The Snowman

I thought that 'The Snowman' was magical when I first saw it over 20 years ago and I still think that it is now.

It is a beautifully told story of the wonder of Christmas as seen through the eyes of a small boy.The animation is first rate and let's not forget the music which is a delight.

This is a story filled with laughter,wonder and sadness and is as much a part of Christmas as Santa.

This story is now shown every Christmas on television and if you haven't seen it before,you must grab the chance to watch it.It is one of the most loved tales of recent times and rightly deserves it's status as a true classic that is sure to enchant for many years to come.

Shown every year on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day on UK Channel 4 since the channel launched in 1982, this charming and touching Raymond Briggs cartoon is the perfect accompaniment to turkey, wine, and Christmas pud.

A cute little boy runs out to play in the snow in his back garden (this is an England where everyone has lots of land and detached houses) where he puts together a life-size snowman, complete with hat, fruit for his nose, and pieces of coal for his eyes. Come the night when he is in bed, he feels the urge to run down and see the snowman just to be sure he's real. But the Christmas magic means the snowman is alive and ready for fun.

Several scenes are full of humour - the snowman being shown around the house, including his perfect environment (a chest freezer), the race around the garden on a motorbike, and Father Christmas's party. The real icing on the cake comes with the flight through the cold night sky to the accompaniment of Peter Auty singing 'Walking in the Air'.

With beautiful, flickering animation, memorable cartoon characters, and a bit of true Christmas spirit, 'The Snowman' is as close to a perfect half-hour as you can get. Other animations from the work of Briggs haven't come quite as close - this one is special. Long may it continue to be shown and celebrated, and find a place in the heart of new generations.

THE SNOWMAN built by a lonely young boy comes to life at Midnight on Christmas Eve, propelling them both on a fanciful, unforgettable adventure...

Raymond Briggs' charming picture book comes to life in this delightful British cartoon. Here is a perfect excursion into realms of Imagination & Wonder. The Snowman's guided tour of the human child's home is a comic treat. Their flight over the frozen North Country & Polar Seas is exhilarating and full of white mystery.

The serious themes of friendship's responsibility, and the inevitability of ultimate loss, are also hinted at. The ending is both beautiful & heartbreaking.

Raymond Briggs' illustrated book, upon which this holiday special is based, has been accurately described as a "wonder without words." This short movie can be described just as accurately with that phrase. _The Snowman_ may be my favorite animated film of all time, ranking alongside _Watership Down_. These films share the common bonds of not underestimating the intelligence of their audiences, and of providing spectacular and moving animated sequences. The flight sequence of _The Snowman,_ set to the haunting song "Walking in the Air," is a sequence that could have been lifted from _Fantasia_: the landscape unfolds, revealing wonder after wonder--city lights, cruising ships, penguins, aurora borealis--as the music rolls like turbulent winter waves. The story is short and simple, and more than a little heartbreaking, but captures the tragedy of transience without padding the action with sophomoric song and dance routines. This cartoon also features perhaps the best rendition of Santa Claus (or "Father Christmas," to be more true to the show's British roots) ever caught on film: a wholly charming, smiling, warm person, fun and grandfatherly and kind.

Three brief suggestions: if you can find it, buy the soundtrack to this film, as it makes great background holiday music; see if you can locate versions that feature opening narration by David Bowie (the video version usually features an opening sequence with the author, the PBS version a short scene with Bowie); stay far away from the waaaay inferior sequel, "Father Christmas," an oddly sardonic follow-up replete with bad jokes and--believe it or not!--nudity!

I watch my PBS-recorded version of The Snowman every Christmas Eve along with a few other traditional holiday movies to clear my head of the excessive commercialism of the holiday and put myself in the mood for Christmas.

The Snowman is a wonderfully simple film about a small boy who's Snowman comes to life. It's a terrific idea, for if you're a kid, wouldn't it be cool to make friends with a Snowman and be able to visit Santa Clause? Plus, the animation and the accompanying music, and even David Bowie's sentimental introduction makes this a wonderful adaptation of the book.