rankin bass christmas movies free downloads A Miser Brothers' Christmas. A Miser Brothers' Christmas is a spin-off special based on some of the characters from the 1974 Rankin-Bass special The Year Without a Santa Claus. It is the third and final television special by Rankin-Bass. Distributed by Warner Bros. under their Warner Premiere label and Toronto-based Cuppa Coffee Studios, the one-hour special premiered on ABC Family on Saturday, December 13, 2008 during the network's annual The programming. Mickey Rooney and George S. Irving reprised their respective roles as Santa Claus and Heat Miser at ages 88 and 86. Snow Miser, originally portrayed by Dick Shawn who died on April 17, 1987 from a massive heart attack, was voiced by Juan Chioran, while Mrs. Claus, voiced by Shirley Booth in the original, was portrayed by Catherine Disher. The movie aimed to emulate the Rankin/Bass animation style. A Miser Brothers' Christmas - watch online: streaming, buy or rent. You are able to buy "A Miser Brothers' Christmas" on Google Play Movies as download. How to Stream the Classic Rankin/Bass Christmas Animated Specials. Josh Bell is a freelance writer and movie/TV critic based in Las Vegas. He's the former film editor of Las Vegas Weekly and the former TV comedies guide for About.com. He has written about movies and pop culture for Syfy Wire, Polygon, CBR, Film Racket, Uproxx and more. With comedian Jason Harris, he co-hosts the podcast Awesome Movie Year. Read more. Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment created some of the most enduring holiday TV specials of all time featuring Rudolph, Frosty, and more. Here’s how you can stream some of those beloved claymation, stop-motion, and animated holiday classics. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The first Rankin/Bass animated Christmas special is also still the most famous, with regular annual TV airings during the holiday season since its premiere on NBC in 1964 (making it the longest-running Christmas special in TV history). Inspired by the classic song and narrated in warm tones by Burl Ives, it tells the story of outcast reindeer Rudolph, whose glowing red nose eventually earns him a prominent place pulling Santa’s sleigh on Christmas. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is streaming on IndieFlix ($4.99 per month or $49.99 per year after a seven-day free trial) and is available for digital purchase ($9.99) from Vudu. . Based on the holiday song of the same name, The Little Drummer Boy follows the tragic but hopeful story of young drummer boy Aaron. He plays for his animal friends (a camel, a donkey, and a lamb), and follows the Magi to Bethlehem to witness the birth of Jesus, where he plays his drum for the newborn savior. The Little Drummer Boy is available for digital purchase ($9.99) from Vudu. . After Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer , Frosty the Snowman is the most popular and enduring animated Rankin/Bass character, who got his start in this special expanded from the popular song. Legendary comedian and singer Jimmy Durante gave his final performance narrating the story of the snowman who magically comes to life and is then aided by Santa Claus so that he can return every Christmas. Frosty the Snowman is available for digital purchase ($9.99) from Vudu. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town. An all-star cast (including Fred Astaire and Mickey Rooney) provide voices for this Santa Claus origin story taken from the hit song of the same name (which is also prominently featured, sung by Astaire). It chronicles Kris Kringle’s life, from his birth through the establishment of major Christmas traditions, when he becomes the Santa Claus everyone knows and loves. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town is available for digital purchase ($9.99) from Vudu. The Year Without a Santa Claus. Based on the 1956 children’s book by Phyllis McGinley, this special tells the story of Santa’s decision to take one Christmas off (He’s feeling a bit under the weather.) and the disastrous consequences that ensue (of course, eventually, Christmas is saved). The Year Without a Santa Claus also introduced the popular characters of the Heat Miser and the Snow Miser, who control the world’s weather. The Year Without a Santa Claus is available for digital purchase ($9.99+) and rental ($2.99+) from Amazon, Vudu, Google Play, FandangoNow, and other outlets. The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow. Angela Lansbury narrates this story about a blind young shepherd who encounters snow for the very first time. He is taken in by a group of nuns who cast him as an angel in their Christmas pageant, where he experiences a Christmas miracle. The characters sing Irving Berlin’s classic song “White Christmas,” although the story isn’t drawn from the lyrics (unlike many other song-based Rankin/Bass specials). The First Christmas: The Story of the First Christmas Snow is available for digital purchase ($6.99+) and rental ($2.99+) from FandangoNow and Microsoft. Frosty’s Winter Wonderland. This sequel to Frosty the Snowman (narrated by Andy Griffith) finds the magical snowman tormented (and then eventually befriended) by Frost and gifted with a companion in the form of Crystal, who becomes his snow-wife (They are, of course, married by a snow-parson.). Frosty’s Winter Wonderland is available for digital purchase ($7.99+) and rental ($2.99+) from Amazon, iTunes, and Microsoft. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year. The success of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer inspired this rather odd sequel. Technically, it’s set after Christmas (The opening scenes feature Santa and Rudolph returning from delivering presents.), with Rudolph traveling through a series of islands representing various historical time periods in order to recover Happy the Baby New Year and save New Year’s Eve. Rudolph’s Shiny New Year is available for digital purchase ($7.99+) and rental ($2.99+) from Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and other outlets. . Although traditionally aired on TV around Christmas, this special about the adventures of the famous winter spirit is really more about the festive holiday of Groundhog Day. Wanting to sleep for another six weeks, groundhog Pardon-Me Pete (voiced by Buddy Hackett) makes a deal with Jack Frost to extend winter. Jack Frost is streaming on Amazon Prime ($119 per year after a 30-day free trial) and IndieFlix ($4.99 per month or $49.99 per year after a seven-day free trial), and for free with ads on Tubi. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July. This feature-length special (which was also released theatrically in some countries) is sort of the Rankin/Bass equivalent of an Avengers movie, starring not only Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman, but also the Mickey Rooney-voiced Santa Claus from Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without a Santa Claus , plus other supporting characters from the Rudolph and Frosty specials. Here, Rudolph and Frosty team up to stop the sinister King Winterbolt from destroying Christmas. Rudolph and Frosty’s Christmas in July is available for digital purchase ($7.99+) and rental ($2.99+) from Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and other outlets. Pinocchio’s Christmas. Although Pinnochio is still strongly associated with Disney, the character created by author Carlo Collodi has been adapted in many forms, and here Rankin/Bass tells the story of the first Christmas experienced by the marionette who became a real boy. Pinocchio and his father/creator Geppetto both try to find perfect Christmas gifts for each other, leading Pinocchio to a series of misadventures that resolve in learning the true meaning of the holiday. Pinocchio’s Christmas is available for digital purchase ($7.99+) and rental ($2.99+) from Amazon, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and other outlets. Rankin bass christmas movies free downloads. This page will contain links to Christmas-themed movies that are child-friendly but so well-written that adults enjoy them as well. In fact, we picked the movies on this page on purpose as family viewing movies. That is, you should consider using the movies on this page, not as electronic babysitters, nor as replacements for a family activities, but as true family activities, in which you all set aside time to watch, pop popcorn, and stay in the room to answer questions and laugh at the same jokes your kids do. Personal note from Paul: I grew up at a time when they showed MGM's The Wizard of Oz at the same time each year on television (remember, we didn't have cable, DVDs, or even VCRs in those days, so this was a big event). Many folks my age (and some much younger), when asked to think of a time when their family was at its best, still think of that one day in the year as the time when the shared experience of rooting for Dorothy and her companions brought them together better than any other day in the year. Your family may be struggling with many issues, and the Christmas season may be especially stressful (it is for many people so don't feel bad). But making a point of spending ONE half hour with your kids every Christmas to watch ONE well-made Christmas special together will build memories. We even put the "half-hour" specials first to help you plan. We will eventually have another page for movies that children will enjoy, that should be okay for them to watch, but won't necessarily keep the whole family's attention. Right now we only have a few movies listed, but check back later in the year - we hope to have more soon. A Charlie Brown Christmas How the Grinch Stole Christmas Small One Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey The Snowman The Star. Elf, with Wil Farrell Muppet Christmas Carol, with Michael Caine and Kermit The Polar Express. A Charlie Brown Christmas. Today it's hard to remember that this special "broke all the rules" and set a new standard that still seems fresh almost two generations later. Even the music is atypical for Christmas specials - it's bittersweet, with jazz chords and minor keys. At the climax of the movie, "a little child leads them," literally, as Linus steps in to remind Charley Brown what the season is all about. This is a "keeper." Note: The special is only twenty-five minutes long, but most DVDs include other material (such as another Peanuts special) to make up the time difference. On the other hand, your family will generally get more out of this twenty-five minute special than they will out of many two-hour movies. Note: If you are out of time to order a dvd, this movie is also available as a download. For more information about Downloadable Family Christmas Movies, click here. How the Grinch Stole Christmas/Horton Hears a Who. To give you your money's worth, the current DVD version adds an animated version of Horton Hears a Who and two unnamed "bonus features." Amazon says this brings the total running time to 79 minutes. Note: If you are out of time to order a dvd, this movie is also available as a download. For more information about Downloadable Family Christmas Movies, click here. The Small One. Product Alert - In early 2009, I learned that the DVD versions of this movie do NOT include the charming song "Small One for Sale" and have other changes that Small One fans find distressing. At the moment, a few VHS copies are still available, so if you're a purist, you might consider getting one of those. That's why the link above takes you to VHS, not DVD. A shortened version of this movie is also available as part of a Disney compilation. Whichever version you buy, this is one Christms special one that's worth spending the time to watch with your family. Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. This movie is currently available as part of a compilation. The other movies in the collection are fine for kids (especially if you get the version that includes Grinch . But consider taking time to watch Nestor with your kids; you won't be disappointed. Mickey's Christmas Carol. This is also a reasonably close and very respectful adaptation of Dickens' original Christmas Carol . Scrooge McDuck, a longtime Disney character (seen mostly in Disney comic books) is, quite naturally, the geezer. Goofy is Marley, Mickey is Bob Cratchit, and so on, but, with the exception of certain liberties (such as Goofy/Marley's clumsiness), the Disney characters do justice to their Dickens counterparts. This movie is currently available as part of a Disney compilation that also includes Small One . But don't be fooled into handing the dvd to the kids and telling them to watch all three shows on the disk back to back without you in the room. Like Small One, this is a show that's worth spending the time to watch with your family. The Snowman , by Raymond Briggs. Like several of the other movies on this page, some folks consider the VHS Version better, because it lacks the entirely unnecessary narration that has been added to the DVD. Other folks prefer the higher resolution of the DVD, and don't mind the narration. Nearly everyone loves the story and the beautiful art, which can be seen in both. The running time of this movie is about 26 minutes. The Star. Note for Biblical "Purists" - As a Bible student, I am usually disappointed by films about Bible subjects, because of extraneous elements the producers think will help the movie hold the attention of Biblical illiterates, or because of changes to the plot or the characters that twist the Biblical narrative into something that actually goes against the clear meaning of the text. While this movie introduces a number of talking animal characters, and one super-evil villain who isn't specifically mentioned in the Bible, the human characters and their actions, as well as their overall story, are well within the range of what Mary, Joseph, Herod, and the Magi might have done under the historical circumstances. In other words, unlike Russel Crowe's Noah and a host of other movies, you don't have to sit there with a note pad to write down all the things that are wrong about the movie to explain to your children after it's over. Relax and enjoy. And there is much to enjoy. Note: If you are out of time to order a dvd, check to see if the movie is available on Netflix. Or you can order a download here For more information about Downloadable Family Christmas Movies, click here. Elf. With the exception of Buddy's father choosing one of the few bad judgments that virtually never takes place in that industry (distributing a children's book with the last plot page missing), everything else that happens in the movie seems to flow right out of the characters and from the conflict between Buddy's inherent good nature and naivete and the "real-world's" jaded cynicism. This is a remarkable movie, and will no doubt tie with Stranger Than Fiction as Farrell's most enduring work. Muppet Christmas Carol. One feature that makes this especially useful for families with small children is the fact that that Gonzo and Rizzo "exit" the film just before it gets "scary." So if you are afraid the Ghost of Christmas Future will creep out the very small ones (it probably won't, but you be the judge), you just tell them to close their eyes, then you zap ahead until you see Gonzo again. Polar Express. I'm a rail fan, and I do have to confess that the Polar Express train does some things that real trains can't do, but it's fun to watch. Creepy Scene Alert - Also, regarding small children, there is one creepy scene, in which the boy is left behind in a car filled with broken puppets that seem to be grabbing at him. You might want to zap through that scene as you watch - it doesn't add anything to the plot. Also you might be interested to know that one of the best Lionel sets released in the last ten years is a very nice model of the Polar Express train shown in the movie. Click here to see the Lionel Polar Express premium train set and several other Lionel Christmas trains. Note: If you are out of time to order a dvd, this movie is also available as a download. For more information about Downloadable Family Christmas Movies, click here. Conclusion. As always, please contact us with any questions, suggestions, or corrections. Rankin bass christmas movies free downloads. While your kids can safely watch any of the movies we recommend on our Christmas Movies to Watch with Your Children page, and most of the movies we recommend period, this page is for kid-friendly, uplifting Christmas movies that your kids should enjoy, but (with a few exceptions) you probably won't need to see more than once. Note: I'm not being cynical about this - there is a whole 'nother set of supposedly kids-oriented Christmas movies and specials that I don't list anywhere, because they're too cynical, are too badly made, or have no actual message relating to Christmas in any way. That said, we may have overlooked a worthwhile movie that belongs on this list - if you think we have, please let us know. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Rankin Bass) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & The Island of Misfit Toys Frosty the Snowman (Rankin Bass) (Rankin Bass) The Cricket on the Hearth (Rankin Bass) The Year Without A Santa Claus Twas the Night Before Christmas (Rankin Bass) Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Most viewers would agree that Rudolph is Rankin and Bass' most beloved (and possibly best) work, and set the standard for all made-for- television animated Christmas specials to follow. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & The Island of Misfit Toys. Note for 2009 - In 2008, the manufacturer of this DVD stopped pressing it; however it is still available used from many sources, and will probably be available in compilations soon. Frosty the Snowman. Santa Claus Is Comin to Town. A mythical history of Santa Claus, whose best features (besides the quaint animation you loved in Rudolph) is the voicing by Keenan Wynn and Fred Astaire. Honorable Mentions. This is a Rankin Bass adaptation of a lesser-known Charles Dickens Christmas story. The hand-drawn animation is on a par with Frosty , and not as bad as the cover art on the dvds would suggest. The story has been adjusted to make it more child-friendly, and the voicings by Danny and Marlo Thomas are first-class. That said, the plot is a little weak in this one, but you can blame Dickens, not Rankin and Bass for that. Like Island of the Misfit Toys , the dvd for this movie goes in and out of production, but you may see this show included on a compilation disk. This is another Rankin Bass stop-motion ("Animagic") production that children may enjoy. It was an obvious "follow-up" to Rudolph , but without the shiny-nosed reindeer and his friends. This saved Rankin and Bass a fortune in royalties that they paid to Johny Marks (creator of the "Rudolph" song) for the first movie, but disappointed some viewers. If your kids aren't counting on seeing Rudolph and Hermie in this movie, they will probably enjoy it. Again, you may see it on compilations as well as on single DVD. The mice have it. People and rodents in a small town unite to save Christmas when Santa is neglects to visit. A special bell-tower, a cynical mouse and several tunes combine to remind us why the line "not even a mouse" is important. At the moment, this movie is only being released as the "B" side of the animated feature Frosty's Winter Wonderland , but that's okay, your kids will enjoy that sequel to Frosty the Snowman , too. Conclusion. As always, please contact us with any questions, suggestions, or corrections. Where to Stream Every Rankin/Bass Christmas Special. Lindsay Lohan To Return To Acting With Netflix Holiday Rom-Com. The 11 Best Christmas TV Shows You Can Currently Stream on Netflix. A Disney+ Gift Subscription Is the Best Last Minute Christmas Gift. Amazon Prime's 2020 Holiday Movies: Your Guide To The 15 Best Christmas Movies on Amazon Prime. If you grew up anytime between the 1960s and the 1980s, then you are no doubt familiar with the extensive and peculiar world of Rankin/Bass. The production company dominated the holiday special genre for over 20 years, churning out a dozen animated adventures for the Christmas season alone. And while Rankin/Bass closed up shop in 1987, many of their specials are still holiday staples in the 21st century–which means that you still know about all this wonderfully weird world if you grew up in the ’90s or even the ’00s! In fact, Rankin/Bass has the honor of producing what are very likely the definitive versions of two of the biggest Christmas characters other than Santa Claus: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. Those specials expanded on the stories introduced in popular children’s songs, introducing a gold-hunting prospector, a whole bunch of misfit toys, and a fussily malevolent magician into the Christmas canon. The impact of these specials is still felt today, too. Just look at all the elf costumes and set design in 2003’s Elf and look at 1964’s stop-motion Rudolph . Notice anything similar? Like… everything? These specials defined Christmas for generations, so it’s no wonder they become fodder for festive family night viewings every December. But if you miss their annual screenings on TV, where can you play catch-up? Can you stream any of the Rankin/Bass specials, or are you out of luck if you have plans on a Wednesday night? Below you’ll find detailed information about where to rent, purchase, or (in the case of one special) stream every one of the Rankin/Bass holiday specials.