brilliant actors, brilliant editing

it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

If you're interested in the topic at hand, you should just watch it and judge yourself because the reviews have gone very biased by people that didn't even watch it and just hate (or love) the creator. I liked it, it was well written, narrated, and directed and it was about a topic that interests me.

I'm going to be honest here, personally I do not like this Christmas special, It's not awful and don't get me wrong, I grew up in the early 2000's so I defiantly saw this one year during Christmas time at school. It's not bad, but it's not great either, I think personally this is a waste of time. The story narrated by the great Ak explains how Santa Claus a foundling baby adopted by a fairy grew up to help children and become Santa Claus. It's a nice story and it has decent songs for kids. Having seen both versions of the Life and Adventures Of Santa Claus, the animated version is very weak and It feels too dumb-ed down for children. I lost interest in this movie after ten minutes of watching this.Maybe this is geared toward younger children and that is personally fine, the Rankin Bass version is awesome in both the story-line and the characters. I like the look of the Awguas in the original and Necille supposedly is a nymph in the animated version, and acts older while in the Rankin Bass she is very young and looks like a fairyOver all I'm being nice and am giving this special a 4/10 It's not great, but it's decent. I recommend the Rankin Bass version, It's much better

Of all the Christmas specials we watch (most every Rankin/Bass stop motion with Santa ever made) this is one of our very favorites. Let me note that this is the animated version, not the stop motion one - it's the only of Rankin/Bass's productions I've ever taken a pass on.The animation is beautiful, the script is at once touching and terrifying and lovely. Hal Holbrook voices both The Great Auk and the Narrator - they couldn't have found a better choice. Robbie Benson outdoes himself as "Young Santa" and Jim Cummings as "Older Santa" - the two of them make a seamless performance of Santa and give a wonderful fully- developed character.*Spoilers* This story is much more ancient than most we see - This Santa was a foundling that a Wood Nymph breaks all her kind's laws to raise in the Forest of Berzee. This Santa, after he grows up, wears the Christmas Wreath we've seen in historic engravings - The Great Auk is introduced to us as "The Master Woodsman" ruling over Faeries, Nooks & Rills (& wood nymphs) in a very woodland interpretation of the Santa Claus story. Santa delivers toys as gifts to children many times a year on a regular basis - until the Augua start attacking Nicholas of Berzee (his name during his mortal lifetime) and endanger the children. Then he negotiates with the Ril who is responsible for all the deer for one night a year - and when they ask which night, Auk suggests there is one night the humans celebrate each year when their hearts are a little more full and a little more caring - that should be the right night. They agree and he begins delivering toys one night a year with the 8 reindeer he's able to borrow from Wil (the deer keeper). In the Great Battle the Augua are joined by Dragons & Giants - they're defeated by the great magic of the immortals. The rest is the wonderful story of his travels as what we think of as Santa and Christmas presents and even touches on how he gets in even without a chimney! In the end, Nicholas is, after all mortal. And when he must finally pass, Auk petitions for immortality for him. The story ends well - but you should watch to see the particulars.This Santa is wonderful - he's constantly amazed at the world around him - all is new and lovely and surprising and wondrous. This story by Frank L. Baum, is lovingly told and animated and given to us in voice by Hal Holbrook.Of all the Christmas Specials we watch, this is one of only 2 my teenager still asks for - the other is Call Me Claus (Whoopie Goldberg & Nigel Hawthorne). That's pretty high praise - and very well deserved!

I thought the movie was a very inspirational movie. It showed and taught kids that when you give you receive. I'm sure some adults who watched the movie with there kids perhaps thought it was a very good movie as well. Every year I watch the movie with my family, and we always enjoy it very much.I definitely recommend this movie for kids of all ages. I loved it very much and as I said I watch it every year with my family its almost like a tradition. So if anyone is in need of a Santa Clause movie I hope they will have a chance of getting to watch this movie. Because they will enjoy it very much. So I assure you to watch the movie.For it will be something good to remember!!!

This version of The Life and adventures of Santa Claus is a pale, saccharine sweet sham when compared to the supurbly done stop motion animation of the 1985 version of this same story done by Rankin / Bass. This felt cheesy and half-hearted whereas the stop motion animated one has the distinct feel of a classic and was more true to the heart and feel of the old story by L. Frank Baum.The story is good but it feels dumbed down compared to the stop motion version. A seldom known fact, Baum connected this story to his loved The Wizard of Oz by saying the immortal faeries of this story are the ones who enchanted the land of Oz to begin with.