During this Christmas period I have watched a couple of Christmas movies, which is something that I don't normally do. One of these I saw a day or two ago on BBC1, called THE SANTA CLAUSE. This movie was released in 1994 and stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, a father who finds himself literally 'becoming' Santa Claus after Santa comes a cropper on Calvin's roof.
The film is quite amusing, but this is largely down to the screen personality of Tim Allen, who I always enjoyed in his television sitcom HOME IMPROVEMENT. In comparison to the other Christmas movie I have seen in the last few days (JINGLE ALL THE WAY), this is by far the better. This is mainly down to the fact that Allen can DO comedy (he began his career as a stand-up comedian) whereas Arnold Schwarzenegger really can't.
The special effects in the film are quite good, as are the make-up effects. As Calvin gradually turns into Santa Claus he gains weight, grows a beard, and his hair turns pure white. This transformation is very realistic, and in the interim period between looking like the trim Tim Allen and the heavyweight Santa it is quite disturbing seeing Allen looking so fat - I kept on thinking that he must be really quite ill, having forgotten that the effect has been created by a 'fatsuit' and other make-up.
The young elves are annoying however, which is my problem with most Christmas movies - they are filled with children, many of whom can't actually act. However the fun of seeing Tim Allen on the screen outweighs this problem.
My favourite moment in the film comes when Scott Calvin first arrives at Santa's Grotto at the North Pole. He picks up a tool belt and tries it on, in a direct reference to his character Tim Taylor in Allen's TV show HOME IMPROVEMENT.
Overall, I can recommend this film as a nice, easy-going comedy. It was followed by a sequel in 2002 (The Santa Clause 2: The Mrs. Clause) and another in 2006 (The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause). I have not yet seen either of these films but I hope to do so in the near future.
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Comedy - Original Language: English - Classification: 12 years and over - Starring: Tessa Peake-Jones, Buster Merryfield, David Jason, Nicholas Lyndhurst
Comedy - Director: Richard Boden, Mandie Fletcher, Martin Shardlow - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Hugh Laurie, Miranda Richardson, Stephen Fry, Brian Blessed, Tim McInnerny, Tony Robinson, Rowan Atkinson
Production Year: 1956 - Comedy - Director: Joshua Logan - Original Language: English - Classification: Universal - Starring: Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, Betty Field, Hope Lange, Eileen Heckart, Arthur O'Connell, Casey Adams, Hans Conried, Robert Bray
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![The Santa Clause [DVD] [1995]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78526774.jpg "The Santa Clause [DVD] [1995]")
Dec 29th, 2007
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