Rating: 
Summary: Snowman:Great - Father Christmas:Butchered
Review: This is the first time that the Snowman has been on dvd. Added is an American version of Father Christmas. The Snowman Comes intact, and complete. All the charm and stunning animation is complete. It is wonderful to get the snowman on dvd. Slowing down someof the flight sequences are stunningly beautiful.BUT,The of Raymond Brigg's Father Christmas is a Butchered Americanized version. Narrated by an American actor, this version looses all the charm of the English version voiced by Mel Smith, the Original Father Christmas! This is NOT that version! This is a censored chopped version that just doesn't translate well over to American audiences. In Father Christmas, Santa is not the Politically Correct Santa that prudish Americans would like you to see. He is a cantankerous Santa whom complains, and grumbles all the while that he is doing things. So much so, that he takes a vacation to Scotland, where he drinks at a Pub/bar. Vegas, were he gambles and smokes around bikini clad women. This Santa is shown as a normal person. At a couple times, they even show his [behind], to which my God daughters think is the most hilarious thing. It gives a very strong impression that he is a real person. The American version is trying for that rankin/bass whimsical Christmas thing, but it just doesn't work with English Humor. Even the Finally song sung by the American actor shows a more benevolent, Richard Attenburough figure. The Elf-boss (Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer) is more cantankerous than the actor in this one. The original is more like an annoyed Bob Hoskins. ...
Rating: 
Summary: The Snowman - The Best
Review: This is truely one of the best "movies" I have ever seen. We got the VHS years ago when our daughter was very young and more recently got the DVD. The music is haunting and beautiful. I loved it as much as my daughter and we would watch it over and over. Can't say anything about Father Christmas as I don't remember it. We still watch The Snowman regularly after all these years and are getting copies for our grandchildren for this Christmas. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The Snowman - The Best
Review: This is truely one of the best "movies" I have ever seen. We got the VHS years ago when our daughter was very young and more recently got the DVD. The music is haunting and beautiful. I loved it as much as my daughter and we would watch it over and over. Can't say anything about Father Christmas as I don't remember it. We still watch The Snowman regularly after all these years and are getting copies for our grandchildren for this Christmas. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The Snowman (1982)
Review: Ths was the best movie ive ever seen!!! I saw it when i was three and ive seen it now and i still love the warm fuzzy feelin' i get whne i watch it and here that awesome music!!!!! My mom is totally in love with the film. out of all the action thrillers and dramatic movies we have in our collection The Snowman is deffinently the classic and the favorite! I cant beleive it only has 4 starz!!! <: O This is a classic that should never die!!! Viva la snowman!!
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful X-Mas Animation, But beware...
Review: When I first saw the Snowman, I was just enthralled with the style and care taken in the animation. Not to mention the charming story. When, later, I learned that there would be a sort of Snowman part 2, I was very happy indeed. Father Christmas was hillarious. Partly because of the story of the hard working Father Christmas' time off. But also because of the brilliant voice talents of Mel Smith. Smith, a very well know actor and comedian in Europe. But Mel Smith's Voice has been removed from the Americanized version shown on the DVD. A Los Angelino has been brought in to soften and re-direct the story. Makeing the brithish accent more accessable by an american audience and making the comic story of a slightly grumpy Santa, who just wants to have a nice vaction, thinner and more geared toward America's sterilized "children in a vacum" nature. I was very disappointed in this change. This has gone from being a classic Christmas comedy for the whole family... to watered down pap suited only for those 5 and under. If the video version still has Mel Smith, I urge you to get that. Or just watch it during it's seasonal run on local PBS stations. Where they're not afraid to treat an artist's work with the respect it deserves and not change it to suit their likes. This, in my opinion in exactly tragic as Colourizing films. It's still a great show, they haven't figured out a way to tamper with the great animation... But it's not as great as it was before some misguided executive decided to make it "better".
Rating:
Summary: Magical!
Review: Wow! What a wonderful addition to our DVD collection! Being the parent of a 2 year old, I am very selective in what I allow my daughter to watch. Both these stories are delightful but I particularly appreciated the simplicity of the Snowman because of it's absence of dialogue and beautiful music. It encouraged my daughter to tell me what the story was rather than the average video which leaves little to the imagination. A definite must-have for year round viewing!
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