Prancer (film)
| Prancer | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | John Hancock |
| Produced by | Raffaella De Laurentiis |
| Written by | Greg Taylor |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Maurice Jarre |
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Production
companies |
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| Distributed by | Orion Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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103 minutes |
| Country |
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| Language | English |
| Box office | $18.6 million |
Prancer is a 1989 American-Canadian children's fantasy drama film directed by John Hancock, written by Greg Taylor, and starring Sam Elliott, Cloris Leachman, Abe Vigoda, Michael Constantine, Rutanya Alda, Ariana Richards, and Rebecca Harrell. It is set in Three Oaks, Michigan, where town exteriors were filmed. Filming also occurred at the Old Republic House in New Carlisle, Indiana, La Porte, Indiana, and at Starved Rock State Park in Utica, Illinois.
The film was followed by a direct-to-video sequel, Prancer Returns, released by USA Home Entertainment in 2001.
8-year-old Jessica Riggs is raised by her older brother Steve and father John. Their apple farm has fallen on hard times. John is temporarily being helped by his sister-in-law Sarah.
While walking home after a school pageant, Jessica witnesses a plastic reindeer falling from a Christmas decoration being hung above a street in her town. She concludes that the reindeer that fell was Prancer from the order given in the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (a.k.a. "The Night Before Christmas").
Afraid he will be unable to provide for Jessica, John discusses a plan for Sarah to take her in to raise her temporarily. Jessica overhears, but initially doesn't know the full details. She and her friend Carol go sledding and knock down some flowers at a house owned by a reclusive widow, Mrs. McFarland. While walking home, Jessica encounters a live reindeer in the woods. It runs away, disappearing into the darkness. Later, while walking home from school, Jessica finds reindeer tracks and follows them into the woods once more. She hears a gunshot, and continues to walk. John eventually finds her, but almost hits the reindeer who is now standing in the road. Noticing the animal is wounded, John grabs his rifle, intending to shoot it. As Jessica pleads for her father to not shoot, the animal disappears.
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Wikipedia