Customer Reviews

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

How you feel about the blu-ray release of this deservedly beloved Christmas classic will depend a lot on how you've been viewing Rudolph up 'til now. If you've been watching the DVD on a standard def TV--or watching it on broadcast television--then the blu-ray may strike you as a revelation, perhaps like seeing it for the first time, because there's no question that it trounces an all standard def set-up.

But if you, like me, have been watching a DVD (I have the excellent 2002 version on Sony Wonder), then uprez'd to high def via one of the better blu-ray players and/or high def television, then this blu-ray will come as a disappointment in more ways than one. It's not that it's bad, per se, but you will see virtually no difference from what you've been watching. That's a real shame, too, because you can't help but wonder what might have been had they given Rudolph the loving care remastering job he so deserved for his first appearance on blu-ray. Instead, they simply used the existing master with its scratches, dust and occasionally wavering colors.

I'll never understand this Scrooge-like approach to blu-ray for a beloved, popular title like Rudolph which will unquestionably sell very well. The investment to do a top-notch remastering job is minimal on a cost-per-disc basis when averaged out over a high volume of sales.

That brings us to the second disappointment: the extras. Simply put, there aren't any. My old DVD copy from '02 runs 135 minutes with extras. This new blu-ray is 52 minutes.

How unfortunate that Rudolph's debut on high-def was handled by stingy bean counters who said "Bah, humbug!" to giving this title the same level of devotion shown to it by fans for almost 50 years.

There is a lot to like with this blu-ray which I just viewed today. The details are awesome and the colors are vivid and bright. I noticed materials in Santa's clothes when he visits the Donners cave in the beginning, details I had not noticed before. And the sound is great as it is in dolby digital. Now, the negative. When Sam the Snowman sings "Silver and Gold" which is my absolute favorite song in this classic TV special, one word is lost as apparently there was a skip in the old film elements when this was transferred. Instead of singing,"Everyone wishes FOR silver and gold..." it says, "Everyone wishes...silver and gold." That is really the only defect I found but it was a bummer. Was there no way to simply take the song from a CD (it has been released on CD) or somehow restore it a bit better? Also, there are no extras whatsoever. I found that to be a bit cheap, a bare bones release. But for the picture quality, if you love this classic Christmas special as I do, it is still very nice to own in High Definition. Four out of five stars from me.

They've done a great job restoring this little movie. We were happy with the DVD - the colors were more vibrant and the picture was crisper. This is such a cute movie with wonderful characters, and I look forward to watching it around Christmas.

I have watched this 1964 version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" each and every year since it was first televised. I will assume you have seen this before so my review will be limited to the video and audio quality of the transfer.

"Rudolph" shows up on Blu Ray in a flimsy eco case (el cheapo, mostly air) with festive artwork. The disc itself is nicely silk screened in full color and mine came with a very pleasing slipcover over the main case. Despite the 25GB disc, the feature is presented in 1080p with a nice healthy bit rate, much higher than many big name movie releases sport. Since it is less than one hour long a BD 50 disc was not needed.

This is one Blu Ray I was really looking forward to seeing and was hoping I would not be let down. I WASN'T !! Contrary to some other reviews I have read I am here to tell you that this Blu Ray transfer of "Rudolph" is simply beautiful. It is a MAJOR upgrade from the best quality DVD version you can find. The colors are gorgeous, vibrant and strong. Print damage is VERY minimal with my biggest complaint being a few stray hairs that show up for a few seconds perhaps 2 or 3 times during the almost one hour presentation.

Remember that this was a "Stop Motion Animation" feature. This being the case you will notice the brightness flicker from time to time. This is NOT a defect in the transfer, it is an expected artifact from the process originally used to create this Christmas masterpiece. The same goes for minor color fluctuations. All the artifacts that occurred due to the now primitive stop motion animation process are amplified on this release but don't let that scare you off. It REALLY looks good folks. After seeing this year after year for 47 years , first in Black and White on our old Magnavox, later in color on our old Zenith, and lately upscaled to 1080p from my current DVD copy, I was THRILLED to see "Rudolph" looking this good. WOW!

Rudolph is presented with chapter breaks (w/thumbnails) and a set-up screen that lets you switch between a few other languages. This is a bare bones release with NO extras at all. The English audio is presented in Dolby 5.1 TruHD. Don't expect an Avatar type mix here! Rudolph was originally mixed in mono and except for a few special audio effects (snow, wind, etc) most of the sound will emanate from your center channel. For this title I recommend switching your surround amp to "Stereo" and using the two front speakers for best results. Either way you wish to do it, the track is lossless, clear and as good as you will ever hear it. Dialogue is clear, songs all sound fine and it IS a noticeable bump in quality compared to my DVD version.

If you are like me and have loved this film over the years then this Blu Ray release of "Rudolph" will not disappoint. Never in a million years did I ever think I would be able to enjoy this classic with such a beautiful , colorful and CLEAR picture! This is not computer animation and won't look like Shrek, but it IS a true classic and "Rudolph" totally delivers on Blu Ray! Most Highly Recommended!

If you were alive when RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER debuted as a Christmas television special back in '64, you may recall being intrigued by it simply by dint of its elaboration of the events potrayed in Gene Autry's well-known song and in the various Golden Book and comic book editions that had been kicking around throughout the 50s and early 60s. (Less well known--if not totally UNKNOWN--at that time would have been the orignial 1939 story by Robert L. May.) Nowadays, of course, kids grow up with both the song and the now annually broadcast special and probably don't really have an inkling of the history of the tale.

But literal minded kid that I was, I remember being a little perplexed that Rudolph's father was DONNER in the animated version. Everything else I'd ever read (including the annual comic book edtions) suggested that Rudolph and Donner were simply, well, TEAMmates--and contemporaries. I recall, as well, having some ambivalence about the Hermey subplot. Yes, it drove home the "misfit" theme of the story by providing Rudolph with an actual friend and kindred spirit, but, I mean, c'mon, an elf who wants to be a DENTIST?? Shouldn't they just be magically protected from something as mundane as tooth decay to begin with?

But like most 60s kids, I was still kinda taken with the production, whatever my reservations. However you tell it, the RUDOLPH saga is a classic "Ugly Duckling" story, a genre just about every kid identifies with on some level. (Who doesn't feel misunderstood and unappreciated?) And in an era when anti-bullying messages are proliferating (and, I sincerely hope, are being heard), it does a body good to remember one such classic tale from an earlier era.

Some kids may be taken aback to learn that, in this version, even Santa is insensitive (AND, oddly enough, kinda SKINNY most of the time, 'til Mrs. Claus fattens him up anyway). Santa's initial reaction is to dismiss Rudolph as a potential drafts-reindeer, and rather summarily at that. But even in the original song, come to think of it, there's no indication that Santa's interest in Rudolph is anything but utilitarian. You never saw him scolding the other reindeer for not letting "poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games." If it hadn't been for that foggy Christmas Eve...

I've often wondered if the stop motion animation of this version of RUDOLPH might not seem too primitive and awkward for the current crop of tykes out there, weaned as they are on whizzbang computer generated special effects. Well, a few years ago, I watched the DVD with my niece and nephew, and they were captivated with it. That was heartening, RUDOLPH is a warm-hearted, compassionate tale. It's good to know that it still speaks to children.

PS--Oh, yeah, and the kids get to discover Burl Ives' songs too. Love me some Burl Ives.

Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer is the first Rankin/Bass holiday special, and only their second TV special ever (the first being Return to Oz). Still the all-time champ, Rudolph is the longest-running holiday special in television history, running annually since 1964, mostly on CBS and NBC. You can get hung up on the modest scope of the stop-motion Animagic figures, elemental sets and limited effects, but you can't deny its power. There is simply an engaging quality about the production that charms every generation, regardless of how high-tech things become. Production designer Anthony Peters deserves more attention for his creations, which we see almost everywhere today -- even the lettering is widely imitated.

At its core, the story is about being "different," and how those differences become strengths. For a show aimed at children's, the characters can be downright cruel (this particular Santa, besides appearing to have an eating disorder, shows such displeasure he'd be right at home sitting next to Donald Trump on The Apprentice).

If you view the special in its historic context, during the civil rights movement, suddenly Rudolph is a victim of prejudice -- Clarice's father won't let his daughter be seen with him. Maybe that's reading too much into the story, but it makes one wonder if some members of '60s households realized they were watching or just dismissed it as a cute kid's show. Probably the latter.

As a cultural icon, you can't dismiss the influence this single special had on so much that followed it. Many of today's greatest names in animation have either cited it as a favorite (along with other Rankin/Bass films) or slipped its lore into their own work. Like The Wizard of Oz, elements of Romeo Muller's script have become part of our vernacular, from Charlie in the Box to Hermie the Dentist.

On Blu-ray, of course you can see the handmade quality of the animation in all its glory -- as well as details you may have missed, like Clarice's touch of blush or Fireball's freckles. AND, the long-omitted "Peppermint mine" scene has been included. If you've ever wondered if there was more to Yukon Cornelius' quest for riches, you'll see it just before Santa goes off to pick up the misfit toys.

For more about Rankin/Bass and Rudolph, check out the books and blog of author/expert Rick Goldschmidt, who helped save the peppermint mine scene.

NOTE: If you have the original DVD of Rudolph, you may want to hang onto to it, though, because the Blu-ray contains no extras.

Always a great holiday classic, this special strikes a chord with anyone who has ever been rejected for being different and longs for acceptance on their own terms. I should know, having been picked on most of my life for having undiagnosed ADD. Rudolph is the son of the famous Donnar, who is ashamed to find out his son has a red shiny nose that glows and gives off a horrific, wailing beep, so he tries to hide it by packing mud over it when a visiting, arrogant Santa disapproves. Well, shame on Santa, and shame on the others--especially the reindeer clique--who picked on him. They don't even take into consideration how well he can fly, or that he is a good "person" with a good heart. All they see is his nose. Fortunately, like any misfit, Rudolph has some allies in his mother, Clarice, Ukorn Cornelius, and Herbie the elf--a veritable misfit himself in Santa's workshop--who wants to be "a...a dentist."

Due to lack of acceptance, Rudolph and Herbie set off on their own to find their special calling, and meet up with gold prospector Ukorn and his pack of sled dogs. Ukorn knows no fear, and is the only one who isn't afraid of the Abominable Snowman. PCers lighten up! Herbie removing his teeth was better than killing him, and the Abominable was indiscriminate about where he got his lunch. Was Herbie removing his teeth awful in comparison? I think not.

The group lands on the Island of Misfit toys, ruled by a great and kindly lion king who wants Santa to find homes for them, and rightly so. Everyone wants to be accepted and loved for who they are, don't they? That is the lesson in this wonderful yuletide story for young and old alike, and it always puts most of us in the Christmas mood. Did you ever notice how people are more accepting of those who are different around the holidays, and then they revert back to the way they treated them previously? This story is about how anyone can change--even the "bumble"--that acceptance is a worldwide theme, and that's what the lesson is in this wonderful old classic. It doesn't mean you should only make exceptions on the holidays, however, but you should be accepting all year long. The spirit of Christmas should last throughout the year in kindness and tolerance of difference, which makes this appropriate for children of all ages. It's a great lesson full of good old classic songs, and Burl Ives makes a great snowman narrator.

It's obvious Rankin Bass put a lot of care into this one, and I also recommend Santa Claus is Comin' to Town along with it. They don't make specials like this anymore, and I know 3/4 of the dialog due to repeated watching! Good old Christmas classics never go out of style when they're done right, and that's the reason adults still love to watch this one with their kids. Pass this one on to your kids and emphasize the lesson here about being generous to your fellow man and animal. Also, have a happy holiday!

Dedicated to the memory of my late brother Mark, who always loved this when we were kids and beyond.
Sincerely, Carlisle.

As a kid I loved this and as an adult I still love it. This episode is only aired once a year on CBS so I was grateful to have it on a high quality CD so I could view it anytime that me and or my family would like to. Definitely worth the price.

My six and four year olds so thorougly enjoyed this movie after singing the song alot. So much better without the commercials. We love movie and the dvd is great.

Rudolph is a perennial classic I never get tired of watching with my kids. This Blu-ray edition is clearly superior to previous formats. It looks as good as if it were just made!!!!!