Movie Info
Movie Name: A Miser Brothers’ Christmas
Studio: Cuppa Coffee Studios
Genre(s): Animated/Seasonal
Release Date(s): December 13, 2008
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
I just wish my children would get along…
Mother Nature has a problem with her two sons Snow Miser and Heat Miser who refuse to work together. When North Wind secretly plots against Santa Claus, Santa’s back injured, and Heat Miser and Cold Miser must work together to ensure that Christmas goes off without a hitch. Unfortunately, North Wind wants to be the new Santa Claus, and only Heat Miser and Snow Miser can stop him!
Directed by Dave Barton Thomas, A Miser Brothers’ Christmas is a Cuppa Coffee Studios production which spun off the popular Rankin-Bass special A Year Without a Santa Claus from 1974. The film premiered on December 13, 2008 on ABC Family and continues to air yearly.
That’s right, North Wind’s in the house!
A Miser Brothers’ Christmas is an attempt to modernize the classic Rankin/Bass animation and provide a new “classic” for the holidays. In this aspect, the movie succeeds in presenting a new storyline for two great characters…but misses becoming a classic.
The story of A Miser Brothers’ Christmas is a little better than some of the other Rankin/Bass specials which came after the production company’s classic period. I think that the movie probably would have been better served as a half-hour special with a trimmed down story, but even at an hour, the show does move.
I love you, bro!!!
The special did bring back Mickey Rooney and George S. Irving to voice the Heat Miser and Santa Claus. The rest of the cast are fill-ins for the original cast, but unless you are very versed on the original story, you probably won’t even notice.
Though it was not made by the iconic Rankin-Bass, Cuppa Coffee Studios does a good job emulating their style. The animation is a lot cleaner than the original special, but the characters and the sets still have a solid feel and depth like other stop-motion animation.
With so many options out there for holiday entertainment, A Miser Brothers’ Christmas isn’t necessary the best choice, but it isn’t bad. You probably should stick to the original A Year Without a Santa Claus, but if your kids are clamoring for more, this isn’t a bad follow-up…plus, you get a new version of Heat Miser/Cold Miser song!
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