Customer Reviews

Frosty the Snowman [VHS]

5 star:		(37)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Frosty the Snowman is simply superb! It's another of author Romeo Muller's 16 animated Christmas films--all of which are splendid and marvelous. Jimmy Durante is a most endearing narrator and singer here, and the enchanting story of Frosty is both humorous and heart-tugging. Watch it, and learn why there's magic in Christmas snow! You'll also enjoy the sequels by the same author, "Frosty's Winter Wonderland," narrated by Andy Griffith; and "Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July," narrated by Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus.

No holiday film is more beloved and revered than Frosty the Snowman, other than Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and the Grinch. This 1969 Masterpiece was written by the GREAT Romeo Muller, the GREATEST writer who ever lived, the man REALLY understood children. This film has a lot for both parents and children to enjoy. It has Jackie Vernon, giving warmth and kindness to Frosty the Snowman, Jimmy Durante as the EXCELLENT narrator, and Billy Dewolf as the SILLY Professor Hinkle (one of my all time favorite characters of Christmas Mythology.) This film also includes my personal favorite recording of ANY Christmas Song, the Jimmy Durante rendition of the title song. (I must recomend that you purchase the spliced version on CD.) You just can't go wrong with this film. A great one for children just seeing it for the first time, or for parents who grew up with it themselves. You must also buy the sequel, "Frosty's Winter Wonderland" and the semi sequel "Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July", both buy Romeo Muller. PLEASE AVOID THE PIECE OF GARBAGE CLAIMING TO BE A SEQUEL ENTITLED "FROSTY RETURNS", ALSO ISSUED BY GOLDEN BOOKS. IT IS A POOR PLOTLESS ATTEMPT AT A CHRISTMAS SPECIAL INDEED AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE FROSTY THAT WE KNOW AND LOVE.

While it is a total joy to have the classic Rankin and Bass Christmas classic "Frosty the Snowman", on DVD what is disappointing is that it is unfortunately paired on this DVD with a dour "update", of the adventures of the most famous Snowman in the world titled "Frosty Returns", that is a clear victim of "politically correct", agendas. The original 1969 classic "Frosty the Snowman", is a story beloved by generations of television viewers with its catchy tunes, beautiful animation, likeable characters, and unabashed celebration of Christmas and all its traditions. "Frosty Returns", however is seemingly driven by a desire to down play the importance of Christmas traditions altogether, indeed Christmas amazingly is never even referred to once in the story, being instead replaced by a rather unfortunate "Winter festival". Imagining Frosty the Snowman without Christmas is like trying to picture Rudolph without his shiny nose! While the original has charm aplenty "Frosty Returns", also displays a number of less than charming characters, namely Frosty himself who in this story is more sarcastic and jive talking and far less jolly than in the memorable original. This sequel also has some of the most woeful animation and songs in it that you could imagine which only succeeds in making the original classic shine ever more brightly. Seeing these two features side by side on this disk made a number of decades apart clearly illustrates the often discussed "war on Christmas", that seems to be taking place in our western culture and after one screening of the "update" "Frosty Returns", I know I'll be sticking with the original classic "Frosty the Snowman", which still charms all these decades after it was produced by the legendary team of Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass.

This delightful 1969 animation based on the popular song is a holiday treat that many of us grew up watching, and now we can share it with our children. By today's standards, the animation is crude, but the story is heartwarming and the narration and singing by Jimmy Durante make it a priceless treasure.

We are introduced to Frosty, a snowman made by some school children with a corncob pipe, two lumps of coal and a magician's hat that brings him to life. When the temperature starts to rise, Frosty hitches a ride on a freight train bound for the North Pole. However, the evil Professor Hinkle is hot on his trail to try to melt Frosty and get his hat back. Finally, Santa Claus saves the day.

My son is almost three years old and he loved this video. No doubt your child will too.

Well, what can I say about "Frosty the Snowman?" It is another Rankin/Bass treat that has stood the test of time and become a permanent part of Christmas. It is really great to see these classics making their way to DVD. Frosty is a five star cartoon.

The DVD itself is a little lackluster, and I was tempted not to buy it. There is an introduction by Arthur Rankin Jr. that is much appreciated. It is not unlike the introduction he gives on the Rudolph DVD. The real disappointment comes with the second feature "Frosty Returns." This is not a Rankin/Bass feature, and is particularly poorly done. It looks and sounds like a cheap knock-off. I honestly think that they used recycled "Peanuts" animation. It is really bad.

With the wealth of Rankin/Bass material, including other snowman features like "Frosty's Winter Wonderland" or "Christmas in July," it is a shame to see this classic paired with such a dog. Look to "Year Without a Santa Claus" to see a great treatment of Rankin/Bass classics. Here's hoping Warner Brothers picks up such greats as "Jack Frost" and the "Life and Adventures of Santa Claus."

A gold member of the Christmas classics elite, Frosty the Snowman has entertained generations of children and adults with its holiday magic. Jimmy Durante narrates this 1969 animated creation that features the birth of Frosty - a happy, upbeat snowman brought to life by a magic hat. The story is based on a popular Christmas song of the same name.

Since her children are forced to attend school on Christmas Eve (with snow outside none-the-less), a schoolteacher hires a local magician named Professor Hinkle to entertain her class. But Professor Hinkle is anything but a master of his trade. He entertains the kids only by means of their laughter as his ridiculous screw-ups. Frustrated by his failure to perform the famous magic trick of "pulling a rabbit out of a hat," Hinkle throws the old hat out the window. When the children are finally dismissed from school, they build a snowman and name him Frosty. And then something truly magical occurs.

A gust of wind blows Professor Hinkle's discarded hat onto the snowman's head, and "presto"! ...Frosty the snowman comes to life with a call of "Happy Birthday"! Immediately, Professor Hinkle decides that he wants to keep his hat after all (so he can profit from its obvious magic powers), but the kids fight him off to save Frosty. However, Professor Hinkle is the least of Frosty's worries. The temperature is on the rise, and Frosty and the kids conclude that the North Pole is where he belongs. Together, they travel to the local train station to buy a ticket to the North Pole.

Karen, the leader of the schoolchildren, boards a cargo container along with Frosty, and the two set off for the North Pole. What they don't know is that Professor Hinkle is following them. When they reach the North Pole, Frosty is doing great, but Karen is icy cold. In an attempt to keep her from freezing to death, Frosty takes Karen into a warm greenhouse and lays her inside, but Professor Hinkle slams the door shut - melting Frosty.

The greedy magician is perfectly content to walk off in triumph with the confiscated hat, when Santa Clause appears and chastises him for what he has done. He promises Hinkle that he'll never again receive another present if he doesn't help Frosty. Hinkle relents and the cool, North Pole wind restores Frosty into his original snowman form. The hat brings him back to life, and he's reunited with Karen. Santa loads Karen and Frosty on his sleigh, and Karen is flown back to her house, where Frosty promises to return every year.

A holiday television classic unrivaled by none, Frosty the Snowman is "must-see" Christmas entertainment for the entire family. Its central theme of life and death are aptly portrayed by a snowman's good cheer and the love a young girl harbors for him. Frosty's charisma solidifies this as an enduring classic, right up there with some of the greats like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964), A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966)...

The DVD Report

"Frosty the Snowman" is a classic along with The Little Drummer Boy, Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

"Frosty Returns" is an Eco-terrorist heist of Christmas. It talks about Winter Festivals, Fertility Goddesses, and evil Big Business. Not one word of Christmas, without which there is no point in the story.

The environmental extremism ruins the story. Plus the songs are stinkers. You've never heard any of them on a Chrsitmas album, unless Green Peace has one....

My suggestion is buy the DVD and figure out how to scratch out Frosty Returns so you won't get snow burned next year.

I would pay twice the price to be able to buy the DVD WITHOUT Frosty Returns.

Frosty the Snowman:a wonderful Christmas classic!Beautiful
animation,wonderful storyline and unforgettable songs!This
is one of the timeless Rankin-Bass classics that should
be in every video or DVD collection!

Frosty Returns:A dud.The animation is sloppy and there is no plot.This story tries to be as good as the Rankin-Bass "Frosty",but falls flat on its face.This Frosty is just a fat snowman with no personaltiy and an annoying voice.My advice is to just watch the original "Frosty",and to just ignore this dull sequel.

The original "Frosty the Snowman" is an animated classic Christmas cartoon that every family should own. The voices of the great Jimmy Durante and Jackie Vernon only add to the charm of this short film. And with the classic cartoon voices of Paul Frees and June Foray, how can you not love "Frosty the Snowman"?

The problem with this DVD is that you have to buy the politically correct "Frosty Returns" along with it. "Frosty Returns" is an environmentalist, secularist propaganda short. The children are celebrating "The Winter Carnival"...no mention WHATSOEVER of Christmas, or even the more P.C. standard "holiday season". Don't waste your time with the newer version, stick with the classic and Merry Christmas (it's not a crime to say it people!...not yet)

I purchased this as part of a bundle, including other Rankin-Bass gems "Rudolph," "The Little Drummer Boy," etc.

Frosty the Snowman is a delightful, if not cornball, Christmas time gem. It does benefit from the DVD transfer, and if you enjoyed it as a kid, you'll enjoy it again here.

Frosty Returns, however, is a piece of unmitigated "politically correct" garbage. If there was a way to erase a portion of a DVD, I would be the first to consign "Frosty Returns" to bit land oblivion.

The storyline of "Frosty Returns" is something straight out of a Karl Marx Productions playbook. Here are some of its thematic leftist cliches :

* A very bad industrialist wants to profit from evil, destroying snow forever, and by extension our hero Frosty.

* The adults are painted as selfish and "mean-spirited" dolts.

* The children know better than the adults, and plot to bring about their snowy utopia despite their elders' resistance.

* The word "Christmas" is not mentioned once in this video refuse, and is replaced with a PC appropriate, if not pagan, "Winter Festival."

I could go on, but you get the picture, so no need to view it on your TV screen.