The Santa Claus Happy Tyme Show (2005) Poster

(2005)

User Reviews

Review this title
4 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
9/10
Can you handle the truth?
feyer814 December 2005
This Santa has his OWN NAME right at the top of his naughty list!

The film is a new, hip tale of Santa gone corporate while his poor, overworked elves fight for survival... and revenge.

Technically filmed using unique styles of string 'puppets' skillfully melded into large, physical sets with only the necessary CGI enhancements. It's a wonder it looks so good considering the shoestring budget used to create it!

The script is well written and genuinely funny without falling into crude and insulting humor.

Fun viewing for the whole family- if your family can handle the truth!
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Hilarious send-up.
zippypip29 November 2005
Saw the film at the 2005 Mill Valley Film Festival. The group I was with all loved it.

The film is a clever mix of a Rankin & Bass holiday special a Thunderbirds TV show and Adult Swim humor. The story is a very funny take on today's corporate culture of greed and corruption. The characters range from the twisted greedy Santa Claus, the corrupt union president Frosty Snowmen, the innocent hero Sparky Elf and the insanely obsessive hench-elf Mr. Fritz. The look of the film combines string puppets, detailed cardboard sets and computer effects. There are many film homages and an ending that would make any James Bond fan happy.

Unless they're fans of the Simpsons, I would not recommend this movie for young children as it portrays Santa and the elves in a negative light.
2 out of 2 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
bad santa
Lynn_Marie3 January 2006
An excellent, but twisted, puppet film. I saw this in the fall at a film festival, and enjoyed it immensely -- it's not just for holiday viewing.

Everything about this short is meticulous. The sets, puppets and art direction are all stellar. The voices are fun and the visuals are engaging.

The style of the marionettes really fits the style of the film. They're mouths don't move, but because of the voice talent and the way they are manipulated you don't really notice that their faces are static.

Here's hoping the filmmaker can sell it to television as a 30 minute special for the holiday season. Watch out Rudolph!
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
A clever, imaginative story.
donna-michael16 November 2005
A feast for the eyes and lots of laughs. If you thought Santa's workshop was all about "Hardrock, Coco, and Joe," you're in for a rude, hilarious awakening. The Santa Claus Happy Tyme Show takes us deep inside that workshop for a tongue-in-cheek look at a cadre of not very smart crooks and their not quite diabolical holiday season schemes.

The director has combined puppetry with computer generated imagery to create weird, fantastic characters and beautifully detailed sets. The action sequences are a real treat. Great storytelling; plenty of wry humor for adults and whimsical fun for younger viewers. In the movie, the director pays homage to several different films. See how many you recognize.
1 out of 1 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Clear your history

Recently Viewed