Frosty's Winter Wonderland / 'Twas the Night Before Christmas (1974)

This third Frosty cartoon (narrated by Andy Griffith) isn't as good as the first two, Frosty the Snowman (narrated by Jimmy Durante) and Frosty Returns (narrated by Jonathan Winters). You'll like it but I realized this is mainly because of all the music and themes it lifts from the previous two shows. Basically, a jealous Jack Frost keeps trying to steal Frosty's magical hat and Frosty gets a snowwife (who needs a magical hat of her own). Lame programs typically pull plot devices out of their hat, but in this tale of musical hats, it's hats that are being pulled out from -- I don't know where. I give Frosty's Winter Wonderland 2.5 stars. On the other hand, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas is a season's classic that will never be forgotten, with Rankin-Bass animation and voice talent that's a delight. Added to the classic Clement Moore poem, it's the story of a clockmaker's human family and a sublet mouse family and how they help reconcile Santa with Junctiontown after the publication of a grinchlike anti-Santa letter in the town paper. 4 stars.