Classic Christmas Favorites DVD Review
Warner Bros, Rankin/Bass Present How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Nov 2, 2009 Dominic von Riedemann
For many years, families have gathered around the TV to catch classic Christmas specials, like Chuck Jones' 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas,' Rankin/Bass' 'The Year Without a Santa Claus,' or 'Frosty's Winter Wonderland.' While the quality of these Christmas specials may have varied from the brilliant to the colossally hokey, there's no denying their big-hearted sense of fun and heart-warming theme of "wouldn't it be nice if everyone was nice."
Now Warner Home Video has packaged 'Grinch,' plus a slew of 1970's-era Rankin/Bass specials, into the Classic Christmas Favorites DVD box set. With "10 Holiday Favorites," including 3 that have never before been seen on DVD, this set should be a smorgasbord of Christmas fun for the whole family. But it appears old Ebenezer Scrooge has cast a shadow on what should be a slam-dunk purchase.
Warner Bros.' Classic Christmas Favorites Includes 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas,' The Year Without a Santa Claus, Pinocchio's Christmas and The Stingiest Man in Town
The inclusion of Chuck Jones' adaptation of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' is worth the price of admission alone. Scripted by the book's creator, Theodore 'Dr. Seuss' Geisel, and recruiting horror legend Boris Karloff to narrate the tale, 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' is one holiday classic that refuses to grow old. Sequences where the Grinch slithers around a decorated tree or grins evilly at the audience combined with Seuss' indelible rhymes create a stunning combination: two masters creating a holiday classic.
It's too much to ask that the other specials match 'The Grinch' for sheer awesomeness, but the Rankin/Bass shorts are definitely fun to watch, and have no shortage of heart. Generating a surprising amount of emotion from wooden stop-motion toys, specials like 'Nestor the Long-Haired Christmas Donkey,' 'Pinocchio's Christmas,' and ' The Leprechauns' Christmas Carol' combine catchy tunes with goofy, good-hearted fun. And who can resist Heat Miser and Snow Miser's soft-shoe routines in 'The Year Without a Santa Claus'?
Rankin/Bass' cel animated side also comes out with 'The Stingiest Man in Town' (yet another retelling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol) and 'Twas the Night Before Christmas,' which animates the Clement Moore poem.
However, some controversy hurts Classic Christmas Favorites. According to Rankin/Bass' website, WB owes the studio more than $2.6 million in unpaid royalties from various shows, including Thundercats. What makes this case even more bizarre is that Warner admits they underpaid Rankin/Bass, but claims the Statute of Limitations absolves the studio of any responsibility. This controversy casts a Scrooge-like shadow over this box set.
DVD Extras
Tim Burton and Danny Elfman appear in 'From Whoville to Hollywood' an informative short marred by cheesy rap interludes (another goof: the featurette claims that Burton directed The Nightmare Before Christmas . . . boo!). 'Stop Motion 101' talks about how Rankin/Bass put together those classic specials and dispels a few myths in the bargain. 'Making Animation' is a 'Grinch' audio commentary featuring original animator Phil Roman and the voice of Cindy Lou Who, legendary voice actress June Foray.
The Final Analysis
While kids young and old will enjoy watching these old faves on DVD, the controversy over the alleged millions owed Rankin/Bass does cast a shadow over this set. Concerned consumers shouldn't let that stop them from buying this box set, but they should also put pressure on Warner Bros. to settle this affair in a manner that's acceptable to both sides.
Classic Christmas Favorites gets an 8/10.
Class Christmas Favorites DVD cover
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