Matt O’Connor
It’s Day 16 of the Beacon’s Christmas Movie Countdown! Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer is a staple of Christmas and one of the most iconic characters of the holiday season. He’s had many great appearances in movies and TV shows. But for me, nothing beats the original stop motion film from 1964. There’s a reason as to why the film is regarded as one of the mandatory Christmas classics.
When Rudolph was born, his parents discovered that he had a shiny red nose, and they originally tried to cover it up so that Rudolph wouldn’t be made fun of. But during the reindeer games, Rudolph’s red nose is exposed and is mocked by the other reindeer. After meeting an elf named Hermey who dreams of becoming a dentist, and prospector Yukon Cornelius, they set out on a trip to the Island of Misfit Toys. The plot of the film is greatly expanded upon compared to the original song and poem that the film was based on.
The stop motion animation used for the film is nothing short of charming, and it still keeps that cozy and heartwarming feeling even after all this time. The cast does a great job of bringing these characters to live, with Burl Ives as Sam The Snowman being the definite highlight and one of the most memorable parts of the film. You can never go wrong with the classics, and both the character of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and the 1964 film and and will continue to stand the test of time as one of the holiday essentials.
