Search - Santa Claus - The Movie on DVD


Santa Claus - The Movie
Santa Claus - The Movie
Actors: John Lithgow, Dudley Moore, Burgess Meredith
Director: Alexander Salkind
Genres: Indie & Art House, Comedy, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy
PG     2008     1hr 48min

This is the story of a master toymaker who discovers a magical kingdom of elves at the North Pole. He is entrusted with special powers to become Santa Claus! He meets Patch (Dudley Moore), an eager-to-please elf who become...  more »

     

Larger Image

Movie Details

Actors: John Lithgow, Dudley Moore, Burgess Meredith
Director: Alexander Salkind
Genres: Indie & Art House, Comedy, Kids & Family, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Sub-Genres: Indie & Art House, Comedy, Adventure, Comedy, Family Films, Fantasy, Christmas, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Studio: ANCHOR BAY
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen
DVD Release Date: 10/21/2008
Release Year: 2008
Run Time: 1hr 48min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 0
MPAA Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Languages: English
See Also:

Similar Movies

Jack Frost
Director: Troy Miller
   PG   1999   1hr 41min
   
One Magic Christmas
Director: Phillip Borsos
   G   2004   1hr 29min
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Deluxe Edition
Directors: Arthur Rankin Jr., Jules Bass
   UR   2007   2hr 5min

Similarly Requested DVDs

The Other Side of Heaven
   PG   2003   1hr 53min
   
Snakes on a Plane
Widescreen New Line Platinum Series
Directors: David R. Ellis, Lex Halaby
   R   2007   1hr 45min
   
Arthur
Director: Steve Gordon
   PG   1997   1hr 37min
   
Galaxy Quest
Director: Dean Parisot
   PG   2000   1hr 42min
   
Disney's The Kid
Director: Jon Turteltaub
   PG   2001   1hr 44min
   
Purple Rain
Director: Albert Magnoli
   R   1997   1hr 51min
   
Victory
Director: John Huston
   PG   1998   1hr 56min
   
Robocop
Director: Paul Verhoeven
   R   2001   1hr 42min
   
Sweet Home Alabama
   PG-13   2003   1hr 48min
   
Piglet's Big Movie
Director: Francis Glebas
   G   2003   1hr 15min
   
 

Movie Reviews

Wonderful DVD version is widescreen
Jim Jr | Buffalo, NY United States | 12/10/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone buying a copy of this film should really get the wide screen DVD version. The flying sequences are so much better in widescreen as are the scenes in the North Pole toy factory. The "full frame" pan and scan version just can't hold a candle to the widescreen (I have both so have carefully compared them.)There is an excellent director's comment track with questions being asked by the Special Projects Consultant for Anchor Bay (the company distributing the DVD) and answered and expanded upon by the director, Jeannot Szwarc. It is worth the price of the package alone. However there is also a great "making of" feature that was produced as a TV documentary at the time of the theatrical release of the film.This is a really great Christmas film for the whole family. The first hour telling the story of how a simple wood cutter and toy maker become Santa Claus is completely charming. David Huddleston is a wonderful Claus. Dudly Moore is excellent as the elf, Patch, who is into everything and constantly inventing new gadgets. He shows his tender side as he grooms and takes care of the reindeer. It is really tragic that Mr. Moore now has the disease that make it impossible for him to perform any longer. That makes this film that much more of a treasure as it shows him at the top of his form as an actor. (Too bad the producers couldn't have used his musical talents in some way.)John Lithgow is a delightfully hammy villain in the second portion of the film showing the early stages of the character he later does in "Third Rock From The Sun". The two children are also great, very real and not the cloying poor child actors that could easily have been used.Trim the tree, light a fire in the fireplace, pour an egg nog and enjoy the very special Holiday treat!."
Best Santa Ever!
Brandy Leigh Pyle | Saint Marys, Ga United States | 07/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The man who plays Santa in this movie is the cutest, sweetest, most magical Santa Claus ever captured on film. I swear to this day...this man IS the real Santa. They could not have done a better job in casting this film. I get goosebumps every time they show Santa take off in the sleigh for the first time. Outstanding movie!!"
A Christmas Essential!
Monty Moonlight | TX | 06/10/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Dudley Moore, John Lithgow, and David Huddleston star in the 1985 masterpiece (that's right, I said masterpiece), "Santa Clause the Movie". The film starts off by depicting the origin of one of the world's most favorite people, Santa Claus (David Huddleston), showing how he and his wife were brought to a workshop at the North Pole by elves in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. There, they were granted immortality with the mission of delivering the elf-made toys to the children of the world on one night each year. The film charmingly takes us through the centuries and eventually lands in modern day, when a wealthy little girl named Cornelia befriends a homeless orphan boy named Joe in New York City. The pair also manage to befriend Santa on his nightly ride, but when he returns home and finds his heavy workload is becoming too much for him, Santa decides to take on an assistant. A competition is held, but when the result brings on disaster the following Christmas, an ambitious elf named Patch (Dudley Moore) decides to go out into the world and prove his worth to Santa. It's soon after that he meets B.Z (Lithgow), an unscrupulous, greedy maker of dangerously defective toys. Patch naively teams up with B.Z. to bring the world "something special" for Christmas, but in the end only Santa Claus himself, with the help of Cornelia and Joe of course, will be able to save Patch and everyone else from the hazardous gifts they create!

The Salkinds, the same people who brought you Christopher Reeve as "Superman," spared no expense in this epic tale of another high-flying force for good, Santa Claus, appropriately dubbed "Santa Claus the Movie." "Supergirl" director Jeannot Szwarc skillfully handles the reins on this one, and though he follows the same basic formula of the first Reeve Superman film, it's all the detail and charm that makes this holiday classic a masterpiece in its own right. With its magical first half and clever, modern-fairytale second half, "Santa Claus the Movie" adds up to the best movie about the big man in red made to date. Forget the others if you don't have this one yet! The cast is fantastic, by the way. David Huddleston simply IS Santa, Dudley is delightful as the unworldy, bright-eyed Patch, Lithgow is detestably hilarious as wicked toy pusher B.Z. (reminiscent of Dan Aykroyd's old SNL character), and the kids (Carrie Kei Heim and Christian Fitzpatrick) and Judy Cornwell as Mrs. Claus are perfectly cast as well. The chemistry throughout the cast is amazing, and so are the pre-CGI effects and classic '80's fantasy music from Henry Mancini with one song performed by Sheena Easton!

The DVD from Anchor Bay is a must own (mine is the older cover, but I hear it is exactly the same). It's presented in glorious enhanced widescreen and has fantastic extras. You get two U.S. theatrical trailers, plus the International and German trailers, an excellent audio commentary with the director accompanied by Special Projects Consultant for Anchor Bay Scott Michael Bosco, talent bios on the late Dudley Moore and director Jeannot Szwarc, and a fascinating, lengthy, revealing, and in-depth making-of featurette made during the making of the film. Try to ignore the director humiliating one of the elf actors during the "making-of" featurette, and the fact that it repeatedly drops the ball in keeping up the illusion it initially presents. If you really want to see some pre-CGI movie magic, you have to check out this excellent featurette, and this beautiful film! Get this one on DVD along with "The Nativity Story," and you'll have the two most significant origin stories of the Christmas season!
"
A Wonderful Christmas Movie
mkide | Folsom, CA United States | 11/24/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of my favorite Christmas movies. It brings the legend of Santa Claus to life in a grandiose way (i.e. great Hollywood special effects and wonderful musical score!) This movie was produced by the Salkinds (which probably explains why some of the flying sequences are similar to the Superman movies.) I just recently found it is available now on DVD. The DVD gives you four movie trailers and a very interesting hour-long behind the scenes making of "Santa Claus: The Movie." It also has director's commentary, if you like that. Buy the widescreen version. Ever since owning a DVD player, I have enjoyed watching movies presented widescreen. I hate to see them "fit to screen," because it cuts so much out of the picture. The score is by Henry Mancini and is just magical, especially "Sleigh Ride Over Manhattan"! This is a wonderful Christmas movie that you and your family will enjoy for years to come!!"