"Director: William R. Kowalchuk"

• Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Movie | DVD | (15/11/1999) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  Competing with the time-tested, 1964 original Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, with the abominable snowman, the misfit toys, the lovably clunky motion, and Burl Ives as narrator, is no easy task. So this feature-length, animated musical skirts a straight squaring-off of versions. The storyline is a bit more complex, with the abominable snowman's antagonist role played by the Whoopi Goldberg-voiced Ice Queen, Stormella, and Rudolph's running buddies depicted as a polar bear (excellently voiced by Bob Newhart) and, not surprisingly, a cutesy doe, Zoey. The animation is first-rate and completely convincing, making this new Rudolph ideal for the discriminating 3- to 7-year-old viewer. Stormella looks for all the world like a hybrid of King Triton and Ursula, the Sea Witch from Disney's The Little Mermaid. As for the story, none of it is either heavyhanded on the good vs. evil front for the younger set, or so sappy that it's intolerable for adults. As with so many animated features this decade, the presence of seasoned actors with experience in comedy makes for dialogue that's entertainingly nuanced. Since there are moments of tension and conflict, the comic relief is important and unmistakable, even for younger viewers. The themes are the same as the original, and the ultimate embrace by Santa (done well by John Goodman) of Rudolph's difference still packs a good lesson. --Andrew Bartlett

• Rudolph And The Island of The Misfit Toys | DVD | (12/11/2001) from £15.43   |  Saving you £-1.44 (N/A%)   |  RRP £13.99

  A sharp-looking computer-animated feature, Rudolph and the Island of the Misfit Toys, sees the return of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 37 years after his television debut. Using excellent voice casting with actors that sound like the originals, this new Rudolph looks and sounds grand. There's a mysterious Toy Taker gobbling up toys around the world. Rudolph and his team (including deer-friend Clarice, elf-turned-dentist Hermey and the abominable snowman) try to track the toys down and save Christmas again. While the setup and songs hold no candle to the original and the lessons learned are borrowed from Toy Story 2, the final third succeeds--it's always good to have a flying reindeer when you are chasing a blimp. Children aged three to nine who have seen the original will certainly want to see the sequel--however, their parents might be less enthusiastic. --Doug Thomas, Amazon.com

• In Search Of Santa | DVD | (22/11/2004) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  'In Search Of Santa' is the heart warming tale of two royal princess penguins who embark on a daring adventure to prove that Santa really does exist. Starring the voice talents of Hilary Duff as Princess Crystal and her sister Hailey Duff as Princess Lucinda the film follows the two artic birds on a pole to pole adventure to find the great man of Christmas. On the way the young royals must put their differences aside and work together to elude hungry predators outwit ornery pirates

• Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer / Rudolph And The Island Of The Misfit Toys | DVD | (11/11/2002) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer: (WS Anamorphic / English Subtitles / English Stereo) The exciting adventures of Rudolph the most famous reindeer of all come magically to life in this feature-length animated musical full of loveable characters and voiced by an all-star cast. Ridiculed because of his nose Rudolph runs away to the North Pole where he befriends Slyly the fox (Eric Idle) and Leonard the polar bear (Bob Newhart). When his friend Zoey a young doe is captured b

• Ben Hur (Animated Version) | DVD | (17/03/2003) from £21.02   |  Saving you £-8.03 (-61.80%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A spectacular animated adaptation of Lew Wallace's epic tale narrated by Charlton Heston. Judah Ben-Hur (also voiced by Charlton Heston) is a Jewish prince living under Roman oppression in the first century. When a friend betrays him to the authorities he is forced to work on the galleys and vows revenge. This timeless tale of love forgiveness and redemption culminates in a thrill-packed chariot race.