TV Show Info
TV Show Name: The Snowman and the Snowdog
Studio: Lupus Films
Genre(s): Animated/Seasonal
Release Date(s): December 24, 2012
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Man…someone left their crap in my room!
A young boy named Billy and his mother move to a new home and soon lose their beloved dog. As the holidays approach, a Christmas snow falls and the Billy uncovers magic that previously occurred at the home. Finding a hat, scarf, the makings of a snowman, and a photograph, Billy creates a friend and a snowdog to join him. When the snowman comes to life, he finds himself on a magical journey to the North where Santa might be able to mend his sadness.
Directed by Hilary Audus, The Snowman and the Snowdog is an animated family holiday special. The short film celebrates the 30th anniversary for the award winning Raymond Briggs’ holiday classic The Snowman. The follow-up aired on Channel 4 on the BBC on December 24, 2012. It received positive reviews and featured a new song in “Light in the Night” by Andy Burrows.
Um…I don’t ski
The Snowman was a classic. It was one of those artsy kid cartoons that parents forced you to watch but ended up being ok. It is also one of those stories that if you go back as an adult and see it, you can recognize its superiority to many other kids cartoons. The Snowman and the Snowdog has a similar appeal that will probably reach some more than others.
The story of The Snowman and the Snowdog follows a similar path to the original with the Snowman coming to life and taking the boy to the North Pole. There are plenty of throwbacks to the original Snowman. The boy finds the original boy’s picture of the Snowman and his belongings and the Snowman sees the motorcycle and other things from the original short (which makes me wonder what happened to James from the first film that all their stuff was left at the house).
Mr. Snowman…I know you will never leave me and crush my soul
The Snowman and the Snowdog changes the format by bringing the Snowdog into the story. If a kid has had a pet die recently, this might be a tough thing for him or her to watch with Billy getting a new dog through magic…but the death of the real dog is handled well (I bet however that the mother’s really going to wonder where this new dog appeared from over night).
The visuals for The Snowman and the Snowdog remain great. The art and style of both films are fantastic and richer and stronger than most kids’ movies. The movie is a silent picture essentially with only music and a song as background sound, so it might be difficult for some of audience to remain focused on a story that tells its story entirely through imagery.
The Snowman and the Snowdog is a nice follow-up to a classic animated holiday story. It does have the same sense of magic as the first film but isn’t as powerful as the original. If you loved The Snowman, check out its sequel and try to see Christmas through a child’s eyes again.
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