"You can be as good as your Dad, Robbie pupil!"
 

    Times are tough for Robbie the Reindeer. The Reindeer Games are looming
    large in his life, and the winner gets a coveted spot on Santa's sleigh-pulling team.
    But Robbie is hopelessly out of shape, and he has an awful lot to live up to.
    That's because his father - who shall remain nameless - is a certain red-nosed
    wonder who stormed the event and steered his way to stardom, one foggy night. 
    As if the burden of history wasn't enough, Robbie has a devious, all-conquering
    rival to contend with, in the form of super-fit, super-smarmy Blitzen. And he's
    fallen in love with Blitzen's icy girlfriend Vixen. Just one word from her and
    Robbie comes over all tongue-tied and twitterpated...

    This jolly Christmas romp is stuffed with knockabout fun and frolics and is very
    handsomely produced. It feels like an Aardman production, but in actual fact is
    a joint venture between BBC Bristol and the folks at Comic Relief, with proceeds
    from the video, book and broadcast sales going to worthy causes. And this being
    a red-nose vehicle, lots of Brit-comedy stars lend their voices to proceedings.
    Looming large on the writing credits is the name of Comic Relief founder and
    comedy script king Richard Curtis. He and Kevin Cecil and Andrew Riley have
    shoehorned in a wealth of Pop Culture references for folks to discover. There
    are "Star Wars" jokes and "Kung Fu" spoofs. The Games are ushered in by a
    trio of operatic walruses known as the Three Ten Tonners, and the events are
    commentated on by Des Yeti and Alan Snowman (a take on Des Lynam, who
    was the BBC sports host at the time, and football pundit Alan Hansen). Even
    the title, "Hooves of Fire", takes its cue from a certain Oscar-winning film.

    Like Rocky Balboa before him, Robbie is fine-tuned for action by a mad
    reindeer known as Old Jingle. And as he perfects his spectacular "nose-jump"
    so his affections are won by kindhearted Donner. Needless to say, Robbie
    gets himself on track, nose-jumps his way to gold in the steeplechase, and
    falls into the arms of young Donner. As Blitzen is revealed as a doping cheat,
    so Robbie and Donner borrow Santa's sleigh and zoom off for a romantic date
    on the moon - to the accompaniment of a little number written by Mark Knopfler,
    of Dire Straits fame.

    Robbie nose-jumped onto BBC1 on Christmas Day 1999. He went on to
    collect a number of animation awards, including three BAA's, an Annecy
    trophy for Best TV Special, and a rather lovely BAFTA Televsion Award.
    Little wonder, then, that Robbie jumped on into two sequels. "Legend of the
    Lost Tribe" premiered in 2002, with "Close Encounters of the Herd Kind"
    following on during Christmas 2007...

    » The film was recast for its American premiere, with such luminaries as
       Ben Stiller, Britney Spears, James Belushi and James Woods taking over
       the starring roles. Hugh Grant was the lone Brit in the new cast. He stepped
       in to Blitzen's shoes...

    » Before Robbie came along , director Richard Goleszowski brought us
       Rex the Runt. More recently, he filmed all those animal interviews for
       Aardman Animation's "Creature Comforts" series...

 

     Awards

     2001 Kinder Film Festival Tokyo - Best Animated Film / Children's Jury
     2001 Berlin Film Festival - Intl Jury Prize for Short Film
             Berlin Film Festival - Children's Jury Prize
     2000 Ottawa - Best TV Special
     2000 Annecy - Cristal for Best TV Special
     2000 BAFTA Television Awards - Best Entertainment Programme
     2000 Cartoons on the Bay - Best Character of the Year
             Cartoons on the Bay - Best Programme of the Year
             Cartoons on the Bay - Best TV Movie
     2000 British Animation Awards - Best TV Special
             British Animation Awards - Childrens Choice
             British Animation Awards - Best Scenario

 

     Robbie merchandise

     

     Robbie the Reindeer: Hooves of Fire
     32 pages / Penguin / October 2000

     This fab picture book was adapted by Glenn Dakin
     and illustrated by Delphine Thomas...

 

      Broadcast info

      "Hooves of Fire" premiered on BBC1, 25th December 1999, at 2.30pm.

 

     Robbie on DVD

      Robbie the Reindeer Collector's Edition
                Hooves of Fire/Legend of the Lost Tribe
                Region 2 double-bill / BBC / November 2003

     Robbie the Reindeer
                Hooves of Fire/Legend of the Lost Tribe
                Region 1 double bill / BBC / October 2003

 

     a BBC Bristol / Comic Relief co-production

      director:             Richard Goleszowski
      producer:           Jaqueline White
      exec prods:        Jeff Cahill , Richard Curtis (Comic Relief)
                              Helen Nabarro, Colin Rose (BBC)
      writers:              Kevin Cecil, Andrew Riley, Richard Curtis
      music:                Mark Knopfler
                              music & songs performed by
                              Mark Knopfler & Guy Fletcher
                              "The Other Side of the Moon"
                              sung by Jane Horrocks & Mikey Graham
      animators:          Chris Sadler, Richard Webber,
                              Timon Dowdeswell, Martin Dawes,
                              Alan Snow, Rory Bresnihan, Philip Beglan,
                              Tobias Fouracre, Pascual Perez Porcar
      prod runner:       Luke Youngman
      prod mans:         Mike Gittord, Kes Lynnemandwell
      dop:                   Fred Reed
      lighting camera:  Charles Copping
      camera op:         Jeremy Hogg
      gaffer:                Clive Scott
      models:              Allan Burne, Jo Conrad,
                              George Everard, Rachel Moore
                              Bridget Phelan, Sarah Warburton,
                              Lloyd Bridges, Gerard Wright,
                              Trisha Budd, Kyleigh Adrian,
                              Ben Sexstone, Tina Klemmensen,
                              Jeff Cliff Models
                              John Wright Modelmaking
      sets:                  Dave Garbe, Farrington Lewis
                             Judith Hague, Naked Design
      art dir:               Lee Wilton
      additional des:    Pete Smith
      storyboard:          Andy Jaynes, Wayne Thomas
     picture editor:    Andrew Hassenruck
     dub editor:         James Mather
     vid post prod:     Nick Brooks, Tim Bolt, Jez Batt
     dub mixer:          Cliff Jones
     GB voices:          Robbie Williams (Narrator)
                              Ardal O'Hanlon (Robbie)
                              Paul Whitehouse (Prancer)
                              Jane Horrocks (Donner)
                              Steve Coogan (Blitzen)
                              Caroline Quentin (Vixen)
                              Jean Alexander (Mrs Santa)
                              Ricky Tomlinson (Santa)
                              Rhys Ifans (Head Elf)
                              Harry Enfield (Old Jingle)
                              Tony Anscombe (Elf 3)
                              Alistair McGowan (Des Yeti / Alan Snowman)

     USA voices:         James Woods (Narrator)
                              Ben Stiller (Robbie)
                              Brad Garrett (Prancer)
                              Britney Spears (Donner)
                              Hugh Grant (Blitzen)
                              Leah Remini (Vixen)
                              Jerry Stiller (Old Jingle)
                              James Belushi (Tapir)
                              Dick Enberg (Des Yeti)
                              Dan Dierdof (Alan Snowman)

 

      On the web


      No links as yet, unfortunately...