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When it comes to classic Christmas films, it doesn’t get more quintessential than Rankin/Bass. The production company (which is no longer in business) created more than 45 movies between 1964 and 1985, including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and The Little Drummer Boy. Their holiday-themed animated TV specials were some of their most popular, probably due to the iconic, doll-like characters, stop-motion movements, and themes of celebration and tradition.

Every holiday season, we give thanks for Rankin/Bass, the team behind Christmas TV specials “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.” The production company formed by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass gave us both iconic stop-motion and traditional animated tales, becoming a pop culture touchstone for generations of kids.

Not all the specials, especially some of the lesser-known entries, are streaming this Christmas. But several are available to rent alone, and many more are being shown as part of Freeform’s “25 Days of Christmas.” Here’s where you can revisit these childhood favorites:

Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer (Credit: Rankin/Bass)

The first and most beloved Rankin/Bass special is chock full of terrific songs, including “A Holly Jolly Christmas” and “We’re a Couple of Misfits,” and the cutest misfits of all time, including red-nosed Rudolph, and Hermey the elf,...

The holiday season isn’t complete without the magic of Christmas TV specials.

These timeless classics are more than just festive entertainment — they’re a part of our holiday traditions.

From heartwarming stories to laugh-out-loud comedies, these specials remind us of the joy, nostalgia, and occasional chaos that make this time of year so special.

(NBC/Screenshot)

Whether you’re snuggled up with hot cocoa or reliving childhood memories, these Christmas specials are the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit the best Christmas TV specials to rewatch every holiday season.

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, isn’t it?!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) (Warner Bros./Screenshot)

There’s a reason this animated gem has stood the test of time: it’s pure holiday magic.

From Boris Karloff’s unforgettable narration to the...

The names behind the scenes may not sound familiar, but these Christmas classics certainly should!

While you might not know the individual names Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass, chances are pretty good that you know some, if not all, of the iconic stop-motion holiday specials that the duo created as Rankin/Bass. The duo, who teamed up in the early 1960s to create their “Animagic” style, are responsible for Christmas classics like “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Frosty the Snowman,” “The Year Without a Santa Claus,” and “The Little Drummer Boy,” but are responsible for over a dozen different holiday specials across a decade and a half.

Many of these hits from the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s will sound familiar and might even be staples in your annual family Christmas traditions. Others, however, like 1981’s “The Leprechauns’ Christmas Gold” or 1978’s “The Stingiest Man in Town” might not be very...

Nothing screams the Christmas season quite like the music. And what’s better than door-to-door carolers? An at-home Christmas movie musical.

Whether you are in the mood for a classic tune like “White Christmas” or new tracks like Will Ferrell’s “That Christmas Morning Feelin,'” these movie musicals will prepare you for the holiday season that awaits.

Hang up the Christmas lights, dress the tree, bake some cookies and put on a movie musical from our list to bring your home some holiday cheer.

“White Christmas” White Christmas

The song that sparked a thousand dreams — “White Christmas” — is a holiday classic for a reason. The 1954 film follows two former soldiers turned entertainers. Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join a talent sister act, Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen), to perform a Christmas show in upstate Vermont. The foursome reunite with the boys’ former General to save his holiday inn.

Christmas is in the air, which means it’s time to snuggle up on the couch and enjoy a dose of holiday magic.

There’s no shortage of Christmas-related programming this time of year, from non-stop holiday flicks on Hallmark to new Christmas episodes of shows like NCIS. But there’s nothing like revisiting old favorites to give us a feeling of comfort and joy. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up when and where to watch some of the most beloved holiday TV specials in 2024, including A Charlie Brown Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ is streaming on Apple TV+

Rats! Charlie Brown and gang have been absent from broadcast TV since Apple scooped up the rights to the various Peanuts TV specials several years ago. That means that, once again, the only way to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas in...

Animated Christmas movies are beloved for their childlike charm and focus on kindness and togetherness, bringing nostalgia and a sense of magic to the holiday season. These films often feature visually appealing animation styles like stop-motion or hand-drawn 2D, bringing to life moving toys and colorful books. From classics like "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" to newer films like "Klaus," animated Christmas movies offer heartwarming stories, memorable characters, and a touch of fantasy that can be enjoyed for years to come.

For some families, animated Christmas movies are an unmissable holiday tradition, and the best ones will be watched year after year. Their childlike charm is a reliable source of nostalgia, and although their stories vary, they almost always focus on the importance of kindness and togetherness. Classic animated Christmas movies often feature Santa Claus and the North Pole. Their sweet and innocent approach urges the audience to believe in magic,...

Users can find holiday classics, new movies and plenty more on Sling TV this holiday season.

Sling TV is a fantastic way to watch your favorite cable channels no matter what time of year it is. With regular plans starting at $40 per month (now 50% off), it’s hard to beat the value you’ll get with a Sling TV subscription, especially since it carries top cable channels like ESPN, TNT, FX, and more.

But at this time of year, when temperatures turn cold and indoor activities take on an even greater emphasis, a subscription to a top-quality streaming service is an absolute must. Sling is one of the best available, with plenty of incredible holiday-themed content for users to enjoy at Christmastime!

Get 50% Off Pay Just $20 For Your First Month sling.com What Holiday Content is Available with Sling TV?

Sling TV carries Lifetime in both of its base plans,...

AMC and AMC+ have more than 650 hours of holiday programming planned for this year’s “Best Christmas Ever” lineup kicking off on November 26 and running through December 26, 2023. The lineup includes classic Christmas films, including Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, Elf, and Christmas Vacation. For those who like to celebrate their winter holidays with a serving of horror, Shudder’s offering a new Joe Bob’s Creepy Christmas Special and the original film The Sacrifice Game.

This year’s “Best Christmas Ever” schedule also features Christmas with the Campbells, The Apology, and marathons of John Candy, Reese Witherspoon, and Bill Murray films.

Best Christmas Ever 2023:

The Sacrifice Game – Debuts December 8 on Shudder and AMC+

It’s bad enough that boarding school students Samantha and Clara can’t go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a murderous gang arrives at their doorstep – just in time for Christmas.

Whether you want to sit, relax, and binge some holiday entertainment or holiday content will be your background noise for your holiday plans, there is a slew of fun Christmas Eve TV marathons this year. There’s an Indiana Jones marathon over on the Paramount Network. Hit episodes of The Office, including the comedy’s Christmas episodes, will be playing all day on Comedy Central. And as always, holiday programming will be running all day long on Freeform (its final days of 25 Days of Christmas), TBS, and TNT. As a special treat, Showtime is airing a showing of Oscar-contender Everything Everywhere All at Once. And Showtime 2 and USA have Twilight and Harry Potter marathons on the slate. Below is a guide for the 2022 Christmas Eve TV marathons. Happy holidays! Christmas Movies on AMC 12:00 am: Planes, Trains and Automobiles 2:00 am: The Year Without a Santa Claus 3:15 ...

With Christmastime comes the seasonal reruns of classic film and television classics to cable and streaming. Some of the most famous television specials are from the Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment company which made the stop-motion and 2D animated classics that starred figures like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and Santa Claus. These short films helped develop many young children's sense of the holiday season and are remembered fondly.

Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass were a talented directorial pair who created most of the lengthy filmography and had a hand in nearly all the specials and feature-length films. Their Christmas films were renowned for the strong and unique stories that managed to inject old stories with new ideas and twists. Heroes and villains square off in their films that often see the fate of winter or Christmas at stake. Some characters are cowards while others are heroes and...

It was just two years ago that those looking to curl up next to the fire with the Og Miracle on 34th Street instead got left a lump of coal, when the Christmas classic was nowhere to be seen.

Let’s avoid such Yuletide trauma this holiday season, shall we?

More from TVLineA Christmas Story Sequel's New 'Triple Dog Dare' Revealed -- Watch VideoA Christmas Story Christmas Teaser: Peter Billingsley Returns as Ralphie in HBO Max Sequel -- Watch First FootageA Christmas Story Sequel, With Original Film Stars, Gets HBO Max Release Date

Already, TVLine has gift-wrapped for you a...

Whether you’re looking for stocking stuffers for others or a nice little gift for yourself, we’ve got a roundup of some of the best new Blu-rays and DVDs for the holidays.

Christmas Favorites

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment offers up four of their holiday favorites in 4K for the first time this holiday season: “Elf,” “A Christmas Story,” “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” and “The Polar Express” all get shined up for your library. Whether you’re giving (or getting) a 4K system this Christmas or already have one ready to go, this quartet of titles represent the apex of holiday classics for a wide audience. (Whether or not the sequel “A Christmas Story Christmas” will eventually merit its own schmancy physical release remains to be seen.)

Also available:

“The Apartment” (Kino Lorber Studio Classics): Billy Wilder’s bittersweet, Oscar-winning holiday tale made its 4K debut earlier this year.

Jules Bass, whose work as a producer and director of stop-motion and animated television specials such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town and The Year Without A Santa Claus has become an integral part of the holiday season for generations, died today in Rye, New York, of age-related illnesses. He was 87.

His death was confirmed by publicist Jennifer Fisherman Ruff.

Bass was working in advertising in New York City when, in 1960, he teamed up with an art director at ABC named Arthur Rankin Jr. to form a film production company called Videocraft International. The company was launched with the 1960 series The New Adventures of Pinocchio, utilizing traditional animation, but found its breakthrough success in 1964 with the stop-motion classic Rudolph, featuring the voice of Burl Ives as Sam the Snowman.

Rankin died in 2014 at 89.

Based on the Gene Autry hit song of 1949, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer...

Paul Coker Jr., whose character and production designs for the classic Rankin/Bass stop-motion and animated holiday specials and his many years as one of Mad magazine’s “Usual Gang Of Idiots” endeared him to generations of fans, died following a brief illness at his home in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on July 23. He was 93.

His death was confirmed to Deadline by his stepdaughter Lee Smithson Burd. “Paul was lucid and had his remarkable sense of humor until the end,” Smithson Burd said.

Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery

Coker’s contributions to the production and character design of the Rankin/Bass specials helped create some of the most indelible holiday images of the last half-century. As either a character designer or production designer, Coker lent his talents to such Christmas and Easter specials as Cricket on the Hearth (1967), Frosty the Snowman (1969), Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town (1970), Here Comes Peter Cottontail...

The Bermuda Depths (1978) is now available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive

What secret lurks 20,000 feet below the waves in the paranormal realm called the Bermuda Triangle? That’s the question a scientist (Burl Ives), his student (Carl Weathers) and a young man (Leigh McCloskey) haunted by nightmarish memories of his Bermuda childhood ask themselves. The answer involves a beauty (Connie Sellecca) who has sold her soul for eternal youth and a giant sea turtle that leaves death in its wake. Eerie and hypnotic, The Bermuda Depths was produced by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass (The Year Without a Santa Claus), who meld their imaginative fantasy style with the live-action horror genre.

Special Features: Includes Both the 1.33:1 US Broadcast Television Version and the 1.85:1 International Theatrical Version; New Audio Commentary by Author/ Film Historian Amanda Reyes (Are You in the House Alone? A TV Movie Compendium: 1964-1999) and Kindertrauma co-founder Lance Vaughan.

We might not be getting any new episodes of The Walking Dead until next year, but AMC is supplying us with a holiday treat to tide us over. As part of the network’s Best Christmas Ever schedule, The Walking Dead is receiving a Christmas special this December that’ll see the cast of the hit zombie drama coming together virtually for a festive tease of what’s headed our way when the show returns in 2021.

Hosted by Talking Dead‘s Chris Hardwick, the holiday special will unite several fan favorite stars of the long-running series as well as its spinoffs Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. It’ll stream exclusively on AMC+ – the network’s new premium on-demand platform offering early access and ad-free viewing – on Sunday, December 13th. That’s one week after World Beyond wraps up its season 1 finale.

The Walking Dead Holiday...

Welcome to this week’s Monday Night Raw review, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have the fallout from a lousy TLC PPV. I’ll understand if you want to leave now.

Match #1: The O.C. def. The Viking Raiders The following is courtesy of wwe.com:

The O.C. have had two main talking points when it comes to their superiority as a tag team: That shiny Best Tag Team in the World trophy and the fact that they’re the only team to pin The Viking Raiders. And just one night after it was starting to look like that win might have been a fluke, the good brothers did it again. Erik & Ivar now have two losses since coming to Raw, both of which have come at the hands of the official, the original and the only club that matters. And this one was even more demoralizing,...

If you're worried you're going to be bored this holiday season when it comes to your television viewing, you have nothing to worry about.

Not only is holiday programming going absolutely crazy, but the streaming series dropping this week are over the top!

Find out what else you need to schedule to remain fulfilled in your own living room.

Sunday, December 1

4:45 The Year Without A Santa Claus (AMC)

This classic playing on an off on AMC, but it's not to be missed. Is there anything better than the Miser brothers?

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (AMC)

AMC is running this classic all night long. One of the most quoted and spectacular Christmas productions ever made!

There is no Christmas quite like the Griswold Christmas.

8/7c Santa Claus is Comin' to Town (ABC)

Fred Astaire plays a mailman explaining why Santa has whiskers, lives at the North Pole and brings presents...

AMC Networks has viewers covered this holiday season as the second annual “Best Christmas Ever,” returns with its largest slate of holiday programming to-date featuring over 60 films and specials airing all day, every day, and this year expands to all five of AMC Networks. Beginning Monday, November 25 through Christmas Day, the monthlong programming event will offer up more than 700 hours of holiday-themed movies, specials and family favorite films. AMC Networks will be the exclusive home to many holiday favorites including Elf, The Polar Express, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Miracle on 34th Street (’94), Four Christmases, Fred Claus and Rankin-Bass Christmas classics including The Year Without a Santa Claus, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Jack Frost, and Rudolph’s Shiny New Year, among many others. This year’s newly expanded Best Christmas Ever holiday event will feature a schedule takeover on AMC, and daily marathons across the other AMC Networks including BBC America,...

Viewers can Celebrate the Season with More Than 600 Hours of Holiday Classic Films, Specials and Family Favorites Beginning November 26 Through December 25

AMC has viewers covered this holiday season with “AMC Best Christmas Ever,” its largest slate of holiday programming ever featuring 35 films and 18 specials, airing all day, every day. Beginning Monday, November 26 through Christmas Day, the monthlong programming marathon will offer up more than 600 hours of holiday-themed movies, specials and family favorite films, as well as the television debut of Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You (2017). AMC will be the exclusive home to Christmas favorites including Elf, The Polar Express and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation as well as 12 classic Christmas specials from the legendary Rankin/Bass production company, including The Year Without a Santa Claus, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Jack Frost, Rudolph’s Shiny New Yearand Frosty’s Winter Wonderland, among many others.

“In...

Many TV specials from our childhood, like Rankin/Bass’ Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1966), were based on popular Christmas songs. In 1974, Rankin/Bass produced yet another popular Christmas special, The Year Without a Santa Claus, based loosely on Phyllis McGinley’s 1956 book of the same name. Two supporting characters created specifically for the special, Snow Miser and Heat Miser, are unusual fictional characters in the annals of television; several of their fans have devoted entire websites to them, and even Snow Miser’s song was paid tribute in a scene from the 1997 film Batman And Robin

Now those Rankin/Bass animated TV classics don’t stand a chance when St. Louis Shakespeare’s The Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre takes them on stage beginning November 30th. The uber-talented Smoking Monkeys adapt a cult film (or TV show) into an onstage farce once a year. Plan 9 From Outer Space, Reefer Madness, Glen Or Glenda,...

Et First pic of Pixar's Coco though the text is greatly irritating as they seem to be very anti-musical "Don't call it a musical!"

Filmmixtape "if 2016's worst films were drag race competitors"

Playbill George S Irving, the voice of Heat-Miser for the Bankin Rass TV classic "The Year Without a Santa Claus" has died at 94. 

The Guardian why 2016 was a big year for female sexuality in film and on television 

Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds and infinite list-making after the jump...

Actor George S. Irving, who won a Tony Award starring with Debbie Reynolds in the musical Irene and appeared in the original Broadway production of Oklahoma, died Monday at age 94.

He died in New York, said actor-director David Staller, Irving's friend.

Irving had several television and film credits, including appearances on All in the Family, Car 54 Where Are You?, Ryan's Hope and The Patty Duke Show. As a voice actor, he narrated the cartoon Underdog and played the Heat Miser in the animated The Year Without a Santa Claus.

He was also a regular in New York theater....

From that first slice of Thanksgiving pumpkin pie right up through the clinking of the champagne flutes, the holiday season is full of good cheer — and good TV! There’s so much to comb through, and finding your faves can sometimes be frustrating. Luckily for you, Channel Guide Magazine‘s staff has put together the 2015 Holiday Programming Guide as our gift to you. The guide’s Movies & Specials section is packed with descriptions and airtimes of your favorite holiday programs, from Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights to The Year Without A Santa Claus, and everything in between. Movies are listed … Continue reading →

The post Channel Guide’s 2015 Holiday Programming Guide appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

The man whose animated holiday TV specials have touched generations of fans died Thursday at his home in Bermuda. Arthur Rankin Jr was 89. His death was reported by local newspaper The Royal Gazette. With his partner Jules Bass, Rankin mined popular Christmas songs to create enduring stop-motion TV classics including Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) — which beat The Voice and Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the 18-49 demo when CBS aired it Thanksgiving Eve last year – The Little Drummer Boy (1968), Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town (1970) and The Year Without A Santa Claus (1974). The Jimmy Durante-narrated Frosty The Snowman (1969) was done in tradition cel animation and was the first of their Christmas specials done as a half-hour rather than an hour. Rankin and Bass founded their company in 1960 as Videocraft International, and the name was changed to Rankin/Bass Productions eight years later. They also produced plenty of non-holiday fare as well,...

Your shows may be in reruns now, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to watch this Christmas week. If you look around, you’ll find marathons of TV shows past (Breaking Bad), classic holiday movies (A Christmas Story), new installments of (a few!) current faves and, lest we not forget, Nikita‘s very final mission. So while those chestnuts roast on the fire, relax on the couch with these Christmas picks.

Related | Spoiler Alert!: Once‘s Wicked-Cool Sister Act? CBS Drama Headed For the Ax? Plus: Tragedy Rocks Soa and Homeland

Monday, December 23

8 pm The Sing-Off (NBC...

Odds are, you won’t be shocked by what transpires in this week’s holiday episode of Family Guy. (The signs weren’t just all there, they were all there and written in big, bold, neon letters!) But you’ll probably also be so happy about what transpires that you won’t complain (much). So without further ado…

Related | Family Guy Crossover Will Introduce the Griffins to The Simpsons in Fall 2014!

Merry Axe-mas | Tearing themselves away from non-stop seasonal programming (like Home Alone With Competent Robbers and The Year Without a Santa Claus or Sex), the Griffins head to the...

I don’t care who you are, or how much you may try to deny it, ABC Family‘s 25 Days of Christmas is on your list of holiday traditions. There’s something for everyone throughout the season, and many of the best holiday shows and movies pop up at some point.

Now, the romantic holiday fare that ABC Family has become known for may not be for everyone, but one thing is undeniable, if these (I think admittedly) cheesy flights of fancy are for you, your plate is full.

If you enjoy titles in the general genre made up by such entries as Santa Baby, Holiday in Handcuffs, or 12 Dates of Christmas, you have a lot of options coming your way. This may well be capped off this year by the potential King of all holiday efforts, The Mistle-Tones.

Now I hear your reaction out there, and no, these are...

By Todd Garbarini

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Mad Monster Party is a relatively obscure stop-motion animated musical treat from 1967 that many non-genre fans are unaware of. Aimed at children, it is the creation of Rankin and Bass, the production team responsible for so many holiday television specials including Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Little Drummer Boy, and The Year Without a Santa Claus. Unlike these specials, however, Mad Monster Party made the rounds to movie theaters as a feature-length film for Saturday and Sunday matinees. It’s the obvious inspiration for Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), boasting an infectious musical score that sticks in your head long after the movie is over.

Baron Boris von Frankenstein, the lead character who is voiced by Boris Karloff in one of his last roles, decides to hang up his lab coat and hand...

It's almost impossible to discuss the "The Twilight Saga" franchise. Riddled with preposterous concepts, terrible dialogue, stilted acting, bargain-bin basement effects and unitentionally funny plotting, you're still considered a hater if you're anything less than glowing about these pictures despite the fact that critics savage into them on a regular basis. Proof? The average score from the always generous and populist Rotten Tomatoes on all four films thus far is 37.7%.

As Summit/Liongsate hopes to streeeeeetch our their marketing for "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2," the last and final film in the 5 film series (though it was really just four books, with the final split in two to make more dough), they've delivered what is a cheap 10 second trailer. And yes, it's only 10 seconds, but lord, the effects! Were the snow scenes shot on the same lot that housed the Rankin/Bass children's special “The Year Without a Santa Claus...

Studies have shown that Hidden Gems of the Week, EW.com’s collection of reader-submitted ridiculata, is the best way to enjoy Dancing With the Stars without ever having to turn it on. It’s a visual feast of sparkles, fringe, and stunning awkwardness. Ready to go down the rabbit hole? Behold this bountiful smattering of Visible Gems!

Most Valuable Gem (Mvg) Of The Week: Whatever I Touch, Starts To Melt In My Clutch, Especially When I Do The Samba

“Jack’s costume looks like the Heat Meiser from The Year Without a Santa Claus” –Fridgedancer, endorsed by SpeechTeacher89, Bvonly,...

By Todd Garbarini

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Having grown up on the Rankin Bass Christmas specials since I was a child, the Yuletide season just isn't the same without a yearly viewing of some of their most enchanting shows. Since the 1960s and 1970s, specials such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town, The Little Drummer Boy and The Year Without a Santa Claus were shown on the major television networks. In the late 1980s it became increasingly difficult to see most of these specials unless you had cable television or video cassette recorders as the major networks stopped airing them. With the availability of home video, the shows were inevitably made available to the masses and made great Christmas presents.

The fine folks at Classic Media have released some of these beloved Christmas classics on Blu-ray. In a two-disc set entitled The Original Christmas Classics,...

ABC Family is ramping up for its annual 25 Days of Christmas holiday gauntlet of whimsical, fun-for-the-whole-family programming. Today the delightful folks at ABC Family sent me my very own miniature Christmas tree and ornaments with which to decorate it. As you can see, my cat Milo was also very excited.

The programming is as follows. Mark your calendars! For more information, including movie descriptions, check out http://abcfamily.com/25days, Facebook.com/25DaysofChristmas, Twitter.com/ABCF25Days.

Thursday, December 1

(6:00-6:30 Pm Et/Pt) Mickey's Christmas Carol

(6:30-7:00 Pm Et/Pt) Winnie The Pooh And Christmas Too

(7:00-9:00 Pm Et/Pt) The Santa Clause

(9:00-11:00 Pm Et/Pt) The Santa Clause - Encore Presentation (Live Action)

Friday, December 2

(6:00-6:30 Pm Et/Pt) Dr. Seuss On The Loose

(6:30-7:00 Pm Et/Pt) Dr. Seuss' The Lorax

(7:00-7:30 Pm...

Those familiar with the Rankin and Bass probably know their stop-motion animation features like Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Jack Frost, The Year Without a Santa Claus, and so forth. They’ve become holiday classics and the Rankin and Bass brand hinges upon their notoriety. So, when you tell someone that they were responsible for directing the ThunderCats cartoon series and then creating the obscure, space-based follow-up SilverHawks to capitalize on that success, you should understand that they might be confused. They won’t be disappointed though. SilverHawks has a ridiculous, nonsensical premise with weird episodic plots and humorously absurd schemes on the part of its villain. The made-to-order DVD series of classic cartoon series available from WBShop.com has been pretty hit-or-miss thus far, but SilverHawks definitely deserves to sit on your shelf.

Read more...

Some of you may be too young to remember The Last Dinosaur. Others of you are old enough to remember seeing it when it first aired in 1977 or the million times it ran in syndication throughout the Eighties. Now everyone can get reacquainted with this cult favorite that has dwelled in obscurity for too long thanks to the Warner Archive.

A joint production between Rankin/Bass (the makers of such classic Christmas specials as "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer") and Tsuburaya Productions (the creators of "Ultraman"), The Last Dinosaur was originally scheduled to be a theatrical release but ended up premiering as an ABC TV movie in 1977. The subsequent repeat airings and limited VHS release have all been of the 90-minute TV cut. The Warner Archive just released 16x9 full frame print contains the never before seen in the Us 106-minute theatrical cut.

“It eats meat! Us!!” "It" is a Tyrannosaurus,...

As Christmas fast approaches and most of us are still trying to finish up our last minute Christmas shopping, the Fine Brothers have released their latest spoiler-filled video called 50 Christmas Movie Spoilers in 3 Minutes, in one take. The Fine Bros. have also brought us videos such as, 50 Disney Spoilers in 3 minutes  and 100 Horror Movie Spoilers in 5 Minutes. Hope you enjoy the video below!

Movies Spoiled:

A Christmas Carol, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (1951), A Christmas Carol (2009), The Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Bad Santa, Christmas with the Cranks, Deck the Halls, A Christmas Story, Ernest Saves Christmas, Four Christmases, Fred Claus, The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3, It's a Wonderful Life, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Jingle All the Way, Miracle on 34th Street (1947), Miracle on 34th Street (1994), Mixed Nuts, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation 2, The Polar Express, Prancer, Scrooged, How The Gring Stole Christmas,...

The Fine Brothers, an internet comedy duo that speaks fast and spoils movies, is back to spit in your eggnog this holiday season with “50 Christmas Spoilers in 3 Minutes.”

Faster than you can go a-wasailling, Benny and Rafi Fine spoil every Christmas movie you’ve ever heard of — and some that you haven’t. As with all Fine Brothers YouTube videos, there are two types of viewers.

The first love the spitfire, spoiler-soaked, saccharin snark and wish the yucksters plenty of presents under the Christmas tree. Or menorah. The other, perhaps the Grinches of the group, want to stuff the boys’ faces with figgy pudding to dam the endless patter of plot-ruining banter.

Where do you fall on the Fines? While you chew that over, here’s a list of all 50 Christmas films:

A Christmas Carol, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (1951), A Christmas Carol (2009), The Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey’s Christmas Carol,...

[1] In honor of the upcoming Christmas holiday, our friends the Fine Brothers have filed the latest episode of their popular "Spoiler" series -- 50 Christmas Movie Spoilers in 3 Minutes, in one take. You might remember that we've featured their videos 100 Movie Spoilers in 4 minutes [2], Spoiling Every Best Picture Winner in Oscar History [3], 50 spoilers of 2009 in 4 minutes [4], 100 Horror Movie Spoilers in 5 Minutes [5], and 50 Disney Spoilers in 3 Minutes [6].  Hit the jump to watch their latest. And if it isn't completely obvious already, please be warned that the following video contains spoilers. Movies Spoiled: A Christmas Carol, Scrooge: A Christmas Carol (1951), A Christmas Carol (2009), The Muppet Christmas Carol, Mickey's Christmas Carol, Bad Santa, Christmas with the Cranks, Deck the Halls, A Christmas Story, Ernest Saves Christmas, Four Christmases, Fred Claus, The Santa Clause, The Santa Clause 2, The Santa Clause 3, It's a Wonderful Life, I'll Be Home for Christmas, Jingle All the Way, Miracle on 34th Street...

With only a few days left until Christmas day is upon us, chances are your kids are now out of class until next year and spending their free time in some mixture of snowball fights outside and curled up in front of the television inside (we'd love for them to be reading, but we know how kids are). While the time they spend outside frolicking in the snow equates to peaceful R&R time for you parents, you can help even if out by putting in some of these high-quality Christmas classics that are guaranteed to be as entertaining for the grown-ups as they are for the kids.

For infants through 8-year-olds...

A Charlie Brown Christmas

A Charlie Brown Christmas, released in 1965, was (and remains) a huge hit. It came out at the height of Peanuts’ popularity, but also marked the transition Peanuts made from a comic strip about kids...

12 Men of Christmas (Sugarplum Romance)

Lifetime Movie Network, 8 Pm Et

A public-relations executive (Kristin Chenoweth) uses her media savvy to stir excitement in a small Montana town.

Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (Naughty v. Nice)

ABC Family, 8 Pm Et

The tale of Santa's early days of delivering toys, where he battles Sombertown's mayor, Burgermeister Mesiterburger.

Shrek the Halls (Mistletoe & Mayhem)

ABC, 8 Pm Et

Everyone's favorite ogre tries to have a quiet holiday with just the family.

The Year Without Santa Claus (Classic Cheer)

ABC Family, 9 Pm Et

Mrs. Claus recounts the time Santa had a bad cold and decided to take a vacation from Christmas.

A Miser Brothers' Christmas (Naughty v. Nice)

ABC Family, 10 Pm Et

When the North Wind sabotages Santa's sleigh and injures the man in red, the Heat Miser and Snow Miser are forced to fill in.

What else is showing this season? See our The...

Today kicks off ABC Family's annual network programming event "25 Days of Christmas"!

The spirited extravaganza, now in its thirteenth year, includes over 200 hours of holiday-themed entertainment. Pour a little egg nog, cuddle up by the fire and get into the holiday spirit by checking out ABC Family's holiday movies!

ABC Family's '25 Days of Christmas''Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas'

Wednesday, December 1 He's mean, he's green and he doesn't...

NBC's "Community" wants to deliver a Christmas special like all the ones we know and love. And like "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "The Year Without a Santa Claus" before it, it'll also be in stop-motion animation.

In the special, Abed (Danny Pudi) wakes up in stop-motion animation and takes it as a sign that he and group must re-discover the meaning of Christmas. The rest of the group is concerned with his intense fixation on Christmas and his mental health, going so far as to enlist the help of Professor Duncan (John Oliver).

The rest of the group undergoes hypnosis and they're all soon exploring Abed's winter wonderland, as well as the truth behind his madness.

"It's going to be like a timeless Christmas classic in the stop-motion medium that used to give us so much happiness as children," said creator Dan Harmon. "There's a reason for it to be stop-motion animated,...

This week on Project Runway, I learned that the apartment building where the designers are housed is called the Atlas. I’m sure it’s been mentioned (or at least flashed on the screen) before, but I’ve been too busy taking notes to have noticed.

As per usual, we begin with the designers waking up at the Atlas. Six men are left: Anthony, Ben, Jonathan, Seth Aaron (is it really, “Seth Aaron”? Nobody calls me “Frank Anthony,” nor do I think they should!), Jay Nicolas (ditto as per Seth Aaron), and Emilio.

Three women are left: Amy,Maya, and Mila — who share a nice moment sitting on the window sill overlooking the city, like the Bobbsey Twins they are. Mila calls Maya an “old soul,” lamenting the idea as to how she’d continue without her in the competition.

Along the same lines, Jay Nicolas likens the guys to the Victoria Secret Wonder Bra,...

Christmas is upon us again, faster than we expected (as usual). Over the years, thousands of hours of feature film and television time have heralded the arrival of this annual holiday – while some titles may have changed, and even been remade or rebooted, the jingle of holiday bells and giggles of cinematic heavenly ghosts and their audiences continues to echo on in theaters and homes… And we thought we’d share some of our favorites with you.

Whether they’re traditional treats that continue to give, or outside-the-box laughter landslides that help to make the spirit ring even louder, the month of December is truly full of special holiday films that touch the heart. So have a seat in your preferred chair, warm up a cup of your favorite holiday beverage and enjoy the Screen Rant staff’s Christmas List of Favorite Holiday Movies!

Vic Holtreman: (Owner, Editor-in-Chief)

“I’d...

At 8, ABC has A Charlie Brown Christmas, followed by Disney's Prep & Landing, a new Scrubs and the season premiere of Better Off Ted. NBC has the two-hour season finale of The Biggest Loser at 8, then a new Jay Leno Show. Fox has a new, two-hour So You Think You Can Dance at 8.

The CW has two new episodes of 90210 and Melrose Place. ABC Family has The Year Without A Santa Claus at 8, followed by A Miser's Brothers Christmas and Rudolph's Shiny New Year. At 9, Food Network has a new Christmas Chopped. Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs at 9, followed by a new Ghost Lab. Syfy has a new Scare Tactics at 9, then the series premiere of Outer Space Astronauts and a new Ecw. History Channel has a new How The Earth Was Made at 9. Vh-1 has 2009: That Really Happened at 9. Spike has a new Super Dave's Spike-Tacular at 9. Also...

Mickey's Christmas Carol (Dickensian Re-Do)

ABC Family, 7 Pm Et

Disney's take on Dickens, with Mickey as Bob Cratchit and Scrooge McDuck as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge.

Winnie the Pooh and Christmas Too (Mistletoe & Mayhem)

ABC Family, 7:30 Pm Et

After messing up the delivery of his friends' lists to Santa, Pooh masquerades as Mr. Claus and piglet as a reindeer.

The Year Without a Santa Claus (Comfort & Joy)

ABC Family, 8 Pm Et

When a sick Santa decides to take a vacation and skip the holiday, two of his elves go to great lengths to change his mind.

A Miser Brothers' Christmas (Naughty v. Nice)

ABC Family, 9 Pm Et

When the North Wind sabotages Santa's sleigh and injures the man in red, the Heat Miser and Snow Miser are forced to fill in.

What else is showing this season? See the complete Holiday TV Movie Guide: The 12 Flavors of Christmas.

And...

This may be as close to “updating” a Rankin-Bass production as possible without causing outcry from fans of the classics. ABC Family commissioned an all new feature in the style of the beloved holiday films, and quite frankly they did a stellar job of recreating it all. The original molds of the two main characters were used to create new and noticeably polished duplicates. Now, maybe it’s just the higher quality of the recording format but the feature has a sharper visual aesthetic, smoother motions and the same old campy cheer that made the old ones so popular. At first glance, the only real shortcoming of A Miser Brothers’ Christmas is the story which seems disingenuous in the face of the animation style which carries with it a long tradition of folksy charm; after a little bit of retrospection, however, the holes in this new take on Rankin-Bass begin to show.

Have a question about something fantasy-related? Ask the Oracle! (Be sure to include your first name and the city, state, and/or country you are writing from.)

Q: Dude, what the hell happened to Santa and his elves between the 1964 Christmas Special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and 1974's The Year Without a Santa Claus? They look totally different! The elves don't even look like the same species! -- Mark, Hudson River Valley, NY

A: You'll recall that between the filming of Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, Mark "Luke Skywalker" Hamill was in a disfiguring car crash (which was "explained" by the Wampa attack)?

Sadly, The Oracle can finally reveal that something similar happened to Santa in 1969: a sleigh crash with a Russian satellite that was so disfiguring that it somehow even managed to move Santa's eyes much farther apart. Lest you feel too sorry for Santa, keep...

Movie and horror fans are probably starting to get into the spooky season and Halloween spirit with their must-watch films, and while my own list has many of the standards (The Thing, The Exorcist, etc.), it's also got a personal fave: Mad Monster Party. A Christmas season without those vaguely creepy stop-motion animated Rankin Bass specials of classic holiday stories ("Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer", "The Year Without a Santa Claus", etc.) is virtually unavoidable. But...