Help Finding *Obscure* Cartoon

[Starscream]

Okay Playground, you are my last hope. Nobody remembers this but me, and I'm determined to locate it.

When I was little I had an animated Christmas special on tape. My parents recorded it in the late 80s or early 90s. It was on the USA Network (complete with commercials), and seems to have aired during prime time, which suggests it was at least reasonably well known at one point.

The special was mainly about Santa's elves. In fact, it may very well have been called "Elves", which makes Googling it pretty much impossible.

The elves looked like children, and wore floppy red hats. In fact, I think they were children, and there were older ones as well, but the cartoon mainly dealt with the young ones.

There were also trolls. At least I think they were called trolls. Maybe they were Yetis or something. They were big and covered in white fur and had long tails. Mostly they were portrayed as big shambling monsters, but the young elves find a baby one at one point and peacefully return it to its parents.

I also get the feeling that the dialog was dubbed. The whole thing was done in an animation style that reminded me a little bit of David the Gnome, and that makes me think that it may have been European. Although I can't rule out that it was Japanese, there is some anime from that era that kind if resembles it.

So, anyone ever see this thing? Any idea how I can find some information on it? Or did I hallucinate the whole thing, and should now call the men in white coats to take me away?

[Bhu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_of_David_the_Gnome

there were several sequels to David the Gnome...

it might also be this

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0300143/

[Starscream]

Hmmm. Nope, those aren't it. Good try though.

Wow, I think I may have actually stumped the internet. I remember The Cartoon That Time Forgot!

If I could just remember more details, I'd start a fansite, complete with tagline "The only fricking place on the entire interwubs where you will find mention of this thing".

I'm off to the You Know That Show (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/YouKnowThatShow) page on TvTropes. If they can't find it, then I'm officially the only person on earth that remembers "Elves".

I'll have a t-shirt made up, I swear.

[WalkingTarget]

Is this (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125861/) it?

[Starscream]

Is this (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1125861/) it?

Another good guess, but no. This aired in the late eighties, maybe 1990 at the latest. And it had a much less cartoony style of animation.

[Telonius]

I seem to remember something like this. Really preachy, as I recall. About a goblin prince that turned into an elf after getting religion. Can't say I remember much else about it though. (Can I get a reroll on that Bardic Knowledge, Mr. DM?)

EDIT: Yes, with +2 MW research tool bonus. (Thanks, Google!)

It's called "The Little Troll Prince. (http://www.amazon.com/Little-Troll-Prince-Danny-Cooksey/dp/6303598994)"

[Starscream]

It's called "The Little Troll Prince. (http://www.amazon.com/Little-Troll-Prince-Danny-Cooksey/dp/6303598994)"

I actually remember seeing that one when I was little. Weird cartoon, but still not the one I'm looking for.:smallbiggrin:

[Telonius]

Okay, at least you're not the only one (http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/movies/animated-christmas-special-cartoon-very-late-80s-early-90s-290592.html) who remembers it:


This would have aired in the mid to late 80's or very early 90's and is driving me NUTS. I can only remember tiny bits and pieces of this christmas cartoon that came on t.v. when I was little. It had something to do about one of santa's elves going to herd or round up the reindeer and a snow storm was comming. I think maybe one of the reindeer got hurt or stuck or something. There was a group of kids or elves that went out to help rescue them. One of the kids was sort of heafty. There was some type of snow monster(s) that had very tiny beady eyes that their hair hung down over and big noses. One of the baby "snow monsters" follows the kids and the big ones end up chasing them. There is one part where a reindeer kicks one of the snow monsters in the bottom and leaves it's hoof print on him; the monster goes back to the others and shows them. Another part I remember is a rabbit is being chased by a fox and the kids lay out some food for the rabbit. There is also a dog whose name I think is something like Wolfie (???) At the end they chase the snowmonsters away with torches or something similar and paint a sign with a picture of the monsters on it to keep them away. It also seems like at the very end of the movie the music that is playing sounds very similar or was the music to the song "Feed the World" . Thanks so much to anyone who remembers anything about this.

And the oracle of oracles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Christmas_television_special s) has a list of (supposedly) all Christmas specials.

[kamikasei]

Sigh. It seems my attempt (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=121375) to promote tipofmytongue (http://www.reddit.com/r/tipofmytongue) failed utterly.

[Telonius]

This one's from France: The Secret World of Santa Claus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Secret_World_of_Santa_Claus#Episodes). Wiki doesn't give the date, but with the "dubbing" you mentioned it could be it.

If it's not, I'm afraid my google-fu is too weak for this.

[Ashtar]

Could this list help? It's a list of all the animations with the keyword Christmas in IMDB.

http://www.imdb.com/keyword/christmas/?genre=animation&sort=release_date

[Starscream]

Okay, at least you're not the only one (http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/movies/animated-christmas-special-cartoon-very-late-80s-early-90s-290592.html) who remembers it

That's it! That's the one! I knew I wasn't mad! Now those fools at the institute will see it is they who are mad! Mad for not seeing the truth of my obscure Christmas special! BWAHAHAHA!

*ahem*. Thanks! That reminds me of some more details I can search for.

Edit:
Ooh. And here's a whole thread (http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/television/christmas-show-movie-80s-early-90s-254799.html) of people discussing it. And they still don't know what it was actually called.:smallbiggrin:

Nice to know I'm not the only one desperate to find this thing.

[Telonius]

Hmm, you know if he's right about "Do They Know it's Christmas/Feed the World" being part of the soundtrack, you've narrowed down the date a little bit. That song was written in late 1984, so your cartoon couldn't have been done before that date. It might have been tacked on to the credits music, but I'd be very surprised if it was made in '84. So I'll say that 1985 would be the earliest it could have been done.

[Evanallen10]

I loved this movie. I know you posted this thread many years ago, but I came across it last night searching for the name of this same Christmas special. My mom and I found it finally. It’s called A Christmas Adventure, and you can find it on YouTube. Merry Christmas. Hope it makes you feel nostalgic.