The Santa Clause

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The Santa Clause is a 1994 American Christmas fantasy family comedy film directed by John Pasquin. It is the first installment in The Santa Clause trilogy and it stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin, an ordinary man who accidentally causes Santa Claus to fall from his roof on Christmas Eve. When he and his young son, Charlie, finish St. Nick's trip and deliveries, they go to the North Pole where Scott learns that he must become the new Santa and convince those he loves that he is indeed Father Christmas.

This was Pasquin and Allen's first movie collaboration after they both worked together on the TV series Home Improvement. Pasquin and Allen would later work again on the films Jungle 2 Jungle and Joe Somebody, and on the television series Last Man Standing.

The film was followed by two sequels, The Santa Clause 2 (2002) and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006). In comparison to the original, the former received mixed critical response while the latter was panned by most critics.

Video The Santa Clause

Plot

Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) is a successful executive at a toy company. However, he spends less and less time with his son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), to the point where Charlie isn't too happy to spend Christmas with Scott. After picking Charlie up from his ex-wife, Laura (Wendy Crewson) and her new husband Neil (Judge Reinhold), the two head to Scott's. However, he burns the turkey and the two are forced to go to Denny's for dinner. After reading Charlie the book 'Twas the night before Christmas, Charlie wakes Scott up after hearing noises on the roof.

Rushing outside, Scott startles a man dressed as Santa on the roof, causing him to slip and fall. Attempting to help the man, Scott finds a card on him that states "If something should happen to me, put on my suit, the Reindeer will know what to do," after which the body disappears. Charlie comes outside and discovers reindeer and a sleigh on the roof. Pushed by his son, Scott puts on the Santa suit and delivers a few gifts before the reindeer take them to the North Pole. Bernard (David Krumholtz), the head elf, explains to Scott that because he put on the suit he is now Santa, and gives him one year to get his affairs in order before taking over Santa's duties. Overwhelmed, Scott changes into pajamas and falls asleep. Eventually waking up in his own bed, Scott believes he had an elaborate dream, until Charlie begins telling him events of the previous night.

Over the course of the next year, strange things begin to occur. Scott begins gaining a significant amount of weight, hitting 192 pounds, including forty-five pounds in a week. His facial hair regrows quickly after shaving and his hair turns stark white. Scott's rapid weight gain causes his clothes to stop fitting, causing him to have to wear sweatpants and t-shirts that don't fit that reveal his massive gut. This eventually leads to Laura and Neil getting a judge to suspend Scott's visitation rights. Scott eventually visits Charlie, and is convinced that he is Santa. Bernard appears, and whisks both to the North Pole to begin preparations for Christmas.

Laura and Neil believe Scott has kidnapped Charlie and contact the police. At the North Pole, Scott sets out for Christmas with Charlie in tow. However, upon arriving at his old home, Scott is arrested. The elves eventually send a crack team of extraction elves to rescue him. Scott returns to Laura's and reveals that he is Santa to them. Initially unbelieving, eventually both come around and believe that Scott is now Santa. After a very public departure, Scott travels the world delivering gifts. Using a magic snow globe given to him by Bernard, Charlie summons Scott back home. Laura agrees to let Charlie go with Scott to deliver the gifts and to the two head off into the night.

Maps The Santa Clause

Cast

Tim Allen as Scott Calvin / Santa Claus
Eric Lloyd as Charlie Calvin
Wendy Crewson as Laura Miller
Judge Reinhold as Dr. Neil Miller
David Krumholtz as Bernard the Head Elf
Paige Tamada as Judy the Elf
Peter Boyle as Mr. Whittle
Larry Brandenburg as Detective Nunzio
Jayne Eastwood as Judy the Waitress
Kenny Vadas as the E.L.F.S. Leader
Chris Benson as Fireman O'Hara
Mary Gross as Mrs. Daniels

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Production

This film was entirely shot in the Greater Toronto Area. Oakville served as the city of Lakeside, Illinois. It was originally going to be released under the Hollywood Pictures banner, but was moved to Walt Disney Pictures after positive test screenings among children (despite Hollywood Pictures received a marquee credit--placement of the studio's production logo on marketing materials with the film's opening titles).

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Reception

Box office

The Santa Clause grossed over USD $144 million in the United States and Canada, and over $189 million worldwide, making it a box-office hit. The film has since gone on to become a Christmas classic. Freeform and AMC have played the film during the holiday season with record ratings.

Critical reception

The film received generally positive reviews from the critics. The film currently holds a "Certified Fresh" rating of 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, with 39 positive reviews from 52 counted and an average rating of 6/10. The consensus from the site is "The Santa Clause is utterly undemanding, but it's firmly rooted in the sort of good old-fashioned holiday spirit missing from too many modern yuletide films."

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Soundtrack

Note that songs listed here (and in the movie credits) cannot always be found on CD soundtracks.

"Oh Christmas Tree (O Tannenbaum)"; Arranged by John Neufeld
"Carol of the Bells"; Written by Peter Wilhousky
"White Christmas"; Written by Irving Berlin; Performed by The Drifters
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"; Written by J. Fred Coots And Haven Gillespie; Performed by Alvin and the Chipmunks
"Think!" (Theme from Jeopardy!); Written by Merv Griffin
"Jingle Bell Ride"; Written and Performed by Johnny Hawksworth
"Gimme All Your Lovin'"; Written by Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard; Performed by ZZ Top
"Jingle Bells"; Arranged by John Neufeld
"Christmas Will Return"; Written by Jimmy Webb; Performed by Brenda Russell and Howard Hewett
"The Bells of Christmas"; Written and Performed by Loreena McKennitt

The film's soundtrack was released on October 10, 1994 in the United States.

Let's Go
Believing Is Seeing
Sash Completes the Ensemble
Flight
Weightless
Away to the Window
Bells of Christmas
Listen
Goodnight, Goodnight, Don't Forget the Fire Extinguisher
Visitation
Rose Suchak Ladder
List
Elves with Attitude
Someone in Wrapping
Near Capture
Comfort and Joy
Not Over Any Oceans
Christmas Will Return

The Santa Clause- Bernard the Head Elf - YouTube

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Home media

This film was first released on Home Video (VHS and Laserdisc) on October 20, 1995. The first DVD was released in October 13, 1998 and 1999. The Santa Clause along with its sequels were released in a three movie DVD collection in 2007. All three movies were released as a Blu-ray set on October 16, 2012.

Towards the beginning of the film a brief exchange between Scott and Laura takes place in which Laura hands Scott a piece of paper with Neil's mother's phone number on it. Scott then exclaims "1-800-SPANK-ME? I know that number!". In the United States, the exchange was removed from the 1999 DVD release as well as the 2002 Special Edition DVD and VHS releases and the 2012 Blu-ray release after a 1996 incident in which a child from Steilacoom, Washington called the number and racked up a $400 phone bill. On television airings, the phone number is changed to "1-800-POUND". The line remains intact on the 1995 VHS release.