Customer Reviews

The Year Without a Santa Claus (Deluxe Edition)

5 star:		(40)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you haven't seen this movie, then you haven't experienced a true joy at Christmas. This is a wonderful movie. I own it and can't imagine not letting my children know how truly important little Nestor was to the creation of Christmas and its true meaning.

I'm 16. My mother and I were watching a Rankin/Bass Christmas marathon. For years we had known and loved "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Peter Cottontail," and we'd seen a few minutes of "Jack Frost" here and there, but somehow we had let "The Year Without a Santa Claus" get passed up. Luckily we saw it this year and were thoroughly delighted; it's now among our favorites. This story was totally charming. Right from the beginning, those two dumb elves were funny. Mrs. Claus was awesome...I recognized the voice of "Hazel" the maid! I ALWAYS knew Vixen was a female reindeer...the only one on Santa's team, I might add. And Vixen is a central figure in this movie. She's adorable. A feminist Christmas special?! COOL! Santa and the elves travel to a hot southern town in Dixie that never gets any snow. Santa helps a non-believing but still very good little boy change his mind and believe in him (even though the boy doesn't know it's him!)

Okay, okay, so I'm going to say what everyone else already said and knows: The best part of this, the show-stealing scenes, were those with Snowmiser and Heatmiser. The two constantly bickering brothers who seem kind of villanous but are actually pretty nice. (They seriously reminded me of my own brothers.) Their songs are SO catchy, they had my mom literally up and singing them while dancing up a storm. (This was, mind you, the first time we'd ever seen this!) Soo...there you go. The children singing "Blue Christmas" to get Santa to come back to the job was a tender moment. And of course, the Mother Nature scene rocked the house. Again, we see a female taking the screen, and in her cute little house with a nice green lawn and rainbow too. Unlike some of the other stories in this 'family' of videos, this one doesn't-as someone pointed out-center on the historical meaning of Christmas. But it still gets its point across and manages to be a touching, enjoyable treat for all. And then there's the question, does it touch upon goddess-worshipping neo-paganism? Well, all I have to say is that never occured to me...but if it does...then ROCK ON RANKIN/BASS!! Or..well..you know what I mean. Keep being watched faithfully by fans each year. And the Miser Brothers can rock on, too. Ya gotta love it when Mother Nature starts talking about her two sons and they go calling her "Mother dear." She tells Mrs. Claus: "They gave you a hard time?" And Mrs. Claus says, "Yes, but I'm sure they didn't mean to..." And Mother Nature tells her honestly, "Oh, yes they did!" Great stuff. Great, great stuff.

The Year Without A Santa Claus is the most awesome Chirstmas show of all time. I have loved this one since I was a child myself. I was always disappointed that they didn't show it more often. Now that I have it on DVD I can watch it anytime I want and do. I love all the songs in the movie from the Heat Miser and Snow Miser songs to Blue Christmas although I absolutely love the I Believe in Santa Claus song and can't believe that someone hasn't recorded it on their Christmas CD. My family thinks I am crazy since I know every word of this show. I can recite it word for word and always do when watching it. It is totaly awesome. I give this show 5 stars. Everyone should see this show. It is the BEST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, 3 Rankin/Bass specials on 1 DVD, and they are such great stories individually.

The First is "The Year Without a Santa Claus", when Santa gets the blues over humans attitudes towards Christmas. Narrated by Mrs Claus, it includes as usual a great soundtrack and excellent characters. Most fans loving the best, Heat Miser and Snow Miser. Jingle and Jangle, two of Santa's elves are pretty cute also.

The Second is "Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey", which I think is the most touching movie of the R/B collection. It is a re-telling of the birth of Christ with a sweet twist. It brings tears every watching. If you haven't seen this, it is a must. Wonderful inclusion on this DVD, especially if you want a break from the commercialism of Christmas.

And Thirdly "Rudolph's Shiny New Year", which tells the story of time, our calender year. Rudolph is asked to help Father time, when Baby New Year Dissapears. This is a must have to keep your R/B appetite filled. When Christmas is over, and you have watched all your favourite R/B Christmas specials......oh no.......but wait, there's one more to keep you entertained!

This DVD is definitely coming out at my house this Season, and everyone there-after.

Try this: walk into a public space singing "Nestor, Nestor, The Long-eared Donkey/He's a friend at Christmas for all the World To see" and I bet you that by the time you are at the "world to see" part the whole group of what-were-strangers is clapping and whirling. Let alone singing along! To me, these DVDs are about these things: happy, whirling happiness; love among long-departed friends; having fun. Watch these DVDs. Watch them in slow motion (if you must.) Sing along. Spray the words out. That is Christmas. For me. And for you.

heatmiser rocks!, no, really, i mean it. he rocks!

I loooove the Christmas clasics! The Year Without a Santa Claus is my favorite Christmas movie ever! You won't regret buying thos movie! I watch it even when it isn't Christmas time! The other movies on here are good too. Baby New Year is so cute (in Rudolph's Shiny New Year). Ok have fun!

I thank God that this Christmas classic is now available on VHS because it was such a pain having to wait for the local TV station to show it and I usually ended up missing it. Now, I can watch this family classic as often as I like. I highly recommend this brilliant story.

THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUSE is my absolute favorite Arthur Rankin Jr. & Jules Bass production. It has everything a Christmas story could want; action, story, suspense, villains, magical creatures and above all, music.

Written by William Keenan the story tells of the year that Santa got sick and could not do his legendary Christmas Eve ride. As a result Mrs. Santa Clause sets things in motion to make this right. You see, Santa believes no one cares about Christmas anymore. Mrs. Santa Clause will prove him wrong.

Told and song by the wonderful talents of Shirley Booth (Come Back Little Sheba, Hazel) she tries hard to convince Santa, voiced by Mickey Rooney (Lady And The Tramp II, The Fox and the Hound, The Black Stallion), to see that kids need him all over the world.

Who could forget the incredible talents of Dick Shawn (Captain Eo, The Producers) as the incredible arrogant and proud wizard of the chills Mr. Snow Miser. George S. Irving (Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo) also incredibly voiced the not so even-tempered brother Mr. Heat Miser

This is a great story and a lot of fun for adults as well as kids. This one will make you smile without even noticing it. This little gem has clever writing and great songs throughout the whole piece. Buy this one too!

Also on this DVD are two other stories RUDOLF'S SHINNY NEW YEAR and NESTOR THE LONG EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY. Both are attempts at the originals of trying to get quick stories and clever song s out but they lack the energy and creativity of The Year Without A Santa Clause and the every-popular Santa Clause Is Coming To Town. (1-2-02)

Of course it's a cute story line, but everyone knows that the REAL stars of the show are the fueding climate-controlling brothers: Heat Miser & Snow Miser! I'm 33 & I've realized that this is a very generational movie. It came out in 1974, so the age group that remembers this film is usually between 28 - 38. I just purchased a Year Without a Santa Claus snowglobe & mug :) LOVE THIS MOVIE!!