Everyone knows the tale of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Christmas’ most heroic ungulate. He saved the holiday from terrible weather by guiding Santa Claus with his shining nose. His exploits are recounted through song every time the season of giving rolls around. Not only that, but a Rankin/Bass Productions presentation showcases his rise to greatness. It shows up annually around Christmas, but this year marks a special occasion.
Recounting the Tale of Rudolph
Inspired by the Johnny Marks song, the stop-motion musical follows the titular character Rudolph. He’s the son of Donner, Santa Claus’ lead reindeer, though there’s a slight hitch. The young fawn’s nose often glows bright red, and Donner’s determined to hide it. Unfortunately, Rudolph’s schnoz comes to light in front of Santa during next year’s reindeer games. Everyone ostracizes the young buck except for his new doe love interest, Clarice. After running away, he meets an elf named Hermey, who aspires to become a dentist.
After joining with prospector Yukon Cornelius, they escape the ravenous Abominable Snow Monster. Rudolph realizes his nose attracts the yeti-like beast and splits from his new friend group. He eventually discovers the Snow Monster has captured Clarice and his parents. The young buck and his friends rescue them as a harsh storm hits. Santa must cancel Christmas until he remembers Rudolph’s shining red nose. The young reindeer is picked to lead the sleigh and celebrated as a hero.
The Change the Reindeer Caused
Created by Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was monumentally successful. Audiences everywhere fell in love with this tale of acceptance and celebrating uniqueness. It also created a chain reaction of other networks making holiday short films. These specials include the classics How the Grinch Stole Christmas and A Charlie Brown Christmas. This development led to the tradition of giving other well-known characters Christmas-themed shorts. With so many now, it’s impossible not to see at least one somewhere during December.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer also inspired its creators to produce more Christmas short films. At the same time, they reworked their company from Videocraft to Rankin/Bass Productions. Their new miniature movie lineup includes The Little Drummer Boy and Frosty the Snowman. Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town is also on the roster. Of course, Rudolph’s creator never forgot him and later gave him a series of sequels. Rankin/Bass grew with each installment, cementing its brand as a Christmas pop culture cornerstone.
Rudolph Returns to His Roots
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer premiered in 1964 on NBC and stayed for about seven years. The film moved to CBS, airing annually around Christmas until 2023. Nowadays, it appears during Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas program block alongside other beloved classics. Of course, Rudolph is available on venues other than holiday television. Streaming services like YouTube and Apple TV+ made this ground-breaking classic open year-round. Despite this convenient option, the reindeer’s home will always be on television.
Rudolph made his annual televised return recently, but there was a twist this year. 2024 marked the 60th anniversary of the movie that made him famous. In honor of this occasion, NBC broadcasted an extended version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The film debuted on December 6th, followed by an encore presentation on the 12th. This change allowed the newest generation to experience the Christmas classic like never before. It also allowed everyone to celebrate the world’s most adored reindeer in true style.
Welcome Home, Rudolph!
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is indeed a beloved classic Christmas story worth remembering. It carries a valuable lesson all newer generations should learn at a young age. Plus, seeing a Christmas carol brought to life through animation is a treat. There’s also something rather fascinating about seeing the stop-motion techniques of yesterday. Nevertheless, watch Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer during this time for giving. It’ll make the holiday more magical, especially when watching with loved ones.
