The Snowman

 It's the month of Christmas!  ...wait, no.  December, that's it.  

Anyway, its winter, which means Christmas specials!  And I would be remiss not to review one, which is by far my favorite Christmas themed children animation film ever.  The Snowman, from 1982.

The snowman is based off a book written by Raymond Briggs, the book is just a picture book, no words, everything is told through images.  The film also has no dialogue, only music and a soundtrack, not even any sound effects, I think, anyway.  not entirely sure...

anyway, the film follows a boys adventures building a snowman after a snowfall in his country home.  He adds a hat and tie, and an orange for a nose.  In the middle of the night he awakens to the snowman coming to life.

Various kid antics ensue as he invites the snowman, (who is very polite and takes off his hat while inside) into the house.  This includes exchanging various fruit for noses, putting on different clothes, putting on makeup, and riding a motorcycle across the landscape.  ....One of these things is not like the others, but I loved the motorcycle scene and music that accompanied it.

After wards, the snowman takes him on a journey to the northpole.  He can fly apparently.  Don't ask questions.  Despite my jokes above, I LOVE this scene, and the music, and...well, I have video, which someone else took, I own nothing.

God damn brilliant music, animation, and the only part of the entire film that has any vocals.  Anyway, he takes him to the north pole, that...also has penguins on it.  so it's also the south pole.  ...I guess it's just magic.  A snowman party happens, with more kid antics and fantastic animation, until he meets santa, who gives him a gift, and before the sun rises, the snowman flys back to the kids home, where he sleeps, gets up in the morning eagerly to go outside to see that...

...the snowman has melted.  the snowman melted?!  What, no!  This is illegal!  I'm not crying, your crying.

As a kid, this punched me in the gut with emotions, but as an adult it's less sad, since i have been through Life, which is a painful and saddening experience.

The Snowman is amazing, a true masterpiece, and it's probably my favorite Christmas film, even better then Nightmare Before Christmas, and I love that film.  If you haven't seen it, go watch it.  It's a msut see, I think.  10/10 would get punched in the gut with emotion again.