Santa Claus: The Movie, 1985
With Christmas just days away, J. Blake and Dion Baia decided to seek out a film that actually was the first to attempt to lay out the backstory of old St. Nick; a movie that sadly came and went, and like any good holiday film, it’s a perfect time capsule for the era it was made within. We’ve got Santa pitted against the evil and greed of the 1980s, in Jeannot Szwarc‘s Santa Claus: The Movie, from 1985.
This forgotten gem starring the great Dudley Moore, David Huddleston and John Lithgow immediately have the boys thinking back to the Christmas’ of their childhood, and the memories that come along with those experiences, like the Sears and J.C. Penney catalogs and their toy sections, or shopping with Mom and watching her use coupons for everything and then get rainchecks for what was on sale but had been 86-ed. And because of the product placement and connected marketing campaign, it has Dion and Blake longing for a McDonald‘s meal circa 1985, and all it’s unhealthy heavenly glory. They discuss the superhero-esque origin story, and relish in the glorious pre-CGI practical effects, and the beauty that has been lost in those antiquated Special Effects. So playing the SNMS-patented “What-if ?” game, who were some of the other directors considered to helm this film? Was a legendary horror director actually topping the list to, at one point, oversee this project? Was this entire movie, including the parts in New York City, shot on a soundstage in another country entirely? And is it really unheard of to have that many wild reindeer pull a sleigh? Well, this week the boys hook up with the Vendequm and watch them fulfill their centuries-old prophecy, in an all new Holiday Edition of Saturday Night Movie Sleepovers!
EXTRA:
Check out the original trailer for Santa Claus: The Movie!
Take a look at an original 1985 TV spot.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS
Boy, this one took me back. I haven’t seen or heard about this movie in a very long time. Once the episode was over, I went out looking for it and my sister found it on cable.
Watching John Lithgow in this and his assistant Towzer, I totally saw them as Mr. Burns and Smithers from The Simpsons. Hell, you could probably get Lithgow to play Burns now and you wouldn’t miss a step…only they’d probably get Rain Wilson to play Smithers.
Wow Jose! What a great casting choice! That would be hilarious! Ha! Thank you so much for continuing to listen, and for taking the time to write us. Hope you have a Happy New Year.