Jack Frost (1998 film) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jack Frost
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Troy Miller
Produced by	Irving Azoff Mark Canton
Written by	Mark Steven Johnson Steve Bloom Jonathan Roberts Jeff Cesario
Starring	Michael Keaton Kelly Preston Mark Addy Joseph Cross
Music by	Trevor Rabin
Cinematography	László Kovács
Editing by	Lawrence Jordan
Studio	Azoff Entertainment The Canton Company
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	December 10, 1998 (1998-12-10) (Australia) December 11, 1998 (1998-12-11) (United States)
Running time	101 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$40–85 million
Money made	$34.6 million

Jack Frost is a 1998 American dark fantasy drama film starring Michael Keaton and Kelly Preston. Keaton played the title character, a father killed in a car accident before coming back to life as a snowman. Three of Frank Zappa's four children, Dweezil Zappa, Ahmet Zappa, and Moon Unit Zappa, appear in the film. Jack Frost was released in Australia on December 10, 1998, a day prior to its American release. It received negative reviews and became a box-office bomb, grossing just $34 million against a budget of $40-85 million.

Plot

Jack Frost is the lead singer in a rock band simply titled "The Jack Frost Band", based in the town of Medford, Colorado, who make their living performing blues covers and an assortment of their own songs in the hope of signing a record deal. He returns to his 11-year-old son Charlie, who has just returned from a snowball fight against local bully Rory Buck. After they build a snowman in their front yard, Jack gives him his best harmonica, which he got the day Charlie was born, jokingly telling him that it's magical, and he will be able to hear it wherever he is. Jack promises his wife Gabby that he will attend his son's hockey game, but misses it in favor of recording "Don't Lose Your Faith". To make up for it, Jack then promises to take his family on a Christmas trip to the mountains, but is then called in on a gig that could make or break his career. On his way to the gig, Jack realizes his mistake and borrows his best friend (and the band's keyboardist) Mac MacArthur's car to go to the mountains to meet his family. Unfortunately, Jack encounters a bad snowstorm that he is unable to navigate through due to the car's faulty windshield wipers and poor weather conditions, causing him to swerve off the road and crash, killing him instantly (off-screen).

A year later, Charlie, depressed over his father's death, withdraws from all contact with his friends. One night, Charlie makes another snowman that bears as much of a resemblance to Jack as he can remember and plays Jack's harmonica just before going to sleep. The harmonica turns out to be magical after all, as it resurrects Jack and his spirit awakens in the snowman. Thrilled to be alive again, Jack attempts to greet Charlie, but ends up terrifying him. The next day, Charlie discovers Jack in his yard and attempts to run away from him. When Charlie winds up in the snowball battlefield, Jack pelts Rory and the other children with snowballs and escapes with Charlie on a sled. After losing them, Charlie realizes that the snowman is his father after Jack uses his nickname "Charlie boy". Jack reconnects with Charlie and teaches him the values that he never got to teach him when he was alive. After some hockey lessons, Jack convinces Charlie to rejoin the team instead of continuing to grieve over his death, becoming their best player. In the meantime, Mac continues to be a friend of the family, while also becoming a father figure to Charlie at Gabby's suggestion.

As winter approaches its end, Jack begins melting and struggles to get to Charlie's hockey game. Afterwards, Charlie decides to take Jack to the mountains where it is colder, but has a difficult time convincing Gabby to do so. Charlie comes across Rory, who also insults the snowman by asking which is more stupid. After Jack speaks in front of Rory by correcting his last sentence, Rory then sympathizes with Charlie not having a father and helps him sneak Jack onto a truck en route to the mountains. Jack and Charlie arrive at the isolated cabin that the family was going to stay at before Jack's death. Jack calls Gabby, nonchalantly asking her to come to the cabin to pick up Charlie; Gabby is shocked, but recognizes his voice and obliges. Jack tells a disheartened Charlie that he has to leave. When his wife arrives, the snowman shell dissipates, revealing Jack in an ethereal form. Jack tells Charlie he will be with him wherever he goes and, after saying farewell and giving his love to both his wife and son, returns to the afterlife.

In the closing moments of the film, Charlie plays hockey with his group of friends (which now includes Rory), while Gabby happily watches and Mac plays music on the piano. The final street scene shows that all the front lawns have snowmen on them.

Cast

Live action

Puppeteers

• Denise Chershire Pearlman as Jack Frost (head operator)
• Bruce Lanoil as Jack Frost (in-suit performer)
• Denise Cheshire as Jack Frost (in-suit performer)
• Allan Trautman as Jack Frost (additional puppeteer)

Music

The film features 22 tracks:

• Frosty the Snowman – The Jack Frost Band
• Roll with the Changes – REO Speedwagon
• Merry Christmas, Baby – Hanson
• Everytime We Say Goodbye – Cole Porter
• Rock and Roll (Part 2) – Gary Glitter
• Don't Lose Your Faith – The Jack Frost Band
• Can't Let Go – Lucinda Williams
• Leavin' Again – Steve Poltz
• Couldn't Stand the Weather – Stevie Ray Vaughan
• Landslide – Fleetwood Mac
• Free Ride – The Edgar Winter Group
• Hey Now Now – Swirl 360
• Final Fire – Hans Zimmer
• Jingle Bell Rock – Michael Sherwood
• Hot in the City – Billy Idol
• Gimme Some Lovin – Hanson
• Sleigh Ride – Spice Girls
• Slow Ride – Foghat
• Five Candles (You Were There) – Jars of Clay
• How – Lisa Loeb
• Father's Love – Bob Carlisle
• Good Lovin' – Hanson

Not all of these songs are available on the soundtrack CD, however.

Featured on the CD release are:

See also

In Spanish: Jack Frost para niños