Amy Adler In modern times, a boy in Wales is sad that its raining outside, not snowing, for it is the night before Christmas. Fortunately, his grandfather (Denholm Elliott) is there to tell him stories and to help pick out the gift the little boy will be able to open on the Eve. Thus, Grandpa begins reflecting on his own Christmases past, when he was a boy. For one, there was always snow! (Admittedly, his memories are somewhat biased). Also, G-papa recounts the time he and his friends spent throwing snowballs at unsuspecting cats and trailing the postman as he trudged through the snow. One Christmas, there was a smoky fire in a neighbor's house and the boys had to run to the phone booth and summon the firefighters. When they came, much water was sprayed, as dishes and other fine objects hit the ground. Turns out, it was a pipe the gentleman of the house left burning in his easy chair! Then, there were toy soldiers to play with, walks on the chilly beach (the man's village was right on the sea), home-made nose muffs to wear, and pranks played on various relatives. What a beautiful place and time for remembrance among those folks in the present! Admittedly, this viewer would probably never have sought this film out if it had not appeared on a collection disc with other movies. Quite a mistake that would have been! The words of the poet Dylan Thomas are the foundation of the tale, for he wrote it, and the beauty of the prose can not be overstated! Then, too, Elliott makes a terrific narrator and the other actors do nicely as well. The setting is likewise lovely, an ocean village in the country of Wales. What a treat to see the scenery, costumes, and photography! Finally, the story is filled with humor and only the best of memories. If you live in Wales, Wisconsin, Wellington or Warsaw, doesn't matter, get your hands on this one!

bravenewworld-892-797819 I would like to add that in 2008 my company Brave New World Productions animated A Child's Christmas in Wales using traditional hand-drawn designs. I had always felt animation would be a wonderful medium with which to accompany Thomas's gloriously rich text. It allowed us to take the story into the realm of fantasy - dancing postmen, hippos appearing, mermaids --The voice over was provided in English and Welsh by Matthew Rhys. The film contains two songs performed by Only Men Aloud.The film was awarded a BAFTA in 2009 and nominated for a Kids-screen international award in 2010.Commissioning Broadcaster S4C Distribution - Parthenon entertainment, now a apart of Sky. The film was made in Cardiff and the live action sequence was shot in Swansea.

mandothing A Child's Christmas in Wales was also a British animated feature film produced by BNW and Sandman Animation Studio in 2008. The very glossy production, that went on to win the BAFTA award for best animated feature and has instantly become a Christmas replacement for the Snowman at Christmas times.The movie very cleverly weaves between live action sequence and animated sequences. It has everything in it for all the family at Christmas time. A turkey sandwich in one hand, glass of wine in the other and Achild's Christmas in wales on the television......what more could you be asking for.It is a wonderful production and very faithful to the books. A must see !

Mia-32 Watching this story on video has become a part of our family's Christmas tradition. The story is a gentle evocation of a Christmas past that grows more joyous with the passage of time. Denholm Elliot's narration, as the grandfather, is most effective in bringing the beautiful imagery of the poem to life.