Santa Claus (1985)

User Rating:

5.0/10   

Director:

Jeannot Szwarc

Writers:

David Newman (story) &
Leslie Newman (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

29 November 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Family | Fantasy

Tagline:

Guess Who's Coming To Town!

Plot:

The first half of this film, set hundreds of years ago, shows how the old man who eventually became Santa Claus was given immortality and chosen to deliver toys to all the children of the world. The second half moves into the modern era, in which Patch, the head elf, strikes out on his own and falls in with an evil toy manufacturer who wants to corner the market and eliminate Santa Claus.

Plot Keywords:

Toys | Santa Claus | Elf | Spoiled Child | Candy Cane

Cast

Dudley Moore	...	Patch
John Lithgow	...	B.Z.
David Huddleston	...	Santa Claus
Burgess Meredith	...	Ancient Elf
Judy Cornwell	...	Anya Claus
Jeffrey Kramer	...	Towzer
Christian Fitzpatrick	...	Joe
Carrie Kei Heim	...	Cornelia
John Barrard	...	Dooley
Anthony O'Donnell	...	Puffy
Melvyn Hayes	...	Goober
Don Estelle	...	Groot
Tim Stern	...	Boog
Peter O'Farrell	...	Honka
Christopher Ryan	...	Vout
Dickie Arnold	...	Goobler
Aimée Delamain	...	Storyteller
Dorothea Phillips	...	Miss Tucker
John Hallam	...	Grizzard
Judith Morse	...	Miss Abruzzi
Jerry Harte	...	Senate Chairman
Paul Aspland	...	Reporter
Sally Cranfield	...	Reporter
Michael Drew	...	Reporter
John Cassady	...	Wino
Ronald Fernee	...	Policeman
Michael A. Ross	...	Policeman (as Michael Ross)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Walter Goodman	...	Street Corner Santa
Kevin Hudson	...	Elf (uncredited)

Directed by
Jeannot Szwarc

Writing credits
David Newman		(story) &
Leslie Newman		(story)
David Newman		(screenplay)

Produced by
Ilya Salkind	....	producer
Robert Simmonds	....	associate producer
Pierre Spengler	....	producer

Original Music by
Henry Mancini

Cinematography by
Arthur Ibbetson

Film Editing by
Peter Hollywood

Casting by
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Anthony Pratt

Art Direction by
Don Dossett
John Hoesli
Tim Hutchinson		(supervising art director)
Malcolm Stone

Set Decoration by
Stephanie McMillan

Costume Design by
Bob Ringwood

Makeup Department
Elaine Bowerbank	....	hair stylist
Paul Engelen	....	makeup artist
Stuart Freeborn	....	makeup artist
Colin Jamison	....	hair stylist
Jan Jamison	....	hair stylist (as Jan Jamieson)
Penny Shawyer	....	makeup artist: Dudley Moore

Production Management
Vincent Winter	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Derek Cracknell	....	first assistant director
Raoul Girard	....	first assistant director
David Lane	....	flying and second unit director
Gerard Wall	....	assistant director: second unit
Julian Wall	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Andrew Ackland-Snow	....	draughtsman
Eddie Fowlie	....	property master
Tony Marks	....	carpenter
Kevin Phipps	....	draughtsman
Duncan Guest	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Crozier	....	sound mixer
Graham V. Hartstone	....	sound re-recording mixer
John Hayward	....	sound re-recording mixer
Nicolas Le Messurier	....	sound re-recording mixer
Archie Ludski	....	sound editor
Don Sharpe	....	sound editor
Martin Trevis	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Harry Bryce	....	effects trainee
John Coppinger	....	animatronic designer
Martin Gutteridge	....	special effects supervisor
Robert Harman	....	flying effects
Robert Harman	....	wire specialist
David Hayes	....	animatronic miniature models
Sue Higgins	....	foam lab
Graham High	....	animatronics technician
Tom McLaughlin	....	foam lab
Richard Padbury	....	animatronic workshop supervisor
Gus Ramsden	....	animatronics technician
Kuo-Ren Wu	....	animatronics technician
Tad Krzanowski	....	animatronic designer (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Janice Body	....	effects animator
Martin Body	....	matte camera operator
Roy Field	....	optical effects supervisor
Michael McDermott	....	gaffer: model unit
Derek Meddings	....	miniature effects director
Derek Meddings	....	visual effects director
Paul Wilson	....	visual effects photography

Stunts
Kevin Hudson	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Paul Beeson	....	additional photographer
Wally Byatt	....	camera operator
Trevor Coop	....	camera operator
Vince Goddard	....	electrician
Paul Kenward	....	clapper loader
Martin Kenzie	....	first assistant camera: second camera
Brad Larner	....	clapper loader
John Morgan	....	camera operator
Jeff Paynter	....	camera operator
Marc Wolff	....	camera pilot
David Worley	....	camera operator
Keith Blake	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alan Flyng	....	wardrobe assistant

Music Department
Percy Edwards	....	reindeer vocalizations
Henry Mancini	....	conductor
Keith Olsen	....	song producer: "It's Christmas, All Over The World"

Transportation Department
Mark White	....	transportation

Other crew
Elaine Burt	....	production assistant
Pamela Carlton	....	script supervisor
Pauline Couteleno	....	production executive
Susie Ford	....	assistant to associate producer
Pat Garrett	....	choreographer
Bobbie Johnson	....	assistant accountant
Alexander Salkind	....	presenter
Christine Samways	....	assistant accountant
John Trehy	....	production accountant
Gerard Wall	....	floor runner
Mak Wilson	....	lead puppeteer: "Donner"
Marc Wolff	....	aerial coordinator
Marc Wolff	....	pilot
Brian Henson	....	animatronic puppeteer: reindeers (uncredited)
Craig Miller	....	marketing consultant (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Calash Corporation
• GGG
• Santa Claus Ltd.
• TriStar Pictures

Distributors

• TriStar Pictures (1985) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1988) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Scotia International Filmverleih (1985) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1985) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Anchor Bay Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Media Home Entertainment (USA) (VHS)

Special Effects

• Effects Associates
• Optical Film Effects Ltd.

Other Companies

• Animal Actors of Hollywood  animals provided by
• Camera Effects  end title design
• Lynn Stalmaster & Associates  casting

Also Known As:

Santa Claus: The Movie (USA) (promotional title)

Runtime:

107 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Rankcolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby (35 mm prints) | 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints)

Certification:

Singapore:PG | West Germany:o.Al. | Iceland:L | Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | USA:PG | Norway:7

Filming Locations:

Albert R. Broccoli 007 Stage, Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Calash Corporation

Quotes:

Patch: Don't you believe in Santa Claus?
B.Z.: Why should I? He never brought me anything.
Patch: That's because you were probably a naughty boy.
B.Z.: Yes. I guess I was... no angel.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Best Ever Christmas Films (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

It's Christmas All Over The World

A Christmas treat!

While this movie admittedly has its detractors I personally am NOT one of them. It's utterly charming. Among it's strengths-it's perfectly cast, all the way from Dudley Moore on down to the extras. The sets are breathtaking, and the music is engaging (including Sheena Easton's beautiful "Christmas All Over the World"). With all this movie has going for it it does have its drawbacks. The first half definitely works better than the latter. It seems almost as if they were trying to make 2 movies for the price of 1, and that does detract from the overall effect. It gets a bit confusing once it hits the half-way point but it is still worth seeing all the way through. It's the sort of movie that can still hold up after repeated viewings. You can watch it with your kids, or make a guilty pleasure out of watching it by yourself. Either way do yourself a favor and watch it.