Hooves of Fire (1999) (TV)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Richard Goleszowski

Writers:

Andy Riley (writer) &
Kevin Cecil (writer) ...

Release Date:

25 December 1999 (UK)

Genre:

Animation | Short | Comedy

Plot:

Robbie, an out-of-condition reindeer, tries to earn a place on Santa's crack sleigh team.

Plot Keywords:

Reindeer | Christmas | Seal | William Tell Overture | Skeleton

Awards:

5 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Robbie Williams	...	Narrator (voice)
Ardal O'Hanlon	...	Robbie the Reindeer (voice)
Paul Whitehouse	...	Prancer (voice)
Jane Horrocks	...	Donner (voice)
Steve Coogan	...	Blitzen (voice)
Caroline Quentin	...	Vixen (voice)
Jean Alexander	...	Mrs. Santa (voice)
Ricky Tomlinson	...	Santa Claus (voice)
Rhys Ifans	...	Head Elf (voice)
Harry Enfield	...	Old Jingle (voice)
Tony Anscombe	...	Elf #3 (voice)
Alistair McGowan	...	Des Yeti / Alan Snowman (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Richard Frame	...	Bus Conductor / Polar Bear (voice)

Also Known As:

Robbie the Reindeer in Hooves of Fire

Runtime:

29 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

UK:U (video rating) | Australia:G

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Originally, Rudolph's name is never mentioned specifically because of copyright reasons. Only because of this was its omission then worked into the plot as a running gag.

Quotes:

Robbie: I'm a rubbish reindeer. I'm even a rubbish elf. I'm worse than rubbish. If they tossed me in the rubbish bin, the other rubbish would say...
Rubbish: There goes the neighborhood.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Troldspejlet: (#32.16)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

The Other Side of the Moon

Funniest 30 minutes of Christmas TV, neigh any TV, in YEARS!

What to watch on Christmas Eve just before the 7pm news bulletin? The programmer at the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Commission) who scheduled this little gem of a film should be given a cigar, one hell of a raise and a promotion (to CEO of the network)!!

I cannot remember the last time I laughed so much in 30 minutes. A romp from go to whoa this film (incidentally named Robbie the Reindeer in Australia) follows the trials and tribulations of Robbie, son of Rudolph, trying to get a guernsey on the team leading the sleigh for Christmas. Robbie's secret weapon is, curiously enough, his nose, but not for the same reason his father was famous. Robbie can pin-point an exact location anywhere on the globe with his nose!! Double entrends, take-offs and a very, very slick script make this a highly enjoyable film. You'll like this film even more if you are a fan of "claymation" (think Chicken Run, Wallace and Gromit et al).