Odelecol
Pretty good movie overall. First half was nothing special but it got better as it went along.
DipitySkillful
an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
snafuone
This was a great cartoon i watched as a kid. It remains my favorite Christmas cartoon. Better the Rudolph! Better than Grinch, too! Just total innocence in this one. There's two little bears that are told about Christmas by the park ranger, and then they want to celebrate Christmas, like humans do. They're excited. The only problem is that it's wintertime, and mama bear wants them to hibernate for the winter. Then, confronted by mama bear, Mr. Ranger tells her about the legend of Santa Claus, and agrees to help the little bears experience Christmas so that they will go to sleep. The ending of this little Christmas cartoon will tug at your heartstrings, as the joy of Christmas is experienced by the little family of bears. I converted the VHS tape copy i have to DVD, so it will always be preserved. I will watch this every Christmastime that i'm living.I find that there is only one problem with this movie. It's a line i just cannot agree with. Mama bear tells the cubs, "I'm afraid Christmas is just for humans, not bears." I believe that the animal world celebrates Christmas with all the joy, love and excitement that humans celebrate it with. Animals of all types know very well about Christmas. God created them, as well as humans. I am certain that the animals know about God's love for humanity, because God also loves his animals. God loves all his creation.
lastliberal
Why would I add this to my Christmas list? Curiosity, for the most part, as it was produced and directed by Barry Mahon. Yes, the same Barry Mahon that gave us Blood of the Zombie, The Diary of Knockers McCalla, Nudes on Tiger Reef, and over 50 more films that make this one an unusual choice. I really wanted Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny, but have not found it yet.No zombies, no knockers, and the ax is just for cutting down a Christmas tree, not chopping off heads. Two cute bears cubs refuse to hibernate after the Ranger tells them about Christmas. They want to wait for Santa.Hal Smith, who played Santa in Billy Wilder's The Apartment, and voiced Santa in many productions over the years, is the voice of the ranger and Santa here.This is a really well done cartoon with great music and a story that kids of all ages will appreciate.
Tom Sanchez
"Santa and the Three Bears" certainly lacks the flashier artwork, pace, and musical scores of other Christmas specials, before, during, and after its production. But, the tale told in "Santa and the Three Bears" is simply told, an almost-buried virtue in television programming which, wrongfully, believes it has to be flashy and quick in order to maintain a child's attention. In that, it remains a much more timeless and welcome work that only reveals its specialness as the years go by.I saw "Santa and the Three Bears" when I was 10 years old. I loved it then and I love it now. The musical score is humble yet haunting, particularly the scenes in which the cubs prepare for Christmas and the hibernation of the bears just before Santa arrives. Again, a simple, simply-told, "bare bones" approach to storytelling that has the vastly-underrated Hal Smith playing a live-action and the animated Santa Claus (along with Mr. Ranger). I never tire of watching this because, unlike so many of its kind that hammer home the accepted notion of Christmas as a time of love, togetherness, and wishes fulfilled, "Santa and the Three Bears" stresses the importance of magic and wonder that come from belief in something unseen. Could it be God :-)? What a wonderful message to impart on people who cultivate cynicism as a badge of honor and do not see the impact that belief, magic, and wonder can play and produce in our lives. No other animated cartoon, in my memory, ever presented that message so gracefully, artfully, charmingly,and, for the third time (like the special itself), simply told.I'm glad "Santa and the Three Bears" is out on DVD. Also, Nana is another example of the completely overlooked vocal proficiency of the fine character actress, Jean Van Der Pyl (also the voice of Wilma Flintstone).
Emmjewels
An absolutely "fabulous" movie (my opinion and mine only). This movie always brings back some wonderful memories, and takes me back to my childhood. My nephew also loves this film and we have decided to make it a part of our "special" library. Although considered 'sappy' by some, there is an even deeper meaning to this film, and was wondering if anyone happened to catch on it what it was? Sorry that it is no longer being shown on television any more (regular or cable). Think the children of today, or at least some of them, would get a real kick out of it. My nephew is eleven years old and he watched the film every chance that he got, even when it wasn't Christmas. My original copy was destroyed by an old VCR, but now that I know it's available on DVD, will be purchasing it right away. A true "classic".
