This is it! The Quinticential DVD set for your collection! This contains some of the VERY BEST family films EVER MADE! You MUST OWN THIS DVD. It’s GREAT that Rankin/Bass are getting credit for their work for a change. The films include:
1.) Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer – Who doesn’t knoww this film? (Actually there are quite a few people who I have met who have NEVER seen this! ) I am shocked when I find people who have NEVER know the story about the Reindeer with the red nose, the Dentist Elf, the carzy prospector who looks for Silver and Gold, but ends up with a Peppermint Mine (It is in the NEW Director’s Cut Edition), the Abominable “Bumble” Snow Monster of the North, the Island of Misfit Toys, the Skinny Santa Claus, it’s all here! This is the stuff that dreams are made of! This story, along with EVERY other GREAT Christmas film (excluding the Grinch) was written by one GREAT man, Mr. Romeo Muller. He also wrote the Puff the Magic Dragon series and several other films as well. You can not go wrong with this man’s GREAT work! The man was a genius who REALLY understood children! If you have earlier editions of this movie buy this Golden Books edition, because it has over 5 minutes of footage not seen since 1964, when it originally aired. (There is even stuff in this tape that was NOT shown on CBS in the publisised restored edition that has aired for the last 2 years.) If you have seen this movie, buy this version, if you have never seen this movie, I suggest that you buy it as well! I grew up on this story as a child! I watched it all year round and you and your children will too, with no doubt.
2.) The Little Drummer Boy – This is a FINE example of what Christmas is ALL ABOUT and not being too preachy. This is the story about Aaron, the Little Drummer Boy, who hates all people because his family was murdered by a group of Desert Thieves. Aaron is kidnapped by Ben Harmed, the greedy and crooked, self proclaimed “King of the Desert Showmen”. (played superbly by Hosse’ Ferrer) and his bubling assistant, Ollie. The story is told by Greer Garason, with a great air of dignanty. I cry every time I watch this story and there is good reason why (not tears of sadness, but tears of joy over the words of the African King about the Christ Child, because he is SO right!) This story was created by the GREAT Romeo Muller, who is the FINEST children’s writer who EVER lived! You can’t go wrong with a story writen by Romeo Muller. This one, in fact was his most favorite story that he ever wrote for Rankin/Bass Productions (his most favorite he EVER wrote was NOEL, which is also on video.) But I would HIGHLY recomend this film to anyone and everyone. It’s VERY enjoyable and you and your family will love it.
3.) Fosty the Snowman – This 1969 Masterpiece was written by the GREAT Romeo Muller, the GREATEST writer who ever lived, the man REALLY understood children. This film has a lot for both parents and children to enjoy. It has Jackie Vernon, giving warmth and kindness to Frosty the Snowman, Jimmy Durante as the EXCELLENT narrator, and Billy Dewolf as the SILLY Professor Hinkle (one of my all time favorite characters of Christmas Mythology.) This film also includes my personal favorite recording of ANY Christmas Song, the Jimmy Durante rendition of the title song. (I must recomend that you purchase the spliced version on CD.) You just can’t go wrong with this film. A great one for children just seeing it for the first time, or for parents who grew up with it themselves. You must also buy the sequel, “Frosty’s Winter Wonderland” and the semi sequel “Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July”, both buy Romeo Muller. PLEASE AVOID THE PIECE OF GARBAGE CLAIMING TO BE A SEQUEL ENTITLED “FROSTY RETURNS”, ALSO ISSUED BY GOLDEN BOOKS and it unfortunately on this DVD. IT IS A POOR PLOTLESS ATTEMPT AT A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL INDEED AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FROSTY THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE.
4.) Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town – Even though this one isn’t as popular as Frosty, Rudolph, and the Grinch, it’s just as magical. I did not know it even exsisted until I was 9 years old, and I LOVED IT! I was introduced to this one fairly late in my childhood, but it still holds a special place in my heart right next to Frosty and Rudolph. This is the one with the evil Burgermeister Meisterburger, who “HATES TOYS!”. I love this character MORE THAN the Grinch! This one also includes the Winter Warlock and Special Delivery Klugger, as well as a not so cocky (for a change) Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle. This film is a true Holiday classic that keeps Christ in Christmas. There are MANY religious undertones in this film (just look at the Winter Warlock Character and watch his development from bad to good.) This is yet another materpiece by Romeo Muller, the GREATEST author who EVER lived! The man REALLY understood children. Some people say that this film is a bit dated, but I would have to disagree. I was born in 1980, and missed the 70’s and it never seemed like it was out of place to me (It was 1989 when I first saw it.) It will fit right in with all of the other Holiday films your children watch. No Holiday video collection is complete without this Gem. The songs are GREAT, the plot is EXCELLENT, and the characters are OUTSTANDING! You can’t go wrong with this one! Your children will enjoy it and you will too, garenteed!
If you love your children then YOU MUST BUY THIS DVD SET!
Wow! Where to start? What a wonderful set! Well lets start with:
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town, an exciting look at how Santa began. Good to put on for young children to help answer those burning Santa questions. At some points, questions are actually asked by children about Santa, which are answered by the narrator Fred Astaire. I really like the character of BurgerMeister MeisterBurger who is one of the evil characters Santa must get past to be able to deliver his presents. The score is wonderful too, my fave being “Put one Foot in front of the Other”.
The Little Drummer Boy, which is found on the same disc as Santa Claus is comin to Town is right up there with the tissue factor as another R/B special Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. This story is about a little boy named Aaron who has had a huge tragedy in his life, bringing him to hate humans. His only friends, therefore, being a camel, donkey and lamb who dance to the beat of his drum. The strange foursome end up being a part of the very first Christmas on that very holy night.
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, is probably most R/B fans favourite. The Story based on the song of the same name, follows Rudolph as he battles to gain respect, due to his bright red nose. He is joined by Hermey, one of Santas elves who wants to be a dentist, not an elf, and together decide to be “a couple of misfits”. It is narrated by Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman and probably has the best set of songs as a whole out of all the other R/B specials. Plus with so many other great characters, Yukon Cornelious, Abominable, Clarice, Donner and Mrs Donner and of course Santa and Mrs Claus, you can’t go wrong.
Frosty the Snowman, although animated and not claymation, is still one of my faves every year. Also based on the song of the same name it follows Frosty’s adventures after his birth “Happy Birthday” by a group of school children. In particular, Karen, who gets quite good friends with Frosty and tries to help him from melting. My only complaint, which I think is the same as many, is that it isn’t joined by Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, the proper sequel. Instead it is joined by Frosty Returns. Now, this isn’t a bad effort, but when you are a big fan of R/B and you watch this, it is very dissapointing. The animation is totally different to that of R/B, the characters are all different except for Frosty and when you know there is a great sequel out there, this just doesn’t cut it. I probably will watch it very rarely.
I am from Australia, and for some reason, our tv stations stopped playing all these specials that I grew up on. I was really upset, even though now I am in my twenties. Fortunately I ended up finding these through internet search, which of course led me to Amazon. I am so happy that I have these(and others) and enjoy them so much. If you have never tried Rankin/Bass before, please do!
