YMMV / The Snowman

• Adaptation Displacement: The film is far more well known than the Graphic Novel. The executive producer commented on this, as the latter's sales were going down in the second print - mostly due to the lack of dialogue preventing it being read as a bedtime story. The film therefore had larger appeal. Most notably, the original graphic novel didn't take place around Christmas.
• Awesome Art: How does the special recreate the look of Raymond Briggs' original colored pencil illustrations for hand-drawn animation? By actually animating it with colored pencil! It is exactly as awesome as it sounds!
• Awesome Music: "Walking in the Air". It'll rattle around in your brain for weeks after hearing it.
• Covered Up: A marginal case. While most people know "Walking In The Air" from the film, it was sung there by Peter Auty. However it's almost always incorrectly attributed to more famous choirboy Aled Jones, who released a popular single version. Auty was eventually given a credit in the film when it was remastered in 2000.
• Fridge Brilliance: The little girl with the snowman toy that looks exactly like the titular character in Snowdog looks on in amazement. Of course she'd have it - the original film was first opened by Raymond Briggs himself.
• Germans Love David Hasselhoff: The film version is not only an important Christmas tradition to Britons, but to Finns as well. The Finnish national broadcaster first aired the film on Christmas 1983, and has done so every year since 1992.
• Heartwarming Moment: The entire thing is pure Sweet Dreams Fuel, but the Snowman and James hugging goodbye was especially moving.
• Like You Would Really Do It: Zigzagged with the sequel, as Billy's elderly dog passes away in the prologue, but the titular Snowdog doesn't melt in the morning, instead being turned into a real dog.
• Misaimed Fandom: Raymond Briggs has stated that he never saw this as a Christmas story, but a reflection on death, and its status as a holiday classic was not intended. However, he does feel that the Christmas element worked well in the special.
• Signature Scene:
  • The "Walking in the Air" sequence from the film.
  • The Bittersweet Ending where the Snowman melts.
• Sweet Dreams Fuel: The whole film counts as this, especially "Walking in the Air". It's a sweet and lighthearted special with James and the Snowman having a wholesome and innocent friendship around Christmas. Just make sure to stop the film before the ending if you want it to last.
• Tear Jerker:
  • The ending. Holy mother of Christ on a bike, the ending. The boy goes outside to play with the Snowman, but then his excitement is cut short when he finds out the Snowman melted. Wondering if it was a dream, he looks into his pocket and comes across the scarf given to him by Father Christmas. After gazing at it wistfully, he kneels down and mourns for the snowman as the credits begin to roll.
    • The boy's house is nowhere to be seen during this, even though the camera revolves around and gives quite a wide shot. It's just... not rendered in any way, illustrating how alone the boy feels at that moment, as his parents will certainly not believe him if he told them.
    • Even just the melted state of the snowman is heartbreakingly pitiful to look at, as his discarded buttons look like a misshapen, sad face. He's gone from an adorable, beaming magical snowman to a lifeless, unrecognizable pile of snow.
  • For some, the theme song, "Walking in the Air". Especially when it's used in the Downer Ending, where it is played mostly on a piano in minor key.
  • The sequel starts on a grim note. A young boy named Billy and his mother move into what was James' old home with their elderly dog. Then we flash forward to some months later; Billy and his mother are busy outside burying their beloved pet.
• Viewer Gender Confusion:
  • Yes, that is a boy singing "Walking in the Air". His name is Peter Auty. He grew up to be an operatic tenor.
  • Some viewers mistook Billy from Snowdog for a tomboyish girl.
• Visual Effects of Awesome: Aside from the stunning colored pencil-drawn animation, there's the outright impossible-looking 3D flying scene. Yes, none of those sweeping, revolving camera shots use 3D models; all of it was drawn by colored pencils that you can get at any old stationary shop.

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