EACH DAY UNTIL CHRISTMAS, WE’LL PROFILE A TITLE WORTHY OF YOUR HOLIDAY VIEWING PLEASURE.
RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER (NR)
Article by Adam Mast
But do you recall…The most famous reindeer of all?
I adore the works of stop motion animation legends Rankin and Bass. “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Mad Monster Party,” etc. As much as I love all of those titles, it’s 1964’s “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” that will always reign supreme.
I wish my soul mate shared the same opinion. Stop motion animation gives my lovely wife, Tonja, the creeps. The character movements simply freak her out, so whenever I watch “Rudolph” with the kids, she scurries off into the other room. I don’t hold it against her, though. I still love her dearly.
“Rudolph” has always put a smile on my face. Yes, a huge part of that is nostalgia. As a child, this magical t.v. special was every bit as synonymous with the holidays as the family Christmas tree and stockings hanging above the fireplace.
As I grew older, certain aspects of “Rudolph” began to take on a much deeper meaning. As a child who was often bullied (they used to laugh and call me names), I could relate to Rudolph. Of course, while the subtext in this show is something we can all learn from, it’s the surface level magic and eccentric but lively nature of “Rudolph” that truly warms the heart.
In particular, I love the “Island of Misfit Toys” sequence. The “or a cowboy who rides an ostrich” bit always makes me laugh. Beyond that, I love the central bond between Rudolph and his dentist/elf buddy, Hermey. It’s undeniably sweet. Then there’s Burl Ives’ wise snowman, lovable miner Yukon Cornelius, an abnormally skinny Santa, and, of course, The Abominable-the most feared creature in the land.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is an absolute classic in my book and while it does offer up heady subject matter for a family Christmas show–some folks are downright offended by the way Rudolph is treated by the likes of Santa Claus–it is essential viewing in my household each and every holiday season. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” offers up valuable life lessons to be sure, but mostly, I love it because it feels like Christmas.
TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
DAY 6- GREMLINS – CLICK HERE
DAY 5- MEET JOHN DOE– CLICK HERE
Day 4- IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE – CLICK HERE
Day 3- DIE HARD – CLICK HERE
Day 2- ELF – CLICK HERE
Day 1- KRAMPUS – CLICK HERE
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