Customer Reviews
Childhood imagination has never appeared so clearly - By: Stampy, 06 Jan 2009 
A young boy builds a snowman on the verge of Christmas & late one night, the snowman takes him on a journey.
If we are very lucky, then it will snow. It may not be at Christmas but the magical effect snow has on us never fails to cheer us up & it creates & brings back memories.
This charming Raymond Briggs tale tells the story of a boy who builds a snowman on the eve of Christmas & the pair go on a trip around the country & the world.
The simple concept of building snowmen is something that anyone of any age can enjoy but this animation short is all about James' imagination.
Christmas is the best time of the year for any child for the imagination it conjures which is justifiedin this fantastic film.
Santa, reindeers & the mystery of presents is something any child anticipates & they are able to appreciate the delicacy of imagination.
Any viewer will utter a gasp when we first see the snowman has come alive & from there we are treated to a truly magical festive tale of imagination & exploration as the snowman & the young boy share time together.
This festive cracker looks at differencesin life styles. We see the snowman adapting to the human's life by examining all their household items such as clothes, freezers & a joyous motorbike. Then we see James exploring the life of the snowman when he visits the North Pole where Father Christmas & many other snowmen are gatheredin festive celebration. These differences are quite remarkable, almost material against personal possession which gives the film a sentimental depth.
This 1982 animation is remembered for one of the saddest momentsin festive cinema history & the flinching moment never goes away no matter how many views it takes. 27 years on & it is still as significant as it was, a timeless piece of film.
The fact that there is no dialogue through out the half an hour makes it unique & special. It communicates through the movement & actions of its characters, particularly James who is now an iconic character.
His character continues to be debated today. Lonely? Friendless? Imaginative? All possibilities & the fact that the film finishes so dramatically, it leaves plenty of questions unanswered which are a joy to work out.
This festive film is a timeless classic through its semiotic imagery & its wonderful depictive version of childhood Christmas.
10/10
A Fine Classic I Re-Visit Every Year - By: DL Productions UK, 24 Dec 2008 The Snowman is the charming story of a young boy who finds a friendin a snow man, & visits his homeland. The animation is all done by hand, & isin a sketch style, & is very enjoyable, with vibrant colours & beautiful music accompanying the tale. The whole thing has no dialogue or narrative, & actually works well without. There is also the iconic "Walking In The Air" as the young boy flies with the snowman, heading north.
This is one of Raymond Brigg's best work, the animation stunning, the music forthright & the action still very exciting, & I have seenin nearly every year since 1990, & has great sentimental moments. I think it's quite enchanting how the boy finds a friend - as he seems to be rather lonely & just wants some fun. The story can still bring a tear to the eye - but it also can be quite joyful & make you feel happy & excited.
My favourite moment is when he's dancing with the other snowmen & women, it's just an iconic moment.
Shame there's not more animation like this - this is pure gold & worth every penny.
A true classic - By: S. Schofield, 06 Jul 2008 Like the title of this review says, this film is a true classic. It tells the story of a young boy who builds a snowman that comes to life at midnight. This film is the only film I have ever seen that is funny, magical & sad at the same time. It is also the first one that I have seen that had no dialogue in, but watching it now, I think that the filmmakers were right not to put any in. Having said that, I am SO GLAD that the enchanting song "Walkingin the air" isin it. I am also glad that it is hand-drawn, not computer animated. I know that, if you look at the film very closely, there are small errors, but, because they don't have any effect on the story, they really don't matter.
If this film is not part of your collection of videos or DVDs, you don't know what you're missing out on, & I urge you to buy it TODAY.
So beautifull, it is a classic forever! - By: Alexandra Fleming, 08 May 2008 Iv never failed to watch this film every Christmas since I was three. Im twenty-three now & it still enthrols me. I cry watching it every Christmas because it always reminds me of a little girl who loved watching this film on her daddy's lap on Christmas day & it still gives me the warm magical feeling like im a little girl again. I can't wait to pass this film on to my childrenin the future!
a classic that never gets old - By: butterflutterfly, 01 May 2008 
this is one of those films that no matter how busy you arein the middle of the Christmas rush, if it comes on TV you will stop everything & sit down to watch it. Buy it & bring a little Christmas magic to your children. My dream evening of animated classics indulgence would be watching this film & Suzie Templeton's more recent but equally magical Peter & the Wolf.
