Having a Holly Jolly Christmas (Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (DVD))

Member Name: shroud

Product:	Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (DVD)
Date:	28/08/08 (70 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: well imagined storyline, full of warm, positive messages, and genuine Christmas cheer

Disadvantages: R1 only for some reason

Okay, so here I am gearing up for Christmas and organising my Christmas DVDs while reminiscing about my childhood Christmases. Rankin and Bass were synonymous with holidays as I was growing up, with their specials for Easter, Halloween, and Christmas, and one of the highlights of each year was without a doubt their Rudolph themed specials,.This is the first of those, and while you might think you have seen the enough Rudolph specials in your time, let me tell you, if you have not seen this, you ain't seen nuthin', mister.

While Rudolph was created in 1939 as a gimmick for the Montgomery Ward department store, it's popularity saw it leap first from Robert May's storybook to song (most notably the version sang by Gene Autry...listen legally here:http://www.geneautry.com/musicmovies/musiccds /christmasclassics.html ). The song spread the story so far into the popular consciousness that it has become folklore. Animators Rankin and Bass brought it to the small screen in 1964, using their famed stop motion puppet method, which is extremely charming and suitable for the fairytaleque quality of the tales they animated, but nowhere as sophisticated as Gerry Anderson's Supermarionation.

Rankin and Bass' adaptation is a heartwarming take on the popular song. Using a screenplay by Romeo Muller and original concept creator Robert May, we are treated to the story of Rudolph from the day of his birth to the day he saves Christmas. The story itself is narrated to us viewers by Sam the Snowman (Burl Ives) who greets us as old friends on the screen (always makes me feel warm and fuzzy and like he has been waiting for me all over again and I am suddenly 6!) We find ourselves meeting the newborn baby Rudolph in his family cave with his mother and father, who is Donner Santa's reindeer. he is dismayed at his son's bright red nose, and attempts to make him hide it under a black smudge after Santa appears taken aback and says what a shame the red nose is. Likewise, when his nose cover falls off at reindeer school, coach Comet leads the other young bucks under his care to exclude the misfit Rudolph from reindeer games, and barring him from ever being able to make Santa's team.

Comet's own young Doe Clarice though sees past the red nose, and secretly nourishes affection for him. meanwhile in Santa's village, we meet the elves who are hard down upon a non toy making elf named Hermey. he doesn't see why elves can only make toys, and wants to become a dentist. Tired of ridicule, he decides to leave the village and go where he can learn to be a dentist and find acceptance. While on his way, he meets a despondent Rudolph with the same idea. The two young friends run into all sorts of troubles, including a very grouchy Abominable Snow Monster of the North. This is a yeti type critter who hates anything to do with Christmas and is driven into a rage at the sight if Rudolph's glowing red nose. Luckily Canadian prospector Yukon Cornelius is to hand, and aids the young travellers. he inadvertently aids the yeti as well, who then befriends the trio. Yukon Cornelius is prospecting in the area, but despite his claim to be looking for silver and gold, seems to be tasting the rocks as he goes, though none of the others know anything about prospecting so seem to accept it. So, does Yukon Cornelius find what he is really looking for, does Hermey become a dentist, Rudolph his destiny, and Clarice get reunited with her young love? Watch this and find out.

One of the highlights for us is the various Christmas standards that make an appearance here. From songs such as Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (Burl Ives), A Holly Jolly Christmas (Burl Ives) and Silver and Gold (Burl Ives) making an appearance we get that warm fuzzy feeling that just seems to announce Christmas all on their own. My children love the story and can relate to feeling different, and I can recall feeling that way too. I think its a notion all children struggle with, as they are as yet to understand that conformity in all is not necessarily a desirable thing, as the characters in this show finds out. Or as my Mom put it once, if we all became doctors and lawyers, no one would empty the trash, fix our teeth, clean the streets, or serve us at the shops or work at the factories! We would have no music, no art, and no joy. Its about celebrating what is unique in oneself, and that you are perfectly normal and okay. Rudolph and Hermey running away is also a lesson I appreciated as a child, and that my children have readily grasped. They learn that the world is a big, often dangerous place for the young and unwary and that despite disapproving of things they may do and say, their families deeply care about them and wish only the best for them, so its actually best to stay and work things out. Likewise, the message I now see as an adult tae on the same issue is that as parents, we should not push our own hopes and dreams onto them, as they are not us, but rather themselves. Its one worth remembering. Yes, its got morals tucked into it, but they are not heavy making this is a sweet and light confection that has us singing along and munching Christmas cookies during its entire 135 minutes.

Okay, now for the DVD information. It's rated G in the USA, which means its suitable for General Audiences, that being equal to a U here.Its on a single sided disc, and though many of the Rankin Bass films are available as Region 2 releases, this one for some reason is not, so its a Region 1 release. There are two voice tracks available, English and Spanish, as well as subtitles that can be turned on (English only for those). When my daughter was mastering the written word, she liked having the subtitles on so she could practice reading what they were saying, so they can be quite useful even if no one is hearing impaired in your household. There are not any extras on here, but the original film source was re mastered in 2002 for this DVD release, so the picture is absolutely gorgeous and the sound now free of the hiss and pops of older releases. This was created originally in 1964 though, so its digital mono which means with my stereo type modern TV, I have to turn the sound up a tiny bit to hear it as well as I would like. You can get a new copy via the Amazon Marketplace for about £7.50 including postage, as well as Movie Mars, the Internet region 1 DVD import shop, so its not expensive holiday fun and is relatively easy to get a hold of. Have a Holly Jolly Christmas!

Summary: This is Rudolph as he should be