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Animation Damnation: The Little Drummer Boy (1968)

On this special holiday edition of Animation Damnation, we're chatting about the spooktacular holiday horror show, The Little Drummer Boy! 

Another bone-chilling Rankin & Bass production, this sucker originally aired back on December 19, 1968 and features this drummer boy banging his instrument right in Baby Jesus's face, a classic "ethnic" design on this villainous carnival guy, a bunch of animals that clearly understand English, Baby Jesus bringing a sheep back from the dead, and some of the most absolute trash stop motion animation ever recorded.

The Little Drummer Boy features the voices of José Ferrer, Paul Frees, June Foray, Ted Eccles, Greer Garson, and The Vienna Boys Choir as Themselves; directed by Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin & Takeo Nakamura.

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Original cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.

Animation Damnation: The Little Drummer Boy (1968)
Animation Damnation: The Little Drummer Boy (1968) Animation Damnation: The Little Drummer Boy (1968)

Comments

Oriental meant near Middle East. In biblical terms and how it’s being used here. I learned this because HP Lovecraft gave up his misogyny due to it being an oriental idea. I was like “ahh HP, your racism has made you feminist,” but he was referring to Christianity/Abrahamic religions in general. Its being used as antonym to Occidental seemed to claim the entirety of its meaning. Which now leads me to start calling dickhead westerners “Occidentals”

RJ Cunningham

I feel a little proud that Eric is asking questions and observing all this weird shit I am wondering.

RJ Cunningham

Meant to ask if any of you guys seen Twas the night before Christmas?

Dawn Elicia Billings

I grew up on A Year Without a Santa Claus, Santa Claus is coming to town and Roduplh. My favorite is Garfield Christmas is my favorite. You guys should do the three Garfield specials. As for this one is my least favorite. I’ve ever seen this one twice.

Dawn Elicia Billings

Do the sequel! Do the sequel!

Andrea Erin

If anyone's curious, the le Carré book Chris is referring to is The Little Drummer Girl, and it's a good read. It's about a young British woman who gets recruited by Israeli intelligence as a double agent in a Palestinian militant organisation. (So, uh, kind of topical.) If the foreword is to be believed, le Carré worked with both Israeli and Palestinian sources and the book came across to me as pretty even-handed. There was also a 2018 BBC adaptation but I have no idea whether it's worth anyone's time.

Cody

My grandparents loved this one, so I grew up with it in a way, but I always hated it so always stopped paying attention to the TV when they put it on (a major feat). About a decade ago I bought my wife a collection of the holiday shorts, Little Drummer Boy was included. Since then, whenever my wife puts it on I just do chores.

I.C. Weiner

The great irony of the song is that most versions contain no actual drums, but choirs singing “pa rump pa pum pum”.

Craig

Never saw this growing up, so put my WHM hat on to tear it apart… but maybe because of nostalgia for the other R&B specials, the fact I actually have a little Christmas spirit this year, and it was short… I didn’t hate it.

James Gibson

The Bowie version is great, but I’d also argue that the Johnny Cash version rocks.

Marissa Halat

Some of the best episodes of any WHM show are the ones where the gang struggles to want to talk about the actual subject. Some incredibly funny tangents will be had every time. Steve re: Eric doubting any Aarons in the bible: "Aaron was a Jewish prophet, a high priest and the older brother of Moses, you dumb fuck!" Andrew re: the movie Three Kings: "It's good when Ice Cube's in real movies." - Eric: "Also drinks too. Love that."

Busiris

Hell yeah! - Andrew

We Hate Movies

Andrew correctly standing up for eggnog

Jamie

Also hugely pro-eggnog guy right here, I stand with Andrew. Don’t know where the hell Steve gets the deviled eggs comparison from!!

Aaron Dowler

I grew up on all things Rankin and Bass and this one was a holiday staple.

TDB

Watched this on edibles. Not a bad night.

Rose Esposito

Big episode for me (my name is Aaron)

Aaron Dowler

Just watched this for the first time, and felt like Krusty afterwards: "what the hell was that!?". Should be a fun discussion!

Tony King

Oh I remember this...should be a fun listen.

Kerri Mellick IC#5695

The Little Drummer Boy is a pawn of Satan. Who the hell else thinks a good thing to do around a newborn and a post-partum mother is bang a drum?

Michael Daniels

You gotta do Rankin Bass’ Nestor the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey.

Supposing they brought

Watched it for the first time ever the other night in preparation for the listen! I’m getting ready to listen now.😊

Nena Aguilar

Pulled this movie up on YouTube and I have no recollection of ever seeing. I'm shocked.

John Locke


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