Here Comes Peter Cottontail
Here Comes Peter Cottontail
NR | 04 April 1971 (USA)
Here Comes Peter Cottontail Trailers

Peter Cottontail wants to be the #1 chief Easter Bunny, and everyone in April Valley agrees...except for Evil Irontail. Peter must deliver more eggs than this archrival to earn the top spot...and save Easter for children everywhere!

Reviews
AnhartLinkin This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.
Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
Dirtylogy It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.
Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
MissSimonetta Unlike Christmas, Easter doesn't really get that many TV specials made in its honor. It really is a shame, since Here Comes Peter Cottontail is every bit as worthy of TV airtime as the beloved Christmas Rankin-Bass specials.The music is all memorable, my personal favorites being "Be Mine Today," "Hope is There," and most of all, the wistful "If I Could Only Get Back to Yesterday" sung by the multi-talented Danny Kaye, who narrates the story. The characters are fun, save for Bonnie the Bonnet, whose voice is a bit grating. Vincent Price steals the show as the malicious Irontail, out to revenge his maimed tail by ruining Easter for the kids. Casey Kasem is appealing and tons of fun as Peter.The special is great for kids, but its charm and messages about responsibility and hope will appeal to older folks as well. It's good viewing, whether it's Easter or not!
BaronBl00d First-rate Rankin-Bass production that ranks at the top in terms of Easter/Easter Bunny holiday fare. I grew up with this one and loved it then and love it as much if not more now. It has a nice story with some wonderful lessons laced within, great stop-motion animation the way only Rankin and Bass can do it, the vocal talents of Danny Kaye and Vincent Price, and the beautiful, catchy music of Maury Laws. Peter Cottontail oversleeps from staying out late partying when he is supposed to compete the next morning against the wicked Irontail only to lose the challenge and see Irontail take over April Valley. There Irontail, with magnificent vocal gusto from Mr. Price, makes numerous changes from changing Easter bonnets to Easter galoshes and egg colors only to new concrete and black. Peter, now social pariah, makes his way out of April Valley to find Mr. Sassafras who hooks him up with a machine that can go back in time with French-speaking caterpillar Antoine as his pilot. Peter and Antoine then make their way through all of the holidays of the calendar as Peter learns true lessons about life. The message in this one is universal and fun at the same time. Maury Laws songs are just wonderful from "The Puzzle of Life," "In Spring the Easter Bunny Never Sleeps," "Be Mine Today," and my personal favourite "If You Can't Get It Altogether Improvise." Danny Kaye resoundingly does the voices of three key characters, and it is clear he and Vincent Price are having a lot of fun. The figures are lovely and I always had a soft spot for January "Boom-Boom" Irontail and his cry "Come Montressor! Away!". I wish they could still make them like this today. I wonder - and doubt - if much of the animated junk they churn out will last and have the same impact on it viewers that this still holds on its over 35 years ago. Well, I'm feeling old - if I could only go back to yesterday and get a second chance.
Julia Arsenault (ja_kitty_71) I love animation from Rankin/Bass, along side with Walt Disney Studios, Hanna/Barbera and Max Fleischer Studios. This is also one of my favorites (out of the three) Easter specials along with "The First Easter Rabbit" from 1976. You know, I was very lucky to buy it on DVD, because they show it on TV anymore now...DAMMIT! I love it whenever Peter lies, his left ear droops. Of course I am left-handed, so it would be the right ear. I also love the Valentine's skating party scene, where he meets Donna a cute little girl bunny. The casting for Peter Cottontail I think are top-notch, like Danny Kaye as Seymour S. Sassafras, Antoine and Col. Wellington B. Bunny; Vincent Prince as January Q. Irontail and I love the talents of Vincent Price. And Scooby Doo's Casey Kasem as Peter Cottontail himself.
superc13 What is easily one of the best Rankin and Bass specials, is also the most obscure. The story follows Peter basically traveling to different holidays (because Easter is lame) not unlike "The Nightmare Before Christmas". The most memorable scene is of course, Halloween. The enemy is very cool as well, an iron-tailed rabbit named, er, Irontail. I definitely recommend this for anyone who likes "Rudolph" or "Mad Monster Party".