Watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer For Free

Pretty Good

There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

Considering this was placed on the live show for Rifftrax's Christmas shorts, it probably was the one with quality work put into it, at least compared to the others. There are certainly things that can be mocked about it, moments like when Santa Claus is literally patting the reindeer one after the other on the butts as they go out the door, or in some of the unintentional innuendo between Rudolph and Santa as the latter drafts the former to help him on his sleigh ride Christmas eve. But there is decent enough animation that makes it watchable outside of seeing it 'riffed', and I realized I actually had seen it before, at least at some point in my life, before seeing it here (why it didn't stand out exactly... well, it's not in stop motion for one thing). It's corny and cheesy, but for its time it's fine.

IT'S REALLY AND truly true. This one reel, 8 minutes of animation have managed to be significantly so situated as to command such a unique position in filmdom. Of course, it certainly wasn't planned that way; as such intentionally laid plans "of Mice and Men.....etc." Well you know, Schultz! FIRST OF ALL, this is the first adaptation of the story to film; be it big screen or small. And even this adaptation has an interesting and multi-faceted lineage all of its own.THE STORY ORIGINATED as a tale meant to amuse the children of one Robert L. May (1905-76). It was committed to the written page, where it became a very popular tale with kiddies everywhere. (End of Chapter One) NOW WE HAVE the entrance of actor/song writer, Johnny Marks, who was the Brother-in-Law of Mr. Robert L. May. Before long, the Christmas Novelty Song, "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was a hit (on a yearly renewable basis) on the radio, juke boxes, phonograph records and sheet music. To his very day, Gene Autry's Collection of Christmas Songs sees the new light of Day; especially at Sears & Roebuck stores, where it appears to be a truly real world time warp.* FROM THIS TOP of the world position, it was truly "a short put to a film adaptation. This then came in the guise of a one reeler, eight minute animated cartoon short subject. As its Producer-Director it had none-other than Max Fleischer, whose accomplishments in the field of bringing life and movement to drawings both predated and was second to only Walt Disney in that field.THIS WAS A SORT of a comeback for Max, whose involuntary "retirement" had been hastened by Paramount Pictures' financial coup-de-tat, taking his own FLEISCHER BROTHERS Cartoon Studios over and rechristening the company as FAMOUS Studios. This was the first and only cartoon production for him ever since those days in (circa) 1944 he was deposed.SO IT WAS that Max and brother Dave Fleischer, who had given us OUT OF THE INKWELL (with KOKO The Klown), BETTY BOOP, POPEYE Cartoons, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, HOPPITY GOES TO TOWN and the SUPERMAM Theatrical Cartoon Series, hadn't done any pictures for about 5 years, when this came along. (The Brothers Fleischer hadn't even spoken to each other from that period until the end of their lives.**) AS FOR THE particulars of this, the first RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER, it was a spectacular vehicle for the entrance of RUDOLPH into the new medium. The adaptation of the story (which is basically a variation on the "Ugly Duckling" syndrome, is done in a no holds barred manner. While all of the original elements are intact, Fleischer's adapting screenwriter, Joseph Stultz, adorns and fortifies the scenario with some healthy doses of Anthropomorphic deer, hazing of poor little "Red-Nose" and hero's welcome for him in a large Olympic-type stadium.ALYHOUGH WE HAVE long heard of this particular production, it is only recently that we were able to view it. We saw it in DVD form (available from Amazon.com along with several old Christmas themed cartoons,) Our Grandsons (3 year old Jack and 17 month Patrick) both give it their hearty endorsements.NOTE: * It's true, Every year, Gene Autry's smile and 10 gallon hat dominate Sears' radio/television department.NOTE: ** Well Schultz, you know the old expression: "You can choose your friends, but not your relatives!"

While "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (1948) is the first movie version of the story, it certainly isn't the last or the most famous. Fortunately, Rankin-Bass made a new version in the 1960s--and it's head and shoulders above this Fleischer cartoon.As for the Fleischer Brothers, this cartoon was made well after Paramount Studios fired the Fleischers and this represents the final cartoon Max Fleischer made--this time for the tiny Jam Handy Organization. It's really a shame, as Max and his brother Dave really were amazing and this cartoon is inferior to their earlier work. One of the biggest problems is the music. While it is still the original Johnny Marks song, this version is very saccharine and I wish they'd just used the wonderful Gene Autry version--but it wasn't available until the following year. As for the animation, it was decent but not distinguished and the story is a bit on the mushy side. I really think most kids today wouldn't sit still for the cartoon unless they are very, very young and not particularly demanding.

The talents of Max & Dave Fleischer were surely not wasted on this terrific little cartoon. The use of real sets or dioramas for the backgrounds in their cartoons was a brilliant idea, and looks fantastic. Especially compared to the cranked-out garbage that litters the TV nowadays. This toon is available on many 'public domain' vhs tapes, and should be easy to locate by eager collectors or cartoon fans.