ironhorse_iv Review of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964 TV Movie)

Kind of overrated, but still a treat during XMAS

[7/10 · 23 December 2012]

The movie doesn't hold 'perfect' status that the movie can't be review or pull apart. Maybe, I'm reading into this movie, but some notes about Rankin and Bass's stop motion animated Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The red nose almost didn't happen, because a red nose is traditionally associated with drunkenness, and so thought inappropriate for a Christmas character. The TV special movie based on the Johnny Marks song, and the poem by Robert May, starts with real life news footage of snow blizzards. I have always found it, strange how it cuts from our world to stop motion clay puppets. Then go to the narrator, a snowman named Sam (Burt Ives) who introduces us to Rudolph. There was no needed to show news footage, as Sam does mention the storm in his introduction. Donner's wife gives birth to Rudolph and when Santa Claus visits the family. He sees the glowing nose, he scolds Donner for it. Santa treats the elves badly during their singing, hates freak reindeers and mocks his nagging wife. He actively encouraged discrimination and was self-centered. Santa declares Rudolph unfit. Santa is a selfish greedy old man only concerned with what he can exploit here. It's disturbing. Rudolph go to the Reindeer Games where he's mock. Then enters Clarice, a romantic interest, that been kind of forced down our throat. It really seems out of place, but it helps push the plot. Soon after, Clarice's father forbids her to hang around with Rudolph, which prompts him to make the decision to run away from home. He joins by Hermey, a member of Santa's Elves who dreams of becoming a dentist rather than making toys. This might be a metaphor for "dentistry" is a euphemism for homosexual sex as some people think; I just thinks he's a dentist. Then a prospector Yukon Cornelius comes to help the three on their way, avoiding bumping into the Abominable Snow Monster. They stumble across the Island of Misfit Toys ruled by King Moonracer, a brown winged lion whom gathers up all unwanted toys. He gives them a home on his island until he can find homes for them. When the King is forced to reject their request to remain on the Island, you can see that it pains him to do so. You can sense his internal struggle. After all, the King is not a toy. He is the ultimate misfit, a flying lion who wears a tiny crown. This might be metaphor to Jesus and the Jewish exile. The king agrees to let them stay for one night in exchange for a promise from Rudolph that as soon as he returns to the North Pole, like the promise land in Canaan, he asked Santa Claus to deliver the Misfit Toys to children. Rudolph feeling that he might endanger his friends, left. Rudolph grows older on his way back don't know why it took him forever to get home. He returns to his cave to find that his parents, along with Clarice, have left to search for him. Despite, Donner gone for months, Santa Claus does not call a search for him, and puts a guilt trip on Rudolph. They have been captured by the Abominable Snow Monster. After a brief fight, Rudolph is knocked out. The rock should have killed him no less. Fortunately, Hermey & Yukon arrive and save the day. They return back to the North Pole, where huge blizzard blows in which threatens to cancel Santa's trip. Santa is caught by Rudolph's gleaming nose and decides that it's light could cut through the storm. When Rudolph is welcomed back, it is not because everyone suddenly realizes they were jerks to him. It is explicitly because his "deformity" is now useful. There is no shame felt by anyone who mistreated him and no half-hearted apologizes. It's just isn't right. The group then sets off to deliver the presents with a quick stop to first pick up the Misfit Toys. Surprising the original does not include Santa traveling to the Island of Misfit Toys, but does include a scene near the end of the special in which Yukon Cornelius discovers a peppermint mine near Santa's workshop. This really just make the whole Misfit Toys sub-plot worthless. Discarded in 1965 to make room for Santa traveling to the Island of Misfit toys, Cornelius's scene was cut in the end. Viewers were so taken by the forlorn Misfit Toys that many complained Santa was not seen fulfilling his promise to include them in his annual delivery. In reaction, both are shown. However, to make room, several sequences were deleted: the bridge from "We Are Santa's Elves", Rudolph & the elf's duet reprise of "We're a Couple of Misfits," and dialogue by Burl Ives. A new duet, "Fame and Fortune," was shot for the revised version and put in place of "We're a Couple of Misfits". The special's 1998 restoration saw "Misfits" returned to its original film context, while the 2004 DVD release showcases "Fame and Fortune". Love theme "There's Always Tomorrow", sung by Clarice, "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" are also cut in some versions. It's very confusing and hard to follow. The audio track seems to go up and down, and the music sometimes tends to die off in the movie, before finishing in some DVDs versions. The commercial cuts are annoying as well. Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer is a poorly constructed and conceived song, but it seems to be here to stay like this movie. Yes, it's a classic, and brings joy. It's worth watching. Fortunately, its airplay is limited to a few weeks out of the year. So check it out. It will bring your spirits up even if it's kind of awful.