'Tis The Season For Christmas Movies

THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (1974)

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Directed By:
Jules Bass
Arthur Rankin Jr.

Starring:
Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, George S. Irving and Christine Winter as the little Blue Girl

Not Rated
Genre: Holiday Special/Musical/Fantasy
Format Used: My Own DVD
Contains: Mild Violence

THE PLOT:

Santa woke up one day feeling tuckered and gray, and this is what he said. "I could sure use some rest, I'm not feeling my best." With Santa sick and depressed, Mrs. Claus sends two Elves on a baby Reindeer to find some Christmas will.

But first they must get past the Miser Brothers, two monsters that controls the weather. Snow Miser to the North and Heat Miser to the South. Talk about a Civil War.

But when they dress Vixen as a dog, she gets arrested by the Dog Catcher and Jingle and Jangle don't have any money for the fine. So they make a deal with the Mayor, make it snow in Southtown and he'll get Vixen out without the fine and arrange a day off for Santa, sounds easy? Nope, you forget the Miser Brothers hate each other and this is one battle of North and South that may not end.

ZEDD'S OPINION:

This is a true classic with a great vocal cast, the acting and the animgic was just perfect. I think they kind of goofed on Vixen, female Reindeer do not have antlers and they goofed on Mother Nature's hands. But if you grew up with these speicals, you kind of look the other way. Also I think Christine Winter's version of BLUE CHRISTMAS was even better then ELVIS himself...I also give it 9 STARS

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VOLTRON'S OPINION:

I agree with Zedd, but he forgot to mention the great music in this TV special. Rankin and Bass has some of the greatest music in their musicals. In this the songs include, I CAN BE SANTA, I BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS, I'M MISTER HEAT MISER and of course I'M MISTER SNOW MISER. These are great music that you'll want to remember. I too give it 9 STARS

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ON THE POSITIVE SIDE (+ HITS):

+ STORY (The story based on a book really works, I should read that book)
+ CAST (The vocal cast did a great job on this)
+ MISER BROTHERS (They looked cool and were very funny)
+ SONGS (The music was just great as per the norm with RANKIN AND BASS)
+ BLUE CHRISTMAS (Christine Winter did even better then Elvis on this song)

ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE (- MISSES):

- VIXEN (They goofed up royally with baby Vixen, female Reindeers don't grow antlers)
- MOTHER NATURE'S HANDS (If you look at her hands, they don't seen quite right)

AND FINALLY....

- CHILDISH (Some might find these special childish, but if you grew up with them like we did. You'll want to see them year after year)

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