Tockinit not horrible nor great

BroadcastChic Excellent, a Must See

SparkMore n my opinion it was a great movie with some interesting elements, even though having some plot holes and the ending probably was just too messy and crammed together, but still fun to watch and not your casual movie that is similar to all other ones.

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.

FairlyAnonymous The Snowman is an animated short (running at 25 minutes long) that is generally considered great or a masterpiece. Does it have moments of beautiful animation? Yes! There are some really cool shots of animation in here. However, those cool shots only last for a couple of minutes out of a 25 minute long animation. People don't really talk about its pacing issues, editing problems, and clumsy storytelling.The main issue I have with this animation is that 90% of it is about the kid and the snowman just exploring the house and looking at things. There aren't really any gags, it's just "Oh look, here is a TV. Oh look, here is a Christmas tree. Oh look, here is my room. Oh look, here is a motorcycle.". I should clarify that there is nothing wrong with telling a simple story, but there should still be some element of story. This short doesn't have any conflict, tension, or anything. Stuff just happens and that is it. At one point in the short, you can tell there is supposed to be some tension between the characters, but it is edited and told so poorly that it is impossible to really tell what the conflict is until much later... and even then it turns out to not have been an issue.Even the ending with Santa Claus feels a bit odd and there are certain moments where the editing and timing on the animation gets to a degree where it is nearly unwatchable.I guess my other big gripe with this short is that it pretends to be emotional, but there is very little build-up to the emotions so the pay-off doesn't feel very good. For instance, the death of the snowman is supposed to be a big deal, but it didn't give me any emotional reaction. The short is consistently like that. It will play tropes of better films, but it doesn't quite know what made those tropes work.Or maybe I just have a heart of snow and can't enjoy this. Could be that also.

Anssi Vartiainen I've watched this film on every Christmas Eve for as long as I can remember, and yet I still find it difficult to quantify just what about it makes my heart ache with Christmas spirit. Because for me this is very much one of those things that are required for my Yuletide to be complete.It is beautifully animated. It has that hand-drawn crayon feel throughout, and you can definitely see the art and craft of animation play out in front of you as the colours flicker in front of your eyes. It's instantly recognizable and beautiful in its own way.It is a great story. A boy builds a snowman and through the magic of Christmas that snowman comes alive on Christmas Eve, and the two share an adventure-filled night together. The ending is also one of those that are going to stick with you. It sure doesn't bother to pull any punches, but that's the beauty of it. It is a dark ending, but yet it also feels fitting. It's a shared generational experience.And the music. O' the music...In the end I have to admit that it is more than all those things. It is greater than the sum of its part, even though those parts themselves are pretty great in their own right. It's The Snowman and it holds a special place in my heart.

R. Russell Bittner I first came across this video in 1989 - 1990, bought it, then watched it every year around Christmastime with my two children before they went off to college (university). It became, in essence, a "family tradition" for our newly formed family of three: one estranged father; one son; one daughter.Although I can't really lay claim to being other than an aficionado of animated film, I would have to say that "The Snowman" ranks at the tippy top of my list of works of a similar art. The story...the music...the animation...are all immaculately conceived and executed.I can't recommend this video strongly enough to parents of young children. In our present-day age of video games and special effects, this simply drawn, animated film is a treasure -- and for the three of us, at least, an heirloom.RRB Brooklyn, NY, USA

mike48128 Re-released by Sony DVD in 2006, buy this if you can find it. Essentially a hand-drawn children's picture-book come-to-life. The animation style seems a bit crude at first, but as you watch, you began to realize that it is highly sophisticated and computer-assisted. Based on the book by Raymond Briggs, the drawings remind me of "The Polar Express" book. This animation style works for the most part, but the flying sequences seem a bit too grainy. (So turn down the "sharpness") The story is also magical: A young boy builds a snowman on the snowiest day ever and he comes to life. The Snowman wanders throughout the house, tries on clothing and false teeth, and watches television. They ride a motorcycle together. Suddenly, the boy and Snowman take flight and fly over the ocean to the North Pole. They spot a whale along the way. They both dance in the snowy forest with the other snowmen and snow-ladies. Santa gives him a Christmas Gift: a blue scarf to wear. The Snowman and the boy fly home together. The next day, the Snowman has melted away. Was it all a Christmas Dream? No. the scarf is in the pocket of his bathrobe.Technical: Animated in 1982, there is some dirt and negative wear on the transfer, but bright colors. Excellent sound. Scriptless except for the haunting song "Walking in the Air". Musical score throughout.Audience: Adults who love animation and most children. It's short--only 27 minutes in length. Originally shown (in 1982) on HBO with a new intro by David Bowie, the original intro is used here. Inspired a complete line of products in its day: bubble bath, soap, the original picture-book. I predict that if you have never seen this before, you will watch it twice the first time. It's that good. Mild PG: Very brief shot of a child's "rear" as he changes clothes to go outdoors. No worse than a similar scene in Disney's "Night Before Christmas" 1940's cartoon.