User reviews

He-Man and She-Ra join forces to stop their respective galleries of rogues, as well as Transformer rip-off villain Horde Prime. After a convoluted way of joining our world with Eternia (not as bad as the live- action movie) a pair of Earth Children are lost over the Christmas season. If they spread the message and joy of Christmas it could ruin Horde Prime's plans. The twins bounce between heroes and villains, before ending up with Skeletor, but surely such an evil villain as he will be immune to the warmth and happiness of Christmas. It's a lot of daft fun that brings in weirdos such as the Manchines. With the mixture of fantasy fairies, sci-fi soldiers, monsters, medieval knights, and giant robots, it's certainly trying to cover all of its toy potential bases. The message really is in the right place, acknowledging that presents can be fun but are not everything, and that not everybody celebrates Christmas. It's the importance of its message that we should focus on. If you're an 80's child, you'll really want to see this.

Saw this with my kiddos after we had watched the Netflix remake, so the most enjoyable part was trying to identify the old characters with them. The plot is truly incomprehensible, and, despite the length (almost 45 minutes!) it questions the notion of a Christmas special. Despite the length (almost 45 minutes!), the only holiday elements are a trip to earth, which is covered in snow, and a he-man Santa Claus. It's mostly just an excuse for a rare He-Man/She-Ra crossover. Because of course we need more of those! By far the coolest thing about the story is how Skeletor gets the holiday spirit, saving two kids and their dog from the grinch-like Horde Prime.

He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special (1985) is a movie I recently rewatched for the first time in a long time on Tubi. The storyline follows some children that are accidentally sent to Eternia at the worst time ever, just before Christmas. Initially, they run into Skeletor and his horde which sounds like doom and gloom; but when Christmas is at risk, could Skeletor change his ways and save the day?

This movie is codirected by Bill Reed (Earthworm Jim) and Ernie Schmidt (Duck Tales & Mighty Mouse) and contains the voices of John Erwin (Babe), Alan Oppenheimer (Westworld), Linda Gary (Switch), Melendy Britt (Cheers) and Lou Scheimer (Chappie).

I absolutely love this movie and it brings so much nostalgia back from my childhood. The He-man music is classic and it's always fun seeing Eternia. She'Ra's grand appearance is epic as is Skeletor and his zings at any and everybody. The ending is surprising and very entertaining; and I must say, Skeletor truly steals the show.

Overall this is a very fun movie that is a must see for anyone who grew up in the 80s. I would score this a 7.5/10 and strongly recommend seeing it once.

As a fan of He-Man and She-Ra, I enjoyed this special. In it, Eternia is celebrating Prince Adam and Adora's birthday. and the heroes of Eternia are getting help from Etheria's Great Rebellion to get things set up, which is reminding Queen Marlena of Christmas (this is based on the original shows, where Queen Marlena is from Earth). Meanwhile, Prince Adam and Adora is called into action, transforming into He-Man and She-Ra when Orko gets caught launching Man-At-Arms' new Spy Eye, especially when Skeletor goes after it in his Collector. However, a magical mishap warps Orko and the Sky Spy to Earth, where the silly Trolla saves two kids from an avalanche. He brings them back to Eternia, and they bring Christmas to Eternia, which causes Horde Prime to order their kidnapping.

Yeah, this may be a cheesy Christmas special, but it's a good one. Just like every episode of the two series (He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe and She-Ra: Princess of Power), there is plenty of action. Yep, even in a Christmas Special, Skeletor and Hordak are going to cause trouble for everyone. It still has the cheesy humor the shows are known for, and it has a good moral about the meaning of Christmas.

Every christmas I see the classic xmas films.This year I wanted to remember this one.Its not as good as the secret of the sword but it's got funny characters and a good script to follow.Give it a chance with your kids.

How do you bring Christmas to Eternia? Orko, naturally. Plus some kids that need to get back home; the plot's as trivial as you'd expect from a MOTU holiday special, but it has its moments. I've always been an Orko fan myself, and he fares the best of the impish '80s cartoon sidekicks. Then again, this is also just another excuse to hear Skeletor complain a lot, especially with his beef with Hordak.

I have no memory of this as a kid, but it's cheesy fun as an adult. It received a whining appraisal by my 9 year-old too, so that's another plus.

This is very good little animated movie of My favorite animated heroes!Though there isn't a ton of Skeletor and Hordak's henchmen but the two big time villains show their stuff quite well!Its really a different He-Man and She-Ra story but if you like them then is a good one to watch!

He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special

Hanging with 1980s cartoon characters is really awkward since they're always trying to sell you their old action figures or one-hour holiday specials.

Therefore, it's no wonder that the children in this animated movie are ill at ease spending their first Christmas with He-Man.

When the wizard Orko magically transports a spy-ship from Eternia to Earth, he meets two small humans who got lost while looking for a Christmas tree.

When Orko later returns to Eternia, he brings them and their Christmas spirit along, which intrigues Orko's friends: He-Man and She-Ra.

However, Horde Prime fears good cheer, so he orders his underlings Hordak and Skeletor to kidnap the earthlings.

With both He-Man and She-Ra's supporting cast present, as well as a lighthearted Skeletor, A Very Special Christmas is a holiday feast for fans of all ages.

Unfortunately, on Eternia, the only meat served during Christmas dinner is My Little Pony. (Green Light)

I had the opportunity to sit down and watch the 1985 animated Christmas special "He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special" here in 2023, so I did so with my son, wanting to introduce him to another cartoon from my childhood.

The storyline in "He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special", as written by Don Heckman and Bob Forward, is adequate. I mean, it wasn't the most thrilling or overly innovative of written material for neither a He-Man nor She-Ra stand-alone feature. It was watchable for what it was, for sure. But don't get me wrong, because it is not bad. It just had a certain generic feel to it.

If you enjoyed the 1980s animated series of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe" and/or "She-Ra: Princess of Power", then you will certainly also find some enjoyment in this 1985 Christmas special. And thankfully, directors Bill Reed and Ernie Schmidt managed not to turn "He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special" into a "Star Wars: Holiday Special" monstrocity.

The animation and art style in "He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special" is good. But then again, I've always enjoyed the 1980s animated series of "He-Man and the Masters of the Universe", so of course I also enjoyed this one.

It is a fair enough tale to sit down and watch with the kids for the holiday seasons actually.

My rating of "He-Man and She-Ra: A Christmas Special" lands on a five out of ten stars.

Two Children become lost when they go to find their family's Christmas tree, befriended by Orko they set about to bring the goodwill of Christmas to Eternia.

In 1985, in the hight of this popularity came this hour shy Christmas special. Filmmation's offering works just like the He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and its spin-off She-Ra episodes. Even though a commercial for the twist waist & power punch action toys it also had some great stories and morals to share, this is more of the same. Naturally there's the recycling of the same cells but there's plenty of new footage including cute children, a puppy and Adam dressed as Santa Claus.

When Alisha and Manuel visit Eternia their goodwill attracts the unwelcome attention of Horde Prime and Skeletor. The tale switches between planets and this special has a mix of fantasy elements synonymous with both shows - fairies, soldiers, monsters and (also thrown in are Transformer-like) robots.

Amongst the action set-ups there's some nice writing from Don Heckman and Bob Forward with plenty of sugary cuteness and animated visual treats. Look for Orko's nod to Ghostbusters. For fan's it bridges Earth to Queen Marlina, there's the on screen mix of Eterniain and Etheria characters and Skeletor's transition from super villain to reluctant nice guy. After Hordak orders Skeletor to kidnap the kids there's a great scene where they explain Christmas to Skeletor:

Skeletor: Tell me more about this "Christmas."

Miguel: Well, it's a wonderful time of the year. Everyone has lots of fun.

Skeletor: You mean they get in fights?

Miguel: No, no - they have fun!

Skeletor: Fights are fun. I like fights!

Miguel: And you give each other presents.

Skeletor: And when you open them, they explode, right?

Miguel: No! They're nice gifts.

Skeletor: Nice? Doesn't sound like much fun to me!

Priceless. Today, 30 years later directors Bill Reed and Ernie Schmidt offering may have trouble keeping up with the pace and style of contemporary cartoons but it's a heart warming story, fitting for the seasonal period, complete with some catchy songs and all the regular character favourites (voices from legend Alan Oppenheimer, John Erwin and Linda Gary to name a few).

While possibly not the best Christmas cartoon, that prize is up for debate, it's still has great nostalgic value and is great viewing for children.

Okay, if you actually watch this seriously you'll think it's rubbish.

BUT if you watch it for all the unintended(?) jokes and campiness, you'll probably laugh til you cry like I did!

No, it doesn't really deserve 10/10 when you take an analytical look at it, but for overall fun and light-heartedness I'll give the movie its dues. Besides, it's generally harmless... well, maybe. View for yourself and judge.

Like many of the B-grade cartoon movies, it's made for ridicule (and shameless promotion of the tie-in toys), and I'd say it hits the mark on both these counts very well.

So if you want to watch a hilariously bad movie with friends for all-round enjoyment, don't go past this one.

Neither a sophisticated or carefully developped script, but an amusing and cute larger episode celebrating christmas. It is one of the few opportunities to see He-Man and She-Ra in action together, what is also nice. There is also time enough to know several creatures from both Eternia and Etheria. While our beloved cartoon is characterized by a strict manichaeism, in this christmas special, as is usual in christmas specials, christmas spirit may soften even the hardest hearts. Although never abandoning manichaeism, for sure... Merry Christmas!

*Sigh* Why was this nonsensical episode made?! It had a stupid story, annoying songs, and it this episode lacks the masculinity of the great show (The Masters of the Universe). Also, where the hell is the action?! The children are bland annoying and they make me vomit. We also have the "black mage from Final Fantasy"...err...I mean Orko who keeps annoying us. Skeletor used to be so evil, but in here, he's a wuss. Sure, it may not be as bad as the Star Wars Holiday Special, but I still urge you to stay away from this atrocity! Final Verdict: Another one of those wretched Holiday Specials. If you're looking for a good He-man episode, then watch the first episodes instead!

It is just my opinion but I believe that He-Man and the Masters of the Universe was television's first infomercial. It was, you have to admit, a day-in day-out 22 minute commercial for crappy plastic dolls. The animation, used over and over again, makes up about three feet of film and the scripts are best suited to lining the bottom of the birdcage. So what other explanation could there be?

The show was five colors of stupidity thanks to the unremarkable minds of the once powerful company known as The Third Rei . . . er uh . . . I mean Filmmation. To us students of animation, Filmmation did for cartoons what the federal government has done for education, cutting costs until there was nothing left. The studio cut costs by recycling the same cels over and over again. The effect is that characters repeatedly move and talk in the same patterns in every episode and rarely moved or spoke outside a designated set of eight specific body movements. For a similar effect, check out CSPAN.

The show wasn't exactly Shakespeare. I imagine that the scripts weren't discussed in a board room so much as they were conceived in the elevator on the way to the second floor. The stories revolved around He-Man's attempt to thwart the latest evil plan by Skeletor, a muscle-bound mench with a skull-face who none-the-less had expressions. Skeletor's plans ranged from kidnapping to fist fights to book burning (that's not a joke) and they usually got snuffed out by some lame dialogue and a sword fight. The last two minutes of the show were toddled out with some lesson extracted from the day's events. Sometimes when the show presented little more than 22 minutes of fighting, the lesson was given to the old standby - Say No to Drugs?

Even with all this feux ingenuity flapping about at Filmmation the show never-the-less became an enormous hit, lasting three years and selling millions of crappy plastic dolls.

In 1985, in the midst of this popularity came an idea so staggeringly stupid and unbelievable it still stuns me even today - the studio turned out a Christmas special. Not just a Christmas special, but an Hour LONG Christmas special complete with dumpy cute kids, a puppy, a phallic-shaped spy cam and He-Man dressed as Santa Claus. But wait it gets worse.

The story begins when He Man's comic relief sidekick Orko accidentally gets beamed to Earth during a test of Skeletor's new spy satellite. Orko manages to get back Planet Eternia, but brings along two Earth children, Alisha and Manuel. Now, Alisha and Manuel fit right in on Eternia because neither have anything interesting to say, both perspire cuteness and we the viewers just want to strangle the sugary sweetness right outta both of them. Oh, and they brought their cute lil 'ol puppy along with them and he's godda widdiw swedder on! Awwwww, *hack* *cough* *gag*

It was probably not by accident that the two are brought to the planet Eternia just at the same time that Earth is gearing up for the commerce assault known as Christmas time. People of Eternia have no concept of Christmas and why should they even worry about it, they don't even have a mall?

Now, as goofball as this may sound, Horak and Skeletor don't like this Christmastime nonsense and so Hordak orders Skeletor to kidnap the kids so he can do away with them. Alisha and Manuel are so nauseating that my heart welled up a wan hope that Horak would succeed (Hey! Leave me to dream). If he had then I would have been spared a this jaw dropping exchange:

Manuel: `Christmas is lots of fun. We get presents and we do a lot of fun things.'

Skeletor: `You mean you get in FIGHTS!'

Alisha: `No we do FUN things.'

Skeletor: `But fights are FUN.'

Pick your jaw up, you're going to ruin the carpet.

Into this chaos comes a whole batch of new characters, my favorite of which are the Monstroids, knee-high little cyber-cuties that look like mech-rejects from Rainbow Bright. They have blue faces and they fight pretty well (as well as they can with only five cels of animation) and it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Filmmation was using them to parade their new toy line.

Skeletor's heart (pause) melts just a bit when he begins to carry that puppy and and dog licks his face. From this bit of germ-spreading exchange, he learns the true meaning of Christmas so much so that he wants to send the kids back home instead of sending them to Hoard Prime. Hordak attempts to grab the kids and pull them onto his spaceship but Skeletor zaps the ship with his staff (the one in his hand) and sends the ship hurtling into the cosmos. The kids go home with all kinds of new toys from Eternia and promply send their parents into a catatonic shock. I know the feeling, I'm still feeling the effects myself.

Animated Filmation Christmas TV movie, originally broadcast December 1985. Running time 45 minutes.

Princess Adora has travelled from Etheria to Eternia, along with many of her friends, to celebrate hers and Prince Adam's birthday. As final preparations are underway at the royal palace, Orko accidentally travels to Earth in a space shuttle built for spying on Skeletor, arriving (unbeknownst to him) at Christmas time. There he encounters two lost children. When Man-At-Arms eventually transports Orko back to Eternia, the children come with him. As the children try to explain to everyone what Christmas is, Horde Prime becomes aware of their presence. Worried that 'Christmas spirit' could weaken his power, he dispatches Skeletor and Hordak to bring the children to him. When Adam and Adora become aware of Horde Prime's scheme they decide that He-Man and She-Ra will have to make sure it fails.

The animation is on a par with the He-Man and She-Ra TV shows that were running at the time, and it retains all their voice actors. It's clearly a 'feel good' movie for the whole family, to be watched alongside all the other Christmas TV specials. And to that end it does what it's intended to do. Nothing here advances the overarching plots of He-Man or She-Ra; it's more of a time-out from their regular adventures. That said, it does a good job of not seeming out of place, with many supporting characters from both shows getting at least a visual appearance, and some even a few lines. We get a nice 'adventure within an adventure' as She-Ra journeys back to her own world to find a rare crystal to power Man-At-Arms' teleportation device, recruiting more of her allies. But the highlight is undoubtedly Skeletor, trying to resist an Ebeneezer Scrooge-like transformation, being appalled at the very idea of being 'nice'! Some chuckle out loud lines there!

Harmless Christmas nostalgia. 6/10.