The Snowman - 30th Anniversary Edition [DVD] [1982]

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In the British Film Institute's 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, a list drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, based on a vote by industry professionals it was listed as #71. [3] It was voted #4 in UKTV Gold's Greatest TV Christmas Moments. It came third in Channel 4's poll of 100 Greatest Christmas Moments in 2004. The following morning, James wakes up to find that the snowman has melted, leaving only his hat, scarf, coal eyes, tangerine nose, and coal buttons in a pile of melted snow. James kneels down by the snowman's remains while holding his scarf, mourning the loss of his friend. John Walsh (21 December 2012). "Raymond Briggs: Seasonal torment for The Snowman creator". The Independent. Archived from the original on 18 June 2022 . Retrieved 23 December 2012. The film ranked at number 71 on the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, a list drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, based on a vote by industry professionals. [3] It was voted number 4 in UKTV Gold's Greatest TV Christmas Moments. It came third in Channel 4's poll of 100 Greatest Christmas Moments in 2004. Its broadcast, usually on Christmas Eve on Channel 4, has become an annual festive event in the UK. [4] A sequel, The Snowman and the Snowdog, was released in 2012.

The Snowman was re-released in 2002 as a DVD special edition and again as a DVD and Blu-ray 30th anniversary edition in the United Kingdom on 5 November 2012 by Universal Studios Home Entertainment UK. The 2002 special edition peaked at No.3 in the video charts. The 2012 home video release includes four extra features: a "Snow Business" documentary, Kate Greenaway Medal". Curriculum Lab. Elihu Burritt Library. Central Connecticut State University . Retrieved 18 July 2012. The Snowman @ The Lowry" ". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. 16 April 2010 . Retrieved 24 December 2020. Snowman producer John Coates dies". BBC News Online. 18 September 2012 . Retrieved 25 December 2012.Barber, Martin (24 December 2012). "The Snowman and The Snowdog animator revisits classic". BBC News Online . Retrieved 25 December 2012.

To celebrate the film's 20th anniversary, Channel 4 created an alternative opening directed by Roger Mainwood, with Raymond Briggs's interpretation of Father Christmas recounting how he met James, before giving his own variation on Briggs' monologue (including how the heavy snow left even him unable to fly) as he turns on his TV to watch the film, which the opening segues into. [15] Comedian Mel Smith reprises the role in this opening. This version is also cropped to fit a 16:9 widescreen format. Channel 4 used this opening from 2002 until Mel Smith's death in 2013, after which the Bowie opening was reinstated, which in turn returned the film to its original 4:3 aspect ratio. The story was expanded to fill 26 minutes and include a longer flying sequence which takes the boy to the North Pole and a party with Father Christmas which is not present in the picture book. The animators also brought in personal touches – a static sequence with a car is replaced by a motorcycle ride, as one of the animators was a keen motorcyclist and it was noted by Iain Harvey that this sequence kept "the action flowing after all the fun and comedy of the boy and the Snowman exploring the house and forming a friendship – and what could be better than a midnight run in a snowy landscape". [6] Similarly, although the boy in the book is unnamed, in the film he is named "James" on his present tag, added by animator Joanna Harrison as it was the name of her boyfriend (later her husband). [7] [8] Interviewed in 2012, Raymond Briggs recalls that he thought "'It's a bit corny and twee, dragging in Christmas', as The Snowman had nothing to do with that, but it worked extremely well." [9] The Bear – another book by Raymond Briggs which was also adapted into a 26-minute animated version and like this film was conveyed through music and action. This Hammerstien film plays much like most of their low budget projects. Cheap, poorly written, and executed without a clear sense of where to go. Bigfoot movies have always fallen into the camp material and this is no exception, though the set up had momentum. The brillant Peter Cushing delivers with the weak script. The other actors do the usual overacting that was par for the course in the early 60's. But what totally destroyed the project was the redicoulus hook for the Yeti. Mind reader? A higher life form? That's right, turns out we are neadrathals and it is the Yeti that is the well...an alien of highter speices. Of course this will beg a hundred quiestions. And I understand what they're trying to do, original but with all the alien movies at the time and little bigfo ot or Yeti projects, why not make a straight monster from himilayas movie? Because while the set up of Peter Cushings charictor was intreging and him going with these hunters of fame, the whole Yeti is superior intellegnce caused the film to fall apart. Now lets get to the kiss of death, the Yeti's costume. Granted this is the 60's and to pull off a belivable snowman would have been dificult esspiecally with a hamerstien budget but what they came up with was not only poor but insulting that anyone would believe that was nothing more than a man in there. The only reason I am not giving this film a poor rating was the fact that the director and producer did a good job with of the monastery and the layout of athenticty of the himilayas. And of course, the tremendus as always Peter Cushing. Read full review The Snowman: A guide to the music of this festive classic - and who actually sang 'Walking in the Air' | Classical Music". www.classical-music.com . Retrieved 4 June 2023.Singh, Anita. "The Snowman and the Snowdog: a first look". Telegraph Media Group Limited 2012 . Retrieved 16 August 2012. The Snowman and The Snowdog animator revisits classic". BBC News. 24 December 2012 . Retrieved 25 December 2012. The Snowman is a wordless children's picture book by Raymond Briggs, first published in 1978 by Hamish Hamilton in the United Kingdom, and published by Random House in the United States in November of the same year. In the United Kingdom, it was the runner-up for the Kate Greenaway Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British writer. [5] In the United States, it was named to the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award list in 1979. The boy's home appears to be located in the South Downs of England, near to Brighton; he and the snowman fly over the Royal Pavilion and Palace Pier. Raymond Briggs had lived in Sussex since 1961, and the composer Howard Blake was also a native of the county. [2] [10] Music [ edit ]