New film attempts to keep fans of Rudolph entertained
© M. Fernandez Locklin
This new release takes up the classic where it left off. This time, however, the animation was done with computer graphics, not stop-motion. For those of us who grew up on the 1964 television special, the computerized characters might be a little difficult to swallow at first. But I must admit, although not like the original, the characters changed little in design and shape. Santa looked like Santa. Dancer looked like Dancer. Bumbles, however, suffered much with the computerized attempt at recreating his fur. Even their voices were very reminiscent of the original cast, with only minor variations in the characters’ tones.
Just as in the original, this story is narrated by a snowman, this time it’s Richard Dreyfuss as the representative of the local newspaper. He takes us back to Christmastown just after the original Santa trip with Rudolph. The red-nosed reindeer is a hero, beloved by everyone because of his glowing nose. My problem, and it seems minor in retrospect, is that Rudolph and Clarice were older in the original program. In this one, Rudolph’s antlers are still nubs. But the treatment of their relationship is what it should be – they are just starting out, just learning each other. I like the fact this is not “happily ever after” where kids don’t see that it’s normal to be unsure; instead, this is a young relationship with all of the requisite nerves and insecurities of such a relationship.
We then follow Rudolph and his elf friend Hermey the dentist (who has been to dental school as required by law) as they discover Queen Camilla. Jamie Lee Curtis plays the queen, an overweight hippo (is that redundant?) with a Russian accent and a knack for fixing toys. She provides the underlying threat of the movie – she offers Rudolph a nose job to make him normal. At the time, that’s exactly what he wants, but, thankfully, he puts it off.
Finally, the third guest voice is Rick Moranis, as the Toy Taker who threatens the toy world by mesmerizing the toys a là the Pied Piper. The toys leave their homes in a daze and board his blimp-like craft, where he then deposits them in his North Pole island for, what he believes, will be a better life.
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