Jack Frost

Among all the Rankin-Bass-Muller holiday treats, this one is an underappreciated gem. It's clearly not as well-known as several of the others, probably because it's only marginally a specifically Christmas story, is not associated with a popular Christmas carol, etc. However, in our family we like this one every bit as much as any of the others, if not more. The plot is more emotionally engrossing, the original songs are terrific, and there are some particularly appealing and fascinating characters developed. This story works successfully in different ways for different agegroups.

I love the Rankin/Bass holiday specials so much. The story here, told by groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete, is about the time Jack Frost became human after falling in love with a peasant girl named Elisa. It's a cute tale with a bittersweet ending. Love the snow gypsies, the Keh-Nights, and all the other little creative touches. The Rankin/Bass specials were so imaginative. The voicework is solid, with Buddy Hackett as Pete and Robert Morse as Jack. Paul Frees, who previously did the voice of Jack Frost in Frosty's Winter Wonderland, does the voices for Father Winter and villain Kubla Klaus. The songs are pleasant and fun. The stop-motion animation is gorgeous. Charming, delightful, and sweet. It's not the best Rankin/Bass made but it's very good.

Of all the fairy tales and fictional stories that are made into children's books and movies for the Christmas holidays, none would be from a more ancient source than Jack Frost. For centuries, the name has been used interchangeably with the term, Old Man Winter. "The Christmas Song" has a line, "Jack Frost snipping at your nose."

The frostiness of window panes in winter, has not always been of the light and delightful aspect of children being able to trace pictures and write on the windows. More often than not, Jack Frost is not seen as something dear or welcome. And, most films about Jack Frost, or with the name in their title, have not been pleasant or amusing stories. Most have been dark films.

But this one, the animated short story of Jack Frost made for TV, is a positive film made for the 1979 Christmas season by Rankin-Bass Productions. As with others of their animated holiday specials, "Jack Frost" is a stop-motion film made with clay figures. And, the voices are as much a part of the stories, for the prominent actors of the day who usually do the voice over for the cartoon characters.

In this story, Jack is a sprite spirit who rescues a girl from an evil king in his castle. They fall in love, and Father Winter allows Jack to become human to live with Elisa. But after she is kidnapped by the nasty Kubla Klaus, Jack has to revert to a sprite and he whips up a huge winter blizzard to freeze Klaus and his minions.

Buddy Hackett is the voice for Pardon-Me-Pete, the groundhog who narrates the story. Robert Morse is the voice of Jack Frost, and Paul Frees is the voice of Kubla Krause. Frees is a film veteran, versatile with voices, who has performed for many of these year-end holiday animated films. Debra Clinger is Elisa, and Dave Garroway and others voice more characters

Kids of all ages should continue to enjoy this holiday cartoon feature well into the future.

I wish to add my voice to the chorus of approval for JACK FROST. I have watched it many times, and love it each time.

Not commented on much here is the villain, Kubla Kraus. A strange, mercurial villain for a children's show--a Russian cossack with a split personality (he talks to himself via a ventriloquist dummy) while being genuinely sinister. He is voiced by the inimitable Paul Frees.

The show's finale, ending on a note of sadness, was also unusual for a children's holiday special. Rankin/Bass gave children credit for more intelligence than producers (and even some parents) do today. The only weakness is Buddy Hackett's Groundhog character; the rest is wonderfully entertaining.

The media has gathered to see groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete greet the arrival of spring. A magical shadow appears and he scurries back inside for six more weeks of winter. Pete reveals that the invisible Jack Frost created the shadow as a deal between them so he can have more sleep. He tells the story of the one time that Jack Frost appeared to the people. Jack fell in love with Elisa from January Junction and asked Father Winter to turn him into human. Father Winter agrees to turn him for a winter and permanently if certain milestones are achieved including getting a wife. In addition, Father Winter turns Snip the Snowflake Maker and Holly the Snow Gypsy into humans to look out for Jack. Elisa is kidnapped by the evil Cossack king, Kubla Kraus, on his iron horse. She is rescued by Sir Ravenal Rightfellow. Kubla Kraus vows to send his ironman army to destroy January Junction. Jack Frost gives up his humanity to snow in Kubla and his army but spring is coming. The only way to extend winter is to create the magic shadow.

The main drawback is Jack Frost's voice. It's too old. He needs a boyish voice to match the boyish features on the new design. This Rankin/Bass Production is a little later than the original classics. Even though I like Buddy Hackett's voice, much of the narration is unnecessary. I like the story and I like the designs. This is a very good romantic story considering it's a children's Christmas special.