as she took the form of Lady Borealis or a guardian angel. Blarney and his wife split up with my favorite line of the film.

Blarney: “You’re daff, that’s what!”

Faye: I’m what?

Blarney: I’m what?

Faye: I’m warning you, husband!

Though I thought he said “Deaf”, which would make the scene longer in a loop and he’s an idiot.

After Blarney was kicked out from his wife, he went to the mines alone as the rest of the miners became shoemakers. The Banshee got to Blarney, but the Earthquake happened to split Blarney’s location from Ireland.

The Lord of the Leprechaun has tricked the Banshee to take the form of water, as Blarney seal her with dirt and assuming seeds, as the Pine Tree sealed her in, until the where this story begun.

After Blarney tells the story, he got drugged by the Banshee. The effect has Blarney to surrender his gold, but to whom?

Why does Klarney need to tell the story if he’s going to tell the story in the story? That kind of story telling is almost on par with Return of the King’s storytelling, but it’s not worst enough since that film is an action war film where the ones telling the story are alive while the rest are dead or MIA.

Many could call this special dull, but that’s what The Frist Christmas is fully reserved for. I can call this entertaining with 3 out of 4 songs; the opening theme is relaxing, Kilakilarney Shoes is fun, and Christmas in Kalarney is memorable enough that Big Crosby’s version is played today.

Art Carney is a kind soul, and the Banshee fun to watch. The rest are forgettable, and I swear one of the leprechauns has Kris Kringle’s head.

Much like films starting with Pinocchio’s Christmas, there’s little to no reason to connect Christmas to this story. However, this can work for this film culturally; we can see how Christmas is celebrated in Ireland. However, whenever we have leprechauns, it’s either a St. Patrick special or a horror film with Warrick Davis. This film can be seen as a lesser Disney’s Darby O’Gil and the Little People with a less scary Banshee. The best way to stop a Banshee is to shut the door on her face, as Binky Barnes demonstrates that in Arthur.

Leprechaun Christmas Gold isn’t really much Gold film, but it’s more Silver, Copper, Mur, or Peppermint kind of film. Perhaps we should be close to Christmas with the help from the great and powerful Baum. 

Pinocchio's Christmas

From the beginning, Rankin Bass started their stop-motion and general career with The Adventure of Pinocchio. A TV Show I’ll review later, with the limitations that episodes are rare to find and youtube only showed the first few episodes. There could be a theory that Pinocchio was to be rebooted with the episodes close to Collodi’s books, but stop-motion TV shows are mostly rare in the 80s in America. Best solution would be a short special, and add Christmas to the runtime and you get Pinocchio’s Christmas.

A lumberjack chops down a tree from an enchanted forest, who gave the lumber to Gepetto (voiced by Heat Miser’s George S. Irving). There was something so sacred, something magical that Gepetto can make a puppet out of it. Thus he made Pinocchio as his son.

Within a year later, it just happened to be Christmas. Gepetto had a talk to reflection to think what to get Pinocchio for Christmas without telling him he’s cheeky.

*Gepetto’s reflection turns into Snow Miser.*

“Mind your blood pressure. Mother warns you about that hot temper.”

-Snow Miser from The Year Without Santa Claus.

Pinocchio had a math book as a gift from his father, Gepetto He gets persuade by a Fox and Cat to bury his coins to grow a money tree (as it was from the book.) Pinocchio lost the coins to Fox and Cat, as he works for a puppet master named Fire Eater (voiced by Alan King, who I swear is Kublai losing weight.) as his puppet. Pinocchio steals one of Fire Eater’s female puppets and ran into the middle of the Enchanted Forest. After Pinocchio had a fun musical encounter with Fox and Cat, he got to the place where the Blue Fairy and the Cricket (he kicked out months ago) are at.

This is the first of the pattern I noticed in this era of Rankin Bass Christmas films, namely Christmas became an afterthought. You can argue that Christmas In July and Jack Frost started that phase, but the thing is both of those films have Christmas characters to tie it to Christmas that without them isn’t a Christmas film. Pinocchio isn’t a Christmas characters. If you take Christmas and Santa at the end out, it’s just Pinocchio’s Birthday. Hell, there’s more Cricket Christmas than Puppet Christmas, excluding the Muppets. This is part of the reason I don’t include this film as part of continuity, as more reason why I wouldn’t care for this film aside from good performances that stands out.

This is the last time we hear George S. Irving (for a while) and Allen Swift (who voiced the Fox). In fact, this is at this time of Rankin Bass when most of the actors are either retiring, moving on to other project, or being part of Rankin Bass TV shows, Bob McFadden is one of them who remain.

Much like Wind and the Willow and most of the Festival of Family Classics, I mostly wanted to avoid this film because of a famous Disney everyone praises. For every forgettable versions are made, the Disney version as well as all of their films gets better as others get worst. If you want a better Pinocchio Christmas, then go watch Two Ronnie’s sketch of Pinocchio 2, as part of their Christmas special. There’s even an anime series that had a Christmas episode. It’s a weird world we live in.

Regretfully for me to say to this film there are strings pulling for Pinocchio’s Christmas, but not in a good way. Let’s move from Italy to Ireland and too see if Christmas still means a thing.

Jack Frost

This is a kind of spin-off film of Jack Frost from Frosty’s Winter Wonderland and Rudolph and Frosty Christmas In July.

Pardon-Me-Pete the Groundhog (voiced by Buddy Hackett) tells the story of Jack Frost how he wanted to be seen as human for love. Yes, apparently Jack Frost is invisible to people in this version. (Now you know where Rise of the Guardians got it from)

A town called January Junction (assuming around in Russia), where the peasants are being oppressed by Kubla Kraus of the Cossack, who reside at Mount Miserable. When Jack Frost (voiced by Robert Morse) arrives, winter happens and the peasants created ice coins as currency instead of real money that was easily stolen. The peasant’s daughter, Elisa came, as she admits she loves Jack Frost or a shiny knight.

Jack Frost is part of the Kingdom of Winter led by his creator Father Winter. Jack’s friends are Snip (voiced by Don Messick) and the White Christmas Gypsy named Holly (voiced by recurring girl for Rankin Bass since Santa Claus Comin’ To Town, Dina Lynn). Father Winter made a deal with Jack Frost to be human for Elisa temporary, until the first day of spring with the entire loving essential. Jack Frost meets Elisa as Jack Snip. Snip and Holly became human to protect Jack from harm. Sir Jeff Bridge- I mean Sir Ravenall suddenly came on Christmas as barely a love competition. Will Jack Frost take down the Cossack, Kubai? (Wait, that sentence doesn’t right today.)

Paul Frees doesn’t reprise his role as Jack Frost. I could say couldn’t do the high range voice, but he’s doing his role as Ludwig Von Drake around that time, unless that was an early recording. That would partly explain why Jack Frost in the ladder film with Christmas in July as he only has two lines in at the end. So at that time and this film, he’ll mostly speak in either his natural voice or deep voice, which is what are Kubla Kraus and the Father Winter came in. Kubla Khan is by far the best villain in Rankin Bass. Unlike Iron Tail, Omaddad, etc., Kubla has rule the town literally with an iron fist. Yes, Burgermeister and Smaug already ruled a land, but Kubla has an iron army and is proactive on his iron horse. Even Rusty the Tin Man (Tale of the Wizard of Oz) became his butler. His theme sounds awesome from the beginning to his end.  

I love Elisa, as she’s adorable, even she falls into Damsel in Distress. Robert Morse is not a bad replacement; I just miss Paul Frees mischief from Winter Wonderland.

This is becoming a hot question throughout the film on who’s in charge of Winter. We have Winter Warlock, Snow Miser, Winterbolt, Jack Frost, Zero, and now Father Winter. I’m not counting Jackie Frost. You can argue that being wizards that Winter Warlock, Zero, and Winterbolt has channel into Father Winter’s power. Snow Miser and Jack Frost is the branching Winter member from Father Winter, despite one of them is the son of Mother Nature. That could just be crazy me talking out of my back.

The film included with media may make the film dated, yet the stop-motion has gotten better. If Pardon-Me Pete was present at the specific year of 1993, what would the cover look like?

Overall, this is a fun spin-off film. If I’m going to talk about a character to be rebooted, then I going to review a character that has been part of Rankin Bass from the very beginning, and it’s not Rudolph.

The Stingiest Man In Town

Let’s watch Rankin Bass’ Christmas Carol that lasted more than a few seconds at the end of Santa Claus Comin’ To Town. This is The Stingiest Man In Town. 

Though I couldn’t find a complete video online and can’t get the DVD at this time, but just like Wind in the Willow, I know the story and little videos can sum them up.

The narrator is B.A.H. the Humbug, voiced by Tom Bosley (who is as small as his later role of Dave the Gnome.) The story is pretty much as we know as A Christmas Carol in musical form.

Ebenezer Scrooge (voiced by Walter Landau) hates Christmas, treats Bob Crotchet poorly, and is distant from his cousin Fred (voiced by Parson Brown’s Dennis Day.)

Scrooge gets a visit from Jacob Marley to warn him that he’ll be visited by 3 ghosts to hopefully repent him; the 3 ghosts being Past, Present, and Future.   

Let’s talk about the best that stands out from this version. The animation was done by Topcraft, as it feels different for an animated Rankin Bass Christmas. I wish they did more than one of these, but they’re reserved for none holiday specials. I love Belle’s design and voice, as she’s beautiful. While in the subject that was seen in the Past scene, the young Scrooge is voiced by Robert Moorse. It’s less sad when you see Scrooge and Belle split up, but is depressing when you see them both ages in a split screen.

The worst is the Humbug, as he’s probably one of the pointless narrators of the Rankin Bas film. Most of the narrations are from the book, while Humbug usually adds nothing. There’s a scene where ghost of Christmas Present uses his flames to shrink Scrooge down for a joyless yet padding musical number of “Christmas Spirit”. This is strange when Robert Zemeckis this too with the Ghost of Christmas Future, which is even more unnecessary because 3D!

This is what Stingiest Man In Town can do much they can do under 30 minutes, as it was based on the play of the same name. I grew up watching A Christmas Carols Musical with Scrooge with one of the Scrooge played by Tim Curry (the second or third time than the animated Dic version.) The stage musical would later be adapted into a TV special by Hallmark and first aired on NBC. There’s two other better version I know that took advantage of the small runtime, and it’s not Mr. Magoo’s Christmas Carol. One is the Chuck Jones version that’s animated by Richard Williams and the other is I hate to admit is the Disney’s Mickey’s Christmas Carol as they took every minute to have one party scene than to have two.

The only Christmas Carol that suffered with the limited time is the Looney Tunes’ Christmas Carol; it’s under 7 minutes and only used one ghost.

It’s a standard Christmas Carol. If you want the best Christmas Carol, there’s the film version with Scrooge played by George C. Scott. The best spoof of it is The Blackadder Christmas Carol. If you want the worst Christmas Carol, there’s A Christmas Carol: Scrooge’s Ghostly Tale in 2006 with Scrooge as a terrible CGI skunk, and there’s a dull 2001 animated version with Nicolas Cage as Jacob Marley. It's best to see the Making of Christmas Carol with The Man Who Created Christmas, with Dan Steven playing Charles Dickens. The best Dan Steven film than him playing a lifeless beast. Please take this version for what it’s worth. Now we’ll move on to another Robert Morse film as things will get cold as ice.

The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow

Ouch, lousy plothole! I should have known there’s always one around. What film did I land next to? Oh good, the first Christmas film! Wait, the title is what?

Well if Twas the Night Before Christmas was the weakest in Rankin Bass animation, then The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow is the weakest in Christmas Stop-motion. My family barely noticed this film when it’s on TV, so no channel change there. Every time I do see it, I always get to the end, but since that day in the late 90’s, it has been aired less and less on TV, and rarely seen on DVD in public. So I watched it entirely on youtube or dailymotion. I question how a film so bad?

A church with nuns including Sister Teresa (voiced by Angela Lanbury) was making Christmas card, when suddenly a shepherd boy named Lucas got struck by lightning and became blind.

Father Thomas (Voiced by Emperor Klockenlocken, Cyril Ritchard) has return to town, as the nuns’ exposit to him Lucas’ condition including being an orphan. Father Thomas has made the deadline that if Lucas doesn’t get better, he’ll be in an orphanage.

The last third of the film is mostly some bullies’ do a joke to hide the herd of sheep from Lucas, and who cares?

This is the first of the Rankin Bass style change for Christmas. It was first used in Easter Bunny Comin’ To Town, and I’m not a fan of this new style. Normally a character with solid black or any other colors would make a dead eye character. However, the effect is reverse here where the more detailed their eyes are, the more flat and dead they are. The mouth problems I covered already with The Little Drummer Boy Book II, so let’s move on. The scenery is and colorings are very dull brown. Not quite sepia, but it’s not as living as the other coloring as other Rankin Bass film. At least it has extent appeal of blue than the visuals of Clash of the Titams remake, the Dark World in Thor 2, etc.

          The best part is Angela Lansbury. She can act well and sing “White Christmas” best on par with Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Mr. Sassafras’ Danny Kaye. However, she’s really minor in this film. The runner-up is Cyril Richard, though he lost brownie points with the music, “Savor A Little Christmas” where everyone put away the decoration before Christmas. That felt wrong watching people putting Christmas away early that aren’t Grinch doing that. I know I have to do that this year, but I put the tree away from the apartment in North Carolina to my house in New Jersey to spend Christmas there one last time. However, those positives are minor compare to the negatives.

The kids are boring, and made worst is with Lucas, and he’s the main focus with little to no personality. There have been better blind characters than Lucas, and they’re usually blind fighters such as Toph from Avatar, Master Swoop from Power Rangers Jungle Fury, and maybe Daredevil not played by Ben Affleck. This might be the worst Rankin Bass Christmas film for being boring and forgettable. When their film is bad, they’re at least had something and/or someone, they have actual memories. Maybe this film is the reason why Rankin Bass would result into doing sequels, because they’re low on original films without connecting it to another. Why even give the First Christmas a subtext? If any film that deserve the title, it should be The First Christmas: The Little Drummer Boy.

The First Christmas isn’t much of a film to set my sight onto. May god strike me down if he disagrees with me!

*Lightning strike me down in smokes.*

Help me, Charles Dickens!

Twas' The Night Before Christmas

So let’s watch Twas’ the Night Before Christmas, two nights after Christmas. Sorry about this, viewers, I’m in the middle of the moving process, emotional problems, and juggling options. 

Every time Twas the Night Before Christmas was put on TV, my family always say to change the channel. So I finally manage to watch it on DVD, and I’m not missing much. This is the weakest animated Rankin Bass Christmas film I’ve seen in terms of plot.

Father Mouse (voiced by George Gobel, who’ll be in another version with Paul Lynde) tells the story that Santa has rejected the entire town’s letter by to the sender as humans and mice. The mice family discovered the letter was caused by one of their member. Thus Christmas was ruined by his son, Albert (voiced by Tammie Grime.) The human father named Joshua Trundle (voiced by Joel Grey) created a clock to call out Summon Santa, approved by the town council. Father Mouse is showing that he needs to think with his heart than brain and his opinion is causing so much pain. (Thanks giving him that statement to make him worst.)

This was a plot point that almost no one like with a smart brat proving something magical such as Santa and Snowman is ill-logical until they finally see it to be either mind blown or trying to prove they’re still fake. It wasn’t good when Dexter Laboratory and I doubt it’ll ever be good if anyone else use this plot in the same way. Unless it’s actually a Santa focus story, but we kind of got that with Year Without Santa Claus and maybe Father Christmas. Though maybe if the first act is Santa dealing with the non-believer, second act is the non-believer grows up as Santa tries again, but both one gave up, and the third is the non-believer became an isolated adult either a politician for third party or homeless. In the end in all of these stories, the non-believer believes, fixes everything, and they lived happily ever after.

“Never!!”

-Winterbolt from Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July.

 Though Albert is an obnoxious brat that ruins everyone’s hope for Christmas, twice! The people of Whoville has a better chance to deal with him as much as the Grinch and being boiled by monkeys.

The thought occurs to me on how can to make a feature length version of a short story of Twas the Night Before Christmas? The more I realize, the poem is probably only at the length about a minute or two that short to the point is all it needs to be. Even Disney did this already, and the poem is said at the beginning and end of the film, and the entire middle is Santa bringing out toys to decorate poor children’s’ house as the animation showed all the different features the toys did to decorate a tree. Another cheaper version is A Christmas Visitor; Santa came, as a sailor toy saves a Bo Peep toy that doubtfully inspire Toy Story to deal with a Sniley Whiplash in a Box. This is a simple standalone special that has no connection to others, as Santa and the reindeers look different as it’s the only Santa has doesn’t have a mustache.

The only thing salvageable this film aside from when they do use the poem is the song, “Even a Miracle Needs A Hand.” It was so inspiring that South Park did a better upbeat version for their Christmas Special with Hanky and his family we seen once in the entire series.

Twas the Night Before Christmas is just kerblonk, kerblewy of a film. It has good intention of atmosphere, but it wasn’t well thought. I hope these films go uphill from here. Wait, what’s this uncanny valley?

*me falling into the next review.*

A Christmas Tree

Now let’s talk about an extremely rare Christmas film, A Christmas Tree!

“The Tree, I mean Mrs. Hopewell will be fine!”

                                                -The Mayor from A Christmas Tree.

          No, not that piece of crap brought to you by the storyboard artist of He-man, I mean the one with Charles Dickens.

Mary and Peter meet Charles Dickens at their house. They imagine how Charles remembered how he celebrated Christmas with the tree being bigger than life (I’ve seen one that’s half the average of the Rockefeller Tree) with toys and ornaments being plot points.

Peter Pepper Piper came to life to warn the Essence of Christmas is lost, and it’s up the beanstalk.

They go up the beanstalk as they encounter Percival (the life size mouse. He doesn’t like to be called Percy and Sir Not Appearing In This Film.), Esmeralda the maid, and Horatio the giant. No, he not friend to Hamlet! Yes, the same beanstalk and giant from Jack and the Beanstalk, and this happened after Jack chop down the stalk down. (There, Herman and Mortimer, the giant lives. Are you happy?)

The Christmas Essence has been captured by the evil wizard, Fuu Man Chu- I mean Mantu. (Oh god, this won’t fly well today. What doesn’t work in Willy McBean won’t work here.) They came across King Thurgood of the Getty Wine, as they’re put in the dungeon that can easily break out and beat up the guards.

Mantu has a snow dragon of Orgatha named Orlando attacking the kids. (Not to be confused with Orlando the Puss in Boots. I might as well call it Bizarro Orlando, Flordia.) Mantu deals with Peter and Mary himself with his targeting icicle on his magic carpet.

What does this have to do with Christmas, Charles Dickens, and the Christmas Tree. It would be an insult that this would be on par with The Christmas Tree, but at least its better animated, and has a tense moment of an adventure. In terms of Rankin Bass Christmas, it’s one of the weaker ones, but not the weakest one.

It’s like they put together all the short rejected Festival of Family Classic’s episodes of Jack & The Beanstalk, Candyland, what could be the last episode of Reluctant Dragon where he gets killed, The Jungle Book, and whatever Mantu was a part of. This makes the story fragmented, and it’s only tied with winter background and Peter & Mary, but they can replace with any similar kids with same voice actors such as the kids from Jack O’ Lantern, Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan, or Tom Sawyer. That’s pretty bad when Cricket on the Hearth is more of a cohesive Charles Dickens story than this. It’s interesting that we see the Snow Dragon again in Rudolph and Frosty in Christmas in July.

The only way this makes a quart of sense is this is all of their adventure is all in Peter and Mary’s head. They’re imagining this, and would imagine on how they would solve the dilemma. They do wake up in the end, so there’s the evidence.  It’s kinda funny how Billie Mae Richard is trying to pull a British accent.

I have heard the actual story of A Christmas Tree- by Charles Dickens through audio book and the story sound familiar. (Give me some credit, it’s quicker than to find and read an actual book I don’t see nearby.) It was kind of close to the book, except there were more fairy tale characters such as Red Riding Hood, Noah’s Ark, etc. Honestly, if this was the last episode of Festival of Family Classic with all the characters the story they would encounter with have their own episode, then it the series would be fully realized with A Christmas Tree being an epic finale.

As an episode of Festival of Family Classic, it’s passable. As a Rankin Bass Christmas Special, it’s not as strong. If you’re interested to see this to say you seen all of the Rankin Bass Christmas Special, then go watch this to complete it. Otherwise, this is a decent alternate when you’re tired of watching Christmas Carol, and needed a break from laughing at Cricket on the Hearth. With that said, let’s continue with the none continuity Christmas films with Twas The Night Before Christmas.

    

Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas In July

 Let’s finish the continuity that matter…

*pushes Pinocchio’s Christmas out of the way.*

With Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July! I’ve seen this as long as the original films. So here’s the story not involving a forgotten live-action Paramount film of half the title.

Rudolph, Frosty the Snowman, Crystal (from Frosty Winter Wonderland), and their kids, Milly and Chilly (don’t ask how they procreate and how the age works with Snowman.) reside in the North Pole at June. Rudolph’s red nose was starting to light out of his control. Santa Claus (voiced this time by Mick Rooney) pointlessly explains to us the history about the King of the North Pole named Winterbolt (voiced by Paul Frees) and a bright spiritual Shakespearean Lady Borealis (voiced by Nellie Bellflower) had a battle that she defeats him into a deep sleep. Lady Borealis gave Rudolph a snowflake on his hoof aka the Star of Christmas to give him his shiny red nose, and later Winterbolt was awakened and the genie of the ice scepter suggest that he use the Snow Dragons to make that foggy Christmas Eve.

*scenes from Mega Shark jumping out and biting down the airplane.*

Though that would be funny how Donner can cover it when other reindeers notice the light in the cave.

Other Reindeer: Aurora Borealis? At this time of day, at this part of country, localized entirely within your cave!

Donner: Yes!

Other Reindeer: May I see it?

Donner: N-No! 

Winterbolt cast his spell to remove Rudolph’s light from his nose, but with failed with Frosty’s moral support and Rudolph memory and determination for good. Winterbolt want to rid of Rudolph’s light, and wants it gone now than waiting for Christmas Eve. Winterbolt finds the answer through the Viewing Globe- I mean Eye of Snow to show a Hot Aired Balloon with an ice cream man named Milton (voiced by Red Buttons, who you may heard as the little sidekick cat in Gay Purr-ee aka the film Aristocats kinds ripped off from. In fact, I made a mistake in my Shiny New Year that Red Buttons was in Pete’s Dragon, not Red Skeleton. Sorry, they’re both Red.) Milton tells that his girlfriend, Lady Loraine and her mom’s circus and their wedding are financially troubled to Professor Hinkl- I mean Doctor Sta- I mean Sam Spangle. Winterbolt cast a snow of thought into the Eye of Winter to give Milton the ideal of Rudolph to be in the circus. Frosty’s family wants to go the circus, but Frosty pointed out that they’ll melt there. Winterbolt as an Icy Fairy Godfather create an amulet for Frosty and his family to be melt-free at the circus before the 4 of July is over. With Santa’s approval to go to the circus and he would pick up the Snowpeople after the fireworks are finish. So Rudolph, Frosty and his family, and Milton fly on the hot aired balloon to the Circus By the Sea with the Ringleader Cowgirl named Lilly Loraine (voiced by Annie Gets Your Gun, Ethel Merman. Who may go crazy after this in Airplane.)

Meanwhile, Winterbolt makes things more complicated by by including a jailed reindeer named Scratcher (voiced by Allen Sue, who you may hear as Sir Loooney in Raggedy Ann and Andy: A Musical Adventure) Will the circus succeed, Frosty and his family has a snowball of a chance, and Winterbolt’s complex plan work?

There could be good and bad reasons why this was made. The good is probably an anniversary for Rankin Basss since it’s the 15^th years for Rudolph and 10^th for Frosty, and they’re the most icons out of all of their films. The bad is altering the past that we already seen and this would be another reboot after they just had a reboot not too long ago. All the actual flashback is altered. Frosty I can have a leeway since that was 2D animated. Why the entire snowman’s clothing is warm analogist colors instead of a black hat or Crystal’s pink apron won’t be explained. I almost believe there must have been more magic in that silk hat they found, including temperature color changing. I could believe that Rankin Bass wasn’t allowed to use footage from a previous film, as there wasn’t any VHS around at the time. This is where the one of the biggest shark jumping that even Shark Jumping on youtube even pointed this out. Rudolph’s red nose and the foggy were caused by magic than to be natural; something that Goodtime’s version did as badly. Being natural was believable and timeless than everything is done by magic. So whenever any such as a birth defect or a volcano happened, a wizard did it.

Just like Rudolph in Shiny New Years, they couldn’t reuse Santa Claus’ Comin To Town, and Ms. Claus in The Year Without Santa Claus. It’s interesting that they made models for Frosty’s cast, Rudolph’s parents and maybe Clarice to look updated. I do like it. Now why they didn’t make a Hermy’s redesign is not worth answering than a guess that Jingle and Jangle are his reject designs that was accepted to be animated.

The only way to describe this film is similar to Singin In The Rain; a film with majority of music of Arthur Freed, as Christmas In July is most of the music of Johnny Mark, the song writer for both Rudolph and Frosty. All the music are mostly recycled, with the exception of the instrumental Rocking Around the Tree and Sam the Snowman’s opening theme, as they get the lyrics in this film. This is the first time I’ve heard “We’re A Couple of Misfits” as it vaguely fits. While Singin In the Rain has the plot of the groundbreaking move of talking musical film, this film has a desperate circus in need of a show with a holiday icon. Some of the new songs included that isn’t sung by Ethel Merman are mostly forgettable, even the emotional moments.

Just like Easter Bunny Comin’ To Town, I have a soft spot that I can’t entirely hate this movie. It has nice instrumental music, I like Winterbolt (even after watching Bakshi’s Lord of the Ring, he does look like a frozen Saurumen)

, and I love Lilly Loraine. I like to see life happen in the North Pole to show some life outside of December without doing a Brigadoon; have the North Pole vanish outside of December, while the world floods. It’s still Rudolph and Frosty as they do grow as characters. It’s decent, but not on par with their original starter film. It’s amazing how much the stop motion evolves from the beginning. I wish that can work with the music, but the highest goal couldn’t be topped, just like the film’s original theatrical release. Then it hits me that the simple their film is, the more timeless and Christmas it is, whereas the more complicated they are, the more dated or lost they’ll be. It’s a mixed bag, but that’s this film or their career at that time in a nut shell.

Merry Christmas, and I’ll post the standalone films for the rest of December, starting with a tree.