Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer (1964) is one of the most famous Rankin/Bass Christmas specials of all time, partly because it was the first. Santa Claus is coming to town (1970) gave viewers further insight into Kris Kringle’s origins, but 1969’s frozen snowman is completely different.unlike Santa Claus and Rudolf, frozen snowman It’s an animated special, not stop-motion animation.
Everyone knows Santa Claus, but Rankin/Bass effectively popularized the characters of Rudolph and Frosty in the 1960s. Each holiday creation is unique and timeless, but which one holds the ultimate Christmas special?
Frost: made of snow
As the song goes: “He is made of snow, but the children know how he came to life one day.” One of Frosty’s distinctive features is his winter compositions.
He is a snowman, but not an ordinary snowman. With a special hat, a corncob pipe, a button nose, coal eyes and a pretty scarf, the snowman comes to life. For children who have watched the spectacle over the years, the spectacle is unforgettable.
Rudolf: red nose
Apparently, fans loved watching Rudolph because of his red nose. This is the legendary nose that defied all odds and guided Santa’s sleigh through a foggy Christmas Eve.
Although Rudolph (voiced by Billie Richards) is treated poorly because of this unique feature, his nose ends up saving Christmas entirely.
Frost: Happy birthday!
Audiences love hearing the words “Happy Birthday!” whenever Frosty is resurrected. Voiced by Jackie Vernon, this kind-hearted snowman wakes up every time he wakes up to a new winter. It feels like I have just been born.
The words “Happy Birthday” added so much to Frosty’s sweet personality and it was fun to remember hearing him say it over and over again.
Rudolf: Dealing with Misfits
Rudolph fit in easily because he was hard to fit in with. The reindeer’s red nose was initially the butt of laughter among the entire reindeer team. Even his father, Donner, doesn’t see any benefit in the glowing nose, and neither does Santa Claus.
Rudolph is frustrated and hurt by the poor treatment he receives from Coach Comet and the other reindeer, so he leaves and travels to the Island of Misfit Toys. The songs of these toys are legendary and make people feel like they are not alone.
Frost: the hilarious villain
Professor Hinkle considers Cake to be the funniest villain of both specials. Rudolph’s enemy, the Abominable Snowman, has his funny moments, but he’s mostly terrifying. Professor Schinkel, on the other hand, is quite comical. The clumsy magician was jealous of Frosty’s magic hat, so he followed Frosty and a little girl named Karen to the North Pole.
Hinkle then traps the snowman in a greenhouse, melts him and takes the hat. This is not good behavior and Santa Claus put a stop to it. It’s still fun to hear Hinkle say something like, “It makes me sick just thinking about it! It makes me sick just thinking about it!”
Rudolf: an unforgettable friend
When Rudolph travels to the Island of Misfit Toys, he’s not alone. He found some companions in a prospector named Yukon Cornelius and an elf named Herme. Herme’s story adds another important dimension to the Christmas special. The elf desperately wants to become a dentist, but no one can understand why or accept Hermie’s dream.
Herme and Yukon help show that Rudolph doesn’t have to be alone. The reindeer embraces other diverse people whom he knows are his true friends.
Frost: cute child
Rudolph’s world is filled with other reindeer, woodland animals, and elves. It’s a cute image, but lacks the cheery schoolboy vibe that fills the scene. frozen snowman.
Frosty will be remembered for his close bond with the children who created him, especially Karen. He loved playing, singing and marching around town with the children. Those happy voices were a very heartwarming part of the special.
Rudolph: The Snowman Narrator
Frosty isn’t the only snowman in the Rankin/Bass universe. rudolph the red nose reindeer Narrated by another cold creation, Sam the Snowman.
Burl Ives plays Sam, narrating and singing the story of Rudolph. Snowman Sam is a dapper narrator wearing a green vest and top hat. He is remembered for his most popular songs such as “Silver and Gold” and “Holly Jolly Christmas.” In the land of Christmas soundtracks, Sam is a superstar.
Frost: Getting Married in the Sequel
frozen snowman A long and happy life is set up for the protagonist. In 1976, Snowman got his own official Rankin/Bass sequel, frosty’s winter wonderland. This animated special doesn’t take place specifically during the Christmas season, but it features another round of happy children.
They all agreed that Frosty needed a wife who could accompany him through his long years in the Arctic. Thus, Crystal was born. She’s Frost’s perfect snow wife, but Jack Frost threatens to ruin everything.Narrated by Jimmy Durant frozen snowmannarrated by Andy Griffith frosty’s winter wonderland.
Rudolf: Save the world in the sequel
Rudolph has also appeared in other Rankin/Bass works, most notably Rudolf’s Shining New Year (1976), which coincidentally premiered the same year frosty’s winter wonderland. In his New Year’s special, Rudolph is tasked with finding the lost New Year’s baby. Father Time explains the necessity of installing a baby before the start of the new year.
This mission was perfect for Rudolph. Happy (New Year’s Baby) felt very upset because everyone was making fun of his big ears, so he ran away. Rudolf knows what it feels like to be teased, so he sets out just in time to save the baby. A few years later, Rudolph and Frosty appeared together in a stop-motion special, Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July (1979).