Christmas is Iconic with THE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SPECIALS COLLECTION

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to 4K Ultra HD, Bluray and Digital from Rankin/Bass and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the beloved holiday stories with THE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SPECIALS COLLECTION.

The joyous holiday season is even more wonderful and magical when RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER spends time with the family with the story told by Sam the Snowman (Burl Ives). The tale first aired in 1964, Rudolph (Billie Mae Richards) was born with an unusual nose that glowed! Pushed away by other reindeers, the young one decides to leave home in search of something better. Along for the journey is Hermey (Paul Soles), an elf who also feels like no one understands him wanting to be a dentist.

On their walk they meet Yukon Cornelius (Larry Mann) who is looking for silver and gold. After being chased by the Abominable, the three end up on the Island of Misfit Toys. The King (Stan Francis) asks that if they ever return home, to tell Santa there are toys who needs homes. Quickly, Rudolph has become a young buck and decides to go home. Once there, he discovers that his young decision has caused his family to be put in danger.

Everything is about to change for them all and Santa could not be happier!

Other cast include Stan Fracis as Santa Claus, Alfie Scoop as Fireball, Paul Kligman as Donner, Carl Banas as the Head Elf, Corinne Conley as Dolly for Sue, Peg Dixon as Mrs. Claus/Mrs. Donner, Bernard Cowan as Bumble and Janis Orenstein as Clarice.

Bonus Features for RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER include The Animagic World of Rankin/Bass, Restoring the Puppets of Rudolph, Reimagining Rudolph in 4D, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER Attraction Film and T.E.A.M. Rudolph and the Reindeer Games.

Airing in 1969, Rankin/Bass Productions brings snow to the holiday season with FROSTY THE SNOWMAN. This story being told by Jimmy Durante, the school children are watching magician Professor Hinkle (Billy De Wolfe) try to entertain them. Going outside to play, they decide to build a snowman instead. Karen (June Foray) gives him the name Frosty (Jackie Vernon).

When a gust of wind comes up, the Professor’s hat blows off and Karen finds it putting it on Frosty’s head. Trying to reclaim the hat, it is his rabbit Hocus Pocus that gives it back to the children who bring Frosty to life. The bigger problem is that the temperature is rising and Frosty is beginning to feel it.

Knowing he needs to get to the North Pole. The children find a way to get Frosty and Karen on a refrigerated train car but the Professor is not far behind. Once the train stops, they must go through the forest as Hocus gets them help from the woodland creatures. All of this to get Frosty to Santa (Paul Frees) but will they be in time before the worst happens?

Bonus Features on FROSTY THE SNOWMAN include The Animagic World of Rankin/
Bass, Original Pencil Test and Commentary with Animation Historian Mark Evanier. 

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN comes to families in 1970 and continues to be one of my family’s favorites. Postman S.D. Kluger (Fred Astaire) tells the story of how Santa came to us all. In Sombertown, Burgermeister Meisterburger (Paul Frees) finds a baby wearing a tag named Claus (Mickey Rooney) and is sent to an orphanage.

Instead, a wind blows the baby to the Mountain of the Whsipering Winds (Keenan Wynn), and the animals know they must take him away before the Winter Warlock finds him. Instead, he is taken to the elf family known as the Kringles. Tanta Kringle (Joan Gardner), who comes from a toymaking family, accepts the boy and calls him Kris. As he gets older, Kris decides it is time to bring toys to Sombertown once again.

The Burgermeister trips and his injury causes him to ban toys in Sombertown. Finding other ways to bring toys to the children, Kris also meets Miss Jessica (Robie Lester) who wants to help. After a confrontation with the grumpy Burgermeister, Kris and his new penguin friend Topper make for the woods and is captured by the Winter Warlock. He has issues of his own but Kris has the magic to win people over.

The Burgermeister decides it is time to set traps for the law breaker but Kris has other plans making his way down chimney’s. Knowing that he will continue to be chased, Kris and Jessica decide to go to the North Pole where he can continue his work and bring joy to children everywhere!

Bonus Features of SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN include The Animagic World of Rankin/Bass and Commentary with Animation Historian Greg Ehrbar.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

Newly restored on 4K Ultra and Bluray, the color we have come to know returns in stunning brilliance. Each film is not only enchanting but has proven to be timeless. Seeing them as a young girl was the highlight of the holiday season, so much so that when I had children, they became excited for them to show up on television.

Now, I can share them with my grandchildren and make a family evening of it. These are stories of hope, love, fun, friendship, family and joy. The sights and sounds of the holidays are brought to us by Rankin/Bass and have found their place in holiday history.

This is an amazing collection to add to your own home entertainment library making the holidays a little sweeter, a lot more fun and a reason to curl up with your family.

In the end – the holidays are coming home!

Coming to Bluray is THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL COLLECTION

 

Jeri Jacquin

The holidays are drawing near, and you know its true with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment make sure you have THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL COLLECTION in time!

In 1964, families gathered around their television sets during the beginning of the Christmas season to watch RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. The stop motion television special, was immediately embraced by everyone watching. The song of the same name written by Johnny Marks was the inspiration for the special and narrated by Burl Ives.

It is the story of a reindeer named Rudolph (Billie Richards) who happened to be born with a nose that glowed and it does not go unnoticed by Santa (Stan Francis). Made to feel different by the other reindeer’s, Rudolph leaves his home and friends to find a life where he would not be made fun of. He meets Hermey (Paul Soles), a different kind of elf and Yukon Cornelius (Larry Mann), a prospector who does not prospect much.

His parents go looking for him and instead find the Abominable snowman and now Rudolph knows realizes he needs to be there for them and accept what makes him different. His difference is what will help Santa save Christmas!

FROSTY THE SNOWMAN aired in December 1989 and would join his reindeer friend in becoming a holiday favorite even today. The inspiration is based on a song also of the same name written by Walter E. Rollins and Steve Nelson and narrated by Jimmy Durante.

When a town full of children decide to build a snowman, what they do not know that when a magic hat comes into their possession from magician Professor Hinkle (Billy De Wolfe) it brings the snowman to life. Given the name of Frosty (Jackie Vernon), a young girl named Karen (June Foray/Suzanne Davidson) and her friends parade around town having a wonderful time. That is until the young girl realizes that the warm temperatures will melt their new and fun friend.

In the meantime, Hinkle wants his magic hat back! When Frosty and Karen board a train, Frosty sees his young friend is getting colder which is not good for her. Frosty needs rabbit Hocus to find Santa to make things right, but it might not be enough for either of them. This is their adventure as magical and gives the children a reason to believe in everything wonderful. That is why saving Frosty becomes the most important thing they will ever do!

The story of a cricket is told in the 1967 animated CRICKET ON THE HEARTH adapted from a Charles Dickens’ tale written and composed by Maury Laws and Jules Bass. Crocket is a cricket who wants to help a toymaker and daughter when a tragedy comes to their door. He makes it his mission to help them find happiness in the holiday season.

Roddy McDowall is the voice of Cricket Crocket along with Paul Frees as Messenger, Ed Ames as Edward, Hans Conried as Tackleton, Abbe Lane as Moll, Marlo Thomas as Bertha and her father Danny Thomas as Caleb.

THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY is a stop motion story brought to television in 1969 narrated by Greer Garson with The Vienna Boys’ Choir singing. It is the tale of Aaron (Teddy Ecles) and his animal friends Samson, Baba and Joshua. Given a drum as a gift, he enjoys making the animals dance. When a tragedy happens in his home, Aaron becomes angry and with no place to go he joins Ben Haramed’s (Jose Ferrer) performing caravan.

Treated badly by the towns people of Jerusalem, the group is back on the road and meets the Magi and are told they are following a bright star. After seeing how Ben is treating him and the Magi, Aaron leaves only to be devastated when his friend Baba is injured. He asks the Magi for help and is told that perhaps the child may be able to help. As a gift, he plays the drum and Aaron finds the joy he lost and in the simplest of gifts.

You can not have a Christmas season without telling the story of SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN. Another stop motion special airing in 1970 based on the song by the same name, the special was written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie and narrated by Fred Astaire as S.D. Kluger.

Burgermeister Meisterburger (Paul Frees) is a horrible man who has control of the city of Sombertown. When a baby shoes up on his grouchy porch, he orders the child to be taken somewhere else to be raised. There is something in the wind that is not about to let that happen as the forest animals take the child to the Kringle family. Tanta Kringle (Joan Gardner) names him Kris (Mickey Rooney)!

The Kringles’ are a toy making family and when he is older, Kris begins to take the toys to the children of Sombertown. When Meisterburger falls and hurts himself, he bans toys of any kind in the city and threatens to jail anyone caught. Kris is not about to stop what he loves doing, and he also meets Miss Jessica (Robie Lester). He tries to soften the Meisterburger’s heart, but it does not work.

On the run, the Winter Warlock (Keenan Wynn) captures him, but Kris does what he does best, make people’s hearts fill with joy. Returning to Tanta, she tells him of his birth but it does not change his love for the family that raised him, or the love he feels for Jessica. That love and the inspiration of giving is what keeps Santa Claus in our hearts!

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Enchanting Bonus Features include The Animagic World of Rankin/Bass: A Documentary celebrating the legacy of the holiday specials created by Rankin/Bass including interviews with filmmakers and historians, Restoring the Puppets of Rudolph: Discover how the puppets from the beloved special were restored, Reimaging Rudolph in 4D: A Behind-The-Scenes look at the making of the new RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER attraction film.

Also, T.E.A.M. RUDOLPH AND THE REINDEER GAMES: A video storybook including the untold story of the Reindeer Games, FROSTY THE SNOWMAN: Original Pencil Test and Commentaries on FROSTY THE SNOWMAN and SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN.

Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment came to be known for stop motion animated shows using a technique called “Animagic”, and when I was a kid, I would have then as I do now agree with that term. Founded by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass, the 1960’s became their era of creating amazing stories that have become icons as well as classics.

Although known for their holiday specials, they also created such works as WILLY MCBEAN AND HIS MAGIC MACHINE and THE BALLAD OF SMOKEY THE BEAR. For television they brought Mad Mad Mad Monsters, That Girl in Wonderland and J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit. Rankin/Bass would end their run in 1987 but the works they created are still as wonderful today as they day they were released. It has been and continues to be pure magic for the family!

This collection of five timeless holiday specials is exactly what everyone needs in their own home entertainment library. These are stories of fun, love, family, friendship, belief in oneself and the magic that seems to be sprinkled all over the upcoming time of year.

THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIALS COLLECTION comes in the amazing steel book edition that I just love. In the colors of Christmas and although it would be nice in anyone’s stocking – might I suggest that this be the one present that the family opens early to enjoy with pajamas, blankets, comfy couches and popcorn.

Each of these films reminds us of how wonderful the world is through the eyes of animation and these films also bring back the childhood for us older folks who remember them as clearly now as the day they were brought to our very small television sets of the 1960’s.

Happy holidays and enjoy.

In the end – it’s a holly jolly good time!

THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS COLLECTION is Iconic and Beloved

Jeri Jacquin

Now on DVD and Bluray in the Deluxe Edition from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment are five holiday favorites that let us all know the fun is here with THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS COLLECTION.

What is on the collection you ask? Only the best of Rankin & Bass with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman,  Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Little Drummer Boy and Cricket on the Hearth.

On December 6, 1964, the shape of holiday programming was about to change as Sam the Snowman tells the story of Santa and Mrs. Claus in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Rudolph is born to the lead reindeer on Santa’s team, Donner. The parents are quite surprised when they see that their young son’s nose glows a bright red. Santa sees it and Donner realizes that they will have to cover the glow so Rudolph can be seen as normal.

Going out for reindeer games a year later, Rudolph meets doe Clarice and one word from her makes him fly – literally. Unfortunately, the covered up nose comes off and he ends up being pushed away by the other reindeer. Deciding to run away, Rudolph meets Hermey, an elf who is having a similar identity crisis. He wants to be a dentist and not be just a toy maker.

While on the snowy road, they meet Yukon Cornelius who wants nothing more than to find silver and gold. Following them is the Abominable Snow Monster and they manage to allude him to the Island of Misfit Toys and King Moonracer who asks Rudolph that if he ever go home to tell Santa about all the toys on his island looking for homes.

Taking off on his own to avoid troubling his friends, Rudolph becomes a young stag and returns home only to find from Santa that his parents and Clarice have also been gone a long time. Looking for him has put them in danger and now he must find them. With the help of Hermey and Yukon, Rudolph finally discovers who he is and where his place is among his family, friends and the community he loves.

Cricket on the Hearth tells the story of a cricket that seems to be the guardian angel of the Peerybingle family. The 50-minute production contains Animagic and songs that were composed by Maury Laws and Jules Bass.

On December 19, 1968 The Little Drummer Boy the story of Aaron, and orphan boy, plays drums for the animals. After a tragedy at home, Aaron joins a caravan that performs in Jerusalem but in his anger he lashes out at the townspeople. When the troupe comes across a Magi, Aaron discovers they are following a star to Bethlehem. When one of his friends his hurt, he wishes to play his drum to make him well but something even more special changes for the young boy.

Frosty the Snowman sang and danced its way into homes on December 7, 1969 as a group of kids build a snowman and name him Frosty. What they don’t realize is that once they place a hat on his a little holiday magic brings him to life. Young Karen notices that the temperature is starting to melt her friend and, along with rabbit Hocus Pocus, know they must get him to the North Pole as quickly as possible.

On December 14, 1970, Fred Astaire becomes a part of our holidays at S.D. Kluger, the special delivery mailman who knows the story of Santa Clause. The ruler of Sombertown is the grouchy ole Burgermeister Meisterburger. When a baby is left on his doorstep with the name Claus, he is suppose to be taken to an orphanage. Instead a wind takes him to the Mountain of the Whispering Winds and taken to Tanta Kringle who names him Kris.

As Kris grows up, he wants to deliver toys to the kids in Sombertown only to discover that the Burgermeister has banned them. That doesn’t seem to stop Kris, especially when he meets the town’s school teacher Miss Jessica. The Burgermeister has taken all the toys that Kris delivered away but Kris promises to fix the problem even though he knows there is a trap set for him. Instead, he finds a safe place to make toys and one night a year makes us all believe in everything good.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us all to experience and re-experience in our own home theatres. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

The Enchanting Bonus Features in the include The Animagic World of Rankin/Bass – An all new documentary celebrating the legacy of the holiday specials created by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass including interviews with the filmmakers and historians, Restoring the Puppets of Rudolph – Discover how the puppets from the beloved special were restored and Reimagining Rudolph in 4D – A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer attraction film.

Also, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Attraction Film A short stop-motion film originally created for a Rudolph 4D experience, T.E.A.M. Rudolph and the Reindeer Games – A video storybook including the untold story of the Reindeer Games, Frosty the Snowman Pencil Test and Commentaries on Frosty the Snowman and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.  

There hasn’t been a Christmas since I was four that I haven’t watched these classic holiday specials. It was quite easy to pass that tradition on to my own kids who are now sharing them with children of their own. What makes this such a magnificent set to own is that now we can watch them any time we like!

Also, as they only air once during the holiday season, the entire family can watch them again and again leading up to Christmas Day. For my family that’s pretty important because we can’t get enough of Rudolph, Santa, Frosty, the Drummer Boy or having a Cricket watching over us all.

 Rankin/Bass brought so many animated specials to television and these five particularly stand out. The company was founded by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass with holiday specials that led to equally beloved specials. It must be said that in 1977, Rankin/Bass gave me such a gift when it animated J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and it still is one of my very favorites today.

The Animagic and animation of these specials are still as stunning and lovely today as they were beginning in 1964. It did not take long for each of these characters to become iconic and recognized in an instant by children and children at heart. Now having them all on DVD and the magnificent and stunning colors of Bluray, THE ORIGINAL CHRISTMAS SPECIALS COLLECTION needs to have a special place in everyone’s home entertainment library.

Now, if you will excuse me, my granddaughter and I have a holiday date starting with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer!

In the end – the holiday season has arrived as old friends wait to celebrate with the entire family!