The Little Drummer Boy

by Classic Media

$16.95
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Average Rating: * * * * half star
Sales Rank:18248 (lower is better)
Price Used:$8.94
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Availability:Usually ships in 24 hours
Director:Arthur Rankin Jr.
Release Date:2004-09-14
Label:Classic Media
UPC:074645861197
Binding:DVD
Publication Date:2004
Published By:Classic Media
ASIN:B0002I82YQ
Category:DVD

Actors and Actresses

Editorial Reviews and Product Descriptions

Product Description

In this touching christmas classic a young orphaned drummer boy is kidnapped. After he escapes he searches for his camel and finds him in the manger of the baby jesus. He gives baby jesus the only gift he has a song on his drum. This song is the only gift baby jesus responds to. Studio: Genius Products Inc Release Date: 09/05/2006 Run time: 30 minutes Rating: Nr
Amazon.com

The model animation techniques in this 1968 Rankin and Bass TV chestnut are primitive by today's standards, and picky kids may reject them out of hand. The story, however, which elaborates on the popular Christmas song about a shepherd boy who plays his drum for the baby Jesus and makes the animals dance, is a little more tough-minded than you might expect. The kid begins the story as what we'd now call a neglected child, a surly urchin who says he hates all people. He's pulled back from the brink, first by learning to make music, and then by his encounter with the Christ child. The underlying message alone--that everybody has something worth contributing--qualifies the show for holiday-perennial status. The big-name voice performers, Jose Ferrer and Greer Garson (who narrates), may be a little too ponderous for the occasion, but the familiar cartoony tones of Paul Frees (aka Boris Badenov) and June Forey (aka Rocket J. Squirrel) help liven up the proceedings. It's only 23 minutes long, so it's worth a shot for younger children. --David Chute

Customer Reviews

Best Movie out there for Toddlers to Understand Jesus' Birthday - Reviewed on 2008-12-18
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1 customer found this review helpful.

I have a three year old, and a five year old. They got this movie today in the mail, and have watched it twice now. They love it! It makes sense on a level that they can understand. The story clearly describes the birth of Jesus Christ, and the true meaning of Christmas. I love the fact that the dialog and narration include actual Biblical scripture.(KJV) Wish I had seen this movie when I was a kid. Grew up in a Christian home, and understood the holiday, but not at the same age as my girls now do. Movie was made by the same company and in the same style as the Burl Ives Rudolph movie with the puppets. Already a Christmas favorite to be watched with all the other holiday favorites years from now!
The Little Drummer Boy DVD - Reviewed on 2008-02-22
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2 customers found this review helpful.

Probably the only true spiritual Christmas movie. Excellent story line and thought provking meaning of Christmas. Hope that it is some day remastered.
very sweet movie - Reviewed on 2007-12-08
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1 customer found this review helpful.

The movie is as good as I remember from my childhood but unfortunately the quality of the reproduction is very poor. My mother-in-law happens to have a copy of it on VHS that must have been made before the producers lost the 35mm original, because her VHS reproduction is much clearer than what's on my DVD. It's a real pity the 35mm was lost because it makes a big difference to watch it with the original quality. I imagine if someone redid the story from scratch it would be saccharine and puerile just like all the christmas movies made these days.

Anyway, as far as I can tell from searching for this item on other sites, this DVD is as good a copy as anyone is going to be able to find.
Better than Any Sunday Sermon. - Reviewed on 2007-12-02
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3 customers found this review helpful.

This is a fairly short Christmas special but it was made in the old days when a half hour on TV contained only four minutes of commercials. The best part about The Little Drummer Boy is its wholesome simplicity. The fact that it is so unabashedly religious is its strongest point in my opinion. Chasing the hate out of your heart and replacing it with love is a valuable lesson for all children, so I agree with another reviewer about its being a timeless family classic. It begins rather slowly but the last five minutes are absolutely outstanding and worth scanning back to watch a second time. The quotations from scripture give it its oomph but this also means that it would never be televised today on any of the big three networks. This might be a good DVD to buy because you probably won't catch it for free.
Christmas favorite - Reviewed on 2007-08-08
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3 customers found this review helpful.

When I was a little boy, Christmas time was never complete until I had the opportunity to see "The Little Drummer Boy" on TV. Now that it's out on DVD I don't have to wait to see it on TV. That's right, I still consider it a pinnacle of my Christmas traditions. It's a beautiful, but sad story about a little boy who loses his parents in a house fire deliberately set by some roaving thieves. He, along with his camel and sheep, teams up with a wondering junk dealer and low and behold winds up being at the stable in Bethlehem on the night of The Savior's birth. Since he lost everything he owned in the house fire, he decides as a gift for the new born King he would play his drum. Again, this is a beautiful story that leaves me in tears each time I watch it.
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