SLIDER

Let's Talk About Rudolph

image from wikipedia

Okay, folks.  It's officially December 1.  And that means holiday movie-watching time.  (Unless you're a freak like me and have been watching holiday specials since a week before Thanksgiving.)

I wanted to open with a movie from my childhood (and everyone's, basically) that I truly love.  This was my favorite of the Christmas classics that aired every year and I always adored Hermey and wished they'd included more of him.  Of course I loved Hermey; I was a towhead and a misfit and didn't fit in, either!

A couple years ago on Christmas Eve, a few of us at my dad's house sat down and watched this movie start to finish without interruption. And what did we notice?
My God, but what a mean-spirited movie this is!




Rudolph's mom: "He's got a shiny nose!"
Donner, his dad: "Sh-sh-shiny? I'd even say it glows!"
Mom: "Well, we'll simply have to overlook it."
Donner: "Now how can you overlook that?  His beak blinks like a blinkin' beacon!"

And later, when Donner is forcing Rudolph to cover his nose with some sort of black thing and Rudolph, barely able to breathe, protests that "It's not very comfortable!"
Donner: "There are more important things than comfort! Self-respect! Santa can't object to ya now!"

Great parenting, Donner.


Meanwhile, of course, Hermey the elf has his own problems.
  "You'll never fit in!" - Green Boss Elf.



Uh-oh.  Rudolph's disguise has just been given away when he got excited at the reindeer games!
"Donner, you should be ashamed of yourself!  What a pity, he had a nice take-off, too!" - Santa Claus

"From now on gang, we won't let Rudolph join in any reindeer games, right?" - Comet


The two misfits find each other and plan their escape.


Gadzooks! It's Yukon Corenelius!


Ah, a whole island of misfits.

The most insanely happy Bumble ever.



Of course, in the end, everyone learns the error of their ways.  Santa quits being such a dick, Donner apologizes for emotionally abusing his son, the green boss elf allows Hermey to open up a dentist's office, and Bumble joins the gang after losing his teeth and being trained by Yukon.

Now, I only noted a few of the mean-spirited quotes, but I really recommend you check this movie out in full and really pay attention to the meanness - it's quite fun, actually.



-All screen stills taken by me from my own copy of the movie.-









2 comments

  1. I just had a mini freak out of excitement! This is one of my favorite Christmas movies and one I look forward to watching every year!

    ReplyDelete


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