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Bursting with color and shimmering with merry musical moments, Christmas Cartoon Classics collection includes three landmark Max Fleischer cartoons, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Christmas Comes But Once A Year and Somewhere in Dreamland as well as Ub Iwerks' rare short Jack Frost.
Max Fleischer (1883-1972), a long time rival of Walt Disney, was the creator of Betty Boop and the inventor of the rotoscope technique that allowed animators to illustrate over live action. Fleischer brings his dazzling visual poetry and stunning 3D technique to the holiday season.
Along with Disney and Fleischer, the third great grandfather of American animation was Ub Iwerks. Iwerks (1901-1971) started out working for Disney and had a huge hand in the early success of Mickey Mouse. He struck out on his own and created quality original work that assured his own unique legacy. 204. Color. 114 mins.
Buyer beware: These cartoons are decades old and some of the transfers are not of the highest visual quality. Although the producers used the best source materials available, if you're expecting high-quality animation, better shop elsewhere. This collection is best enjoyed as a historical artifact and a unique look at our past culture.
Christmas Cartoon Classics DVD is brand new; it is unopened, unplayed and still in its original factory shrink-wrap. Heres one that any fan of Christmas, cartoons or popular culture will enjoy again and again featuring...
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Max Fleischer, 1944) The Fleischer version of the classic tale.
- Christmas Comes But Once a Year (Dave Fleischer, 1936) A group of lonely kids are given broken toys, leaving these sad youngsters without a Merry Christmas. Professor Grampy, sees the unhappy kids. The brilliant inventor puts on his thinking cap to find a solution this problem. He heads into the orphanage and creates a series of homemade toys from kitchen utensils. Then he decorates the main room with soap chips, cotton and other items, creating a Santa suit from red cloth, stovepipes and a red bag. He rings a dinner bell and calls the kids in. The kids, seeing Grampy as Santa, rush in happily. They play with their new and better toys.
- Somewhere in Dreamland (Dave Fleischer, 1936) The story of two poor children who are out collecting firewood when they pass by a toy store, market and finally a bakery. They drool over the wares in the bakery window but walk away before the owner can come out and present them with two cupcakes. The kids go home and eat a meager supper before going to bed. They both dream they are in dreamland, where everything is free--cookies, candy, cakes, popcorn and toys. When they wake up it's all gone but the three merchants have stopped by to lay out a huge feast for them.
- Jack Frost (Ub Iwerks, 1934) Jack Frost arrives in the forest, painting the leaves on the trees and warning the animals to prepare for the winter. An inquisitive young grizzly bear decides he wants to see what the world looks like when everyone else is hibernating. When Old Man Winter catches him unawares, however, he needs Jack Frost's help in getting back home to his warm bed.
- Santa's Surprise (Seymour Kneitel, 1947) Little Audrey (in her first ever cartoon appearance) and some other kids stow away inside Santa's sleigh. While Santa sleeps, the kids decide to give him a Christmas present of his own
- Hector's Hectic Life (Bill Tytla, 1948) On Christmas Eve, Prince the dog's owner threatens to throw him out if he causes any more trouble. Just then, a basket arrives on the doorstep containing three puppies that look suspiciously like Prince. The puppies proceed to trash the house while Prince desperately tries to conceal the damage from his owner.
- Snow Foolin' (Paramount Pictures, 1949) Singalong about the first day of winter, when all the animals go ice skating. It is December 21, and the animals in the forest must contend with a literal avalanche of snow. Winter is not all that bad, though. After donning their winter coats, they will be able to enjoy themselves skiing, skating on a frozen lake, and tossing snowballs. In just a few days, one and all will be singing "Jingle Bells."
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