This is a beautifully designed and technically faultless movie. From the wonderful set and costume designs to Henry Mancini's whirling music, and with some excellently timed and well acted performances [Dudley Moore as Patch, John Lithgow as BZ], this really sums up the feelings of a magical Christmas. It is hard, therefore to understand just where things went wrong. Perhaps part of the problem is that the movie is just too over ambitious. The father son team of Alexander and Ilya Salklind had delivered movies of a grand scale numerous times before [The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, Superman 1-3, Supergirl] and Santa Claus is no exception to the rule. Though their movies are often beautiful to watch, the problems that the producers often came up against were behind the scenes. Bust ups with directors and screen writers hindered the finished results, and the producers had to settle for second best. Jeannot Swarzc is a fine director in his own right, but he is no Richard Donner[Director, Superman-The Movie]. One gets the feeling that if Donner was in charge of this movie all would have gone well. Likewise if the Salkinds had hired a Mario Puzo [Screenwriter, Superman-The Movie] to scribe then the over excessivness that is aparent in David and Leslie Newmans script , may have been toned down. This is perhaps an unfair judgement. Maybe it were the producers who authorised such things like McDonalds featuring prominently throughout, and advertisements for things such as Pepsi and Coca Cola. It worked in Superman 2, but looks out of place here. This movie belongs entirely to Dudley Moore, who gives his heart and soul. Moore was ready made for the role of Patch and has the time of his life, looking and behaving like an Elf would. Every time an Elf is presented in a Christmas movie, it is hard to except him because one has seen Dudley. The laughs go entirely to John Lithgow as the evil Scrooge like BZ. Pompous and witty and also very funny. And also David Huddleston, perfectly cast [Just as Christopher Reeve was in Superman and Helen Slater in Supergirl] as Santa Claus. No doubt that when children who have seen this movie, think of Santa Claus, it will be Huddleston they imagine. This will be the case for generations to come. David Huddleston gives a loving performance and deserves special praise. The real spectacle is the presentation of Santa's grotto in the wonderfull opening sequence. This is where Swarzc's direction is at its best, really capturing the feel of Christmas. The design of the Grotto itself is simply stunning and captures all those images of child hood dreams at once. The elves at work scenes are brilliantly directed again with panache by Swarzc. Other good moments are the scenes when Santa flies by the Statue of Liberty, Patches car flight and the final epic race to save patch at the end of the movie. Henry Mancini's music is at its best in this movie, and there are some great songs sung by Sheena Easton. Where the movie fails is in its lack of a good script, and some times patchy [no pun intended] direction. These things aside the movie is magical, and one that requires a re-release or re apraise. Its a good thing that the movie earned over $100 million in the U.S.A., because this is an American movie, yet its appeal seems to be universal. Pure Magic
Review of Santa Claus
