Watch Rudolph's Shiny New Year

Rudolph's Shiny New Year is a 1976 animated television film that continues the narrative of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The film follows Rudolph, Santa's famous reindeer, as he ventures on an exciting adventure to find Happy, the New Year Baby. As the story unfolds, Rudolph is faced with a series of challenges and obstacles that forces him to call upon his friends and seek help from unexpected figures to complete his mission.

In the movie, Rudolph receives a plea for help from Father Time, who is desperately searching for Happy, the New Year Baby, who is missing. Happy, who is responsible for transitioning the old year to the new year, has run away because he doesn't want to grow up and become the Father Time of the next year. With only hours to go before the current year will end, Rudolph volunteers to find Happy, embarking on an exciting journey through time zones, encountering various mythical and historical figures, and braving the dangers in each location to rescue Happy and save the New Year.

Throughout the film, Rudolph is given a series of clues to Happy's whereabouts by Baby Bear, who acts as Rudolph's guide, and Big Ben, who acts as Rudolph's timer. Additionally, Rudolph meets a host of famous characters from legend and folklore along the way, including a caveman who lives in prehistoric times, Ben Franklin, who lives in colonial America, and Neptune, the ruler of the sea.

All along the way, Rudolph is pursued by Aeon, the vulture, who is determined to catch him so that he can use Rudolph's nose to keep time. To outsmart the vulture and reach Happy in time, Rudolph calls on the help of several friends, including a jitterbug, a whale named Big Ben, Montresor, a jack-in-the-box, and Old-Year, a comically-shaped year from the past. To further complicate matters, time is running out, and Rudolph has to solve several puzzles and overcome various obstacles to find Happy and prevent the New Year from being delayed indefinitely.

The movie features the voice talent of Red Skelton as Father Time, Frank Gorshin as the vulture, and Morey Amsterdam as Baby Bear. The film is filled with colorful and memorable animation, catchy music, and heartwarming moments that make it a classic family-favorite for the holiday season.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year explores timeless themes of friendship, determination, and the importance of keeping the traditions of the past alive, with a particular emphasis on the continuity of time and the importance of transitioning from one year to the next. The movie is a fun and engaging adventure that captures the spirit and magic of the Christmas and New Year season, making it an excellent addition to any holiday viewing lineup.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year is a 1976 animated movie with a runtime of 1 hour. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.