Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Honestly, I don't really know if it deserves the high praise it gets or not. And, just as honestly, I can't really tell for sure. It's not that the movie is confusing in any way. It was just, well, it came out when my dad (rest his soul) was 12. And, at least until recently, it was on the air every year since. I remember watching it when I was really little, and I remember watching it until just a few years ago when it started to slowly vanish from Network TV tradition. Like "It's a Wonderful Life" this was a part of Christmas to the point where it was an unofficial Christmas tradition that brings up memories of childhood and family every time you view it. Because of that there is a heavy nostalgia to it, and because of that it's hard to tell if the show is as great as I think it is, or if I think it's great because it's a tradition that comes with memories.

This program is of course a Christmas classic. I don’t even know how young I was when I first watched it, or have any idea how many times I have seen it since. The music is fun and the story cute even in its lack of depth. But of course it is aimed at children, to watch as children, with children, or as an adult remembering childhood. There are a group of follow-up shows in what the industry calls a franchise, but I confess I haven’t seen any of them. I expect I wouldn’t have the same fond feelings for them, if only because I would judge it for the first time as an adult. It is like the Charlie Brown Christmas show that way, compared to some of the later ones. If you like humorous satire, go to YouTube and look up the Honest Trailer for this show, part of a series done by a channel called Screen Junkies. It is funny, but only if you can take a joke at the show’s expense.