ADDITION: Universal - Region FREE - Blu-ray - November 2018: Universal have released these fabulous original Christmas specials on one Blu-ray. The first 3 films each have their own disc, with "Cricket on the Hearth" and "Little Drummer Boy" sharing the final 4th disc. These 4 discs are all dual-layered Blu-rays and most films feature a very high bitrate. The image on the Rudolph Blu-ray is quite an improvement on the prior release, now with the correct colors after the backlash on the previous altered color balance. Damage is scarce but does make the occasional appearance. Most of these films appear as they would have on television, and have only been slightly cleaned up. The level of detail is impressive too, and this is true on most of the features. "Little Drummer Boy" probably comes off looking the worst, but that is most definitely due to the source print and the film's age.

Universal have provided many audio options here, which is a very welcome addition for French and Spanish speakers, as well as English. Rudolph has a 24-bit DTS-HD 5.1 English audio track, or the original 2.0, this is also offered in Spanish and French. This is also true of Frosty the Snowman. The other features vary in their options and can be seen in the above breakdown. There are optional English (and other languages seen above) subtitles on these Region FREE Blu-rays.

The extras are mostly on the first 3 discs, starting with the documentary "The Animagic World of Rankin/Bass". This 47-minute piece celebrates the legacy of these holiday specials that were created by Arthur Rankin, Jr. and Jules Bass. Included here are interviews with various filmmakers and historians. There is a commentary on "Frosty the Snowman" with animation historian, Mark Evanier. There is also a commentary on "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" with writer, author, and animation historian, Greg Ehrbar. These two commentaries provide an ample amount of information, especially with regards to the history and methods of animation. "Restoring the Puppets of Rudolph" is a 4-minute piece showing the work that went into bringing these puppets back to life. There was once a project to make a 4-D immersive experience out of Rudolph, eventually to be featured in a theme park. Though these plans didn't come to fruition, we are treated to this with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Attraction Film", an 11-minute feature that is quite beautifully rendered. Also here is the 11-minute, "Reimagining Rudolph in 4D" which is a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the new Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer attraction film. "T.E.A.M. Rudolph and the Reindeer Games" is a video storybook including the untold story of the Reindeer Games and this lasts around 14-minutes. Of interest to animation buffs, included here is a 1-minute original pencil test for Frosty the Snowman.

This wonderful Blu-ray collection of animation from Universal is pure nostalgia. The transfers are pretty good, and the accompanying documentary and extras are very worthwhile. Recommended, especially if you have kiddies.

***

ADDITION: Classic Media (Vivendi) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - October 2010: There isn't much to say here. My 2002 DVD is single-layered and interlaced (see sample). The new Blu-ray by Vivendi (Rankin/Bass sold the rights a few years back) may be bare-bones but the image is cleaner than the DVD and colors come to life although I can't vouch for their accuracy. Yukon Cornelius' coat moves from blue to green (?) but reds brighten up notably. Every visual facet is improved in the higher resolution (less artifacts and speckles, smoother in-motion etc.) with the 1080P Blu-ray providing a superior presentation in-motion.

Audio also improves with a lossless DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 2833 kbps. There isn't a lot sharp separation but everything is more dynamic (the DVD often sounded hollow) and the music is a giant leap forward. There are no optional subtitles on the new format transfer (there are on the DVD - see sample) and my Momitsu has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.

On the extras front - we lose the 10-minute Rankin introduction, Trivia game and TV promo. The Blu-ray has no supplements at all. There is some griping on the web about no commentaries etc. and this is a valid complaint with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer being a short enough feature (less than an hour) that something like that should have been included - especially at the price offered.  

The 1964 Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, for many, IS Christmas. I worked with a gal who actually had the little figurines on her desk year round. The underlying theme of acceptance is universal and I'm very happy to have this disc ready for my kids in late December after building a snowman, hot chocolate and a fire roaring in the fireplace! For 51-minutes, methinks, this is as good as life can get... 

Gary W. Tooze