In the stop-motion style of the great Rankin/Bass from the 1960s and '70s, A Miser Brothers' Christmas has come on the scene just in time for the holidays. From Warner Brothers Animation and Cuppa Coffee Studios, this story picks up after the events of the 1974 classic The Year Without a Santa Claus. The Miser Brothers, Heat Miser and Snow Miser, are still fighting after all these years. But this time they're joined by the rest of Mother Nature's family to tell a brand new musical tale.
Rankin/Bass were responsible for many of the great holiday specials that still air between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year. First there was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, then others such as Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin' To Town, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and many others. Like the Peanuts holiday specials from Charles M. Schultz that remind us the holidays are near, it's hard to imagine a Christmas without hearing songs like "Silver and Gold" and "A Holly Jolly Christmas" sung by Burl Ives during these animated gems.
To say I was surprised anyone was thinking of continuing the Rankin/Bass series would be an understatement when I heard about this new special. In my mind, nothing could really compete with the originals, though I was interested to see if these animators did more than just ride the coattails of what had come before.
We were delighted to see the creators of A Miser Brothers' Christmas did their very best to do justice to the Rankin/Bass tradition. And as I watched with my two daughters, I could see this was going to be another big hit at our house for Christmases to come.
In the beginning of the show, Heat Miser and Snow Miser head off to a family reunion with Mother Nature and the rest of her children around the world, including the Tides, Lightning and Thunder, Earthquake, and the North Wind. The North Wind, a bit of a mama's boy, asked Mother Nature what might happen if Santa couldn't deliver toys. And she offhandedly tells him that he could take control in that case... and that's where things get interesting.
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Article comments
1 - Christine
I love these and watch these every year at this time. I bought a set a few years ago, but it only has 5. How many total are there, would love to have them all? Do you know?
2 - Fitz
@Christine - The wikipedia entry on Rankin/Bass has a great list of all of their works.
3 - Christine
Thanks Fitz, checkin it out now.