The poem is a timeless classic, not just of Christmas but of anything. It is a poem read out loud every year as one of the family Christmas traditions and it has never gotten old. Also absolutely adore animation, have done for as long as can be remembered, and Christmas is my favourite holiday of the year (which people probably already by now. It really has shocked me that it took me this long to hear about this 1968 animated adaptation let alone watch it, having stumbled upon it by chance online looking for Christmas animations to watch.
Am kicking myself still at not seeing this very underrated gem sooner. It is great to see that it is fondly remembered and it is great to see that one can also find it. There are a few adaptations of the poem, which lends itself best to at the most 20 minute short film, about of 'The Night Before Christmas'. Including the early 30s Disney cartoon, Rankin/Bass' and also the very under-exposed Rabbit Ears adaptation, while liking all of those very much this is now my favourite version of 'The Night Before Christmas'.
It's hard knowing where to begin with praising 'The Night Before Christmas'. The limited budget does show at times in some stiff character animation (especially at the beginning), but on the most part the traditional animation was not bad at all. Especially impressive are the simple yet elegant backgrounds and the meticulous attention to detail in recreating the early 19th century period detail. The colours are lively and neither drab or garish. The music has a nostalgic festive quality and is so beautifully orchestrated and arranged, anybody that loves the music in the festive classics of Rankin/Bass and the animated version of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' will love the music here though it's a little more understated here. It's beautifully played and performed, with a beautiful and not too schmaltzy main song.
Had no issues with the dialogue, which was very sincere and had a lot of heart. It is always easy to follow while never being overly-simple, and it never takes the subject too over-seriously or too much of a joke. The balance is just right. While the circumstances of how the poem/story came into fruition is indeed fictionalised, that didn't matter in any way to me and it actually completely slipped my mind while watching. The storytelling is incredibly charming and heart-warming, the father's love is very clear and makes for a very touching bond. While never being overly sweet or too sentimental, thanks to some amusing moments in the first quarter and also in the telling of the story.
Really found myself caring for all the characters, with the most developed and likeable character being Clement, and rooting for things to turn out alright in the end. The voice acting is very good, Clement sounds so kindly and it makes him very inviting to listen to.
Concluding, wonderful and it is not hard to see why it's considered a Christmas classic by others. 10/10
Am kicking myself still at not seeing this very underrated gem sooner. It is great to see that it is fondly remembered and it is great to see that one can also find it. There are a few adaptations of the poem, which lends itself best to at the most 20 minute short film, about of 'The Night Before Christmas'. Including the early 30s Disney cartoon, Rankin/Bass' and also the very under-exposed Rabbit Ears adaptation, while liking all of those very much this is now my favourite version of 'The Night Before Christmas'.
It's hard knowing where to begin with praising 'The Night Before Christmas'. The limited budget does show at times in some stiff character animation (especially at the beginning), but on the most part the traditional animation was not bad at all. Especially impressive are the simple yet elegant backgrounds and the meticulous attention to detail in recreating the early 19th century period detail. The colours are lively and neither drab or garish. The music has a nostalgic festive quality and is so beautifully orchestrated and arranged, anybody that loves the music in the festive classics of Rankin/Bass and the animated version of 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' will love the music here though it's a little more understated here. It's beautifully played and performed, with a beautiful and not too schmaltzy main song.
Had no issues with the dialogue, which was very sincere and had a lot of heart. It is always easy to follow while never being overly-simple, and it never takes the subject too over-seriously or too much of a joke. The balance is just right. While the circumstances of how the poem/story came into fruition is indeed fictionalised, that didn't matter in any way to me and it actually completely slipped my mind while watching. The storytelling is incredibly charming and heart-warming, the father's love is very clear and makes for a very touching bond. While never being overly sweet or too sentimental, thanks to some amusing moments in the first quarter and also in the telling of the story.
Really found myself caring for all the characters, with the most developed and likeable character being Clement, and rooting for things to turn out alright in the end. The voice acting is very good, Clement sounds so kindly and it makes him very inviting to listen to.
Concluding, wonderful and it is not hard to see why it's considered a Christmas classic by others. 10/10