| -- End Ad Box ---> | | | | decide they will run away together. But in due time, |
| One of a plethora of animated Christmas classics | | | | they encounter the dangerous Abominable Snow |
| created in the 1960's - A Charlie Brown Christmas | | | | Monster, a giant hairy beast who crushes anyone who |
| (1965) and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) | | | | leaves Christmastown. Aiding in their rescue is Yukon |
| come to mind - this rendition of Rudolph the | | | | Cornelius, a burly prospector who chops off a piece of |
| Red-Nosed Reindeer is unique in that it uses | | | | ice with his pick ax, allowing Rudolph, Hermey, and |
| stop-motion animation instead of cartoons to tell its | | | | himself to float away from the Abominable Snow |
| story. Voiced by Burl Ives, Sam the Snowman brilliantly | | | | Monster (who can’t swim). |
| narrates the tale of an awkward reindeer and his | | | | After floating through the night, the three characters |
| firsthand struggle with discrimination. Along the way, | | | | discover The Land of Misfit Toys — an island of |
| Ives sings a number of holiday classics such as | | | | handicapped, screwed-up toys rejected by elf |
| Silver and Gold, Holly Jolly Christmas, and | | | | quality-control managers and forced to live away their |
| of course, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. | | | | best years in an icy wasteland. Our three heroes can |
| Our story begins when Rudolph’s father, | | | | relate to the misfit toys, and Rudolph promises to |
| Donner, tries to cover up his newborn son’s | | | | inform Santa of their status the next time he sees him. |
| shiny, bright red nose with a disguise. When Rudolph | | | | But in order to reach Santa, Rudolph, Hermey, and |
| attends a flight training school for young reindeer, he | | | | Yukon Cornelius must first facedown the Abominable |
| encounters Clarice, a young doe who thinks that | | | | Snow Monster. Can they get past the angry monster? |
| Rudolph is cute. This revelation causes Rudolph to leap | | | | And if so, can they get to Santa in time for his |
| into the air and fly around the sky like a seasoned | | | | Christmas deliveries? Will the weather put a halt to |
| aviator. But when he lands, the false nose falls off and | | | | Santa’s Christmas plans? |
| Rudolph’s red honker is exposed to the scorn | | | | This breakthrough Claymation classic is essential for |
| and ridicule of young bucks everywhere. Clarice is the | | | | any child’s Christmas experience (and that of |
| only one who doesn’t condemn Rudolph as a | | | | adults who grew up watching the much-anticipated |
| freak, but her father soon forbids her to congregate | | | | holiday special on TV). That’s why this ranks as |
| with such a monster. | | | | a definite must-see by any standard. But |
| Following this episode, Rudolph runs away only to | | | | undoubtedly, we all owe a special thanks to J.C. Penny, |
| meet up with an outcast Elf named Hermey who has | | | | the giant retail chain that created Rudolph as part of a |
| committed the unforgivable sin of not wanting to make | | | | promotional gimmick one fabled Christmas season |
| toys. Contrary to the social conventions of his time, | | | | many decades ago. |
| Hermey wants to be a dentist. Rudolph and Hermey | | | | |