The long-standing trend of remaking, expanding and rediscovering old classics that’s taken both movies and primetime television has branched over into the holiday specials. More than three decades after they originally appeared in a successful but not classic special, Heat Miser and Snow Miser are back. Why? I’m not sure. But aside from the charming technical aspects, A Miser Brothers’ Christmas is a fat lump of coal in the Christmas special canon.
Based on the characters introduced in The Year Without a Santa Claus, a 1974 Rankin-Bass production, A Miser Brothers’ Christmas pulls a Terminator and makes the bad guys good for the second spin. Instead of having a cold, Santa Claus has a bad back. Combine that with the ongoing sibling rivalry between the Miser brothers and you’ve got a recipe for a cancelled Christmas. If that weren’t enough, the Misers have another brother, North Wind, whose vanity makes him want to unseat Saint Nick as the matriarch of merry materialism.
A Miser Brothers’ Christmas has the look and technical feel for an old Rankin Bass special with subtle effects that bring it into the modern computer age. The visual direction of the film is delightful to experience. All of the characters have a distinct look that works to define and enhance their portrayals.
The look of Heat Miser and Snow Miser are both very memorable, so much so, apparently, to warrant this revisiting. I am particularly fond of Heat Miser’s distinct face and hair. At times the special lays their distinct opposition for one another on a little too thick, but, for the most part, it’s the most fun to be found in an otherwise dull 45 minutes.
The story and music are what really brought A Miser Brothers’ Christmas down for me. There’s far to many characters to fully develop a story. Instead there’s a hodge podge where the script is battling to tell too many stories within the short confines of the running time. A lot seems to be based on the assumption that everyone who’s watching this has seen The Year Without a Santa Claus and has a sense for who the Misers and company are. That argument would be valid if the first special were made last year or even this decade. Instead you have to go back almost 35 years between the programs’ original airings. While The Year Without a Santa Claus is still around, it’s not on nearly as frequently as other classics like Charlie Brown and Rudolph.
The songs, spare for the reused ditty from the original, are grating to no end. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been so irritated by music from the TV. Maybe it’s the fact that I’m getting older, but I don’t think that’s the only reason. I like show tunes, at least good show tunes. But here they’re just annoying.
Nostalgia is the driving force behind A Miser Brothers’ Christmas. Done right, nostalgia can bring the magic of the past. Done wrong and it cheapens the experience of both. While I wasn’t totally attached to The Year Without a Santa Claus to begin with, A Mister Brothers’ Christmas doesn’t make me yearn for it either.
A Miser Brothers’ Christmas DVD Review
The DVD release for A Miser Brothers’ Christmas isn’t mind-blowing, but it’s not horrendous either. The special is presented in its original widescreen format with Dolby 5.1 Surround audio. Both are great. The only bonus feature is a 23-minute featurette titled What Makes Stop Motion Go? It’s a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the making of the production. It doesn’t just cover the animation but there’s also the writing and voicing that’s covered. More than anything else, it shows how fun working on such a production could be.
A Miser Brothers’ Christmas Gallery
