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

12/06/2018

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

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Emily St. James

Vox

12/06/2018

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.

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John J. O'Connor

New York Times

12/05/2018

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

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Ryan Voyles

Paste Magazine

12/06/2018

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.

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Matthew Jackson

Syfy Wire

12/06/2018

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.

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R.L. Shaffer

IGN Movies

12/06/2018

8/10

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.

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Alec B

@AlecMichaelB Jan 19

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.

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Jack's A

05/03/2023

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

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12/05/2018

Uhm. Wtf did I just watch?

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12/17/2013

What a fantastic interpretation of Santa's origin!

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10/15/2013

My favorite Christmas special

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12/08/2010

Too bizarre for a Christmas special. Certainly not one of the better short television films I have seen from Rankin/Bass. (First and only viewing - 12/8/2010)

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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