10). Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
The perennial Christmas Classic.
With Rudolph, Rankin/Bass set the Christmas standard by which all other Christmas-ANYTHING would be done.
I mean, my number 7 even pays homage Rankin/Bass’s style!
You know about Santa's mane main eight reindeer...but do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all? And, more importantly do you know about the struggles the little guy had to go through because he was different? He was born different. I got made fun of a few times for my skin color growing up, and some kids were not allowed to play with my sister and I in scouts for those reasons growing up (one girl told my sister that flat out in elementary school too). Maybe that's why I liked this special. It showed that people who are different are important to, even if you can't see why.
Also, how adorable is Rudolph? Especially when he was a little baby reindeer?
The perennial Christmas Classic.
With Rudolph, Rankin/Bass set the Christmas standard by which all other Christmas-ANYTHING would be done.
I mean, my number 7 even pays homage Rankin/Bass’s style!
You know about Santa's mane main eight reindeer...but do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all? And, more importantly do you know about the struggles the little guy had to go through because he was different? He was born different. I got made fun of a few times for my skin color growing up, and some kids were not allowed to play with my sister and I in scouts for those reasons growing up (one girl told my sister that flat out in elementary school too). Maybe that's why I liked this special. It showed that people who are different are important to, even if you can't see why.
Also, how adorable is Rudolph? Especially when he was a little baby reindeer?
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| lil' guy |
Too bad, Donner Rudy's old man was ashamed of him. He covered up Rudolph's nose with dirt to cover the fact that he was different. In Reindeer School Rudy's false nose gives way to his real nose and--despite his superior performance--he is not longer allowed to "join in any reindeer games."
There is however one reindeer who is nice to him throughout the film named Clarice, the ubiquitous love interest.
Clarice was always such a cute character, and was relatively kind to Rudolph and who he was. And how about those lashes?
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| Maybe she's born with it? Maybe it's Maybelline? |
And then there are Yukon and Hermey!
We first meet fellow misfit Hermey who is an elf with no job satisfaction. In fact he--like a younger Joie--wants to be a dentist! And to be honest, I always found it odd that the elves didn't support this idea. I mean, with how many sweets those little guys eat (cookies, cocoa, candy canes, etc.) they are probably overrun with cavities and gingivitis.
Yukon makes friends and kind of save Rudy's and Hermey's lives. He appears to have some sort of oral fixation with his pick ax obsession with finding silver and GOLD in the arctic (ah, the Burl Ives song). But Yukon is also an adventurer, to the extreme; a rowdy rough mountain dude.
After the trio is together they run into old obimnable snowman, and, we get a peek into Hermey's slightly sadistic nature (a la Orin Scrivello, DDS in Little Shop of Horrors)...
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| Little Shop of Horrors |
...and then Hermey got to work on abominable, and pulled out all his teeth.
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| It's all soft foods and liquids for this guy from here on out. Hermey: you're one sick puppy. |
The gang continues their travels and land on the Island of Misfit toys. I loved the misfit toys! I don't why they are so rejected...they're rather adorable.
And when the spotted elephant asks who would want a spotted elephant, I always thought: “I do.” (though let's be honest, does anyone want the square-wheeled train? Maybe just for display)
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| Cuteness! |
And the King of the Island was pretty much the most bad-a character too: King Moonracer (possible name for my as of yet pertained cat). I mean, he's a flying LION! King Moonracer charges the team to let Santa know that these toys would be more than happy to settle for have a home from some poorer, less choose-y kids.
If you know the Christmas carol, you know that one foggy Christmas eve, Santa finally realizes Rudolph's potential and just how useful a glowing nose can be...despite the obnoxious sound it may make. After stopping off at the Island, and picking up the misfit toys, Santa and the reindeer are on their way with Rudolph at the head of the team. We see during the credits that the misfit toys parchute out of the sleigh, and into the poor girl's and boy's hands.
With the Great World-Wide Winter Blizzard of '64 no longer prooving an issue, orphan toys finding a home, and an Santa's Elves Dental Plan in full effect, we that many a crisis were averted, thanks most of all to one misfit with a heart of gold, and a nose of glowing red.
With the Great World-Wide Winter Blizzard of '64 no longer prooving an issue, orphan toys finding a home, and an Santa's Elves Dental Plan in full effect, we that many a crisis were averted, thanks most of all to one misfit with a heart of gold, and a nose of glowing red.