SNAPSHOT
Red had the word at his hoofs, the most famous and talented reindeer on the sleigh. But fame, money, Does and his playboy lifestyle got the better of him. His fall from grace was epic, the party lifestyle getting out of hand, and eventually, he hung up his harness and began living a recluse life in his trailer on the outskirts of town. Filled with regret, and with only whiskey and cigarettes for company, one day he makes a decision to get back in shape and earn his place back at the front of the sleigh. (synopsis (c) Ritzy Animation via Laughing Squid)
Is there anything more inspiring than a cheesy ’80s montage video?
All right, there are plenty of things but in the context of sporting and life contexts, it’s in a glorious class of its own which is why no doubt Ritzy Animation chose to use it to near-perfect effect in their Christmas short film RED.
Rudolph has fallen on hard times, a drunken, cigarette-stained no-hoper living on the edge of town in a rotten caravan that has seen far better days, so long by the looks of things that it was probably in a state of disrepair back in the 1980s.
But then he sees a retrospective on his life that tells the truth in such unvarnished fashion that he is inspired to reclaim the bright, shining promise he once showed in festively emphatic fashion.
Does it all end well? Of course – it’s an ’80s montage video!
But watching it all play out is a real Christmas joy – funny, inspiring and packed full of some very fine animation.