I love the Christmas season for a lot of reasons, and one of them is certainly the annual tradition of the TV networks broadcasting the familiar line-up of animated specials. My favorites of the old perennials will always be (as they are for many people) Rudolph and Charlie Brown.
Two of my more recent favorites are Hoops and Yoyo Ruin Christmas
and Olive, the Other Reindeer
Hoops and Yoyo, in case like me you couldn't remember their names for the longest time, are the excitable chatterboxes featured in many of Hallmark's audio-enabled greeting cards. I love them. I'm obsessed with them! And they have a shot at immortality now that they have their own Christmas special. It's funny, too, because at first it's confusing how they're not excitable chatterboxes throughout the special, but once that sinks in...they're still Hoops and Yoyo!
Olive, meanwhile, is a Matt Groening creation. It's perhaps the one role of Drew Barrymore's (she's the voice in the special) where her insufferable childish voice really works for me. We're currently knee-deep in Groening's Simpsons era. Groening himself probably sees his fairly obscure Life in Hell cartoon strip as an equal part of his legacy, but in the long run Olive may actually outstrip them both, if he ever catches on the way Rudolph did (in huge part thanks to that song).
Which kind of reminds me, isn't it possible if they keep airing them that kids of the future will only know Shrek from his holiday specials? How weird a thought is that?
I was thinking of a few new specials I'd love to see. One would feature Invader Zim. I thought I was alone in being obsessed with him, but apparently there's a whole cult following. With good reason! The other would feature Larfleeze, a signature creation for Geoff Johns in his extended Green Lantern run. Larfleeze is the only Orange Lantern, because his power ring exaggerates avarice in its bearer. He's the DC equivalent of the Grinch and Scrooge (with no redemption to date). His very first solo adventure was a Christmas one-shot issue. This would be an ideal basis for a TV special. I'm just saying!
As far as live action material goes, my annual Christmas tradition is watching Patrick Stewart's A Christmas Carol.
And because this will be my one post this season on the matter, happy holidays to all!
8 comments:
Rudolph is the only holiday special I watch.
The problem with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge is even when he's being a dick I still can't hate him. You really need someone hateable in that role.
But he's so grump...Oh, I get it now.
I'd go with the Grinch - the old TV show, not the Jim Carrey...thing...
I do love the Patrick Stewart Scrooge! I agree with Squid, I need to see The Grinch (animated) every year.
It's cool to watch modern movies get entered into the category of classic films. It's probably every filmmakers dream.
I love the Patrick Stewart Scrooge as well...this is probably a consensus among your readers, LOL!
My 21-year old daughter also has this weird obsession with Invader Zim (um, no offense?). T-shirts, theme music, I think she even has an Invader Zim jacket.
I love the Patrick Stewart Scrooge as well...this is probably a consensus among your readers, LOL!
My 21-year old daughter also has this weird obsession with Invader Zim (um, no offense?). T-shirts, theme music, I think she even has an Invader Zim jacket.
Squid 1 and Squid 2, I have some contradictory opinion for you! I prefer Jim Carrey, I think he's quite grand, he's not ordinary, he's tops in Grinch land!
Maurice, sometimes it's seems much harder for newer films to achieve that, so it's all the more meaningful when they do.
Grace 1 and Grace 2, you said the same thing, that's okay too, Patrick Stewart's king!
Post a Comment