source: The Daydreamer

The Daydreamer

Out of all the animated features that Arthur Rankin and Jules Bass produced throughout the 1960's and 1970's for that manner,this one entitled "The Daydreamer" was very stale for its premise,and one of the most boring. This one which features claymation and live action sequences.It concerns a boy and his wanderings around the dreams of being with the characters (based on an anthology of stories by Hans Christian Anderson) to find adventures whereever he goes. The only thing that saves this film is Maury Laws' brilliant score along with several of the songs in which the characters that lend their voices to the songs can't save this film,and it loses interest very quickly. Great for the kids,but for older children and adults,be forewarned. If you liked good children's material from the team of Rankin and Bass,I highly suggest getting a tape of "Rudolph:The Red Nose Reindeer",and be satisfied.

I've always enjoyed Rankin Bass produtions, but this has to be my favourite. The other Rankin/Bas works, are great, but a bit sterilzed so that nothing goes out of bounds. The daydreamer was the first vehicle where Rankin/Bass could be a little loose and have fun, and it was aimed at all ages. I love Ray Bolger weaving in and out of scenes at random, throwing a pie here and there. It was a very clever movie, and by far outshines R/B's monster party.

OF COURSE I`VE SEEN THIS FILM!!! And quite honestly, seeing it over and over again, brings back so many fond memories of my childhood!! When it first came out, I was only a year old at the time, but as with most good childrens films, I always waited for the yearly reruns...(this of course being long befor VCRs). Now I own this film on video, and do watch it from time to time, and notice how sad it is that we dont see many of these claymation films anymore. The wonderful character voices of Patty Duke, Tallulah Bankhead, etc tec... you just dont find quality childrens films like this anymore. A classic in my opinion!! Children of all ages ...young and old , should see it! Two thumbs up from VEGAS!!

Delightful musical feature with thought-provoking lessons for both children and adults alike. A magical opening with Ritchard's "Sandman" sets the tone for an equally magical adventure through the mind of Hans Christhian Anderson. A memorable all-star cast accompanied by a whimsical score (who could resist "Isn't It Cozy Here!!"??). Not as good as Rankin/Bass' classic Christmas specials, but a winner, nonetheless.

Just perfect for rugrats and pre-schoolers. Several Hans Christian Anderson tales told by way of live action and stop motion puppetry. A diverse cast donated time and talent to this somewhat dated film. The cast features Ed Wynn, Ray Bolger, Patty Duke, Boris Karloff, Burl Ives, Margaret Hamilton, Tallulah Bankhead and Paul O'Keefe.

I loved watching this whenever it came on when I was a kid. I loved how they took a young Hans Christian Anderson and put him in the middle of the stories that would later bring him fame. The thing that I think was a great moral to this story was that it is better to stay and face your problems than it is to run away. Too bad it is not shown on broadcast television anymore for the few people who don't have cable or sattelite.

This Rankin/Bass production is quite a trip, and not the most lucid one, at that. Embarrassing cameos from a variety of stars, with "animation" well below par, considering their wonderful "Rudolph" specials. The story appears thrown together, connecting famous Anderson tales with an incoherent story line. How they managed to wrangle so many well-known voice-overs, I'll never understand. I grew up with Rankin/Bass, but did not see this film as a child. The DVD does make for a great conversation piece at parties, so I'd recommend the purchase. Perhaps, if they'd avoided the live-action segments, this film would have been a bit more enjoyable. The whole Ray-Bolger-running-around-with-pies is bizarre. Margaret Hamilton is wasted with about three lines. My 5 and 7 year-old nephews found it disturbing..."what about the 'cold tears from his hair'???"

Viewed this film many years ago and it always was a great film for children and adults. The cast of actors were all veterans of the screen, namely: Jack Gilford, Ray Bolger(The Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz) and Margaret Hamilton(The Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz) and the king of Horror, Boris Karloff (Frankenstein Monster). It also featured the voices of: Burl Ives, Tallulah Bankhead, Terry-Thomas, Victor Borge, Ed Wynn, Patty Duke and Robert Goulet. Karloff was the menacing voice of "THE RAT" in this internationally produced, live-action puppet fantasy. It is a MUST SEE to find out the complete story and ending.