The Little Christmas Burro

 Once again, it’s December, and it’s time to review Christmas Films. However, unlike last year, I’m running out of Rankin Bass Christmas films, and with limited time and lack of interest outside of a theme, I decided to review Christmas done partly by the same people who did some of the Rankin Bass. Let’s start this month’s review with *sigh* another Christmas Donkey film called The Little Christmas Burro. 

Why was a Christmas Donkey so common at the late 70’s? This was released after Nestor the Long Eared Donkey, but was released the same month and year as Don Bluth’s Small One. No confirm on the day when it was released assuming on TV, but let’s get on topic.  

A donkey named freelance Burro, who feels worthless. (I was assuming she, but summary said it was he. The eyelash and voice threw me off.) He can’t help the people for more than a day. One day, Burro found a caravan where he meets the rat named Omar (voiced by Paul Soles. Yes, Hermy the Elf from Rudolph, as he plays another short friend) Burro has finally got a job to be with a different caravan, but was traded to a crooked man. The crooked man took Burro to the market to be sold. You can guess what happens afterward.

The voice recording was done by the same guy who recorded Rudolph, Bernard Cowan. While on the Rudolph subject, Carl Banas who voiced the Spotted Elephant and the Head Elf voiced some of the background characters in this film. The voice acting overall is decent. The animation for the time period is really good, as most of the Omar’s animation is really energized.

It’s weird how similar Burro is to Nestor. The difference is Nestor was born and raised in a farm and was on his own with a little angel to guide. Burro has been wondering in the desert for what could be days or a month. The rat wasn’t much a guide, but a friend that often split out of their control. Though the story went on does stick close to the original tale.

It’s distracting to see modern things in Biblical Times such as Ants have scuba suits before submarines were made, or Omar singing ragtime. I’ll take those details over twerking and sassy Dove in Sony’s The Star any day.

BTW, did George Lucas get inspiration of tied up camels for Empire Strike Back from this film?

It may not have a heartbreaking moments such as Small One, or a heart such as Nestor, but The Little Christmas Burro has charm as much as the previous two mentioned and more thought than The Star and Donkey Ollie’s Christmas In Heaven. If you’re interested, it’s a cute film as it won’t cost more than silver coin prop.

I guess I’ll review the next Christmas film which is also directed by Vic Atkinson, and it’s not Rankin Bass’ Return To Oz.