Olive, the Other Reindeer (1999) (TV)

Director:

Steve Moore

Writers:

J. Otto Seibold (book) &
Vivian Walsh (book) ...

Release Date:

17 December 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Family | Animation | Comedy

Plot:

After mis-hearing a radio broadcast about Santa canceling his Christmas trip due to an injured reindeer...

Plot Keywords:

Postman | Christmas | North Pole | Penguin | Dog

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 2 wins

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Olive (voice)
Dan Castellaneta	...	The Postman (voice)
Joe Pantoliano	...	Martini (voice)
Edward Asner	...	Santa (voice)
Peter MacNicol	...	Fido (voice)
Tim Meadows	...	Richard Stands (voice)
Jay Mohr	...	Tim (voice)
Michael Stipe	...	Schnitzel (voice)
Diedrich Bader	...	Zoo Director (voice)
David Herman	...	Guard Shack Elf (voice)
Tress MacNeille	...	Mrs. Claus / Mrs. Eskimo (voice)
Mitch Rouse	...	Round John Virgin / Comet (voice)
Kath Soucie	...	(voice)
Billy West	...	Mr. Eskimo (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Matt Groening	...	Arturo (voice)
Danny Jacobs	...	Additional Voices

Runtime:

45 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

The title is based on a "misheard lyric", a spoonerized or comically misinterpreted phrase from a popular song; the title is from the passage "all of the other reindeer" from "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Several of the character names are similarly derived. The name "Richard Stands" is a malapropriation of the phrase "which it stands" in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance. Likewise, the character name "Round John Virgin" is taken from the phrase "round yon virgin" from "Silent Night".

Quotes:

Radio Announcer: Check out Marzipan Shack's pre-Ramadan Christmas sale!

Movie Connections:

References "The Bullwinkle Show" (1961)

You will laugh, but you won't call Olive names.

One of the least accomplished episodes of "The Simpsons" was "Insane Clown Poppy," with Drew Barrymore as the voice of Krusty's illegitimate daughter Sophie. Happily, she and Matt Groening pre-emptively made up for this in 1999 with the charming "Olive, the Other Reindeer," which they executive produced, and which featured one of them (hint: not Matt) as the voice of the title character.

When Santa Claus faces a crisis that may mean his deliveries won't get through, lovable dog Olive mishears him on the radio hoping to depend on "all of the other reindeer," and believing that Mr. Kringle is counting on her, she's off to the North Pole with the help of her penguin friend Martini, but with a conniving postman (!) out to stop her. Only Scrooge would not be rooting for Olive and Martini to succeed in the course of this special, not least with the warm and winning voice work (particularly Barrymore as our four-legged friend, Joe Pantoliano cast against type as good guy Martini, and Michael Stipe as one of Santa's reindeer - who has a very funny joke about Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer).

A good, heartwarming story with computer animation from DNA Productions that looks more traditionally cartoony than the norm, which is not a bad thing here; Drew also does her own singing, and it must be said that she won't be giving Alicia Keys a run for her money - but her scrappy enthusiasm on her numbers ("Merry Christmas After All" provides an oddly endearing blend of Miss Barrymore's slightly flat vocalising and the truly musical Big Bad Voodoo Daddy) only adds to the special's charm. Funny and non-sick-making, this is up there with Channel 4's adaptation of "Father Christmas" and some of Rankin/Bass's seasonal cartoons in the winner stakes; one to tape.

"Warp speed, captain!"