Christmas is a season that, for many children has come to incorporate Santa, toys, family, and cheer and good wishes for all. It's also led to Christmas movies that vary from timeless classics to terrible ones. And then there's the 1959 movie
Santa Claus -- a truly awful one that, among other things is a poorly dubbed Mexican with mixed mythologies and a surprisingly racist opening. In other words, it's perfect fodder for making fun of -- at
Rifftrax Live: Santa Claus delivers.
For this holiday movie special, Mike Nelsion, Kevin Murphy, and Bill Corbett (dressed as an elf, or "North Pole Person") have plenty to work with. Following the fake preview items ("You sold your ears to get me these slippers? I sold my feet to get you these earrings!" -- Eli Roth's Gift of the Magi) and a short about making Chrismtas ornaments out of sugar, they dive into
Santa Claus. This movie has Santa and his multi-ethnic and stereotypical workshop of children, plus Merlin and a shirtless blacksmith. On the other side, there's Pitch, Satan or a demon or a devil or something out to destroy Santa and therefore Christmas (and dance awkwardly). There's a girl who wants a doll, a rich kid who wants a brother, artificial reindeer who'll disintegrate in the sun, and Satna's tendency to gas people.
As often the jokes come fast and furious, whether it's pop culture references (from The Honeymooners to Inception), calling the movie out on its stereotypes, or referencing the deity "Craig." (The latter makes sense in the movie.) There are numerous laughs, and it's a nice contrast to the usual Christmas sentimentality; and if you're tired of Christmas songs and specials, the source material will make
anything look good by contrast.
Rifftrax Life: Santa Claus is another funny celebration of a terrible movie -- this time, with curly shoes!
Overall grade: B
Reviewed by James Lynch
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