RUDOLPH THE RED NOSED REINDEER (1998)
This is a simple, and possibly on the face of it, an uninspired choice for my latest SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER. After all RtRNR is a commercial creation that ties into the MEGA-commercialisation that is modern-day Christmas.
However, oh ye of cynical mind, the reason for my choice is plain and simple and will be explained in 2 flicks of Rudolph’s cute derriere.
The RtRNR I refer to is a cartoon animation film featuring the voices of Eric Idle, Bob Newhart, Whoopi Goldberg and John Goodman as Santa. Not only is there a stellar cast, but the film features the Wings Christmas song “A wonderful Christmas time’ – I suspect Paul McCartney didn’t require the meagre royalties generated from this movie to supplement his income!
This film is not particularly special, except in so far as it is a classic tale of a seemingly-useless, bullied, good-for-nothing, much-ridiculed, different, no-hoper come good. In being so, it’s also the story of Everyman – it’s the story of us all. At the end of the day, Rudolph proving his worth to his peers is a stirring tale indeed, but it has little to do with why it is a SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER.
I say a lot of the above with tongue firmly in cheek, but I have a serious reason for my choice. RtRNR’s worthiness as a SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER, is the effect this film has on my children. Like it or loathe it, Christmas is one of the few times left to children that they can be, well … children. There are few other occasions when a young child can actually revel in the special moment of make-believe and dreams coming true.
For the past 6 years I have known when Christmas is getting close. It’s not the first robin, or smell of cinnamon (despite my earlier post) or snow – we get precious few white Christmases. No, it’s my son (he’s almost 10) asking me, “Dad, where’s the Rudolph video?” And my consternation as I have to remember where I hid it, er... I mean put it, is momentarily traumatic!
The delight in his and my 5 year old daughter’s eyes as they watch it, and knowing that Christmas Day is fast approaching, really (and I MEAN this) makes me forget the pandemonium in shops as one tries to buy even the simplest of items in the week or so leading up to the Christmas break.
So this may not be a popular choice, but for me it has such a special place with our family that I cannot avoid putting it forward as a worthy SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER.
We all have our own RtRNR equivalent – what’s yours?
However, oh ye of cynical mind, the reason for my choice is plain and simple and will be explained in 2 flicks of Rudolph’s cute derriere.
The RtRNR I refer to is a cartoon animation film featuring the voices of Eric Idle, Bob Newhart, Whoopi Goldberg and John Goodman as Santa. Not only is there a stellar cast, but the film features the Wings Christmas song “A wonderful Christmas time’ – I suspect Paul McCartney didn’t require the meagre royalties generated from this movie to supplement his income!
This film is not particularly special, except in so far as it is a classic tale of a seemingly-useless, bullied, good-for-nothing, much-ridiculed, different, no-hoper come good. In being so, it’s also the story of Everyman – it’s the story of us all. At the end of the day, Rudolph proving his worth to his peers is a stirring tale indeed, but it has little to do with why it is a SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER.
I say a lot of the above with tongue firmly in cheek, but I have a serious reason for my choice. RtRNR’s worthiness as a SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER, is the effect this film has on my children. Like it or loathe it, Christmas is one of the few times left to children that they can be, well … children. There are few other occasions when a young child can actually revel in the special moment of make-believe and dreams coming true.
For the past 6 years I have known when Christmas is getting close. It’s not the first robin, or smell of cinnamon (despite my earlier post) or snow – we get precious few white Christmases. No, it’s my son (he’s almost 10) asking me, “Dad, where’s the Rudolph video?” And my consternation as I have to remember where I hid it, er... I mean put it, is momentarily traumatic!
The delight in his and my 5 year old daughter’s eyes as they watch it, and knowing that Christmas Day is fast approaching, really (and I MEAN this) makes me forget the pandemonium in shops as one tries to buy even the simplest of items in the week or so leading up to the Christmas break.
So this may not be a popular choice, but for me it has such a special place with our family that I cannot avoid putting it forward as a worthy SPIRITUAL WEIGHTLIFTER.
We all have our own RtRNR equivalent – what’s yours?
posted by Drew Buddie | 12:09 PM
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