Cathardincu Surprisingly incoherent and boring

BlazeLime Strong and Moving!

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Rosie Searle It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Johnny H. The Snowman has become a perennial classic across the globe as one of the go-to films to watch on Christmas. And what is it about the short that makes it so goddamn loveable and perfect for those who need a warming up of the soul? Is it the gorgeous animation, the moving music and the inexplicably-Christmasy feel to it set against a snowy backdrop in the UK? I think everything adds up to make quite possibly the warmest cartoon ever made. It's also a very happy and celebratorial film. It hits all the right emotional notes and washes over you with renewed spirit, warmth and just overall happiness you got to watch this film.I can't fault a thing about The Snowman. It's easily one of the all-time perfect cartoons in my books! A Christmas classic for the ages and an animation great!

Anssi Vartiainen I've watched this film on every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember, and yet I still find it difficult to quantify just what about it makes my heart ache with Christmas spirit. Because for me this is very much one of those things that are required for my Yuletide to be complete.It is beautifully animated. It has that hand-drawn crayon feel throughout, and you can definitely see the art and craft of animation play out in front of you as the colours flicker in front of your eyes. It's instantly recognizable and beautiful in its own way.It is a great story. A boy builds a snowman and through the magic of Christmas that snowman comes alive on Christmas Eve, and the two share an adventure-filled night together. The ending is also one of those that are going to stick with you. It sure doesn't bother to pull any punches, but that's the beauty of it. It is a dark ending, but yet it also feels fitting. It's a shared generational experience.And the music. O' the music...In the end I have to admit that it is more than all those things. It is greater than the sum of its part, even though those parts themselves are pretty great in their own right. It's The Snowman and it holds a special place in my heart.

mike48128 Re-released by Sony DVD in 2006, buy this if you can find it. Essentially a hand-drawn children's picture-book come-to-life. The animation style seems a bit crude at first, but as you watch, you began to realize that it is highly sophisticated and computer-assisted. Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, the drawings remind me of "The Polar Express" book. This animation style works for the most part, but the flying sequences seem a bit too grainy. (So turn down the "sharpness") The story is also magical: A young boy builds a snowman on the snowiest day ever and he comes to life. The Snowman wanders throughout the house, tries on clothing and false teeth, and watches television. They ride a motorcycle together. Suddenly, the boy and Snowman take flight and fly over the ocean to the North Pole. They spot a whale along the way. They both dance in the snowy forest with the other snowmen and snow-ladies. Santa gives him a Christmas Gift: a blue scarf to wear. The Snowman and the boy fly home together. The next day, the Snowman has melted away. Was it all a Christmas Dream? No. the scarf is in the pocket of his bathrobe.Technical: Animated in 1982, there is some dirt and negative wear on the transfer, but bright colors. Excellent sound. Scriptless except for the haunting song "Walking in the Air". Musical score throughout.Audience: Adults who love animation and most children. It's short--only 27 minutes in length. Originally shown (in 1982) on HBO with a new intro by David Bowie, the original intro is used here. Inspired a complete line of products in its day: bubble bath, soap, the original picture-book. I predict that if you have never seen this before, you will watch it twice the first time. It's that good. Mild PG: Very brief shot of a child's "rear" as he changes clothes to go outdoors. No worse than a similar scene in Disney's "Night Before Christmas" 1940's cartoon.

tdimitriou A bittersweet tale, emotions we have all felt as children. You put your heart and soul into the perfect snowman, only to see it crumpled and melted in the morning (at least here in Seattle). But aside from the heartache at the end of the film, it has some endearing qualities... here are some of my favourite scenes: Snowman puts father's dentures in his mouth: this is terrifying on many levels. 1) the father looks to be only 40-50 years old, if he has a full set of dentures already he hasn't given proper attention to oral hygiene. This is a red flag, but it is made in the UK so maybe normal as they have bad teeth. 2) why would snowman need teeth? With due respect he did spit them out and put them back in the solution Motorbike ride: the snowman recklessly endangers the child through dangerous areas, disrupting the sleep of various animals, who I'm sure are waiting for Santa as well. As the snowman can fly, this is an unnecessary move, presumably in an effort to show machismo.The Santa Party: simply, many snowmen and snowwomen are indulging in ale and pipe smoking. This is why I give the movie 10/10 rating. I wish my snowman would have flown me to a beer party to meet Santa.Highly Recommended!