Santa and the Three Bears

Why would I add this to my Christmas list? Curiosity, for the most part, as it was produced and directed by Barry Mahon. Yes, the same Barry Mahon that gave us Blood of the Zombie, The Diary of Knockers McCalla, Nudes on Tiger Reef, and over 50 more films that make this one an unusual choice. I really wanted Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny, but have not found it yet.

No zombies, no knockers, and the ax is just for cutting down a Christmas tree, not chopping off heads. Two cute bears cubs refuse to hibernate after the Ranger tells them about Christmas. They want to wait for Santa.

Hal Smith, who played Santa in Billy Wilder's The Apartment, and voiced Santa in many productions over the years, is the voice of the ranger and Santa here.

This is a really well done cartoon with great music and a story that kids of all ages will appreciate.

This holiday special seems to have people split down the middle with loving it and hating it. Chalk me up as one who adores this holiday special. I'm not even sure I can put in words why I enjoy this classic as much as I do, but here goes...

When I was a kid, the holiday season brought nothing but wonderful memories and this classic from Hanna-Barbera fits right in with those memories. I've never completely matured as some in my family hoped I might have, so revisiting this holiday classic is something I do every holiday season and often! I enjoy the story, sing along with the tunes and it gives me that all around happy and warm holiday feeling!

"Santa and the Three Bears" certainly lacks the flashier artwork, pace, and musical scores of other Christmas specials, before, during, and after its production. But, the tale told in "Santa and the Three Bears" is simply told, an almost-buried virtue in television programming which, wrongfully, believes it has to be flashy and quick in order to maintain a child's attention. In that, it remains a much more timeless and welcome work that only reveals its specialness as the years go by.

I saw "Santa and the Three Bears" when I was 10 years old. I loved it then and I love it now. The musical score is humble yet haunting, particularly the scenes in which the cubs prepare for Christmas and the hibernation of the bears just before Santa arrives. Again, a simple, simply-told, "bare bones" approach to storytelling that has the vastly-underrated Hal Smith playing a live-action and the animated Santa Claus (along with Mr. Ranger). I never tire of watching this because, unlike so many of its kind that hammer home the accepted notion of Christmas as a time of love, togetherness, and wishes fulfilled, "Santa and the Three Bears" stresses the importance of magic and wonder that come from belief in something unseen. Could it be God :-)? What a wonderful message to impart on people who cultivate cynicism as a badge of honor and do not see the impact that belief, magic, and wonder can play and produce in our lives. No other animated cartoon, in my memory, ever presented that message so gracefully, artfully, charmingly,and, for the third time (like the special itself), simply told.

I'm glad "Santa and the Three Bears" is out on DVD. Also, Nana is another example of the completely overlooked vocal proficiency of the fine character actress, Jean Van Der Pyl (also the voice of Wilma Flintstone).

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.

I grew up in Oxnard Ca. Every year KTLA Channel 5 would air this cartoon before the live television event "The Hollywood Christmas Parade".

In this animated movie, two bear cubs that are being raised by their mother discover the story of Santa Claus when they hear it from a park ranger. The curious little bears become determined to meet Santa, a goal that doesn't fit in very well with their mom's winter hibernation plans. As the three bears try to settle down for their cold-weather slumber, the restlessness of the cubs makes sleep impossible, and they remain determined to see jolly old Saint Nicholas.

The cartoon is sweet and fun. We see Christmas through the eyes of innocence. It is well made and has a huge heart. You should watch this.

This cartoon however is now available everywhere because it has fallen into public domain. This is good news however because there is no copyright holder anymore there is no incentive for anyone to "Restore It". I have not seen a decent transfer of this cartoon anywhere. That's too bad that nobody can pull it out of public domain and then restore the film. It should be protected

Every Christmas for I don't know how long, the local TV station in our area would run this cartoon, and it became a family favorite amongst my counsins and I. I don't know maybe I still love it, because it reminds me of better times, or maybe because it makes me remember what Christmas meant to me when I was a kid. Whatever it might be, it still makes me feel nostalgic when I watch it on video and I hope one day to share it with my children.