The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus

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The Life & Adventures of Santa Claus

TV-G

1985

49m

Fantasy

Holiday

Kids & Family

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

63%

Tomatometer

8 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Immortals adopt a mortal baby, who later returns to Earth to make children happy.

AV Club Staff

AV Club

It badly botches what a Christmas special should be, and is worth watching mainly for unintentional laughs.

Dec 6, 2018

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Emily St. James

Vox

This is something like Rankin/Bass's fifth attempt to tell the back-story of the jolly old elf. But there's something so pleasingly goofy about Santa wandering into scenes that might as well be ripped from the pages of Marvel Comics.

Dec 6, 2018

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John J. O'Connor

New York Times

Mr. Baum's peculiar vision can be filled with all sorts of deliciously scarifying elements, but the underlying theme is unfailingly comforting.

Dec 5, 2018

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Ryan Voyles

Paste Magazine

Lacks the lighthearted charm of the earlier specials, but makes up for it in its tight plot and the best Animagic the studio ever did.

Dec 6, 2018

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Matthew Jackson

Syfy Wire

It's Rankin/Bass doing high fantasy in ways they never did before, the stop-motion is smooth and gorgeous, and it's worth seeking out just for how strange it is.

Dec 6, 2018

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R.L. Shaffer

IGN Movies

The special is peppered with dazzling characters courtesy of Baum's highly inventive imagination, coupled with terrific stop-motion animation that brings the marvelous characters to life in extraordinary ways.

Rated: 8/10

Dec 6, 2018

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Alec B

The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus is a fever dream of stop-motion animation that stands out for its uniquely fantastical elements. Much of its charm comes from the imagination of L. Frank Baum, the mastermind behind The Wizard of Oz, whose influence is evident in the story's mythical creatures and lore. Revisiting this older claymation, I found myself appreciating its ambition and creativity more than I did in the past. While it’s certainly not a fan favorite among the masses, there’s something unique about its blend of whimsy and oddity that makes it worth a second look.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/25

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John C

Truly stands out as a less traditional Christmas story. Phenomenal voice work and a really engaging story

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/11/23

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Jack's A

It has interesting characters and story, and if you like horror movies like me, you'll definitely love some parts of this special

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

05/03/23

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Audience Member

Uhm. Wtf did I just watch?

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

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Audience Member

What a fantastic interpretation of Santa's origin!

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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Audience Member

My favorite Christmas special

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

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Jules Bass

Director

Arthur Rankin Jr.

Director

Earl Hammond

Santa Claus

Earle Hyman

King Awgwa

Larry Kenney

Commander of the Wind Demons

Lynne Lipton

Queen Zurline

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Synopsis

Immortals adopt a mortal baby, who later returns to Earth to make children happy.

Director: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.
Producer: Jules Bass, Arthur Rankin Jr.
Screenwriter: Jules Bass, L. Frank Baum
Rating: TV-G
Genre: Fantasy, Holiday, Kids & Family
Original Language: English
Release Date (TV): Dec 17, 1985
Runtime: 49m