Rudolph's Shiny New Year

Rudolph's Shiny New Year can be striking, and entertaining, if you're watching it when you're little - little enough that by the time you're my age you have no clear memory of the first time you watched it, just that you did over and over. As a kid you get introduced to claymation someway or another (even those of today who don't have Gumby get Wallace and Gromit), and this plays for a fine hour for the little ones, but can perhaps be of worth for the parents here and there. The story of Rudolph saving the "baby new-year" from the clutches of Eon, a vulture looking to keep December 31st on a loop, is pretty simple, with conflicts and characters that are typical and funny enough to take. But what can be memorable for a child is how some of this special is dark (with Eon) when it's not cute (most scenes with the baby). It's also interesting as a kind of sequel-cum-remake of the original Rudolph story, as the baby has to contend with having big ears- something that a child might find more relatable than a shiny nose. The songs are also a bit of a treat, if dated, and Red Skeleton does a fine double-job with the voicing of Father time and the little Bear on the island. Basically, it's the kind of special that is worth checking out with the kids for a few minutes, and if they get into it, it may prove a treat, and if not, there's still Nickelodeon.

While not as good as either "Year Without a Santa Claus" or the original "Rudolph", this was still must-see TV when I was growing up. Since it's one-hour long (when broadcast), you get more bang for your buck than the many half-hour Christmas shows.

When watching this recently, it seems to me they cut one of Red Skelton's songs. Wasn't there a song titled "The moving finger writes...", where Father Time explains to Rudolph how Baby New Year grows into an old man by the end of the year? I have a distinct memory of that. Perhaps it shows up on the DVD? In a similar vein, there's a song I know they routinely cut from "Year Without a Santa Claus"--Mrs. Claus singing "Anyone Can Be Santa Claus". I realize that they're probably squeezing in more commercials than when I was a kid, & something is bound to get cut. Still.

Happy the Baby New Year had runaway due to teasing about his big ears. The weather is frightful. After saving Christmas, Rudolph is the only one who can save New Year. He is joined by General Ticker. They cross the Sands of Time to find Father Time guided by The Great Quarter Past Five. Aeon The Terrible is after Baby New Year to stop time. Rudolph searches for Happy in the Archipelago of Last Years.

It was over a decade since the first Rudolph first aired. There is a nostalgic charm to the stop-motion animation. While it's great to have new characters, I don't understand why so many of them seem to drop off. Where did General Ticker go? Why introduce great side characters, only to drop them immediately? I also don't understand how the 3 bears fit into the Archipelago. They're not historical figures. There are some new songs but it's always the classic that is truly great. Despite a few questionable turns, it's still a fun journey.

This was included on the same DVD as "The Year Without a Santa Claus," and I must say that I don't remember this one at all from my childhood. It picks up where the original "Rudolph" left off. Rudolph has successfully saved Christmas, so he's charged with saving the New Year as well, sent off into the night by Santa Claus (who's really good at delegating, by the way), to find the New Year's baby, a bizarre little tyke with enormous ears who looks like Harpo Marx and wears a giant top hat. He's run away because everyone laughs at his ears; who better to find him and teach him the value of not taking life so seriously than Rudolph, he of the drunkard's nose?

I liked this one, though it features the least memorable music yet of this kind of animated film. Rudolph is joined by a soldier who's part clock and speaks in rhymed couplets, and a knight whose face we never see and who could be a character out of Monty Python. There's also a gloomy camel and my favorite character, a great whale who gives the group rides around the ocean and helps them chase down the scary monster bird (that's really its name) who wants to kidnap baby New Year so he can stop time and prevent himself from turning into ice (don't ask). Last but not least, Red Skelton fills narration duties as Father Time.

Like all of these films, even if they're not that great, they provide a certain nostalgic satisfaction to those of us who remember a time before computer animation.

Grade: B+

I grew up watching Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer for a very long time. Rankin Bass and of course Romeo Muller have made such a great icon that was a classic for a very Long time. And Rankin Bass Jr. also helped out on the production and as it seemed i enjoyed this forever.

At Christmas time i watch many classics such as Frosty the Snowman. But Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer has been my most favorite that i have watched. I enjoyed it a lot and sometimes read the books about it. But Rudolph has been the best hero and leading Santa's sleigh was also a nice deed.

Despite what i have to say. I love Rudolph and i like his story. And since childhood i used to watch many cartoons starring him in it and I'm glad to say that it definitely pleased me. Rudolph was popular and was the best reindeer of all. And since seeing the original movie. I went on to seeing Rudolph's Shiny New Year because i thought it was a great masterpiece.

Of course being that. Rudolph has to save Baby New Year's Eve who is also teased because of how large his ears appear to be by the other kids. But also that they have to avoid the vulture who is mean and really is not nice at all.

Even though Rudolph is my favorite character since childhood and when i was a child watching the stuff before. He will continue to please me at Christmas time. Rudolph is a beloved and a great hero that has one simple message. Never be teased or alone when trying to join a group. Always be who you are and everything will be alright. This is what Rudolph will say if you are really sad.

The greatest holiday hit for Christmas ever. - Rudolph's Shiny New Year deserves to be on the most great holiday Christmas masterpieces of all time. Though if you are still a child this should entertain you. And may i say the characters such as Father Time and Rudolph himself will. The story was great, The animation was dazzling, And the concept and the look of the characters was awesome. This is not a movie to pass up on when Christmas is around the corner. You need to see this for yourself. You will be pleased, Definitely something i would recommend for both kids and grownups who are fans of the show.