Here's one to tug at the heartstrings. A wounded reindeer and an
imaginative, eight-year-old Jessica Riggs (newcomer Rebecca Harrell in
her first screen role) form a strong bond as the girl nurtures our
little lost helper back to health. Jessica names him
"Prancer," and strongly believes with that he has lost his
way from the North Pole and Santa Claus - and Christmas Eve is only a
few day away! But when her depressed father (Sam Elliott, "The
Contender") finds out about Jessica's little secret, he has
another plan in store. Can Jessica save the reindeer before her father
puts an end to Prancer?
John Hancock ("A Piece of
Eden") directs from Greg Taylor's screenplay (who would later pen
the family hit "Jumanji") an d Prancer is a sweet and
unassuming little film. Taylor's plotting weaves a credible tale - the
family's hardships feel real, but Hancock adds a refreshing dash of
magic that kept my attention. It's easy to care for these down-on-
their-luck characters, especially given Hancock's fine direction and
the keen casting decisions. Most child actors try too hard, or
seem to know they are on camera and become ingratiating. But I was
taken aback by Harrell's down-to-earth, fearless performance and her
ability to convey so many emotions - this kid can act. And Sam Elliot
plays his typical brooding, macho Louie Lamour-like character, but is
thankfully unafraid to shed a tear or play slapstick. (This is easily
one of Elliot's best roles, though few probably remember it.) And I'll
never forget laughing so hard I couldn't breath when I first saw
Cloris Leachman (Oscar winner for Best-Supporting Actress in "The
Last Picture Show") in 1979's "The North Avenue
Irregulars." But her she plays a bit against type as a
flamboyant, mysterious loner with flaming red hair and orange lipstick
that would make a drag queen proud. And who can forget Rutanya Alda's
1983 Razzie-nominated performance in one of my all-time favorite
guilty pleasures, 1982's "Amityville II: The Possession?"
But Alda's much more dramatic here, and as the Aunt, she kindly
provides much needed warmth and almost steals the show.
It's true that some of the story can drag a bit, and Hancock may
let some scenes go on for too long. And famed composer Maurice Jarre
(1990's "Ghost") delivers a nice but not exactly memorable
score. Still, despite minor faults, there is a genuine sense of
childlike wonder here, and the fine cast doesn't condescend to the
material. Prancer's acclaim is well deserved, and this is a quirky,
down-to-earth treat fro the whole family. And be on the lookout for
Prancer Returns, due on DVD later this year. 
Video:
How Does The Disc Look?
Presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic
widescreen, this is merely an adequate transfer. Colors are generally
well saturated, though the overall look is rarely vibrant, and
fleshtones appear natural even in the bright, snowy environments.
Given the anamorphic encoding, detail is fairly good and images
generally sharp aside from some weak shadow detail, probably due to
aging. Contrast is a little hot sometimes with the blacks can be
lacking, resulting in poor shadow delineation with some evening scenes
appearing noticeably faded . Overall, the print is in good shape,
though some scenes appear a bit grainy. I noticed few instances of
edge enhancement, and other artifacting blemishes are very minor. This
is a good, but not great, transfer.
Audio: How Does the Disc
Sound?
The audio is presented in 2.0 Dolby Digital
surround. The fronts display some simple directionality but the
dynamic range lacks depth. The bass line of Maurice Jarre's score
excites the woofer more than other low frequencies. Dialogue is
thankfully very clear, though some ADR can be noticeable (I noticed a
few mismatched vocals over the action, which the mix only
accentuates). The surrounds are often engaging if subtle, used
primarily for ambiance with little panning from front to back or other
aggressive effects. Still, the subtlety suits the film and definitely
enhances the bigger scenes, such as the snow storm sequence. This is a
respectable audio mix and certainly fine for the material. 
A
constrained French mono dub is also included, along with English
Closed Captions and subtitles in French and Spanish.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
The only extra
is a non-anamorphic theatrical trailer.
Parting
Thoughts
Prancer is the perfect holiday film, and
surprisingly humble, well plotted, and well acted. I found the
transfer and audio to be just average, however, and too bad a few more
supplements weren't included. But even for such a bare bones
presentation, the low $14.95 makes this is a fair deal.
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