Frosty The Snowman / Frosty Returns (Talkback)

M

M-2

New member
I know these are not new, but since they air, let's do a talkback anyway.

The original Frosty The Snowman is one of my top 3 favorite chrismas specials of all time. How The Grinch Stole Chrismas is my favorite, while Frosty and A Charlie Brown Chrismas is in the close tie. Rudolph is okay, but I always thought it just wasn't as good as my top 3, the story drags a little bit.

Back on topic, the original Frosty The Snowman is a classic. I loved the comedy, the songs, and just the fluffyness of it. Professor Hinkle and Hocus Pocus brought great comic relief. (especially Hocus Pocus impersinating Richard Nixon) The police officer appearance, not realising at first, the situation. "Snowman comes to life." LOL

As for Frosty Returns, it is like those Disney direct to video sequels, so many years apart from the original, and just not even close to being as good as the original, and is not really a sqeuel. It was done by two different companies. And what is the deal with Frosty able to be alive without his hat. Could they at least kept that part of the plot form the original.

When I first saw Frosty Returns in 1992, I was disappointed I didn't see any of the old characters. I thought it would be a real sequel. There was no Karen, Professor Hinkle, Hocus Pocus, etc. I wish they did a real sequal, I would make the kids be more skeptical at the magic of chrismas, etc. (these last couple of generation are more skeptical than past generations) first not beliving in magic, and Frosty has to prove himself. And predictably (I know it is cliche but I don't care), the main kid would be Karen's son and / or daughter (there could be two main kids, a brother / sister duo, whatever I don't know), and that would bring things full circle. I don't know if Professor Hinkle would be in it. If it takes place years later, with Karen as an adult, Hinkle would be very old. And I would prefer a new villain. I loved Hinkle in the original, it is just not as good, if you keep bring the same villains for revenge. Have a fresh new villain with new ideas.
 
For anyone else who watched "Frosty Returns", did anyone heard but not see Jonathon Winters character at the beginning & end of the special? Because if so, then someone at CBS is out of a job.
 
In the past three broadcasts, the snowflakes and the narrator in "Frosty Returns" have been missing from the beginning and end. I still wonder why? I also recall commercial break cards, including one with Frosty frightened by Holly's mother Lil spraying Summer Wheeze close to him.
 
Maybe remastering?

There is another Frosty sequel on DVD: "The Legend of Frosty the Snowman" with the Frosty character true to the 1969 Rankin/Bass version and not the 1990's remake by the creators of the Peanuts specials.
 
Well I don't know why they edited Frosty's Return, but there is a DVD release with both the original Frosty The Snowman and Frosty's Return, I am sure it is unedited.

Let me take a guess, in recent years has shown the original full end credits for the original Frosty The Snowman, in the early 2000's they show the credits like they do for all of their other shows, with commercials for their other shows. And maybe that is why have to edit Frosty's Return.

By the way, the train station scene from Frosty The Snowman is parodied or referenced in an episode of South Park Prehistoric Iceman and the birth of Frosty was mentioned in an episode of Fairly Odd Parents Channel Chasers and there is a Mad TV parody in which an animated version of Al Gore appears, which reairs next week.
 
Frosty and Frosty returns are 2 Christmas specials I vow I'll never sit down and watch, and I wind up doing it anyway. Not that I hate these specials, but in all honesty, I don't like them as much as I used to.

I mean, I still love Rudolph and Charlie Brown, but Frosty seems like the middle child of Rakin Bass. plus, I just can't stand the redub they insist on using. I never liked that.


As for Frosty Returns... well, It's not really a christmas special is it? And why should it be? Frosty wasn't really a Christmas song. I listened to the original version, no Santa, trees, presents. It's a generic winter song that got lumped into Christmas. Like Jingle Bells. Now, I like Frosty, but Frosty returns keeps getting older with age. I mean, the teacher's comment "What do you think this is? MTV?" just seems extremely tired now. Of course, I take it the other way, making her seem out of touch.

But FR has its moments. it has a very good cast, Andrea Martin, Brian Doyel Murray, John Goodman, and Johnathan Winters. So it's still enjoyable.

I do admit, I try hard not to fall back into liking these specials, but I just can't help it. Maybe I don't want to watch them because I'm afraid I still like them.
 
I watched both last night and I have to say that I like the original Frosty the best. It's a cute little story that has memorable characters and worth watching every year. Frosty Returns though just looks like they added secodary characters to a Charlie Brown Christmas and put them into the story. Its good but not as great as Frosty which has Jimmy Durante. Frosty Returns has.....well I can't remember the name of the narrator. To tell you the truth though, I would not mind buying some of that Summer Wheeze.
 
I remember a couple of years ago my brother and I sat down and MSTied Frosty Returns. We basically mocked the Charlie Brown-style by making the "whomp=whomp-whomp" sounds whenever an adult spoke, and we called the narrator "Midget Canadian Jonathan Winters Narrator Man". Good times.
 
I should make a video clip of the snowflake scenes and the commercial cards, if they are indeed gone forever.


None of those characters were in Rankin-Bass's Frosty sequel either. Not only that, Frosty stayed alive without his hat in that one, too.

And Frosty Returns came out in 1996. Show me proof it didn't besides Wikipedia!
 
I don't remember the year is came out, all of the copyrights I see on videos, dvds, end credits says 1992. But whatever it came out in the 90's.
 
Yeah, I remember seeing it in at Blockbuster prior to '96. I remember it seeing it on a table with a Ren and Stimpy Chirstmas video, which was also new at the time.

Oh yeah, and now that I think of it Rankin-Bass contradicted themsleves again in "Chrismas In July" because Frosty went back to needing the hat to live.
 
Let's see, my thoughts the various Rankin-Bass Frosty appearances/specials, in the order they were produced:

Frosty the Snowman (1969): the original, and best of the Frosty specials. I still watch this one every year. Santa's deep voice here (by IIRC Paul Frees), instead of the earlier "Rudolph" Santa voice or the later Mickey Rooney versions of Santa, gets re-used once more, in "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (and IIRC in Santa's cameo in "Here Comes Peter Cottontail" a few years after "Frosty").

Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976): The first sequel to "Frosty" finds ol' Frosty becoming "snow-man and wife" with his new beau Crystal, with a cameo by Jack Frost and Andy Griffith (as the narrator). Fairly entertaining ("makin' a figure... NINE?!").

Rudolph and Frosty's Fourth of July (1979): the unsuccessful theatrical film featuring Frosty teaming up with Rudy. An OK film, though not as good as the earlier Frosty specials. Frosty is shown here with Crystal from the previous special, as well as the introduction of his two snow-children. This film also apparently served as a sort of send-off for the classic R-B specials, featuring cameos, references and plot points from multiple specials (including "The Year Without a Santa Claus", "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town", and the previous Rudolph and Frosty specials....).

Frosty Returns (1992): The Frosty special that isn't really a sequel (having nothing in common with the earlier specials), with an environmental theme and Frosty having John Goodman's voice and mannerisms. Never cared much for this one at all, and hate that CBS apparently is intent on making it a "classic" via forcing it to be reaired every year after the original "Frosty".

The Legend of Frosty the Snowman (2005): A special that attempts to be another sequel to the original (and apparently ignoring Frosty's snow-wife and -kids). Frosty here has more of his original mannerisms, but struck me as acting/sounding a bit like Patrick on "SpongeBob SquarePants."

-B.
 
The Legend Of Frosty comes close to my idea of what a real Frosty sequal or follow up should be. As I stated earlier my idea is having the girl from the first special Karen be an adult with kids of her own, and Frosty help them and all their friends understand the magic of chrismas or something like that. LOL

But at least the Legend Of Frosty followed the need hat to stay alive rule. That is a big contridiction, it is like Superman for no apparant reason amune to Krypdenight.
 
I like the original Frosty the Snowman,but I haven't seen it in a couple of years.....it usually airs when I'm not at home,and I don't feel like recording it...Out of all the Rankin-Bass holiday specials,Rudolph is my favorite,and the only one I have on DVD...

Frosty Returns isn't anywhere near as good,animation or story-wise,though I did like John Goodman's performance as Frosty....I kind of wish they'd air Frosty's Winter Wonderland after the original,since it's more like a true sequel than Frosty Returns {the animation style and humor are pretty much the same,plus,I liked Frosty's wife,Crystal}...I think ABC Family usually airs Frosty's Winter Wonderland in case anyone's interested in seeing it...
 
The original is great. The follow-ups, not so much, although John Goodman is a decent replacement for the late Jackie Verson. Still, there's a bit too much Baloo in his Frosty...and I've never been fond of Baloo...

Blasphemous, no? Hey, don't even get me started on Tigger...:p
 
Back
Top