Introduction to Rankin Bass Review of 2017

After I reviewed films for Chinese Cinema, it was some time to review what I’m interested in. It has to be a group that not many have reviewed before in its entirety. Pretty tricky to review a company’s or creator’s work that’s still pumping new films to this day. So it’ll be easier to go through a thorough search of a film group that’s mostly inactive for years, as well as something as part of majority of our childhood.

The many animated shows I had in my childhood were The Simpsons, Batman: The Animated Series, Looney Tunes, Animaniacs, South Park, Beast Wars, Pokemon, Digimon, Futurama, Popeye, 80’s Gumby, Nicktoons, and ones that’s been around in most of the time in holidays is the Rankin Bass.

For the longest time, they were entertaining in all the holidays of Easter and Christmas with memorable characters as Rudolph, Peter Cottontail, and Frosty. With the power of the internet, apparently there were a lot more specials and films they did that was rarely seen on TV and stores as Festival of Family Classics, Emperor’s New Clothing, and Mouse of Mayflower. Granted their stop-motion and animation isn’t top notch as today’s standard (compare to vector flash animated shows), but they were a little more important at the time of early TV of the 60’s and crippling time of the 70’s.

     

So from Mid-March to the rest of the year of 2017, I’m going to review all the Rankin Bass films. There’s going to a catch in reviewing them all.

First, all the non-holiday films will be reviewed in chronological order, while the holidays will be reviewed in order of the holidays. So Easter is first, as Christmas is last.

Second, most of the series will be reviewed in whole, not one episode at of time. The only exception is the Festival of Family Classics, as each of their episodes is different story as none of them are tied by the same characters. However, they’re not going to be reviewed first as their two tv shows (New Adventure of Pinocchio and Tales of the Wizard of Oz) will be a review of them later due to scavenger on each episodes available. So whatever none holiday special came first is what to start reviewing.

Third, I’m sadly including the Rankin Bass related sequels, from Frosty Returns to The Miser Brothers’ Christmas. If there’s a remake, I’ll bring them up in the original film(s) themselves as much I bring up other version of that film that exist before and after them.

Fourth, my limit of every review will be around 450 words, so my reviews are going to focus and not short. On top of that, I’m busy with life and drawing for others and even draw for this review when possible. So these reviews aren’t going to be pushed out quickly.

Fifth, most of the reviews are released when possible, while Christmas may have multiple releases since there are more than about thirty-one of them.

Sixth, I’m not reviewing the complete live-action films they did.

Seventh, I’m not reviewing the animated King and I. They may have produced the film, but the film is purely in design and writing of a Richard Rich of NEST film, not Rankin Bass. Granted, Santa Baby is different from Rankin Bass, but the company that made it wasn’t a style on their own, so that count, not King and I.

Eighth, this is my opinion. If you like those films, great.  

So sit back, and enjoy the year of Retahensid’ blogger of Rankin Bass!