There was a Santa Claus before Tim Allen! Santa Claus: The Movie was released in 1985 and starred David Huddleston as Santa as well as Dudley Moore as the delightful elf Patch and the super villain was naturally portrayed with much meanness by a younger John Lithgow.
Santa Claus: The Movie seems to be forgotten amongst all of the classic Christmas films and for no good reason, it’s the best one of them all. Full of Santa, elves in workshops painting with their beards, North Pole scenes, reindeers, magic in the form of gold dust a guest appearance by Burgess Meredith plus a baddie trying to destroy Christmas it’s truly a tale for lovers of the true spirit of the festive season.
Patch (Dudley Moore), the elf, wants to leave the North Pole as he feels he has let Santa down with shoddy craftsmanship on wooden toys that have been returned to Santa (down his chimney on boxing day!) after many scraped knees have been reported all around the world. As Patch is the elf in charge of production he wants to make things right and show Santa what he’s made of. He makes his way to America where instead he unwittingly becomes involved with a baddie toy store owner (Lithgow at his finest) who is trying to destroy Christmas. Together they create magical lolly pops that on eating make children fly! Turns out that cheeky Patch took some magic dust that’s usually saved for the reindeers. It also tells the heartwarming story of how Santa became to be and how he will live forever in people’s hearts as the gift of giving. With songs and dancing included, this should have been a Broadway musical! 
Santa Claus: The Movie brings out that magic feeling that kids love and is never tacky, lame or forces humour on the audience. It’s got a glow of festive spirit that so many other Christmas films lack and really reinforces the belief in Santa as well as what he really stands for, kindness to others, love and peace for humankind. This film shows us the desire for greed and selfishness and what misery it brings and touches on consumerism and the nastiness it can create. Strangely too, it deals with the issue of a homeless boy who finds faith and love in a Santa he never believed in. It’s just so gosh darn hope filled and tingly!
Obviously, in 1985 the sets and costumes don’t look as awesome as they may have in more recent Hollywood Christmas movies such as Elf (2003) or Fred Claus (2007) and although looking a tiny bit dated Santa Claus: The Movie still stands out and has a far better storyline with much better actors than these new Christmas attempts. So often these days Christmas films seem to be terrible comedies that have toilet humour and stupid people. They don’t reiterate the notion of giving or discuss any meanings or in depth views about Christmas. In the past decade The Polar Express (2004) has been perhaps the one valuable film to children teaching them about the meaning of Christmas. So many parents have got bells they pretend not to hear!
Santa Claus: The Movie may be older and look a little shabby by today’s standards but it stands up as one of the greatest Christmas stories ever told on screen and is an absolute classic for all the family to enjoy. So, get out your eggnog and set up some milk and biscuits for the man in the red suit and sit back with your kids and watch their eyes light up with this beautiful tale.
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