The Rankin-Bass production company made some amazingly good and timeless television specials. However, after completing their Santa trilogy ("Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer", "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "The Year Without a Santa Claus"),the studio continued making stop-motion specials....but with diminishing returns. This was mostly because Santa was a compelling character and instead of continuing to make Santa films, they branched off to lesser holidays and characters...with mostly poor results. The trilogy were all classics...but the follow-ups were poor by comparison...and often featured bizarre characters. One of the stranger of these later characters was Jack Frost...and it's a show that really isn't all that good.

The plot is in many ways reminiscent of the Christmas trilogy...particularly "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" and "The Year Without a Santa Claus" but this time the lead is Jack Frost. He apparently has fallen in love with a girl who lives in a Russian version of Burgermeister Meisterburger's town...and the baddie is also voiced by Paul Frees. I could say more about it...but don't think it really matters.

The animation quality is very nice. The story and writing are derivative AND bizarre...and the pairing of Jack Frost with the Groundhog was pretty weird. A confusing and strange film...well made but terribly written....and featuring very forgettable characters.

The media has gathered to see groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete greet the arrival of spring. A magical shadow appears and he scurries back inside for six more weeks of winter. Pete reveals that the invisible Jack Frost created the shadow as a deal between them so he can have more sleep. He tells the story of the one time that Jack Frost appeared to the people. Jack fell in love with Elisa from January Junction and asked Father Winter to turn him into human. Father Winter agrees to turn him for a winter and permanently if certain milestones are achieved including getting a wife. In addition, Father Winter turns Snip the Snowflake Maker and Holly the Snow Gypsy into humans to look out for Jack. Elisa is kidnapped by the evil Cossack king, Kubla Kraus, on his iron horse. She is rescued by Sir Ravenal Rightfellow. Kubla Kraus vows to send his ironman army to destroy January Junction. Jack Frost gives up his humanity to snow in Kubla and his army but spring is coming. The only way to extend winter is to create the magic shadow.

The main drawback is Jack Frost's voice. It's too old. He needs a boyish voice to match the boyish features on the new design. This Rankin/Bass Production is a little later than the original classics. Even though I like Buddy Hackett's voice, much of the narration is unnecessary. I like the story and I like the designs. This is a very good romantic story considering it's a children's Christmas special.

I love the Rankin/Bass holiday specials so much. The story here, told by groundhog Pardon-Me-Pete, is about the time Jack Frost became human after falling in love with a peasant girl named Elisa. It's a cute tale with a bittersweet ending. Love the snow gypsies, the Keh-Nights, and all the other little creative touches. The Rankin/Bass specials were so imaginative. The voicework is solid, with Buddy Hackett as Pete and Robert Morse as Jack. Paul Frees, who previously did the voice of Jack Frost in Frosty's Winter Wonderland, does the voices for Father Winter and villain Kubla Klaus. The songs are pleasant and fun. The stop-motion animation is gorgeous. Charming, delightful, and sweet. It's not the best Rankin/Bass made but it's very good.