As a parent, the Easter Bunny is perhaps the most difficult holiday mascot to explain. A bunny of questionable size delivers eggs made of chocolate and skipping ropes and sidewalk chalk to children while they sleep for no apparent reason. Why eggs? Can he talk? Where did he come from? Besides the Tooth Fairy, who is herself problematic, the Easter Bunny is the toughest sell. Which is why you need to pull out the classic Rankin/Bass holiday special The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town this year to watch with your kids. Let this lighthearted movie answer your kids’ questions. And just hope it doesn’t have them asking more.
The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town features a well-known narrator.
Fred Astaire made a glorious return to the stop-motion screen as S.D. Kluger, who kids might remember from another Rankin/Bass holiday special Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town. Much like the Christmas special from 1970 aimed to give kids the origin story of Santa Claus, the 1977 movie The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town strives to do the same. S.D. Kluger is a train engineer and mailman who has been tasked with answering kids’ questions about the Easter Bunny.
The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town takes place in the town of Kidville, which is run by orphaned children who find a baby bunny one Easter morning. They name him Sunny (voiced by Skip Hinnant) and he grows up to help them survive by selling their eggs in exchange for other goods. After a complicated fight with a bear named Gadzooks, Sunny starts to paint the eggs to confuse him, makes jelly beans, and decides to deliver these goods to the children of the world to bring them joy. It’s no North Pole, but kids will find it entertaining, especially since Astaire sings the titular song. If a touch confusing.
Where can you watch The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town?
You can rent The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town on iTunes or Amazon Prime Video for just $0.99. You can also buy it on Amazon for $7.99. As of publication, there are no TV airings scheduled for the special, so streaming might be your best bet this Easter.
There are two more Rankin/Bass Easter specials to watch.
If your kids have more questions after The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town, Rankin/Bass made two other Easter specials. Here Comes Peter Cottontail in 1971, narrated by Astaire’s fellow dancer Danny Kaye, and The First Easter Rabbit, narrated by Burl Ives, who also narrated Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer for Rankin/Bass. Both can be streamed for free on YouTube.
Hopefully The Easter Bunny Is Comin’ To Town will clear up any confusion for your kids about the Easter Bunny. Or perhaps they aren’t too concerned as long as they’re getting those delicious chocolate Easter eggs.
