Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a fictional reindeer who is created by Robert L. May. In his stories, Rudolph is the ninth and youngest of the eighteen reindeer team. The character’s luminous red nose helps him lead the other reindeer team and guide Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve. The movie is a timeless classic that has been adapted into several popular animated movies.
Gene Autry
In 1957, Gene Autry recorded seven Christmas tracks for his own Challenge record label. Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer was among these. He accompanied himself with a full orchestra and chorus. Carl Cotner conducted the orchestra. Every year, the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) announces its list of the top 25 holiday songs.
After the book became popular, Marks began jotting down song ideas in his notebook. In the following year, after his marriage, he added music to the story. When Marks’s version of Rudolph was complete, he was confident it would become a smash hit. He asked Gene Autry to sing it, but the star did not like it. Despite his reluctance, the song became the second best-selling Christmas song of all time.
May’s story was so popular that he eventually received a million-copy order from Montgomery Ward. He hoped his little reindeer would symbolize a happier time, and he was right. The story went on to become a bestseller and made Gene Autry world-famous as the voice of Rudolph. His song became a hit in 1949, and the movie helped the May family get over their loss.
Rankin and Bass
One of the hallmarks of Rankin and Bass specials is the exposition. They often use talking toys to set the stage for melodramatic plot twists. Sometimes they feature a cricket narrator who makes the story even crazier. The acting, on the other hand, is pretty bland and the songs are long and uninteresting. Rudolph’s story is more than a little bit reminiscent of The Grinch, but the musical numbers have a distinctly Rankin and Bass flavor.
During the production of Rudolph, Rankin and Bass outsourced stop-motion animation to a studio in Tokyo. Mochinaga, who founded MOM Studios in Tokyo, oversaw the project. The Japanese team utilized a technique known as Animagic, where jointed wooden and felt puppets move ever so slightly during every frame. The resulting animation took 18 months to complete.
While the story of Rudolph was conceived by May, he and Rankin and Bass adapted the original storyline to create a full-length musical. These films explore themes of alienation and individuality. A number of Rankin and Bass Christmas specials have added embellishments to the original story. These include the appearance of Hermey the Elf, who wanted to be a dentist, and Bumble the snow monster.
While Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeers are beloved holiday characters, this animated special does have a few shortcomings. The pacing of the movie is awkward, but the two stars’ strong vocal skills shine through. It’s not the best Christmas special, but it’s not the worst. Rankin and Bass are at the height of their imaginative power in this film.
Despite being a holiday staple, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a cultural phenomenon. First aired in 1964, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer has become the longest-running TV special in history, with more than one hundred million people having watched it. The film was produced by Videocraft International, Ltd., which later became Rankin and Bass Productions.
The movie features a memorable theme song. The song ‘Santa’s Grooves’, performed by Rudolph’s mother, Clarice, was created by Rankin and Bass. The song is performed in both English and Hungarian, with the Hungarian version substituting the original Portuguese lyrics by “you know Prancer and Dancer.”
Despite its popularity, some critics feel that Rudolph isn’t appropriate for children. In a recent article, Caitlin Flanagan, a cultural critic, argues that parents should not subject their children to the Rankin and Bass-produced special. Flanagan argues that Rudolph “reinforces the stereotype of a child” by depicting the grotesque side of the human race.
The Rankin and Bass adaptation has a lot of gimmicks and awkward dialogue. The story is too long and the characters add little to it. This makes the story clunky and lacking in connective tissue. However, there are some great things about the film. It is definitely worth seeing if you love children’s movies. Consider it a Christmas tradition.
Sam the Snowman narrates the story of Rudolph. Rudolph has a red nose and lights up when he is happy. When he grows up, he agrees to pull Santa’s sleigh. Donner, however, tries to cover his nose with a false one. But the fake nose falls off, revealing Rudolph’s true identity. When he grows up, his red nose makes him more aggressive and Santa takes him out of the reindeer team.
While Rudolph wanders aimlessly in the arctic, he quickly discovers that he can use his powers for good and befriends a bunch of misfit characters. He even comes across the villain of the film, a powerful but bruised ego. With the help of his new friends, he and his pals save the day when a snowstorm hits.
Santa is not satisfied with the misbehaving reindeer. His sleigh is full of misfit toys, and the other reindeer don’t want them. Rudolph and his friends try to find homes for them, but they’re not granted permission. The Misfits are then banished to a distant island. Rudolph tries to convince Santa to take them to a place where they can find their own happiness.
Hermey, one of Santa’s elves, dreams of becoming a dentist, but his rage-prone supervisor won’t allow it. When he realizes his dreams aren’t acceptable, Hermey and Yukon are allowed to stay at the sleigh. They also go on adventures with Yukon Cornelius, who sacrifices himself to take Bumble home.
