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Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audience Rating: G (General Audience)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 9780767826709
Format: Animated, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC
ISBN: 0767826701
Label: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Number Of Discs: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Region Code: 1
Release Date: December 01, 1998
Running Time: 54 minutes
Sales Rank: 23791
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent
Theatrical Release Date: December 02, 1998
Editorial Review:
Amazon.com essential video:
The Snowman
This charming British animated short film (it's just 23 minutes long) is a 1982 production of London's Channel 4, based on the classic children's book by Raymond Briggs and crafted with a colored-pencils-on-paper look, like fluffy, hand-drawn illustrations. Small children should be entranced by the story of a small boy in rural England whose lovingly constructed snowman comes to life and takes him flying over the white-blanketed landscapes, in a beautiful rotoscoped (traced) sequence based on live-action flying footage. Part of the charm of the film is the gentle, everyday quality of its fantasy adventures: the snowman is invited in to try on clothes and play with the Christmas decorations, then plays host to the boy at a party in the woods, at which his snowy relatives do English country dances. This is one of the very few Christmas tapes on the market that really deserves to be a holiday perennial, a gentle fable of friendship and the power of imagination. --David Chute
Father Christmas
This irreverent Santa breaks from tradition in many ways. He has no Mrs., owns only four reindeer, and decides to convert his sleigh into an airborne motor home for a pre-Christmas vacation. He finds France too snooty, Scotland too cold, and Las Vegas just right. Tanned and rested, he returns to the North Pole in time to sort through the mail, pack up the toys, and hit the skies. Like the Santa of the Raymond Briggs book on which this 24-minute video is loosely based, he narrates his own story (splendidly voiced by Los Angeles stage actor William Dennis Hunt). But fans of the 1973 book will find the animated version far less cranky than the original. Although the book was aimed at ages 4-8, the video may have a wider appeal, depending on how you feel about the children seeing Santa gambling at the casino tables, dreaming of bikini-clad babes, and suffering a bout of diarrhea. --Kimberly Heinrichs
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating: - Classic Christmas stories
Classic Christmas stories that will entertain children and adults alike. The music is hauntingly beautiful.
Rating:  - NOT DAVID BOWIE VERSION
I'm just writing this review for the people who are searching for David Bowie's beginning narration for The Snowman. Although Amazon credits him here, he does not appear on this DVD.
Rating: - The Snowman & Father Christmas
This is a delightful, oh so English, double DVD which will forever keep me a child at Christmas. It has become a tradition to watch Father Christmas followed by The Snowman every Christmas Eve in my family. The combination of gentle humor, beautiful music and wistful animation, make these perfect for both children and adults who wish to experience the real magic of the season. Love it, LOVE IT!!
Rating: - whimsical and visually beautiful
I had seen The Snowman on a DVD and loved the movie. Some of the reviews were negative about the DVD and about Father Christmas which I have never seen. I decided to go ahead and get both. I liked them alot. I would highly recommend them if you like whimsical movies. I watched them with a 9 years old boy and it kept his attention focused. The two are slightly different in style (snowman has more depth, father christmas is lighter) and I did enjoy both of them.
Rating: - the best DVD ever for children
I can not speak more highly of this DVD.... my children love it and so do I... the music is beautiful and there's no background noise since there is barely any speaking in the two stories... just great music to listen and beautiful stories!
I will purchase more to send to my nieces and nephews!
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