Transport yourself to 1985, Shakin’ Stevens had the number one hit Merry Christmas Everyone, babycham and pina coladas were flowing, multi-coloured tinsel decorated every tree and the must have toys were Teddy Ruckspins, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Transformers, and Ataris.
It was a classic era for filmmaking, Back to the Future, Legend, The Breakfast Club, Beverly Hills Cop and of course The Goonies (“Hey You Guys!”). But one film that will forever be known as one of The Best Christmas Films Ever is of course, Santa Claus: The Movie (1985). It is a delightful blend of Christmas magic, 80s nostalgia, and standout performances from the dynamic duo of Dudley Moore and John Lithgow.
HeyUGuys HQ got particularly excitable when we heard this classic was getting the 5 Star, 4K treatment and could not wait to get our hands on a copy. The remastered film is now available on 4K UHD for the first time, also out now on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital. Most of us, who deem this a Christmas Classic, will no doubt have fond memories of finding the right VHS and forwarding or rewinding the tape (yes, that was a thing) to the beginning of this core-memory, festive film.
This new version is so crisp we saw details we had never seen before, which is amazing as this film – particularly in the elf scenes – is chock-full of artistic details. The colours and sound were absolutely perfect and heightened our enjoyment of re-living our youth even more. No crackly visuals here.
The film starts in the blizzard-swept forests of Norway where a childless couple are enveloped into the magical world of the elves. The couple are granted immortality and Claus (David Huddleston) is made into Santa Claus. Huddleston, unlike many contemporary portals of Santa, brings a calm warmth and authenticity to the character. His portrayal captures the essence of Santa, radiating kindness and joy, making him a perfect fit for the role. It’s here that the massive scale, purpose-built sets at Pinewood Studios of the elves workshops are seen in all their spender. The scenes are bright, colourful and filled to the brim with elves. The plot revolves around one of Santa’s eager-to-please elves, Patch, played by Dudley Moore. Moore brings a whimsical and endearing quality to the character. His rosy-red cheeks are as cute as he is! His comedic timing is spot-on, and you can’t help but root for him as he navigates the challenges of being Santa’s right-hand elf despite him running away to New York!
It’s in New York that Patch meets the despicable toy tycoon, B.Z. played by the formidable John Lithgow. Lithgow is a force to be reckoned with, bringing a perfect mix of over-the-top villainy and comedic flair to the role. His scenes are a masterclass in hamming it up, and you can tell he’s having the best time playing the bad guy. He has the most dastardly laugh which is honestly a highlight of the film for us! Patch inevitably gets himself into trouble and it is Santa to the rescue with the help of his reindeer!
The 4k treatment of the film highlights how masterful the props, puppetry, miniatures and special effects were at that time. Animatronics was a fairly new science and used to great affect on the 8 reindeer. I don’t think, as a child, I ever questioned whether the reindeer were real! My children however had no problems pointing out the imposers! Still puppets or not, they are very endearing and their characterisation is lovely.
We very much enjoyed watching The Making of Santa Clause: The Movie which is bonus material on the disc as well as a sweet 2023 interview with Judy Cornwell who played Mrs Claus.
The film has everything a Christmas film needs; wonderful sets and scenery, a very believable Santa, a goodie, a baddie and at its heart a message of being grateful for what you have and those around you.
As a much-loved Christmas Classic, we think this wonderfully restored 4K version is well worth having in your collection. Not only to indulge in our own nostalgia but also for the younger generations who might well appreciate some good old fashioned Christmas Magic.
