Product Details

• Actors: Angela Lansbury, Cyril Ritchard, David Kelley, Dina Lynn, Greg Thomas
• Directors: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
• Writers: Jules Bass
• Producers: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
• Format: Animated, Color, NTSC
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Warner Home Video
• VHS Release Date: December 21, 1993
• Run Time: 22 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6301760336
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,486 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Lucas is a young shepherd, who has been blinded by lightening. Fortunately, some thoughful nuns at a nearby nunnery offer to take care of him. When Sister Catherine descovers Lucas has never seen snow, she tries to describe it to him. The nuns decide that at this year's Christmas pageant Lucas will play an angel. To everyone's surpise, it snows during the Christmas show. With the snow comes an unexpected miracle.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rankin/Bass Animagic Holiday Special, July 14, 2003

By 

microjoe - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The First Christmas [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I reccommend this RARE one hour television special that was released in 1975 on NBC television. Made by the Rankin/Bass Studio, who specialized in stop-motion "Animagic" wonders. By the way, this should not be confused with the claymation special of the same name released more recently by another studio. The voices of Angela Lansbury and David Kelly are featured. This story is similar to The Little Drummer Boy in that it has a religeous or spiritual theme to it, and it helps teach kids about kindness, gratitude, sharing, and other positive values. Three diferent original songs are included.

The story is: A shepherd boy named Lukas is struck by lightning and blinded, then taken in by some nuns at an abbey during the holidays. They cannot care for him forever, and he cannot tend sheep anymore so he is to go to an orphanage. He has to rescue his sheep from some wolves after some other boys let them run away. The boy gets to play the Angel in a leve re-enaction of the Nativity. After a Christmas miracle his sight is regained.

While this never seems to be broadcast anymore, this is a nice film from the holiday entertainers of Rankin/Bass Studio. Their studio has brought us such memorable holiday classics such as Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Year without a Santa Claus, Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, Mad Monster Party, The Little Drummer Boy, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Mouse on the Mayflower, Here Comes Peter Cottontail, Cricket on the Hearth, the Stingiest Man in Town, Jack Frost, Pinnochio's Christmas, Rudolph's Shiny New Year, the First Easter Bunny. They also made non-holiday films such as the Hobbit, Flight of Dragons, the Last Unicorn. It is incredible that one company is responsible for all those TV specials, 95% of the ones we see every year. Their work includes standard animation, stop-motion animagic, and live action.

I hope this comes out on a restored DVD soon, I have bought all the other Rankin/Bass that have been released on DVD.

45 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the best of the Rankin & Bass Christmas specials!, November 1, 1999

By 

AbeStreet (Mayfield Heights, OH United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The First Christmas [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie has all the feel good aspects of other Christmas classics but not the fantasy. A person could almost believe it is a story that could have really taken place. This is some of Angela Lansbury's greatest work. It is often over looked when compared with other Christmas classics but more than worth watching.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the Best Rankin/Bass Holiday Movies, December 12, 2003

By 

Erika Sorocco (Southern California, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The First Christmas [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Lucas is a young shepherd boy, who is blinded during a horrible winter storm. He almost loses his way after he loses his sight, but is saved by one of the sisters, Sister Theresa (voiced by Angela Lansbury), of an abbey located close by. Lucas is embraced by Sister Theresa, who allows him to stay at the abbey until Christmas. Lucas, being so entirely happy by Sister Theresa's gesture, gives her everything that he owns: his flock of sheep. That Christmas, thanks to his lovely kindness, Lucas receives one of the greatest, and most miraculous recovery ever, and also learns about the gift of love.

I saw this movie on the 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family last year, and was so touched by it, that I immediately ordered the film from Amazon.com. Lucas is a kind young boy, who has been through so much terror in his life, and deserves for something good to happen to him, and it does when he meets the wonderful Sister Theresa. Sister Theresa is a loving character, who will capture the hearts of anyone who view this film. This movie will show even the grouchiest of grinches how beautiful, and wonderful Christmas is. And prove to you that Christmas miracles do come true. A must-have.

Erika Sorocco