Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys is a 2001 direct-to-video animated Christmas adventure musical film directed by Bill Kowalchuk for GoodTimes Entertainment. It was released on VHS and DVD on October 30, 2001.[1] The film takes place after the events of the original special, and revisits characters such as Yukon Cornelius, Hermey the elf (now a dentist), Abominable Snow Monster (Bumble) and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who is now famous in the North Pole.
| Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Directed by | Bill Kowalchuk |
| Screenplay by | Michael Aschner |
| Story by | Kevin Hopps |
| Based on | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer by Johnny Marks (song) and Robert L. May (story) |
| Produced by | Bill Kowalchuk |
| Starring | Jamie Lee Curtis Rick Moranis Kathleen Barr Scott McNeil Garry Chalk |
| Narrated by | Richard Dreyfuss |
| Edited by | Lennie Nelson |
| Music by | Bruce Roberts Diana B |
Production companies | Golden Books Family Entertainment Tundra Productions |
| Distributed by | GoodTimes Entertainment (United States) BKN International (Internationally) |
Release date |
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Running time | 76 minutes |
| Countries | United States Canada |
| Language | English |
GoodTimes Entertainment, three years prior, had released Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Movie, which was set in a separate continuity with different supporting characters. Several key personnel were retained from that movie: Kathleen Barr, the voice of Rudolph; Michael Aschner, the head writer; and Bill Kowalchuk, the director. Likewise, Golden Books Family Entertainment was retained as the production company.
The voice cast includes Rick Moranis, Jamie Lee Curtis and Richard Dreyfuss, among others.
Plot
editRudolph is overwhelmed with praise for saving the previous Christmas. Not satisfied with being a "novelty act" that performs tricks with his nose, Rudolph travels with Hermey, now a dentist, to the Island of Misfit Toys to give King Moonracer a root canal dental treatment. On the return trip, a storm sends Rudolph and Hermey to Castaway Cove, where they meet a hippopotamus-like fairy named Queen Camilla, who fixes toys. Rudolph considers getting a normal nose, but is warned that if he gets a normal nose, he will not be able to lead the sleigh anymore on foggy nights, which could potentially put Santa's deliveries in danger.
Meanwhile, the evil Toy Taker steals the toys from Santa's workshop and Camilla's place, claiming that he is saving them from the unbearable truth that children outgrow their toys and throw them away. With three days until Christmas, Rudolph creates a plan to foil the Toy Taker with Clarice, Hermey, Yukon Cornelius and the Bumble. The team predicts that the thief will go to the Island next, and they disguise themselves as toys.
The Toy Taker's blimp arrives and manages to steal them with the Misfit Toys, except Bumble, who is too big to fit into the blimp, so he follows on a floating iceberg. The Toy Taker realizes that they are intruders, and dumps them out of the blimp. They fly back, and Yukon pursues the thief around the blimp. Yukon's shoes puncture holes, and he falls off the blimp after losing balance, but he is caught by Bumble. Hermey pilots the blimp back to Christmastown, and he is saved by Bumble before crashing. The Toy Taker attempts to escape by heading into Yukon's Peppermint Mine.
A chase ensues, ending with Yukon catching him with Hermey's dental floss. After removing the Toy Taker's coat and hat, the figure is revealed to be an injured teddy bear on stilts named Mr. Cuddles. Cuddles explains that he used to belong to a boy named Steven who outgrew him, and he was thrown away. Afterward, he became the Toy Taker to save other toys from meeting the same fate. Santa explains that although it is true that some children outgrow their toys, he knew that Steven was looking for him.
Rudolph and his friends agree to bring Mr. Cuddles to Queen Camilla to repair him and cheer him. Rudolph also reconsiders changing his nose, realizing that it has more uses. Santa leaves to deliver presents, and Mr. Cuddles is returned to his owner. Santa tells him that Steven intended to save him as a family gift. He places him in the bed of Steven's new daughter, who awakens and cuddles him. Steven walks into the room to check on his daughter and smiles as Santa and Rudolph fly away into the night.
Cast
edit- Kathleen Barr – Rudolph, Mrs. Claus, Dolly, Peggy the Piggy Bank, Tooth Fairy, Rocking Horse
- Scott McNeil – Hermey, Yukon Cornelius, Boomerang Who Won't Come Back, Coach Comet, Duck
- Garry Chalk – Santa Claus, Bumble
- Richard Dreyfuss – Scoop T. Snowman
- Rick Moranis* – Toy Taker/Mr. Cuddles
- Don Brown – Toy Taker's Vocal Effects
- Bruce Roberts – Toy Taker/Mr. Cuddles, Kite Who's Scared of Heights, and Scoop the Snowman's Singing Voice
- Jamie Lee Curtis – Queen Camilla
- Elizabeth Carol Savenkoff – Clarice
- Shawn Southwick – Queen Camilla and Clarice's Singing Voice
- Colin Murdock – King Moonracer, Reindeer #1
- Peter Kelamis – Foreman Elf
- Brent Miller – Hank
- Lee Tockar – Charlie in the Box, Meowing Wind-Up Mouse, Gingerbread Guard
- Terry Klassen – Telephone, Dizzy Top
- Alec Willows – Kite Who's Scared of Heights, Additional Voices
*Billed as 'Rick Moranis' in opening credits, and as 'Richard Moranis' in closing credits.
Reception
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (November 2016) |
The film received mixed-to-negative reviews, with critics citing the poor CGI animation and weak story. However, the film was praised for the voice acting, particularly for Curtis and Moranis, as well as keeping the continuity with the original film.
Related Rankin-Bass Animated Entertainment
edit- Frosty the Snowman (1969)[a]
- Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970)[b]
- Here Comes Peter Cottontail (1971)[c]
- 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)[d]
- The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)[e]
- The First Easter Rabbit (1976)[f]
- Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)[g]
- Rudolph's Shiny New Year (1976)[h]
- The Easter Bunny Is Comin' to Town (1977)[i]
- Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey (1977)[j]
- The Stingiest Man in Town (1978)[k]
- Jack Frost (1979)[l]
- Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July (1979)[m]
- Pinocchio's Christmas (1980)[n]
- Frosty Returns (1992)[o]
- Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (2001)[p]
- The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005)[q]
- A Miser Brothers' Christmas (2008)[r]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Crump, William D. (2019). Happy Holidays—Animated! A Worldwide Encyclopedia of Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year's Cartoons on Television and Film. McFarland & Co. p. 260. ISBN 9781476672939.
Notes
edit- ^ Recurring characters include Frosty the Snowman (voiced by Jackie Vernon), Santa (voiced by Paul Frees), and Professor Hinkle Tinkerton (voiced by Billy De Wolfe) in this special. Santa's reindeer also feature.
- ^ Recurring characters include Santa (voiced by Mickey Rooney), Mrs. Jessica Claus (voiced by Robie Lester), and S.D. Kluger (voiced by Fred Astaire) in this special. Rudolph and Santa's other reindeer also feature.
- ^ Recurring characters include the Easter Bunny (voiced by Casey Kasem), and Santa (voiced by Frees) in this special. Santa's reindeer also feature.
- ^ Recurring characters in this special include Santa (voiced by Allen Swift), alongside his featured reindeer.
- ^ Recurring characters include Santa (voiced by Rooney), Mrs. Claus (voiced by Shirley Booth), Snow Miser (voiced by Dick Shawn), Heat Miser (voiced by George S. Irving), and Mother Nature (voiced by Rhoda Mann) in this special. Rudolph and Santa's other reindeer also feature.
- ^ Recurring characters include Easter Bunny (voiced by Robert Morse and Burl Ives), and Santa (voiced by Frees) in this special. Santa's reindeer also feature.
- ^ Recurring characters include Frosty (voiced by Vernon), Mrs. Crystal Frosty (voiced by Shelley Winters), and Jack Frost (voiced by Frees) in this special.
- ^ Recurring characters include Rudolph (voiced by Richards) and Santa (voiced by Frees) in this special. Santa's other reindeer also feature.
- ^ Recurring characters include Easter Bunny (voiced by Skip Hinnant), and S.D. Kluger (voiced by Astaire) in this special.
- ^ Recurring characters in this special include Santa (voiced by Frees), alongside Rudolph and his other featured reindeer.
- ^ Recurring characters in this special include Santa Claus during a scene which compares the Ghost of Christmas Present to him (both characters were voiced by Frees).
- ^ The recurring character is Jack Frost (voiced by Robert Morse) in this special.
- ^ Recurring characters include Rudolph (voiced by Richards), Frosty (voiced by Vernon), Santa (voiced by Rooney), Mrs. Claus (voiced by Darlene Conley), Crystal (voiced by Winters), and Jack Frost (voiced by Frees) in this special. Santa's other reindeer also feature.
- ^ The recurring characters in the special include Santa (voiced by Swift), alongside his featured reindeer.
- ^ The recurring character is Frosty (voiced by John Goodman) in this special. Mother Nature is also referenced in the short.
- ^ Recurring characters include Rudolph (voiced by Kathleen Barr), Santa (voiced by Garry Chalk), and Mrs. Claus (also voiced by Barr) in this film. Santa's other reindeer, and various other characters from the feature.
- ^ Recurring characters include Frosty (voiced by Bill Fagerbakke), and Professor Tinkerton (voiced by Kath Soucie) in this special.
- ^ Recurring characters include Snow Miser (voiced by Juan Chioran), Heat Miser (voiced by Irving), Santa (voiced by Rooney), Mrs. Claus (voiced by Catherine Disher), and Mother Earth (voiced by Patricia Hamilton) in this special. Santa's reindeer also feature.