A Miser Brothers' Christmas (2008)

I didn't really care for this one. For me, it was just a big waste of time watching it. I wouldn't have even bought the DVD if it hadn't already with a box set. I don't like how Mother Nature was so sweet in the first one and then in this one, she's totally evil! Not to mention, the dolls looked nothing like they did in the first one. All in all, I felt like the writers basically just threw a bunch of garbage together and called it good. I would not be surprised if Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass watched it and were really upset.

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS & SPECIALS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.Mickey Rooney and George S. Irving reprises their respective roles as Santa Claus and Heat Miserat ages 88 and 86 Snow Miser, originally portrayed by Dick Shawn who died in 1987, was voiced by Juan Chioran, while Mrs. Claus, voiced by Shirley Booth in the original, was portrayed by Catherine Disher (because Booth had died in 1992). The movie aimed to emulate the Rankin/Bass animation style. This is the last Christmas special to feature Mickey Rooney as Santa Claus, as he died in 2014, as well as the last time George Irving voiced Heat Miser, as he died in 2016.The plot is that the feuding Miser Brothers attend their family reunion with Mother Nature and their fellow siblings North Wind, Earthquake, Thunder and Lightning, and the Tides. North Wind passively asks Mother Nature what might happen if Santa would be unable to complete his duties on Christmas. She responds that North Wind would take control instead. Self-absorbed and vain, North Wind becomes fixated with the idea of replacing Santa Claus as a way to achieve personal glory.This special was made because over the years the original "The Year without a Santa Claus" had become very popular. The original songs from that special "The Snow Miser Song" "The Heat Miser Song" are so popular that they were re-worked into this special. Now this lacks the charm of the original. That film made the viewers that they were part of the plot. This special isolates the viewer so you have no connection to the outcome. If you love the original then watch this but don't expect lighting to strike again.

Everything connected to the Miser Brothers characters was good and could have translated to a simple story about learning to work together.The North Wind was a completely unnecessary character that was not needed to tell the story... but of course every story NEEDS a villain... oh, except The Year Without a Santa Claus, where this story comes from.Also, hire decent songwriters. REAL songwriters. Contemporary songsters DON'T necessarily write properly for musicals.If you're going to revisit a story and characters, you need to try a little harder than this. This just felt like an obligatory release in order to keep a recently acquired intellectual property... oh like one from Rankin Bass to Warner Bros....But the animation was good, and the character design was fun. I didn't understand the many critiques against this, when the crime was in the storytelling and the songwriting.

My biggest gripe on this one was not Snow Miser or Heat Miser...it was the other characters in this story. I think they did a decent job with the two main characters, but outside of them everything was beyond terrible. They did not even try to replicate the characters. They all looked different.....much cheaper. The elves for example looked not as detailed...they looked like an after thought. In fact, most of the elves were kids or kids with mustaches. Mrs. Claus looked like that lady from Sylvester and Tweety...you know the granny that hits Sylvester over the head with a cane. Santa Claus......it's hard to describe....he looked like he was from another story...not a Year Without Santa Claus. Mother Nature? The same. Why no Jingle and Jangle? Seriously why do a half attempt. It is almost like they were rushing this out for Christmas and said...oops we gotta get this out in a couple days hurry up design some characters.On top of that, the music was terrible....besides playing the Heat Miser and Snow Miser themes on more than one occasion. They even had Snow Miser sing "He's Mister Green Christmas". Then had Heat Miser sing "He's Mister White Christmas". Any opportunity to play this song possible. Other than these songs......hardly a thought was given to the music.I did enjoy baby Snow Miser and baby Heat Miser. And seeing both Characters again.It was nice to hear the original Santa and Heat Miser voices included....although both voices where different due to the fact both men are now in their 80's.....especially Santa. I really had no gripes with Snow Miser cast. Everything else...URGH! I ask why they just could not do this right. Make the Characters look at least somewhat like they used to...which means include Jingle and Jangle. Spend a little more time coming up with decent Christmas songs.It hurts me to say this but...........thumbs down.