Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976 TV Movie) User Reviews

Lovely sequel to a brilliant classic

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 9 December 2010]

As I've said Frosty the Snowman is brilliant, it is very memorable and charming. While not quite as good, perhaps because of the slightly routine story, Frosty's Winter Wonderland is still very good and infinitely better than the embarrassment that was Frosty Returns. The animation quality is colourful and vibrant, and the music is cheerful and jovial, as well as easy to sing along. The story while routine perhaps still maintains the charm that made the original so great, and the writing is funny and touching. The characters especially Frosty are very likable, and the voice acting is excellent. Overall, lovely sequel, not as good but very enjoyable and charming. 8/10 Bethany Cox

the original sequel

[kittiwake-1 · 8/10 · 8 December 2006]

This is the Frosty the Snowman sequel that I remember. It's not the cheesy "Frosty Returns" that is so sappy about the environment. I mean, come on, it's a Christmas special, and a thing to look forward to. I groan every time Frosty Returns comes on because I know it is not this movie, the original sequel to Frosty the Snowman. I don't know who decided to let the other have precedence, but whoever did needs to be fired or shot, whichever is more painful. In this delightful tale, the children realize that Frosty is lonely and they decide to make a "wife" for him. They get married, but will they live happily ever after? Not if Jack Frost has anything to say about it! Enjoy this one if you ever get to see it.

Best of the Animated Sequels of Christmas Cartoon

[Christmas-Reviewer · 6/10 · 3 September 2017]

BEWARE OF FALSE REVIEWS & REVIEWERS. SOME REVIEWERS HAVE ONLY ONE REVIEW TO THEIR NAME. NOW WHEN ITS A POSITIVE REVIEW THAT TELLS ME THEY WERE INVOLVED WITH THE MOVIE. IF ITS A NEGATIVE REVIEW THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE A GRUDGE AGAINST THE FILM . NOW I HAVE REVIEWED OVER 300 HOLIDAY FILMS. I HAVE NO AGENDA.

Rankin-Bass ran out of Christmas songs that they could turn into Christmas Specials. So in the 1970's they made sequels to "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", "The Little Drummer Boy" and of course this sequel to "Frosty the Snowman" this is called "Frosty's Winter Wonderland". Now there isn't much of a story so they incorporated the song "Winter Wonderland" into this special to mixed results.

What this cartoon was missing was Karen (The little girl who helps Frosty in the Original) and Santa Claus. What we get is Jack Frost who is presented here in this cartoon for the first time. Later he would get his own Television Special.

In this story Years have passed since Frosty left for the North Pole. However he does keep his promise to the children that he would be back again someday. When he hears the news about the first snowfall of the season, he comes back to the children. The children are excited to hear about Frosty's return and are overjoyed when he comes back to play with them. Later on the children make Frosty a wife. All this attention to Frosty makes "Jack Frost" jealous. What happens next you just have to see.

Of all the sequels made to the original animated Christmas classics this one is the best but it still lacks the charm of the original. It is however still enjoyable but not very memorable.

Rankin Bass Do It Again

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 29 December 2013]

Frosty's kind of lonely, so the kids think of making him a wife, Crystal. But will Jack Frost let them be happy?

While maybe not as powerful or memorable as the original, this cartoon deserves very much to be in the must-see canon of Christmas specials. The team of Rankin and Bass (not to mention Romeo Muller) consistently pumped out good specials year after year. Did they ever make a bad one?

Personally, I like this one better than some of the others simply because it has Andy Griffith, an actor I am quite fond of. With all due respect to Burl Ives and Fred Astaire, Griffith is the kind of guy who excelled at telling folksy stories (even if this was typecasting him).

Nice Tale for the Kids

[Michael_Elliott · 25 December 2010]

Frosty's Winter Wonderland (1976)

*** (out of 4)

Pleasant short for the Bass-Rankin team has Jack Frost getting jealous that he's never mentioned for doing good so he decides to try and sabotage Frosty's relationship with his soon-to-be bride Crystal. In terms of story there's really nothing too ground-breaking here but if you're in the right mood then it will at least put a smile on your face. As usual the story is pretty simple but that doesn't take away from any of the charm as the entire cast is in good spirits and do a nice job with their vocal work. Andy Griffith gets to sing a couple tunes and he does an extremely good job with them. Shelley Winters is fun as Crystal and Jackie Vernon plays Frosty to a nice effect. Paul Frees doing a nice job as Jack Frost and I really loved the animation they used on his look and movements. The animation is slightly better than what we saw in the 1969 film and the overall Christmas feel is certainly on-hand.

Sequel to Frosty the Snowman

[utgard14 · 6/10 · 22 December 2013]

Frosty's feeling lonely so the kids decide to make him a snowwoman wife named Crystal (voiced by Shelley Winters). But Jack Frost tries to ruin their happiness. Another pleasant Rankin-Bass Christmas special. This time a sequel to the classic Frosty the Snowman. The animation is fine but a step below the better Rankin-Bass specials, even if we exclude the superior stop-motion ones. The voicework is good, with Jackie Vernon returning as Frosty. Paul Frees is great as the villainous Jack Frost. Vets Andy Griffith and Shelley Winters are welcome additions. It's a nice, sweet special. Better than Frosty Returns in the '90s, for sure. Probably a bigger treat for the kiddies.

Wonderful "Winter Wonderland"!!

[lauraeileen894 · 10/10 · 22 December 2006]

This has been my favorite Rankin Bass special since childhood! In the lighthearted sequel to "Frosty the Snowman", we find Frosty (the incomparable Jackie Vernon) returning to the children once "someday" finally comes. Yet Frosty is unhappy... he has spent three lonely seasons in the North Pole, and even when he's reunited with his beloved band of kids, he's still lonesome (they always have to go inside, and they can't bring him along 'cause, well, he'll melt). Even worse, Frosty's popularity has incurred the wrath of Jack Frost (Paul Frees, Rankin Bass's favorite villain). He's determined to steal Frosty's magic hat to regain his popularity. Meanwhile, the kids conjure up the perfect cure to Frosty's blue Christmas: a snow-wife! So they build a lovely snow-wife named Crystal (Shelley Winters), who comes to life via the magic of love. She and Frosty hit it off immediately, but Jack Frost is now doubly jealous. Will the "icy miracle" of Frosty and Crystal's wedding melt Jack Frost's envious heart before it's too late? By 1976, Rankin-Bass's hand drawn animation took on a different, more Anime-inspired look, and it works. I thought Frosty looked better in this one, with more expressive eyes, smaller shape and a nice new scarf (hope it's not too warm). Andy Griffith is the narrator this time around, and he's absolutely superb. His familiar, down-home voice really fits the mood, and he also gets to display his most underrated gift: his excellent singing voice. The entire cast is in fine form, especially Vernon, who is the ONLY voice of Frosty in my mind. Winters is also good; her normally harsh voice is so warm and tender, you almost forget that this is the same brassy dame from "Lolita" and "A Double Life". Happy Birthday! What a great sequel!!

Frosty gets married

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 8 December 2018]

It's the sequel to 1969's Frosty the Snowman. Frosty is still in the North Pole hoping to return to the kids. News arrive that snow has fallen and Frosty returns to town. The kids are overjoyed and Jack Frost is jealous. Jack Frost steals the wrong hat. Frosty is lonely and the kids build him Crystal the Snowwoman. Frosty brings her to life with a bouquet of snow flowers. They are about to get married and Crystal invites Jack Frost to be the best man.

This half hour Christmas TV special is fine. It's not a classic like the first. I won't demean Frosty's wedding although Crystal could be better designed. Her hair looks like a mop. Jack Frost's design could be cuter. Animated Andy Griffith narrator is too ugly. The animation is a little less pretty overall and some of the charm has faded. This is fine.

The tale of Frosty the Snowman grows

[SimonJack · 6/10 · 31 October 2022]

"Frosty's Winter Wonderland" is an animated short film made tor the1976 Christmas season by Rankin-Bass Productions. It follows the first film made about this fictional character that was created in the mid-20th century. The first film was "Frosty the Snowman" in 1969. This film picks up with Frosty returning from the North Pole to visit the children as he promised he would.

And, in this fairy tale story, Jack Frost is a villain. He tries to stop Frosty from coming to life by stealing his magical hat, but gets a wrong hat. In the meantime, the kids help build a snow woman to be a companion for Frosty. When the children go to their homes at night, Frosty gets lonely. Crystal and Frosty frolic in the snow and foible the plot of Jack to make Frosty lifeless. Finally, they win Jack over so that they can all return to the North Pole and let the rest of the world have its seasons once again.

Andry Griffith narrates this story. Jackie Vernon is the voice of Frosty and Shelley Winters is Crystal. Paul Frees provides the voice for Jack Frost, and Dennis Day is Parson Brown.

The magic vanishes

[Horst_In_Translation · 4/10 · 13 July 2015]

This is another half-hour Christmas special from almost 40 years ago and Rankin & Bass made quite a few of them. Here they reunite with their regular writer Romeo Muller again. I have to say I liked the first Frosty short film, but in this one here, there just aren't too many interesting or moving factors sadly. The villain and Frosty's interactions with his new wife only had me glued to the screen for a very short time and I also do not think it was a good idea to make Andy Griffith's narrator visible in here. Oh yeah, Frosty's wife is voiced by 2-time Academy award winner Shelley Winters. All in all, I felt that this film lacked a bit of heart, which is quite a shame as the topic of getting a real permanent companion for Frosty offered lots of potential in that regard. But they came short. Not recommended.

A delightful sequel to the terrific original

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 20 December 2007]

Friendly Frosty the Snowman (voiced to amiable perfection by Jackie Vernon) returns from the North Pole to see the kids just like he promised to. Alas, Frosty feels lonely. So the kids make Frosty a wife named Crystal (given an endearingly sweet voice by Shelley Winters). But jealous Jack Frost (legendary voice actor supreme Paul Frees in peak snarky form) intervenes. This typically fine seasonal TV special from the ever reliable duo of Jules Bass and Arthur Rankin, Jr. possesses the usual sterling attributes: a gentle, happy tone, lovable characters (even Jack Frost ultimately turns out to be a decent dude), nifty animation, an engagingly simple and straightforward story, several catchy'n'cheery songs, a pleasant, merry score by Maury Laws, a tight running time, and a charming and touching central message about the need for companionship. Andy Griffith makes for a marvelously folksy narrator and even gets to belt out a few tunes in a hale'n'hearty singing voice. A real treat.

Great Sequel

[rmosher315 · 10/10 · 15 January 2003]

When I was a kid I had the vinyl version of this show and loved it. Too bad it wasn't included in the DVD version instead of the lame "Frosty Returns".

This is a charming addition to the original and well worth the half hour.

Perfect sequel to FROSTY THE SNOWMAN

[lordzedd-3 · 10/10 · 2 December 2006]

I got to admit that this is a perfect sequel to the FROSTY THE SNOWMAN tale. Narrated this time by Andy Griffith and with Shelly Winters as the voice of Crystal, it's the perfect addition to the story of Frosty the Snowman. Now I got to admit, the animation took a slight downgrade from the first cartoon and has a 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE Christmas look to it. But even the slightly less then perfect animation isn't dampening my fondness for this series of movies, in my book RANKIN AND BASS does it again. The story is cool, the voice talents is cool, the music is cool, the humor is cool. Other then the animation I can't think of one bad thing to say about this holiday special. Again, if you aren't into Christmas this isn't for you. I give it 10 STARS

A Frosty Movie I Like

[jeremycrimsonfox · 9/10 · 20 December 2019]

I never liked the original Frosty The Snowman, as growing up, I was more into Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Frosty's Winter Wonderland, the first sequel, I have seen, and I like it.

So, the plot is sometime after the original, Frosty keeps his promise and comes back to visit all his friends after hearing about the first snow of the year. However, the snowman's popularity causes the jealousy of Jack Frost. After seeing his sadness, the kids make him a wife, Crystal, which does not come to life at first, but Frosty's love does the trick.

Now this is a special I recommend showing kids, not the horrible Frosty special from 2005. This still has the heart of the original, and it has a good voice cast, with Jackie Vernon reprising his role as Frosty and Andy Griffith playing the narrator of this story. Plus, the story has a good moral.

Frosty Snow

[ThunderKing6 · 10/10 · 7 July 2021]

Great movie for little pagan children where they can sing, laugh and enjoy this product. Shows like this during Xmas time really did provide that pagan energy leading to that day.

Great fun, great animation, great memories and very positive.

This Really is a Winter Wonderland!

[Jace_the_Peanuts_Fan · 9/10 · 8 October 2023]

I've loved both this and the original Frosty the Snowman for all my life, and I got to admit this is the best Frosty sequel of them all! Unlike Frosty Returns and The Legend of Frosty the Snowman, the charm of the original remains, and Frosty is still the same smallminded yet fun-loving and innocent Winnie the Pooh-like snowman here. Unfortunately, none of the OG (original) Frosty characters return here besides Frosty and the policeman, but at least it brings back one of the characters other than Frosty, acknowledges and follows up the events of the first movie, and has little to no continuity errors, and thankfully Frosty and the cop are voiced by Jackie Vernon and Paul Frees (who also voiced Jack Frost) again. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about Frosty Returns and The Legend of Frosty. The animation is colorful, bright, pretty, and an improvement over the first installment. The music is beautiful, heartwarming, and cheerful. Unlike the first installment, this has little to do with Christmas, and no mention of Christmas is made at all, but at least there's a little bit to do with Christmas here (e.g., Frosty is shown in the North Pole at the beginning, he sings a brief snippet of Jingle Bells, the North Pole sign has a candy cane-like pole, and Winter Wonderland is sung). I can't say that same thing about the last two sequels, which have absolutely nothing to do with the holidays at all. The story has great morals about the importance of love, companionship, forgiveness, and friendship (more about that later)!

The title character looks mostly the same, but he now has a scarf. I think he looks better with it because it completes his look! Though he's still his original self, luckily he is given more personality here! He solves his problems with Jack Frost so easily: by offering him his friendship and asking him to be the best man at his wedding, which causes the latter to redeem himself! This is an obvious sign that the former isn't willing to hold a grudge against the latter. This shows an important lesson for all! Speaking of Jack Frost, he's an interesting character too! At first, everyone paid attention to Frosty and not him, which caused him to be jealous of Frosty and hate him because he (Jack) is the one who paints the world white and makes winter fun possible, not Frosty. That is understandable because he received no credit for giving children the opportunity to play in the snow and have fun. Like I said, Frosty didn't hold a grudge against Jack and wasn't upset with him at all, because the former, nor his new wife Crystal, nor the winter season would exist without the latter, which makes perfect sense! Why did Frosty and Crystal get married right away? How did the two of them know they were the right spouses for each other? They just met for the first time. They could've waited a while to get married, though luckily their marriage is still going strong as time goes on, as revealed in Rudolph and Frosty's Christmas in July. Just out of curiosity but I wonder if they included the song Winter Wonderland because its title is in the movie's title, or because its lyrics are similar to the movie's plot.

Like I said, I'm surprised none of the Frosty characters other than the title character and the policeman return here, however, I don't find that entirely unjustifiable. A new villain (Jack Frost) appearing in the movie makes perfect sense because the villain from the first movie, Professor Hinkle, redeemed himself at the end. Where are Karen and her friends? Unlike the kids from the first installment, the kids here are always seen together as a group, and none of them have names for some reason. At the beginning, they mention missing Frosty, and Frosty mentions missing them. How do the kids know Frosty? Have they met him before? It's possible that they (or at least one of them) are slightly older versions of the kids from the first movie because the red-haired girl looks like Karen with red hair and the day Frosty left is acknowledged. In 1970 (the year after the first Frosty came out), the kids' (all originally voiced by June Foray) voices were all redubbed by actual kids. This was released 6 years after Frosty's original friend group's voices were redubbed, so it's most likely that their voice actors were too old to return as their respective characters. If so, they could've brought back the OG kids and recasted them if the kids here aren't supposed to be older versions of the OGs.

If you're a Frosty fan, I highly recommend Frosty's Winter Wonderland. If you hate/dislike The Legend of Frosty or Frosty Returns or both and are looking for a good Frosty sequel, watch this instead!