Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (1970) (TV)

Directors:

Jules Bass
Arthur Rankin Jr.

Writer:

Romeo Muller (writer)

Release Date:

14 December 1970 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Family | Fantasy | Musical

Plot:

A mailman reveals the origin of Santa Claus.

Plot Keywords:

Santa Claus | Stop Motion | Bad Turned Good | Lifting Person In Air | Christmas

Cast

Fred Astaire	...	Narrator (voice)
Mickey Rooney	...	Kris (voice)
Keenan Wynn	...	Winter (voice)
Paul Frees	...	Burgermeister Meisterburger / Grimsby / Soldiers / Townsmen (voice)
Joan Gardner	...	Tanta Kringle (voice)
Robie Lester	...	Jessica (voice)
Andrea Sacino	...	Child (voice)
Dina Lynn	...	Child (voice)
Gary White	...	Child (voice)
Greg Thomas	...	Child (voice)

Runtime:

48 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Canada:G (Manitoba/Quebec) (video rating) | UK:U (video rating) (1995)

Company:

Rankin/Bass Productions

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): One of the kids watching the Burgermister burn their toys are smiling, even though they are all meant to be crying; when the kid's toys were confiscated for the first time, that same kid which said, "We'll never play again" is still smiling.

Quotes:

[first lines]
News Reporter: Today, children everywhere are making preparations for an event of world shaking significance: the annual visit of Santa Claus. Informed sources report that legions of junior citizens are making monumental efforts not to cry and not to pout. Meanwhile, letters by the thousands have been flooding postal facilities at the North Pole.

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Saturday Night Live: Hugh Jackman/Mick Jagger (#27.8)" (2001)

Soundtrack:

My World is Beginning Today

Timeless!!

I will be 33 in January 2002. I only mention this so that readers will be able to gauge my review of this classic based on my age. While I was growing up, prior vcr tapes and dvd players, I and my friends would wait all year to view the various Christmas specials that aired each year. I remember sitting glued to the tv taking in every second of the shows. Back then if you missed part of the show or even the whole show you were border line depressed because you knew you couldn't see it again for a whole year. In some ways anticipation made the viewing of Christmas specials that much better.

SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN(SCICTT) is in my top five Rankin/Bass specials. Right along with RUDOLPH, FROSTY and The Year WITHOUT SANTA CLAUS. I enjoy the 1970's feel this classic has. The flowers that appear when Jessica sings, the simple toys the kids play with and the songs that are sung throughout this show. I can only imagine what a modern version of this show would sound like with its boy band sounding songs and electric toys and video games. Instead of watching Kris and Jessica court each other and wed we would probably see them live together while they consider marriage. This was a scary classic. The Winter Warlock was very scary when I viewed this as a kid. No matter how many times I saw this as a kid I would always wonder if Kris would make it past the warlock.

I suppose the best thing about this type of Christmas classic is that when people my age view it they can escape back to their innocent youth for a short while. Even though I now own the vhs of SCICTT and soon hope to purchase the DVD I make myself and my kids wait until Christmas season to watch it. It's not quite the same as when I was a kid but anticipation still increases the viewing pleasure once we do watch it.