Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948)

*** (out of 4)

Max Fleischer's animated short tells the story of the red-nosed reindeer who is constantly picked on until Santa's needs his help delivering gifts on Christmas. This 9-minute short would end up being the final film that Fleischer would ever direct and it also turned out to be the last that he would produce. There's no question that the 1964 Rankin/Bass version has overshadowed this one and I think it's fair to say that the later version is much better but that's still no reason for people not to check this one out. I thought the animation, as you'd expect, to be very good and I especially liked the opening scenes where we meet Rudolph and the other reindeer's. I thought their little play land had a lot of imagination going for it and the colors certainly jumped off the screen. The story is pretty good as well but then again I think it would be very hard to mess it up. At just 9-minutes the film goes by extremely fast and there's certainly no dry moments to drag the film. The one major difference here is that the "village" is animals and not humans. Nothing major of a change but it's still worth noting.

Long surpassed by the 1964 Rankin/Bass version, this 1948 animated version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer directed by Max Fleischer is enjoyable in its own right. Narrated by Paul Wing, the story begins with the lead character already not allowed to skate on ice with the others (all of whom wear pillows on their backs to break their falls). His mother then calls him (there's no father here) and as Rudolph sleeps in his bed, Santa has trouble with his eight reindeer (who he calls by name as they pass him) with the fog and blizzard in his way. If you know the song by heart (and who doesn't?), you can figure out what happens next and I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't heard of this story yet. Nice animation throughout and good pacing for a 7-minute short. Worth seeing for Fleischer, Rudolph, and animation fans.

Before people get the wrong idea, I absolutely love the 1964 Rankin-Bass special (I happen to be a Rankin-Bass fan, too; MAD MONSTER PARTY is my other favorite), but if one should be virtually faithful to the the source material by Robert May and Johnny Marks, then look no further than this animated short by Max Fleischer! You can't get any better than the Fleischer brothers (Max or Dave), so this classic short should never be forgotten. The animation is just as good as their famous Superman shorts. The story is much simpler, without any excess supporting characters to steal the show. Rudolph and Santa Claus share the full spotlight, and I couldn't have it any other way. It's a bit unfair to compare the two versions, I know. But if you think about it, this is just about as faithful to the source material as you could get. Plus, Rudolph looks adorable, as he should.

As for the plot, well, sing that famous song and you have it all in a nutshell!

While it won't be officially available as of this writing, your best bet is to look for some cheap Christmas-themed public domain DVDs which should include this short. I recommend it! It should make a great companion to the 1964 special, especially for historical reasons.

A JAM HANDY PICTURE Cartoon Short.

On a particularly foggy Christmas Eve, RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER turns his humiliating birth defect into a beneficial asset...

Two decades before Rudolph came to the small screen, Robert L. May's enduring creation was given the Max Fleischer special touch in this nostalgic cartoon. Johnny Marks' infectious song leads into the well-known story of Santa's Winter weather troubles & how the bullied little deer saved the day/night. A few of the graphics are reminiscent of Fleischer's splendid SUPERMAN series.

The cartoon adds some new details to the story - Mama Rudolph in a dress & apron is a rather strange sight - but basically this version, narrated by Paul Wing, laid the groundwork for later adaptations. While rather obscure, if uncovered this would make a fine addition to a family's Christmas Eve viewing.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 200 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA. I AM HONEST ABOUT THESE FILMS

This is not the beloved Animated Classic with "Sam The Snowman". this is the first cartoon that was ever made about the beloved reindeer.

This Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a 1948 animated short film by Max Fleischer based on the 1939 Robert L. May poem Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer about the reindeer with the same name.

Rudolph is a reindeer, with an unusual red nose. Because of this, he is laughed at and told to go home by his peers. Saddened, he goes home, hangs his stocking and goes to bed. Meanwhile, in the North Pole, Santa Claus notices that the coming fog will be difficult to get through. Nevertheless, him and his reindeer brave out the storm and go anyway. While on the way, an airplane throws them off their course; they land at Rudolph's house, where Santa greets him. Telling Rudolph, "I need you tonight to guide my deer on the rest of our flight", Rudolph helps them. Due to his bravery, he is accepted and respected by his fellow reindeer and made their commander-in- chief by Santa; the reindeer enjoy a merry Christmas together.

Well made and very colorful. Just don't look for "Hermey the Elf" or "The Island of Misfit Toys".