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Christmas Specials Wiki

I remember that winter,
because it had brought the heaviest snows I had ever seen.
Snow had fallen steadily all night long.
And in the morning I woke in a room filled with light & silence.
The world seemed to be held in a dream-like stillness.
It was a magical day.
And it was on that day, I made the snowman.

— Older James (Opening Narration)

This article is about the 1982 TV special. For other uses of The Snowman, see the disambig page.

The Snowman is a 27-minute non-verbal animated special produced by Dianne Jackson for the fledgling Channel 4, based on a 1978 illustrated children's book by English author Raymond Briggs. It was first shown on Channel 4 on Boxing Day 1982 and was an immediate success. The film was won a BAFTA and nominated for the U.S. Oscar® for Animated Short Film in 1983. It has been shown every year since and has become a part of British & international Christmas popular culture.

Like the book, the film is non-verbal, as the film also does except for the introduction and the song "Walking in the Air". The story is told through picture, action & music. It was scored by Howard Blake who wrote both music and lyrics of the song and also composed and conducted the complete orchestral score for the film with his own orchestra, the Sinfonia of London. "Walking in the Air", however, was written specially for it and, uncreditly, performed by a St Paul's Cathedral choirboy, Peter Auty.

In a list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes drawn up by the British Film Institute in 2000, voted for by industry professionals, the film was placed 71st. It was voted 4th in UKTV Gold's Greatest TV Christmas Moments.

Cast

Introductions Only

Actor Version Character
Reymond Briggs Original Brocasdcast/U.S. home media versions Older James (Narration)
David Bowie reissues Older James (Live-action)
Mel Smith 20th Anniversary (2002) Father Christmas

On the UK DVD releases, there's the opinional track where Father Christmas narrates throughout the special.

Gallery

See also

External Links

This page about a Christmas special or an episode from a television series with a Christmas theme is a stub. Please help the Christmas Special Wiki by expanding this article.
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