For unabashed fans of Hanna Barbera, “Yogi Bear’s All-Star Comedy Christmas Caper” is a fun reunion of their heavyweights who band together to help a little girl find her father, and her father regain his love for his daughter. Whether it makes sense or not, this animated special is a short but sweet adventure where Yogi and Boo boo happen in to an accidental journey for good.
Yogi’s gang is on the way to Jellystone Park to visit the duo, all accompanying one another in their car for the holidays, while a mix up sends Yogi and his pal Boo boo to the city to meet up with their friends. While there, the duo are being hunted by authorities, two of whom are animal catchers anxiously trying to catch them. But when a rich tycoon’s daughter mistakes Yogi for Santa, he ends up bringing her along on his getaway and the two are now wanted fugitives. Now the gang from the studio must help restore innocence back to their name and not a single character is missing. Huckleberry Hound, Quickdraw, Augie, and Snagglepuss, just to name a few, are here to save the day, and help their friends.
Heck, even Fred and Barney show up for a cameo to help Snagglepuss evade authorities and collect their donations for their charity. The story is simple and adorable as Yogi and Boo boo help the little girl who wants attention and love from her father, all the while he is desperate to find her and reclaim the Christmas spirit he lost in the pursuit to help his business and give her everything she wants. The voice work is magnificent, particularly from Daws Butler who takes on a heavy duty role of portraying various characters including Yogi, Augie, Mr. Jinks, and Hokey Wolf just to name a few. Meanwhile there’s the legendary Mel Blanc as Barney, and a cast of skilled voice actors to lend their trademark characters some life for this Christmas romp.
A small dose of nostalgia, and a healthy fixture of the holiday cheer, “Christmas Caper” is an unassuming and subtle holiday treat with Yogi and Boo boo doing good instead of stealing. There is only one DVD feature with this new release and it’s the restoration of the added “Yogi’s Birthday Party,” another short treat involving the madcap ritual of celebrating Yogi’s day of birth with all of his pals, that ends in hilarity for the lovable wild animal. A cute little celebration of Christmas, “Christmas Caper” is a nostalgic re-release just in time for “Yogi Bear” the movie, and Christmas where Yogi and his pals from Hanna Barbera help out two lost souls during the holidays and entertain any respecting fan of animation in the process.