Can you believe I have never seen this film in my 26 years of living? The Snowman (1982) is one of those classics of the season, especially here in Britain, and yet I have managed to avoid it for all these years. It hasn’t been for any particular reason; I have just never felt the need to watch it. But, seeing as I have severely reduced the number of classic Christmas films, I am yet to see over the years it felt the right time to finally give it a go. Also, it is 26 minutes long, so I had very little excuse. The film follows a young boy who builds himself a snowman. At the stroke of midnight, the snowman comes to life and takes the boy on a night-time excursion.
This review is likely to match the film in many ways, mostly in the fact it will be short and quite simplistic. After all, what is there really to say about this film? Despite having never seen it, it holds a place in my brain because of how heavily it is ingrained in the public zeitgeist. Despite the art style of the film being very minimal, it has also become iconic. The soft colours, the slight shading, the choppy yet floaty animation, it is instantly recognisable. And it is a style that suits the story and the way the film tells it. There is zero dialogue throughout the film, with the whole story told through the visuals. Seeing as it is aimed at families this leads to a narrative that is very simple, but it again adds to the minimal nature of the whole thing, and it helps create this atmosphere that feels magical or like a dream. And speaking of the film feeling dreamlike, I would be remiss to do a review of the film without talking about ‘We’re Walking in the Air’. It is the song that is probably more well-known than the film itself, and it is the most memorable moment throughout. It is here where the film really becomes dreamlike, with the song sounding very ethereal, and in relationship with the visuals, it adds to the most impressive moment in the film. And that is all there is to say really. It is very short and sweet, but it isn’t anything I see myself coming back to year after year. That being said, because of the short nature of the film, its simplistic nature, and its ability to tell a story purely through visuals I can see why it has become a staple for many. I will leave this review by saying that the version I watched opened with an introduction by David Bowie and, through no fault of the film itself, it was all downhill from there.
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