Rudolph is a classic (= must watch every Xmas season) at our house. C’mon, an elf who really wants to be a dentist, who couldn’t like that? Despite its problems I rather like Hobbit.
But most of their other work sux beyond words.
Your opinion?
I like their stuff quite a bit. The Last Unicorn and The Hobbit are two great movies, IMHO.
I think Jackson’s LOTR suffer greatly from not having Where There’s a Whip, There’s a Way.
“Wind in the Willows” was one of my childhood favorites. It had real soul, and it’s a damn shame it’s not available on DVD and is barely known. The songs were great, and I loved the theme particularly.
It’s entirely possible that I feel the way I feel about redheads because of Jessica from Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town, so they get a pass.
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town is one of my favorites, even if it does feature a transplanted penguin that honks.
<sings "Put one foot in front of the other…>
Exactly what I was going to say, and as the first response.
Jim
“The Year Without a Santa Clause” is mostly forgettable, but it did give us Heat Miser and Snow Miser, so it’s okay with me.
I enjoyed their Mad Monster Party. A nice switch from the more famous Christmas classics.
Other than “Rudolf” and the Snow Miser’s song, their stuff is pretty terrible.
Other exception: “The Last Unicorn.” So two great animated films, and a lot of dreck. Better than Don Bluth, but not by much.
They were a big part of my youth and I have all their XMas stuff on DVD, so put me in the camp that likes 'em.
Rudolph was good, and I recall Mad Monster Party being OK, but i hated everything else they’ve done, and call them “Rank and Base”. Their “Hobbit” was just tolerable.
I hated The Last Unicorn.
And Better Than Don Bluth? Not a chance. Technically they can’t approach Bluth’s smooth, flowing animation. His story-teling skills are far superior. I’d rather re-watch any Bluth film than any Rankin-Bass flick.
Nestor the Long-Earred Christmas Donkey traumatizes me to this day. Bullying, animal abuse, his mother dies in a tragic way…but hey, he’s hideously deformed for a reason! Yay!
Two words: Brenda Vaccaro. shudder
I have a soft spot for The Little Drummer Boy.
AAAAAAAAAAAAHahahahahahahaaaaaaaaahahahaha. I can’t . . . fucking . . . breeeeathe . . .
Don Bluth has story telling skills? Do you mean the man who did All Dogs Go to Heaven, An American Tale, Rock-a-Doodle, and The Land Before Time or a different Don Bluth?
Bluth was very impressive with The Secret of NIMH, but has turned out pure crap with a few leaps into mediocrity every since.
“Do you know how the Orcs first came into being? They were frogs once…”
Gotta love the 70’s electric guitar backup, not to mention the remarkably smooth, mellow harmonies-- “Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming the Marching Uruk-hai Military Chorale!”
I get a special chuckle from the one long-necked Orc who glances uneasily toward the viewer while singing (six or seven times, due to the limited animation), as if thinking: “…You’re not taking us seriously, are you? I can tell.”
Ahem… so. Rankin-Bass. Well… it’s hard for me to evaluate them objectively. They were just another part of my childhood. Don’t get me wrong, even back then I realized they were a WEIRD part… but they were definitely memorable, you have to give them that. Back then we didn’t notice the technical shortcomings like Rudolph’s fur constantly twitching; we were too busy trying to mentally incorporate random, nonsensical characters like “Yukon Cornelius” into our Christmas pantheon. And don’t ever let anyone tell you differently-- the Abominable Snowman was seriously scary in his day.
Random Rankin-Bassisms:
“Bumbles bounce!”
“I want to be a dentist!”
Burgomeister Meisterburger.
“I’m Mister Icicle/ I’m Mister Snow/ I’m Mister White Christmas/ I’m Mister Ten Below!”
Eon the Vulture.
The Island of Misfit Toys! “Nobody wants a Charley-in-the-Box!”
Once more, for your listening pleasure, The Marching Uruk-Hai Military Chorale: “Down, down to Goblin-town, you go my lad!” --followed by their Number One hit single, “Fifteen Birds in Five Fir-Trees!” Man, Uruk-hai rock! Peter Jackson totally dropped the ball on that one.
“Far over Misty Mountains cold…” In general, the Tolkien adaptations had much better-thought-out theme music than might have been expected.
Frodo’s dream of hope for the Fourth Age: gay Orcs turning into bunnies.
Dammit, I still maintain that the Rankin-Bass version of Gollum had the better voice.
Gandalf’s all-time freakiest moment: " …Well? IS there?" Um… no, Gandalf. I’m not a hobbit. Stop looking at me.
So, on balance: chalk me up as a vote for “inspired goofiness.” It’s easy to judge them too harshly now, but please consider the alternatives for children’s entertainment at the time. This was the ‘70s… the absolute pinnacle of available kid’s programming was Warner Brothers’ cartoons from two decades earlier. At least they weren’t Sid and Marty Krofft.
But who would win in a tag team fight.
Rankin and Bass or Sid and Marty Kroftt?
The Google ads right now are for Bass Shoes, JoinRudy2008, and Rudolph Enesco Figurines.
Bass, man… if he’s prepared.