Christmas Is Here Again

Christmas Is Here Again
Directed by Robert Zappia
Produced by Robert Zappia
Jim Praytor
Written by Robert Zappia
Marco Zappia
Starring Edward Asner
Brad Garrett
Kathy Bates
Andy Griffith
Norm Macdonald
Madison Davenport
Narrated by Jay Leno
Music by John Van Tongeren
Production
company
Easy to Dream Productions
Renegade Animation
Distributed by Screen Media Films
Release dates
Running time
 74 minutes
Country United States
Language English

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,[2] 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 Elf, he doesn't play Santa.

Synopsis

Sophianna, a disabled orphan girl, 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 is stolen by Krad who wants revenge after Santa stopped handing out 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, Charlie 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.[2]

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.[1][3] The following year, it received an Annie Award nomination for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production (Madison Davenport as Sophianna).[4] 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.[5]

Originally, the reindeer on the DVD cover had a red nose akin to Rudolph's.[6] 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".[3]

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.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Heartland Film Festival information for Christmas Is Here Again". Truly Moving Pictures. 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08.
  2. 1 2 "Renegade Animation Completes "Christmas is Here Again"". Digital Publisher Magazine. Digital Media Online. 2006-09-28. Archived from the original on 2011-07-10.
  3. 1 2 Propes, Richard (2008). "Review of Christmas Is Here Again". The Independent Critic. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
  4. ↑ "List of awards and nominations". 35th Annie Awards. The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. 2007. Archived from the original on 2012-02-08. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  5. ↑ Yip, Roger (2008-09-09). "Christmas Is Here Again on DVD". DVDTOWN.com. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  6. ↑ "Christmas Is Here Again". Screen Media Films. Retrieved 2008-11-07.
  7. ↑ "Christmas is Here Again". Pacific Conservatory Theatre. Retrieved 27 October 2014.

External links

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