Shrek the Halls

Shrek the Hallsis an American animated Christmas comedytelevision specialthat premiered on the American television networkABC on November 28, 2007. The thirty minuteChristmas specialwas co-written and directed byGary Trousdaleand produced byDreamWorks Animation.Mike Myers,Eddie Murphy,Cameron Diaz,andAntonio Banderasreprise their roles from the feature films. This Christmas special takes place betweenShrek the ThirdandShrek Forever After.It grossed $16 million in home sales.
The title is derived from the title of theChristmas carolDeck the Halls.

Shrek the Halls
DVD cover
Genre	Comedy Adventure Mystery
Based on	Shrek! byWilliam Steig
Written by	Gary Trousdale Sean Bishop Theresa Pettengill Bill Riling
Directed by	Gary Trousdale
Starring	Mike Myers Eddie Murphy Cameron Diaz Antonio Banderas Cody Cameron Christopher Knights Conrad Vernon Aron Warner
Theme music composer	Harry Gregson-Williams
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producers	Gina Shay Teresa Cheng Aron Warner
Running time	21 minutes (30 minutes with commercials)
Production companies	DreamWorks Animation Pacific Data Images
Original release
Network	ABC
Release	November 28, 2007(2007-11-28)

Plot

Sometime after the events of the third film, Shrekis quietly living in the swamp with his family when theChristmasseason arrives. UnderDonkey's urging, Shrek reluctantly promisesPrincess Fionaa special Christmas surprise. Shrek goes to the local bookstore in Far Far Away to try to find a present for Fiona, but since he does not know what Christmas is all about, the shopkeeper gives Shrek a copy ofChristmas For Village Idiots,a step by step guide to celebrating the holiday. Shrek proceeds to follow the book's advice by decorating the house and getting a tree so he can spend a quietChristmas Evewith his family, but Donkey brings the entire "family" to the swamp, spoiling Shrek's plans.

As Shrek tries to recite "A Visit from St. Nicholas",Donkey,Puss in Boots,and Gingy interrupt and each tell their own Christmas story. Donkey tells of a Christmas parade passing by the swamp and licking an enormous waffleSanta,and absentmindedly starts licking Shrek's foot. Puss's version of the Santa Claus story ends with playing with the tassel on Santa's hat, while in reality he is playing with a bauble. Gingy tells a horrifying story about how his girlfriend Suzy was eaten by Santa Claus. Donkey calls it ridiculous, and finds Shrek'sChristmas for Village Idiotsbook. A fight breaks out over the book and Shrek's supper is destroyed. After lighting his butt on fire, Shrek finally loses his temper and ends up ejecting his friends from his house, including Donkey, who denounces him as "Ebenezer Shrek" in the heat of the argument. With their Christmas spirit ruined, Fiona is upset at Shrek's behavior and leaves with the ogre triplets. She catches up to their friends and explains to Donkey what Shrek had wanted for Christmas.

Shrek, remorseful at what he has done, catches up with the group and apologizes for lashing out at them earlier. He then tells everyone this is also his first Christmas, since ogres do not celebrate anything, this causes Donkey to realize his own mistake while apologizing to Shrek for disturbing him with those previous early announcements for Christmas while jeopardizing Shrek's and his family's first Christmas moment, while Shrek forgives him. They return to the swamp and Shrek tells his own version of "The Night Before Christmas", featuring himself as "Ogre Claus". Soon, they hear bells and go outside to see Santa and his reindeer, although Gingy, still afraid of Santa, runs back inside in fear. The special ends with Santa using his magic to put ogre ears on the moon.

Cast

• Mike MyersasShrek
• Eddie MurphyasDonkey
• Cameron DiazasPrincess Fiona
• Antonio BanderasasPuss in Boots
• Conrad VernonasGingy
• Cody CameronasPinocchioandThree Little Pigs
• Aron WarnerasBig Bad Wolf
• Christopher KnightsasThree Blind Mice
• Miles Christopher Bakshi, Nina Zoe Bakshi, and Dante James Hauser asFarkle, Fergus, & Felicia
• Marissa Jaret Winokuras Bookstore Clerk
• Gary Trousdaleas Santa Claus

Production

Shrek the Hallswas produced byDreamWorks AnimationandPacific Data Images.David Ian Salterand Mark Baldo directed the special during the pre production,but they were later replaced by Gary Trousdale. The film was produced byTeresa Cheng,Gina Shay andAron Warnerand was written by Bill Riling, Theresa Cullen, Gary Trousdale and Sean Bishop.

Release

Broadcast

Shrek the Hallspremiered on the American television networkABCon November 28, 2007.ABC held the exclusive domestic rights to the special until it moved toNBCin 2023; it first aired on that network on November 30 that year.

In the UK, it premiered on December 24, 2007 onBBC One.The special was repeated onBBC Threeon December 23, 2011, along withShrek: Once Upon a TimeandShrek.

Ratings

The rating info is courtesy ofYour Entertainment NowandABC Medianet.

United States Nielsen ratings

#	Air Date	Rating	Share	Rating/Share (18-49)	Viewers (millions)	Rank (timeslot)	Rank (night)	Rank (week)
1	November 28, 2007	11.0	17	7.2/20	21.06	1	1	3
2	December 11, 2007	5.7	9	3.4/9	9.97	3	6	21
3	December 1, 2008	6.2	10	3.3/9	11.17	1	3	19
4	December 22, 2008	3.7	6	1.8/6	6.51	TBA	TBA	TBA
5	November 30, 2009	TBA	TBA	3.2/8	10.01	TBA	TBA	TBA
6	December 9, 2009	TBA	TBA	2.6/8	8.53	TBA	TBA	TBA

United Kingdom viewing figures

Airing	Viewers (millions)
December 24, 2007	7.9
December 24, 2008	6.92*

*6.32 million (BBC One viewers) + 0.60 million (BBC Three viewers) = 6.92 (both airings were shown at the same time).

Home media

Shrek the Hallswas released onDVDin the United States on November 4, 2008.Originally the special was available by itself, or in a bundle pack withShrek the Third.The special was released on iTunes on November 2, 2008, and on Blu-ray and DVD on October 30, 2012, as part of compilation titledDreamworks Holiday Classics.The special was re-released on DVD on October 1, 2013, along withMerry Madagascar,Kung Fu Panda Holiday,Dragons: Gift of the Night Fury,andThe Croods.DreamWorks Holiday Classics, available on Amazon, features Donkey's Caroling Christmas-tacular and does not featureShrek the Halls.

HarperFestivalalso published a picture book version ofShrek the Halls,authored by Catherine Hapka and illustrated by Michael Koelsch.Koelsch had previously illustrated a picture book forShrek 2in 2004.

Music

The score of the special was composed byHarry Gregson-Williams.The special, like the films, also features the followingPop cultureandChristmassongs:

• "Summer Breeze"
• "Jingle Bells"(sung by Eddie Murphy)
• "Here We Come A-wassailing"(sung byI'm from Barcelona)
• "Because We Can"
• "Jingo (Gin Go La Ba)"
• "Ride of the Valkyries"
• "The Twelve Days of Christmas"
• "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town"
• "O Fortuna"
• "Christmas Wrapping"
• "Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)"
• "Don't Stop Believin'"
• "Hello Ma Baby"
• "Hallelujah Chorus"
• "Deck the Halls"
• "The Stars Shine in the Sky Tonight"

ICE!

In July 2011, as part of a strategic partnership between DreamWorks Animation and Gaylord Hotels,Shrek the Hallswas presented as the theme of the ICE! exhibit at Gaylord's hotels inTexasandFlorida.In this presentation, the plot of the film is told through a series of ice sculptures that visitors walk past.

See also

• List of Christmas films
• Santa Claus in film

External links

• Official website
• Shrek the HallsatIMDb