“Timeless Cheer: Celebrating 30 Years of ‘The Santa Clause’ in the Happy Holidays Series”

It’s difficult to comprehend that the Tim Allen festive classic ‘The Santa Clause’ celebrated its 30th anniversary this year! ‘The Santa Clause’ emerged as a major success and ultimately gave rise to two sequels, in addition to a recent Disney Plus series.

For the upcoming holiday review series next year, I might explore the remaining sequels. So, let’s revisit this 1994 holiday classic!

Scott Calvin, a divorced father, has custody of his son on Christmas Eve. After unintentionally causing a man in a Santa costume to fall fatally off a roof, they are magically whisked away to the North Pole, where an elf informs Scott that he must assume Santa’s role before the next Christmas comes.

Scott believes he’s dreaming, but in the following months, he starts to gain weight and grows an inexplicably white beard. Perhaps that night at the North Pole wasn’t merely a dream – and maybe Scott has much to accomplish.

Even after all these years, Disney’s 1994 holiday classic ‘The Santa Clause’ remains incredibly enjoyable. This was my first time watching this film in a long while, and it continues to delight and even emotionally resonate at times.

‘The Santa Clause’ consistently provides numerous humorous moments, particularly when Scott (the new Santa) and his son experience their inaugural visit to the North Pole. Tim Allen excels in his role, making viewers laugh, and his teasing of Judge Reinhold’s dreadful sweaters becomes a funny recurring gag.

As we observe Scott gradually transform into Santa, the film becomes more heartfelt as he reconnects with Charlie. The movie is filled with memorable moments and a selection of one-liners that will genuinely have you in stitches.

Scott’s first night as Santa (shortly after the old Santa’s accident on the roof) is still among the funniest segments of the film. And, just in case anyone missed it, when Scott exclaims “Ho Ho Ho” after his initial Santa run at the beginning, he nearly sounds like Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor from ‘Home Improvement.’

There’s also notable character growth for Tim Allen’s character, transitioning from someone chiefly focused on business to one who genuinely cares about everything.

Amid all the comedic moments that ‘The Santa Clause’ presents, there are also some that may be somewhat touching, such as when Scott briefly loses custody of Charlie. It’s a bit bittersweet as Scott/Santa and Charlie rekindle their close bond. Sure, some jokes might fly over the heads of younger viewers. However, this Disney holiday classic is bursting with fun and will evoke a lovely nostalgia for everyone who has grown up with the film (myself included)!

Cast: Tim Allen (Scott Calvin); Judge Reinhold (Neal); Wendy Crewson (Laura); Eric Lloyd (Charlie Calvin); Peter Boyle (Mr. Whittle); Judith Scott (Susan); Larry Brandenberg (Detective Nunzio); David Krumholtz (Bernard)

Writer/director: Leo Benvenuti (writer); Steve Rudnick (writer) (both writers have contributed to ‘Kicking & Screaming’, ‘The Santa Clause 2’ and ‘Space Jam’); John Pasquin (director) (‘Home Improvement’; ‘Last Man Standing’)

Trivia: ‘The Santa Clause’ represents Tim Allen’s cinematic debut, and the character of Scott Calvin was originally conceived with Bill Murray in mind. The 1994 film eventually generated a franchise: ‘The Santa Clause 2’ (2002), ‘The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause’ (2006) and ‘The Santa Clauses’ (Disney Plus series). I don’t have much recollection of the sequels and haven’t seen the Disney Plus series, so as mentioned, I might reserve them for the next holiday series!

Where can you watch the film? You can stream all ‘Santa Clause’ films on Disney Plus!

I hope you have relished the holiday review series that I have been diligently working on throughout December! For the next couple of editions, I will be focusing on a few new releases that the Dietrich Theater will be showcasing, along with my annual list of the best films of the year. Additionally, I will explore a few recent releases that I haven’t managed to view yet, in combination with some classic comedies to carry us through the chilly month of January!

Originally Published: December 25, 2024 at 4:00 AM EST