Kind of hard to imagine anyone laughing at this version of Rudolph and calling him names isn’t it? This is the kind of reindeer that might think about leaving a firm hoof print in the face, or somewhere else, of anyone that decided to doubt him come Christmas Eve or, well, pretty much any time since being a jacked-up, sleigh-pulling version of a child’s classic story is something that we don’t get to or hear of that often. Still, there’s something to be said for this short video since it is pretty funny and it does make you think. When you really get down to it though, a lot of people are in agreement that Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is kind of a mean but inspiring story since in the end Santa does come to rely on him quite a bit given that his nose is a beacon that helps jolly ol’ St. Nick to guide his sleigh so that he can continue to give hope and happiness to the children of the world. But there are plenty out there that might see this as vindication that turns swiftly into despair and back into inspiration.
Obviously the movie is stating that Rudolph fell on hard times after getting too big, maybe too fast, and then fading out almost entirely. Of course that’s not about to keep down one of the most famous reindeer of all time is it? The training montage that’s displayed shortly after gives a very Rocky feeling to it that’s a little intense but kind of funny since imagining that Rudolph is getting all ‘roided up and roaring like a mad beast is amusing as hell. This is the kind of reindeer that might actually scare the little kids rather than make them laugh since he’s a beefed-up individual that looks as though he could pull the sleigh all by himself without the benefit of a team. It does make you wonder though if he got this big in response to the jeers and catcalls of the other reindeer and then got so big because he was trying to show that he could hang with them but deep inside never really felt good enough somehow. Yeah, one could go insanely deep on this story since the idea of a person being bullied and called names has throughout the last few years been a huge issue since people want others to treat them well but can’t seem to stomach the idea that the world might actually harbor those that still want to bully others. Ale Russian of People has more to say on this matter.
Like any other Christmas story this one was meant to inspire and to amuse children and anyone that listened to it, but as you can see it’s been taken in a dozen different directions, and not always the most positive possible. Some have even gone on to say that as a story it should probably be banned since it showcases bullying, which is a bit ridiculous since if anyone goes through the various tales that a lot of us grew up with, a good number of them deal with bullying, abuse, and neglect on a level that makes the story of Rudolph look absolutely cuddly by comparison. It’s a story, one told to children to make them believe in the fantasy and the inspiration that can come from something negative. To think that the story of Rudolph and many others that we’ve grown up with might be under attack from an increasingly over-sensitive bunch that continue to gain ground is kind of disconcerting, more so than any idea of bullying or alcoholism that Rudolph might have gone through in this video. Trying to alter, change, or even challenge the tales from the past is something that might seem like a good idea to some people since the touchy-feely bunches of people that want everything to be PC and as nurturing as possible in this day and age want everything they see and perceive to be as positive and upbeat as it can be. But altering a story in any way, while not inherently negative, can be a mistake since it tends to ruin the whole message in favor of getting to the more positive part. Jennifer Christman of Arkansas Democrat Gazette offers her own take on the subject.
Yes Rudolph was bullied, he was teased, and he was excluded, but he became stronger for it and learned how to become self-reliant, not a weak-kneed PC individual that wanted acceptance and would advocate the kind of change that might shred his own story and make it irrelevant. If this movie shows anything it shows that Rudolph grew strong and confident but let it all go to his head. After the fall though it also became obvious that he was willing to get back in shape and do what it took to reach the top once again. Now that’s an inspiring Christmas story.
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