[edit] The Hobbit wasn't enough for them?
Strong Sad's wondering what a mystical sword has to do with Decemberween may be particularly inspired by Rankin/Bass's final stop motion production, The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus, which confusingly features an epic fantasy battle sequence.
From: Happy Dethemberween
Posted on: 14:50, 21 December 2007 (UTC)
Arguments for:
- The inclusion of high-fantasy elements in a Christmas special is a notably unusual characteristic shared by the two stories.
- Re: Arg. against #4: No other examples of stop-motion Christmas specials with in-depth fantasy elements have been offered.
- Re: Negarg 2: L&A is the only R/B to have serious unrelated fantasy. Santa Claus is Comin' to Town features the Winter Warlock, but he is used to explain flying reindeer. Hardly any of the immortals in L&A are actually used to explain a Santa aspect, leaving many young children (akin to the youngest Strong) confused about L&A's inclusion into actual Santa canon, or Santanon.
- Re: Negarg 5: the difference between fantasy and high fantasy may be something glanced over in a quick reading of Affarg 1. High Fantasy is fantasy more in keeping with the works of Lewis or Tolkien than simply fiction containing fantastical elements such as flying caribou. The climactic battle sequence at the end of L&A is the single only R/B work to have any such battle where the existence of something like a mythical sword could come into play.
Arguments against:
- High fantasy and Rankin/Bass are the only elements shared by the two stories, leaving the reference a little vague.
- This was not the only Rankin/Bass special to have unusual, not-so-Christmassy elements.
- The coincidence of the subject of the real special vs. the possible subject of this parody one is not enough information to warrant calling this a reference to this specific special.
- TTATOT
- Re: for 1 : In a Christmas special, there usually is fantasy, pretty much all the time.
- Re: Proarg 4: there is not enough of the special seen to extrapolate exactly what sort of fantasy is involved.
Additional comments:
- Entry #4 on this A. V. Club article explains the perception that Rankin/Bass famously jumped the shark on this one.
- Life & Adventures does not feature a mystical sword, but Ak, Master Woodsman of the World, does use a magical ax during the climactic battle.
- *sigh* Why has "TTATOT" become a one-word argument against everything these days? It's as "helpful" as "this fact isn't fun" or "it's probably coincidence", and there's very rarely a "that" or a "the other thing" in question. It's just an overused buzzword now. If this tired old term must be used, at least give other ideas -- specifically -- of what this fact could also be referring to.
- I agree that it has become an overused buzz word, and that people should try to give examples of the "that" and the "the other thing" instead of just lazily writing "[[TTATOT]]". writing that is non-descriptive and unhelpful. someone should raise the topic somewhere more related to such things, but for the moment, let's just focus on the fact at hand, okay?
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