Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (1976) Review

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland (1976) Review

Rankin/Bass brought back the beloved Frosty character seven years after his original TV special aired, but this time, he wasn’t alone. The kids decide Frosty needs a wife, so spend half of the show’s runtime making her, naming her, and trying to bring her to life. One kid thinks taking the hat from one of their horses will work. Hah, idiot, didn’t he hear the original Frosty story? You need a magic hat. Duh. 

Jack Frost, that little winter demon dude, isn’t happy all the kids like Frosty and don’t appreciate him. He tries to steal Frosty’s hat, but his plan doesn’t work out so well. Jack Frost is a whiny jerk, but towards the end, when Frosty and his girlfriend, whom they name “Crystal”—get it? Because, like, ice crystals?—Frosty asks Jack to be the best man at their wedding. Oh yeah, but a regular parson can’t marry them, so they make a Snow Parson. Remember when Frosty was a unique character, because he was the only one of his kind? Now they’re making snow people left and right and bringing them all to life with magic. Ironically, bringing so many snow people to life takes some of the magic out of the storytelling, don’t you think? 

Frosty’s Winter Wonderland is just like a fresh winter snowfall: it’s extremely fluffy. Not a whole lot happens over the course of the 24 minute runtime, the songs are mostly repeats, and we’re back to the whole “Happy Birthday!” every time a snow person comes to life. Rankin/Bass purists will appreciate the return of the animation style from the original Frosty special, and Jackie Vernon is back as the voice of Frosty, but I don’t think this one is as good as the original, or the later Frosty Returns. But, it does bring back most of what made the original a classic, so if you love the original, you’ll probably still enjoy this one.