Christmas Is Here Again

Christmas Is Here Again
Directed by	Robert Zappia
Produced by	Robert Zappia Jim Praytor
Written by	Robert Zappia Marco Zappia
Narrated by	Jay Leno
Starring	Edward Asner Brad Garrett Andy Griffith Norm Macdonald Madison Davenport
Music by	John Van Tongeren
Distributed by	Screen Media Ventures DVD: Screen Media Films
Release date(s)	Heartland Film Festival: October 20, 2007[1] DVD: November 4, 2008
Running time	74 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	US$7.5 million[citation needed]

Christmas Is Here Again is a 2007 animated Christmas film released on DVD by Screen Media Films. The first feature production from the Renegade Animation studio,^[2] it was co-written, co-produced and directed by Robert Zappia. Narrated by Jay Leno, the film features the voices of Edward Asner, Kathy Bates, Madison Davenport, Colin Ford, Brad Garrett, Andy Griffith, Shirley Jones, Norm Macdonald, and Daniel Roebuck.

Plot

Sophianna, a crippled orphan girl, sets out to find Santa's stolen toy sack, which is a magical source of toys since it was made from the baby Jesus' swaddling clothes. She is helped in her quest by one of Santa's elves, one of Santa's young reindeer, a fox and a polar bear.

Production

Renegade Animation, an animation company located in Glendale, California and known for the TV series Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi and The Mr. Men Show, teamed up with Easy to Dream Entertainment to create Christmas Is Here Again. A small crew spent nine months on the principal animation, which was completed in mid-2006.^[2]

One of the songs in the film's soundtrack (as well as the film's working title) was "Who Stole Santa's Sack?"

Co-producer Darrell Van Citters, a Renegade staff member, once directed a Disney short called Fun with Mr. Future (1982).

Awards and release

Christmas Is Here Again premiered on October 20, 2007, as an official selection at the Heartland Film Festival.^[1][3] The following year, it received an Annie Award nomination for Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production (Madison Davenport as Sophianna).^[4]

The film was originally slated for a theatrical release in November 2007,^{[citation needed]} but ultimately received its DVD debut in the U.S. on November 4, 2008. The disc contains a behind-the-scenes featurette, cast interviews and "Name the Reindeer", as extras.^[5]

Originally, the reindeer on the DVD cover had a red nose akin to Rudolph's.^[6] On the final version of the cover, it is black.

Reception

Richard Propes of The Independent Critic website gave it a B+ and 3.5 stars, calling it "an ideal choice for families, children and for Scrooges like myself who, somewhere deep inside, still want to believe".^[3]

See also

• List of animated feature-length films

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Heartland Film Festival information for Christmas Is Here Again". Truly Moving Pictures. 2007. http://heartland.bside.com/2007/?_view=_filmdetails&filmId=32294332. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Renegade Animation Completes "Christmas is Here Again"". Digital Publisher Magazine. Digital Media Online. 2006-09-28. http://digitalproducer.digitalmedianet.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=69808. Retrieved 2008-11-05. 
3. ^ ^{a b} Propes, Richard (2008). "Review of Christmas Is Here Again". The Independent Critic. http://www.theindependentcritic.com/christmas_is_here_again. Retrieved 2008-11-04. 
4. ^ "List of awards and nominations". 35th Annie Awards. The International Animated Film Society, ASIFA-Hollywood. 2007. http://annieawards.org/35thwinners.html. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
5. ^ Yip, Roger (2008-09-09). "Christmas Is Here Again on DVD". DVDTOWN.com. http://www.dvdtown.com/news/christmas-is-here-again-on-dvd/5901. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 
6. ^ "Christmas Is Here Again". Screen Media Films. http://www.screenmediafilms.net/dvd.php?firstTitle=Christmas%20is%20Here%20Again. Retrieved 2008-11-07. 

External links

• Official website
• Christmas Is Here Again at the Internet Movie Database
• Christmas Is Here Again at AllRovi
• Christmas Is Here Again at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• Trailer at Screen Media Films website
• Conceptual sketches for the film by crew member Steve Lambe
• Production photos and original poster