Apologies for the Billy Joel reference in the title but I couldn't help myself. This is the final stop-motion special from Rankin/Bass. They certainly go out on a creative note here. This is one of their most different and interesting specials. Obviously influenced by the popularity of fantasy material in the '80s. Everywhere you looked you saw stuff with magical creatures or wizards or enchanted realms. Rankin/Bass had dipped their toe in this already with Rudolph & Frosty's Christmas In July several years before, as well as many traditionally animated cartoons based on The Lord of the Rings. Oh and, of course, The Last Unicorn. This special here was based off of a book by L. Frank Baum, the creator of Wizard of Oz.
It's a fairly involved plot for a Christmas special. A council of immortal beings must decide if Santa Claus should be given immortality. From here, we get the origin of Santa, as told by the Great Ak. To say this is different from the origin of Santa previously released by Rankin/Bass would be an understatement. This is pretty trippy stuff but also very fun.
The stop-motion animation is beautiful, as you would expect from Rankin/Bass. It's some of their most creative work and it's just a shame it came at the end. The story is imaginative and interesting. It's dark in places and certainly isn't the toddler-friendly specials of before. The voicework is terrific and the characters are enjoyable. The music is nice, though not their best. As with all Rankin-Bass specials, I of course recommend it. But I would give a special recommendation for this one to people who are fans of fantasy stories but perhaps don't normally watch Rankin-Bass specials.
