Jack Frost has probably gone through one of the biggest evolutions throughout the years in terms of design, personality, and representation! Being one of my first loves, this character has always been very special to me, so I found it really interesting that there are so many different versions of him! Here are just a few of Jack Frosts that I have grown up with.
1. The Mischievous Winter Elf
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This version of Jack Frost starred as the villain in the 1976 movie, Frosty's Winter Wonderland. When Frosty returns to the village to play with the children, Jack Frost (voiced by Paul Frees) becomes envious of the love the kids have for Frosty, and only wishes to be loved as well (this part always made me cry because Jack didn't know how much "baby-me" loved him). Jack's jealousy causes him to attempt to steal Frosty's hat so that Frosty would be..."taken out of the picture". Needless to say this character redeems himself later on in the movie and even earns a kiss from Frosty's wife Crystal- GO JACK!
2. The Winter Spirit
This version of Jack Frost was actually the first one I was exposed to (love at first sight). In this storyline, Jack is a lonely winter spirit who decides to become human after a girl named Elisa let it slip that she "loves Jack Frost". In reality, she only meant that she loves the winter (not actually Jack). After becoming human, Jack takes on the name "Jack Snip" and claims to be a tailor to get close to Elisa, and they soon become friends. However, Jack's competition for Elisa's affection is just a bit out of his pay grade- a dashing knight in golden armor and an greedy tyrant named Kubla Kraus. Kubla Kraus ends up kidnapping Elisa causing Jack to give up his human form and save the day. In the end, the knight gets the girl and Jack has to return to his job of spreading winter joy as an invisible friend. It's kinda sad if you think about it.
3. The Snowman
This is what I like to call the "fake Jack Frost" because he's not actually "Jack Frost". The story is about a family man named Jack who ends up dying, and his spirit enters a snowman until "his job is done". It's a really sad, but heartwarming story. I recommend having a large box of tissues if you decide to watch this (I refuse to watch it again because I went through that many tissue boxes).
5. Martin Short
Martin Short takes the whole "mischievous winter spirit" to a whole new level in the movie The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. In this movie, Jack Frost is a legendary figure who is determined to take over the North Pole and have his own holiday called "Frostmas." To accomplish this, Jack tricks Scott into wishing he never became Santa Clause in the first place, and sends them into an alternate universe using a magic snow-globe. In the alternate universe, Jack is the new "Santa Clause", and turns the North Pole into a resort. Scott now has to try to reverse the effect of the snow-globe and get back the red suit before time runs out and he's stuck in the AU. I loved this version of Jack. Martin Short is hysterical!
6. The Guardian of Fun
Dreamworks shows off their version of Jack Frost in their film Rise of the Guardians. Here, Jack was a human who drowned in a frozen lake, only to be resurrected by the Moon as "Jack Frost" with no memories of his previous life. For 300 years, Jack roams the world as an immortal winter spirit who is invisible to everyone because he's not believed in. When the Boogey Man returns to try to "take over the world" using fear, the Moon picks Jack to become a guardian alongside some familiar faces- Santa Clause (Or "North"), Aster E. Bunnymund (the Easter Bunny), the Tooth Fairy (or Tooth), and the Sandman (or Sandy). The only problem is that Jack basically bleeds trouble and chaos, so trying to turn this rebel teen into a hero is harder than it looks. At the end of the movie, Jack realizes his problematic attitude can actually be put to use as the Guardian of Fun.
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS VERSION OF JACK FROST. Not only is his personality and backstory just FANTASTIC, but his character design is... well... just...
LOOK
AT
THIS GUY.
And he's voiced by CHRIS PINE. Sorry not sorry, I will fangirl over this animated character until the day I die.
That's all folks! I'll be crying over a fictional character if you need me.
