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The Abominable Snow Baby comes from the mind of the late Terry Pratchett, and while this animation looked interesting to check out, I’m someone who’s partly familiar with his works, but not someone who’s actually read his books.
However, I’ll never forget a lad at University, in my first year, who forever asked me, “Have you read any Terry Pratchett?”, despite my answer being “No”, the first time. That’s largely because I wait for TV and film adaptations 😉
We’re told that Albert Scruggins (voiced by Hugh Dancy), the Town Hall caretaker, wanted to follow in the job after his Dad and Granddad, with a neat touch being that in a photo with him and his Granddad, the latter is portrayed by Mr Pratchett.
He has a cat called Frambly, although quite why he seems to live in the council building, I don’t know. It gives a new meaning to “working from home”, however.
Back to the plot, though, and a few days before Xmas, he meets up with his granny (Julie Walters), who’s 98 and “in the prime of life”.
But after everyone’s snowed in, events transpire that they have a huge abominable snowman in their midst, although it soon turns out that he’s actually a baby. However, with his indeterminate speech, and confused behaviour, he comes across a bit like Mr Bean.
And, since he’s far from his mother, can they be reunited?
Overall, The Abominable Snow Baby is no ‘Snowman‘, but it is quite sweet, though; and no doubt, will be on TV every Christmas going forward.
The Abominable Snow Baby is on Channel 4 on Christmas Day at 7.30pm, and after broadcast, it will be on All 4.
It’s not yet available to pre-order on Blu-ray or DVD, but you can buy the MP3 Soundtrack album and Terry Pratchett’s books.
Director: Massimo Fenati
Short Story: Terry Pratchett
Script: Massimo Fenati
Storyboard: Victoria Budgett
Animatic: Sam Dransfield
Music: Stefano Cabrera
Voice cast:
Granny: Julie Walters
Albert: Hugh Dancy
Narrator: David Harewood
Mr Tanwar: Ramesh Mahtani
Snow Baby: Massimo Fenati
Snow Woman (and additional voices): Brett Lampart
Police Sgt (and additional voices): Steve Cole
Reviewer of movies, videogames and music since 1994. Aortic valve operation survivor from the same year. Running DVDfever.co.uk since 2000. Nobel Peace Prize winner 2021.