Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Spidersecu Don't Believe the Hype

BallWubba Wow! What a bizarre film! Unfortunately the few funny moments there were were quite overshadowed by it's completely weird and random vibe throughout.

Suman Roberson It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

TheLittleSongbird I love Rankin' Bass Christmas specials and have done so since childhood. I love Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus is Comin' To Town, The Little Drummer Boy and Nestor The Long-Eared Christmas Donkey, and while The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is not quite as good it still stands on its own as a Christmas classic. The stop-motion is gorgeous to look at, the settings are some of the most beautiful and imaginative-looking I've seen and the characters move easily. The music is tuneful and memorable, it is very original while maintaining that feel of Christmas sparkle. Ora E Sempre is really powerful stuff. The script is thoughtfully written and engaging, with some heart-warming sentiment and important themes without beating the audience around the head with them. The story is imaginatively done and interesting, there are some dark moments(though nowhere near as nightmare-inducing as other films/shows/specials I've come across) but also some moving ones as well. The characters are really memorable, Claus is immediately likable and a character to root for, Weekum and Blinky are cute, Tingler is amusing, The Great Ak is a firm and kindly storyteller and the fairies are sweet and have great personalities, but I find Commander of the Wind Demons to be the character I remember most. The voice acting is really excellent as well. In conclusion, just as much as I do with other Rankin' Bass Christmas specials I love this. 10/10 Bethany Cox

Shawn Watson In this adaptation of L. Frank Baum's story, produced by Rankin Bass, we see how Santa came to be, from his origin an immortal to his dedication to bringing presents and happiness to kids around the globe. It's a better story than the 'true meaning of Xmas' crud we're used to in Xmas Specials. Erasing th 'birth of Baby Jesus' angle was also a wise move.I'd never heard of the novel until I saw this special, but it seems kinda similar to The Wizard of Oz. The music by Bernard Hoffer is also notably better than the usual medley of Xmas carols. I guess it doesn't rate too highly among the rest of the holiday clutter, but certainly worth watching.

luzah The synopsis of this movie I will leave alone for now, as the previous comment pretty much had that down pat. As a child of the 80s myself, this movie is easily my best Christmas memory. The fantasy, the unexpectedly dark plot, beautiful imagery...all of these things make this one of the most memorable Christmas movies I could think of.For those of you looking for a classic movie full of love, warmth, cheer, and all of the other TYPICAL feelings associated with a Christmas movie...I would pass this one up. The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus throws in elements of suspense, fear, sadness, and eventually relief...not commonly associated with a Christmas flick. Agreed, it IS a bit on the dark side for a holiday movie. However, would I recommend this for a truly unique and unexpected treat for older viewers? Without a doubt. The younger kids may not be able to sit still, but the older kids (including my generation) won't be able to shut up about it afterwards. If you want something TRULY indescribable and unforgettable in your movie collection, I'd go for The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus.

Angel Meiru Somehow, most Christmas related movies and specials seem to be sendemental, campy or some times even sickening sweet. But "The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus" is a big relief from those Holiday special clichés.Think of putting together a typical Rankin Bass special, Mythology of the British Isles and Jim Henson's "The Dark Crystal" and you get this movie about a mortal named St. Nicholas and how he came to be.Some people seemed to complain about the film being too dark. But face it, some things may tend to be *gasps* ARTISTIC, and *gasps* original and *gasps* not sappy or an un-artistic film just made to tell you to shell out your bucks on the crappy merchandise.If you catch this on TV or on any VCR format, or if you love "The Dark Crystal" or Mythological based films, you will love this special. I know I do!