The Magic Snowman

When I first tried to watch this movie I turned it off when the snowman started to talk and figured it had to be dumb. However the next day I gave it another chance and found that although it takes a while to warm up, it actually is kind of interesting. I won't say that I promise that you will enjoy this movie, but that it is not as dumb as it appears in the beginning. Also, it has a compassionate message, and that is always nice.

This is a wonderful movie filmed in English in Yugoslavia in 1988 about a boy who wants to buy a new pair of ice skates to compete in the annual competition. Along the way, he comes across a truly magical snowman with the voice of Roger Moore, and a sinister fishing boat captain. The scenery is quite beautiful and the acting very special in an un-Hollywood kind of way. Though technically not a Christmas movie, I would put it in that category because of its' message. This is a very good movie for children between the ages of 6 and 13 but is captivating enough for the whole family to enjoy.

My review was written in December 1987 after a screening on Manhattan's Upper Eastside.

"The Magic Snowman", previously known as "A Winter Tale", is a well-photographed but dullish children's film. Best prospects for this Christmas-themed fantasy are in ancillary markets.

Shot on strikingly picturesque, wintry locations in Yugoslavia, pic presents a simple tale of kids prepping for the annual skating rface, who encounter a talking snowman (well-voiced in stentorian, echo chamber tones by former James Bond, Roger Moore). He's named Lumi Likko in Finnish but travels all over the world courtesy of his friend The Wind.

Lumi Ukko aids the young hero Jamie (Justin Fried) in finding fish as the boy tries to help out his fisherman father, using info provided by The Wind. A sort of inside info scandal develops when Jamie foolishly passes he fishing data on to an evil ship's captain in exchange for a sharfe of the take, leading to lessons being learned. Unfortunately, film builds up to the big race but instead fizzles with Jamie saving the kids from unsafe skating, after Mr. Wind via Lumi Ukko warns of weather conditions that have created hazardous thin ice.

Karpo Godina's photography is quite lovely and Justin Fried and the other youngsters provide capable performances. Superstar Moore's participation is a plus, an involvement reportedly stemming from the production donating a percentage of its proceeds to Unicef, his favored charity. Pic would have benefited from more action and less reliance on static shots of the snowman.