I'm going to continue reviewing Rankin Bass's Christmas Specials on my Blog for the period of December, Besides blogging about my Animal Crossing towns.
Today's review, Nestor the Long eared Christmas Donkey. I do realize some people find this special depressing as hell, but I'm going to review it anyways. This is frequently airing on Freeform, formally known as ABC Family.
The special starts out with Santa Claus at the North Pole leaving with his reindeer to deliver presents on Christmas Eve. We are then introduced to our Narrator voiced by Roger Miller a donkey named Spiletoe who then talks about his ancestor Nestor the donkey who helped Mary and Joesph out during that First Christmas.
Nestor was a donkey who was born with long ears, much like similarly Rudolph was a reindeer born with a red nose. The other donkeys on the donkey farm as well as the other farm animals made fun of Nestor and his long ears. Even the donkey owner Olaf was a jerk and mocked him for being born different. The only person who truly cared for Nestor and was kind to him was his mother.
One night during a blizzard, some roman soldiers arrive at the Donkey Farm and purchase all the young donkeys including Nestor, that is until one of the soldiers notices Nestor's long ears and takes the rest of the donkeys for free leaving Olaf without money and with Nestor. Angry over loosing a sale Olaf cruelly tosses Nestor out into the snow and Nestor's mother's instincts kick in where she leaves her warm stall to search for her son. Nestor and his mother wander thru the blizzard where Nestor's mom digs a hole and Nestor lays in it with his mother covering him with her warm body. Tragically Nestor's mother dies that night.
The next morning the storm has ended and we see Nestor grieving over his mother's death. Her body is buried in a snowbank. Nestor is left alone and survives the winter by wandering thru the forest until he meets a cherub named Tilly. Tilly explains Nestor has a purpose and it will save a life, like his own mother sacrificed hers. They spend the spring, summer and autumn traveling to a place called Bethlehem. Nestor and Tilly arrive at a donkey seller's camp out in the desert with Tilly's instructions that he must wait here until he is ready. Nestor spends the remaining months being bullied by the other animals and mocked by them.
Then one night Mary and Joesph arrive at the animal farm in search of a donkey as Mary is expecting a baby that will take them to Bethlehem. The donkey seller tries to sell Nestor for a large sum of money, but after seeing pregnant Mary and receiving an unknown force the donkey dealer offers Nestor for free so they set out with Nestor guiding them and following a star.
Mary Joesph and Nestor get caught in a sandstorm and Nestor uses his large ears to hear the voice of the angels which successfully guides the donkey to Bethlehem. They arrive and Nestor takes Mary and Joesph to a stable where Jesus is later born. Nestor leaves the holy family and returns to his donkey farm where he is embraced by Olaf and the other animals.
The movie ends with Nestor saying Merry Christmas.
This special is very sad, especially with the part of Nestor's mother dying. I cried seeing it on television. Still it's a nice special that tells you God made you for a purpose. 7/10 stars
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