Hooves of Fire is the first film in the Robbie the Reindeer trilogy and was broadcast on 25 December 1999.
Synopsis
Robbie must fulfil his destiny to run the race of his life and take on his father's sworn enemy... If he can get out of bed in time.
Plot
The story begins one August day when a young overweight reindeer called Robbie arrives in Coldchester a town in the North Pole to follow in his father Rudolph's footsteps and join Santa Claus's sleigh team as the navigator. Once arriving at the team's home Reindeer Lodge, Robbie meets several members; Blitzen (the captain of the team), Prancer, Vixen (who is Blitzen's girlfriend) and Donner (who has a crush on Robbie), but is dismayed when learning from Blitzen that the sleigh team exercise for the other 364 days of the year.
When being taken to his room by Donner, Robbie reveals to her that his father sent him to Coldchester for character building as he is easily distracted which is proven true when he notices and falls in love with Vixen much to Donner's dismay. Meanwhile Blitzen reveals to Prancer and Vixen his hatred of Robbie (the reason is that Blitzen is jealous of Rudolph for being more famous than him) and declares that if he can't get Rudolph he'll get Robbie and won't sleep until he destroys him. Blitzen later encourages Robbie to carry on his lazy ways and even hands him a pipe, a newspaper and a cheeseburger with large fries. Blinded by Blitzen's kindness Robbie is unaware of Blitzen wanting him off the team.
A month later, Robbie goes to the medic room where Donner works and tells her that he's met a special reindeer. At first, Donner thinks that Robbie is talking about her, only to realise to her annoyance that it is Vixen. The reindeer are invited to a party at Santa Claus's house to show off his new sleigh equipped with a stereo, a talking ash try and a navigation system (added by Blitzen). Robbie fears that his place on the team is gone but Santa assures him that he still has a place as long as he is fit and in shape. Realizing that he is not Robbie decides to leave pleasing Blitzen. Later Robbie is picked up by a group of elves who discover him frozen in an icecube. He convices them to let him stay. They first give him a job as a assemblyman where after failing to paint lipstick on a doll and ends up being stuffed in a box promps the Head Elf to demote him to sweeping. Robbie's lack of concetration makes him demoted to being a forklift after he is found making toys out of spare parts.
Donner later arrives at the elves factory and finds Robbie and tells him of Blitzen's true intentions and convices him that if he wants a place on the team he has to compete in The Reindeer Games. After consulting Wise Old Coaches who can save the day in the phone book the two reindeer pay a visit to Old Jingle a mad old reindeer coach who lives in a teetering house on the top of a hill. He decides to take Robbie on as a pupil. In his happiness his house slides down at to the bottom of the hill.
Old Jingle convices Robbie that if he wants to pull the sleigh , he must win The Steeplechase. Robbie begins his training with Donner close by , Jingle teaches him the Nose Jump. Robbie completes his training the day before the games. Jingle decides his house is perfect at the bottom of the hill but hours later he decides to move it back to the top. When he lets go the house slides down the hill trapping him and the elves are unable to free him.
On the day of the games Blitzen takes drugs to enhance his performance and Robbie show off his speed by saving Mrs Santa's baby from squashed by The Three Ton Tenors after one of the tenors falls down. Blitzen is outraged that Robbie has came back so Vixen tries to convice Robbie to not race by useing his crush (as she wants Blitzen to win so he becomes famous and take her away from the North Pole) but Robbie refuses as he is now in love with Donner. After hearing about Jingle being trapped Robbie leaves to free him. He rejoins the race late but is able to catch up with Blitzen thanks to his training and uses the Nose Jump. A photo finish is taken between himself and Blitzen and he sees to his horror that Blitzen has won. However a kiss from Donner makes him beat every single record for every single event. Happily watching the event on TV Jingle proposes to the Head Elf who accepts.
As Blitzen is arrested for taking drugs (and is also dumped by Vixen), Santa gives Robbie the sleigh who takes Donner to the moon and they enjoy a romantic dinner together. The end of the film shows Blitzen painting Robbie dolls in prison, Vixen hitchhiking out of town, Prancer playing air guitar with a tennis racket and Santa washing his underware.
Cast
Ardal O'Hanlon as Robbie (UK), The son of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, who comes to Coldchester to character build and become navigator of Santa's sleigh team. At the end of the film, he becomes Donner's boyfriend.
Ben Stiller as Robbie (US)
Jane Horrocks as Donner (UK), Support Crew to the sleigh team and a friend of Robbie (whom she has a crush on). At the end of the film, she becomes Robbie's girlfriend.
Britney Spears as Donner (US)
Paul Whitehouse as Prancer (UK), A member of the sleigh team. He is strong and powerful but isn't very smart.
Brad Garrett as Prancer (US)
Harry Enfield as Old Jingle (UK), A elderly reindeer who trains Robbie for The Steeplechase. He later becomes a good friend of Robbie's.
Jerry Stiller as Old Jingle (US)
Steve Coogan as Blitzen (UK), The Captain of the sleigh team who was jealous of Rudolph and decides to take this out on Robbie by trying to stop him from joining the team. At the end of the film, he is arrested for drug taking and is put in prison.
Hugh Grant as Blitzen (US)
Caroline Quentin as Vixen (UK), A member of the sleigh team. She is Robbie's first love interest but she doesn't return the feelings as she is in a relationship with Blitzen. At the end of the film, she dumps Blitzen after learning that he took drugs to cheat in the games and hitchhikes out of town.
Leah Remini as Vixen (US)
Alistair McGowen as Des Yeti (UK), Alan Snowman (UK), the commentators of The Reindeer Games.
Dick Enberg as Des Yeti (US)
Dan Dierdorf as Alan Snowman (US)
Ricky Tomlinson as Santa Claus (UK), A holiday icon who delivers presents to children all around the world on Christmas Eve. In the film he invites the sleigh team to a party to show off his new sleigh.
Sean Hughes as Tapir (UK), A member of the sleigh team
Jim Belushi as Tapir (US), Santa Claus (US)
Rhys Ifans as Head Elf (UK)
Rob Paulsen as Head Elf (US)
Jean Alexander as Mrs Santa (UK), Santa's wife who like him has a beard
Grey DeLisle as Mrs Santa (US)
Robbie Williams as Narrator (UK)
James Woods as Narrator (US)
Unknown as Bus Driver
Soundtrack
- Crazy - Seal
- The Other Side of the Moon - Jane Horrocks and Mickey Graham
- Robbe the Reindeer - Mark Knopfler and Guy Fletcher
- Get Busy - Mark Knopfler and Guy Fletcher
- Poison - The Prodigy
- Chariots of Fire - Vangelis
- Ochri Tchotniye - The Three Tenors
Trivia
- This is the only Robbie the Reindeer film to be Christmas themed.
- On the bus Robbie takes to go to Coldcester it's number plate R3D NO53 is an in-joke about Rudolph due to him having a red nose.
- in the 2003 Collectors edition of Hooves of fire & Legend of the lost tribe (At least the U.K. version), Robbie's nose & the fake nose on Rudolph's zeppelin were digitally changed from red to brown & yellow respectively for unknown reasons.
- Hooves of Fire took two years to make.
- It is unknown how Robbie is roughly the same age as Donner, Prancer and several of the other Sleigh Team members as this film takes place after "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer". Though it is possible that Robbie was born some years before Rudolph guided the sleigh and that this film takes place a few years after this.
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