Christmas Is Here Again
5.2 /10 1 Votes
Director Robert Zappia Initial DVD release November 4, 2008 Duration Language English | 5.2/10 IMDb Genre Animation, Adventure, Comedy Budget 7.5 million USD (2008) Country United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Release date October 20, 2007 (2007-10-20) (Heartland Film Festival) Writer Robert Zappia, Marco Zappia (story) Cast Jay Leno (Narrator), Ed Asner (Krad), Kathy Bates (Miss Dowdy), Madison Davenport (Sophiana), Colin Ford (Dart), Brad Garrett (Charlee)Similar movies The Nightmare Before Christmas , Yes, Virginia , Elf , The Santa Clause , Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , The Santa Clause 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Christmas Is Here Again is a 2007 animated Christmas film released on DVD by Screen Media Films. The first feature production from the Renegade Animation studio, it was co-written, co-produced and directed by Robert Zappia. Narrated by Jay Leno, the film features the voices of Edward Asner, Kathy Bates, Madison Davenport, Colin Ford, Brad Garrett, Andy Griffith, Shirley Jones, Norm Macdonald, and Daniel Roebuck, and marked Asner's second role in a Christmas-themed film after the 2003 film Elf, though unlike that film, he does not play Santa.
Contents
- The roger whittaker christmas album christmas is here again
- Synopsis
- Cast
- Production
- Awards and release
- Reception
- Stage version
- References
The roger whittaker christmas album christmas is here again
Synopsis
Sophiana, an unhealthy orphan girl who carries a cane, sets out to find Santa's toy sack, (which is a magical source of toys since it was made from the baby Jesus' swaddling clothes) which was stolen thirty years previously by Krad as revenge after Santa stopped handing out Krad's coal to naughty children. She is helped in her quest by Paul Rocco, one of Santa's elves, Dart, a reindeer calf, Buster the fox, and his friend, Charlee the polar bear.
Cast
Production
Renegade Animation, an animation company located in Glendale, California and known for the TV series Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi and The Mr. Men Show, teamed up with Easy to Dream Entertainment to create Christmas Is Here Again. A small crew spent nine months on the principal animation, which was completed in mid-2006.
One of the songs in the film's soundtrack (as well as the film's working title) was "Who Stole Santa's Sack?"
Co-producer Darrell Van Citters, a Renegade staff member, once directed a Disney short called Fun with Mr. Future (1982).
Awards and release
Christmas Is Here Again premiered on October 20, 2007, as an official selection at the Heartland Film Festival. The following year, it received an Annie Award nomination for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production (Madison Davenport as Sophiana). Additionally, in 2009, Christmas is Here Again was nominated for the Annie Award for Best Animated Home Entertainment Production. Colin Ford, the voice of Dart, was also nominated for a Young Artist Award in 2009 for Best Performance in a Voice-Over Role - Young Actor.
The film was originally slated for a theatrical release in November 2007, but ultimately received its DVD debut in the U.S. on November 4, 2008. The disc contains a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast interviews and "Name the Reindeer", as extras.
Originally, the reindeer on the DVD cover had a red nose akin to Rudolph's. On the final version of the cover, it is black.
Reception
Richard Propes of The Independent Critic website gave it an A and 3.5 stars, calling it "an ideal choice for families, children and for Scrooges like myself who, somewhere deep inside, still want to believe".
Stage version
The Pacific Conservatory Theatre presented the premiere of a stage adaptation of Christmas Is Here Again by Brad Carroll and Jeremy Mann in November and December 2014.
References
Christmas Is Here Again WikipediaChristmas Is Here Again IMDb Christmas Is Here Again themoviedb.org