The Rankin-Bass Christmas Specials - General Discussion

[Constantinople]

2 hours ago, merylinkid said:

YES.   I've said for years that is the moral of the story.    We make kids watch this every year?

To learn about the joys of evolution via natural selection.

Upon reflection, it's a little distressing that Santa doesn't appear to be instrument rated for his sleigh.  It's only a matter of time before there's an episode of Air Crash Investigations about him.

[Ohwell]

On 11/21/2016 at 7:34 PM, chitowngirl said:

This Friday, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty/Frosty Returns, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas are on opposite each other at 8:00.

That sucks.  I've got to go with Frosty/Frosty Returns though.  I expect the other two will be on again over the holidays.

[WendyCR72]

Original Frosty, yes. A must watch. But - and I KNOW I said this before but it bears repeating - I HATE Frosty Returns! Maybe I'm just a purist.  :-)

[Bubbles]

I hate that they show Frosty Returns instead of the vastly superior Frosty's Winter Wonderland.

[WendyCR72]

1 hour ago, Bubbles said:

I hate that they show Frosty Returns instead of the vastly superior Frosty's Winter Wonderland.

Yes! That is the REAL sequel, given it is R-B, and had similar animation to the first one (even if the second, if I recall, was more 3D like versus straight animation like Original Frosty.) And had Jackie Vernon again doing the voice, etc.

[Ohwell]

The reason I like Frosty Returns is because.....Frosty returns.  In the original one, I cried as much as the little girl when Frosty melted away (and I was a grown-ass woman!  LOL), so I was so happy to see him come back.  I don't care about animation vs. 3D and really didn't notice the difference.  

[WendyCR72]

Rudolph (with Bastard Santa!) is on CBS tonight, 11/29.

[catatonictvshoppr]

On Rudolph I always get a kick out of Donner when he says, No! This is man's work!

One of these years, I'm sure I'll read that the NIH 'merrily' spent 25 million dollars to study the caustic effect of Rankin/Bass misogyny on children. 

[chitowngirl]

So Heat Miser and Snow Miser are Step-brothers. Which one is Mother Nature's son? Who is the father? Where is he?????

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

So Heat Miser and Snow Miser are Step-brothers. Which one is Mother Nature's son? Who is the father? Where is he?????

Step brothers? Mother Nature is mother to both of them. Well, at least, they both call her "Mother."

[chitowngirl]

Snow Miser mentioned Heat Miser is his step brother. That hothead!

[WendyCR72]

24 minutes ago, chitowngirl said:

So Heat Miser and Snow Miser are Step-brothers. Which one is Mother Nature's son? Who is the father? Where is he?????

If Mother Nature is mother to both, R-B should be told they are half-brothers. Not stepbrothers.  :-)  (There is a difference!)

[WendyCR72]

For those that missed its initial airing on 11/30, Rudolph is being repeated right now on CBS.

[WendyCR72]

Frosty The Snowman is now being repeated on CBS with [non R-B] Frosty Returns following that.

[Frost]

The little girl in the pink summer frock with bobby socks and no hat, mittens, or coat in Frosty the Snowman always cracks me up.  What was the animator thinking?

Grinch and Frosty really hold up, even all these decades later.  I loved loved loved Rudolph as a child but it's kind of hard to watch now.  Not just the bullying that to my mind is never really atoned for, but also the treatment of the "women folk."

[Spartan Girl]

My friend watched Frosty Returns tonight for the first time. Her reaction:  "Weirdest thing I've ever watched." Couldn't agree more with her. They basically just ripped off the Rugrats music and the Peanuts animation.

[WendyCR72]

Well, Mark Mothersbaugh (from Devo, no less!) did the music for Rugrats as well as this, so it makes sense. Still don't like this one.

[WendyCR72]

6 hours ago, Frost said:

The little girl in the pink summer frock with bobby socks and no hat, mittens, or coat in Frosty the Snowman always cracks me up.  What was the animator thinking?

Grinch and Frosty really hold up, even all these decades later.  I loved loved loved Rudolph as a child but it's kind of hard to watch now.  Not just the bullying that to my mind is never really atoned for, but also the treatment of the "women folk."

I still love ol' Rudolph for sentimentality reasons. But in terms of bullying, even he had it better than <--- poor Nestor The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. (Discussed here annually!) But then that one hasn't been on CBS since maybe '80. I know when Freeform was ABC Family, it showed the lesser-run R-B shows, but I'm not sure if that's still true with the changeover. But Nestor is Rudolph with religious themes (likely why it fell out of favor) and the bullying amped up to a jillion. (And at least Rudolph's parents lived! Sniff!)

Yet as horribly sad as that one is, I bought the DVD, then Blu-Ray, for the masochist in me that wants to cry at Christmas specials.  :-P

(And, yeah, I know I mentioned this before, but the bullying angle still bugs me much more in the latter special than the former, so...it just reminded me. LOL.)

[Blergh]

17 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

Frosty The Snowman is now being repeated on CBS with [non R-B] Frosty Returns following that.

I always thought it funny how the whole point of Frosty's salvation was that he was created on Christmas Day -yet until 3PM that afternoon the kids were IN SCHOOL? What school in Christendom would have DONE that? Also, while it was amusing to me as a tiny kid seeing this stiff snowman because an animated semi-polar bear figure, I can't help but think I'd have been freaked out at the concept as an adult. Oh, and lastly, while the Magician was the stock villain and I had no problems booing him, considering that being a magician WAS his livelihood and he'd just humiliated himself in front of the entire classroom (while having to work Christmas Day in what must have been virtual peanuts since when do schools allot zillions of bucks for entertainment expenses), I had to admit feeling a little sorry for him as an adult.

[Brattinella]

I just had to comment that it was DELIGHTFUL to have the entire, uncensored "How The Grinch Stole Christmas" on again!  We got to enjoy every second of the songs, and it was Glorious!  Thank you, advertisers, for giving up your greed for five minutes!

[mmecorday]

I watched Rudolph Version 1.0 over the weekend and was annoyed by how warped the soundtrack was, especially during "Silver and Gold." Is that something that even modern technology cannot fix?

Also, a friend of mine pointed out that when the elf is dropping the Misfit Toys from Santa's sleigh, he is courteous enough to give them each an umbrella so they can fly like Mary Poppins. But he doesn't give one to the bird -- who is on the island because he can't fly, he swims!

[merylinkid]

I have watched Santa Claus is Coming to Town often enough that I can literally recite the lines along with the show.   Tonight, for the first time, I noticed that the kids sing with a British accent.    The Burgomeister sounds German.   The townspeople when talking sound American, including the kids.   Grimsby does sound English.   But the kids since British.    Also, the Burgomeister can say the King can't have toymakers?   Not sure the hierarcharchy works that way.   Sombretown is one weird ass town.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

The Rankin shows kicks off later tonight at 8:00 with Frosty on CBS. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer will air on Tuesday, November 28, at 8:00pm on CBS.?

[GHScorpiosRule]

Charlie Brown Christmas will air on November 30, at 8:00pm on ABC.

[BlossomCulp]

Watched Frosty and Santa Claus is Coming to Town tonight.  Frosty annoys me with the things I question every year (a) why is the little girl dressed that way on a winter day (b) why are the kids in school on Christmas Eve (c) what were her parents doing all the time the child was missing? (d) how did the children bond with Frosty so damn quickly? and there's probably more I'm blanking out on right now and yet I LOVE THE DARN THING!  Wouldn't miss it for the world.  Santa Claus is Coming to Town I enjoy and I can remember as a child feeling like it really did answer some of my questions - now as an adult I love that Fred Astaire is the narrator and yet, I dunno, I like it, I really do but I don't love it. If I miss it in any  given year I wouldn't really care.

[merylinkid]

New question from Santa Claus is coming to town:   How did those little tiny elves and one washed up Warlock build a whole darn castle?   With dressed stone no less?

[GHScorpiosRule]

I missed Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town, But it will re-air next week. I always forget that one! But among my faves is The Year Without Santa Claus because along with the laughter that the Heat Mizer and  Snow Mizer gives me, the songs “I Believe in Santa Claus” and “Blue Christmas” never fail to make me cry.

What?

[threebluestars]

I was born in '76 and last night was the first time I'd ever seen Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and I have no idea why I never saw it before.

[chitowngirl]

Rudolph is on Tuesday night on CBS!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just watched Frosty Returns. That’s 22 minutes I’ll never get back. I’d never seen it before and wish I hadn’t. Utterly stupid and Frosty can speak and be animated when the hat isn’t on his head? Hate the pink nose, too.

[Brattinella]

I watched How the Grinch stole Christmas and the Trolls special.  I don't know who the duet on the Trolls is, but they were MARVELOUS!

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just now, Brattinella said:

I watched How the Grinch stole Christmas and the Trolls special.  I don't know who the duet on the Trolls is, but they were MARVELOUS!

What? What? WHY didn't you give me us a heads up there was a Trolls special??? Hmmm?????

[Brattinella]

8 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

What? What? WHY didn't you give me us a heads up there was a Trolls special??? Hmmm?????

Aww, I'm sorry!  I wouldn't have known either, but it was on directly after the Grinch.

[GHScorpiosRule]

Just now, Brattinella said:

Aww, I'm sorry!  I wouldn't have known either, but it was on directly after the Grinch.

 

[opus]

On 11/24/2017 at 9:36 PM, BlossomCulp said:

 

Watched Frosty and Santa Claus is Coming to Town tonight.  Frosty annoys me with the things I question every year (a) why is the little girl dressed that way on a winter day (b) why are the kids in school on Christmas Eve (c) what were her parents doing all the time the child was missing? (d) how did the children bond with Frosty so damn quickly? and there's probably more I'm blanking out on right now and yet I LOVE THE DARN THING!  Wouldn't miss it for the world

 

More:

Why do Frosty and Santa leave Karen stranded on the roof?

Edited November 26, 2017 by opus

[GHScorpiosRule]

I just learned ABC fucking cut three minutes from the Charlie Brown Christmas that’s airing on November 30. ????

So what do they do? They didn’t learn a damned thing when they pulled this crap in 2009. So it will be broadcast again in its entirety on December 15.

[BlossomCulp]

And this is why there will always be a market for DVDs!  I look forward to watching these shows when they air on "real" TV but if they screw around and cut minutes off at least I know I can put on my DVD and get the whole thing.  So irritating when they do this though!  Anyone have any idea what would get cut from Charlie Brown?

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, BlossomCulp said:

And this is why there will always be a market for DVDs!  I look forward to watching these shows when they air on "real" TV but if they screw around and cut minutes off at least I know I can put on my DVD and get the whole thing.  So irritating when they do this though!  Anyone have any idea what would get cut from Charlie Brown?

Probably Linus telling Charlie about the birth of Jesus. I think that’s what the article said. It was a link someone posted on Facebook. I was too pissed to copy and link it.

Edited November 26, 2017 by GHScorpiosRule
Because kink is not the same as link

[Brattinella]

22 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Probably Linus telling Charlie about the birth of Jesus. I think that’s what the article said. It was a kink someone posted on Facebook. I was too pissed to copy and link it.

WOW!  That there is a civil rights issue!  That is bullcrap!!!

[GHScorpiosRule]

It is bullshit. So I don’t understand why there have to be TWO airings! Just air the original because last I heard, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus, and not pageants and presents.

[Qoass]

As I recall, back in the day they cut the scene of Charlie Brown and the gang throwing snowballs at tin cans on a wall. They then restored the scene with great fanfare so now they're probably cutting it again. We'll see.

Meanwhile, I'm recording the stuff I like on my Beloved TiVo but can someone explain to me in Santa Claus Is Coming to Town how Jessica and the newly flying reindeer broke Kris and Winter out of their cells before flying away?

[merylinkid]

On 11/27/2017 at 10:01 AM, Qoass said:

ut can someone explain to me in Santa Claus Is Coming to Town how Jessica and the newly flying reindeer broke Kris and Winter out of their cells before flying away?

I was literally discussing this one with my SO today at lunch.    Kris and the Gang are in jail, in a dungeon with bars and presumably locked doors.   We see Jessica (why wasn't she arrested for aiding and abetting too?  That was ONE PERSON the burgomeister had jurisdiction over, the Kringles loved out of town) feeding the reindeer the corn.   Next we see everyone flying through the air.   Did Jessica drug the guards with the same stuff she took before she sang her song?  

[BlossomCulp]

On 11/26/2017 at 11:28 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

Probably Linus telling Charlie about the birth of Jesus. I think that’s what the article said. It was a link someone posted on Facebook. I was too pissed to copy and link it.

I just watched this (I had PVRed it) and I don't think anything was cut, certainly not this scene because I watched for it.  Anyway if anything else was cut I didn't notice.  Did anyone else watch?

[GHScorpiosRule]

7 minutes ago, BlossomCulp said:

I just watched this (I had PVRed it) and I don't think anything was cut, certainly not this scene because I watched for it.  Anyway if anything else was cut I didn't notice.  Did anyone else watch?

I watched it as well, and now I’m more confused. Did they get backlash and air it in its entirety?

[WendyCR72]

The Charlie Brown Christmas re-airing is now slated for Thursday, 12/21, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The listing for a full hour is the uncut version based on ABC history (with the Christmas shorts following the special). So, in the future, if it is listed at a half hour, that is the cut to ribbons edition.

[GHScorpiosRule]

2 hours ago, WendyCR72 said:

The Charlie Brown Christmas re-airing is now slated for Thursday, 12/21, from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The listing for a full hour is the uncut version based on ABC history (with the Christmas shorts following the special). So, in the future, if it is listed at a half hour, that is the cut to ribbons edition.

I had the full hour airing with the shorts.

[WendyCR72]

Just now, GHScorpiosRule said:

I had the full hour airing with the shorts.

Maybe ABC finally got complaints of the cuts! Either way, the same is for 12/21. So...double dose!  :-)

[GHScorpiosRule]

I know it's not a Rankin-Bass production, but dammit! I missed How The Grinch Stole Christmas! And when I thought I found a re-airing of it and sat down to watch it over the weekend, it was that horrid, horrid, live version with Jim Carrey. Anyone know if it will be re-aired before Christmas?

[Brattinella]

The Family Channel, next weekend.

[GHScorpiosRule]

10 minutes ago, Brattinella said:

The Family Channel, next weekend.

Would that be Free Form, formerly ABC's Family Channel?