The Snowman
Dir: Dianne Jackson
1982
*****
Raymond Briggs was always a bit of a childhood hero of mine. It seems that the fact that all his stories were actually quite dark was only ever picked up and enjoyed by children. The ending of this story is absolutely devastating and yet it's the bit everyone seems to forget and the bit where parents and grandparents alike would either fast-forward or stop completely so as not to upset the kids. I always appreciated Briggs's harsh realism, Aled Jones's voice less so though. I know I know, it wasn't Aled Jones...