Rankin/Bass made so many great Christmas specials - but this one is actually a Winter tale. Though Christmas is covered, it's brief and the emphasis is really on Groundhog's Day. So rather than trying to cram it in in December, I watch it every year around that holiday (Feb. 2).
The story is told by groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete and involves Jack Frost becoming human one year to win the heart of the girl he has fallen in love with. But hold your scarves, cuz this one's not a happily-ever-after tale (at least not for Jack Frost) and that just makes it all the more memorable. Another memorable part is the bad guy Kubla Kraus - a "King Of The Cossacks" and one of the all-time great R/B baddies - voiced by the wonderful Paul Frees.
As usual with a Rankin/Bass Animagic production, the stop-motion puppet-animation is charming, creating a lovely immersive fantasy world you want to dive into and the songs are wonderful and plentiful. A frozen feast for the eyes, and an icy warmth for the heart of Winter.
Review of Jack Frost
