Director: Arthur Rankin, Jules Bass
Starring: Mickey Rooney, Paul Frees, Fred Astaire
Year: 1970
Believe it or not, this is my first time watching this holiday classic; I grew up on Rudolph & The Grinch, and then on Home Alone & The Santa Clause, for some reason I just never saw Comin’ to Town. I watched it with my kids, they had seen it with their grandparents, and I was utterly delighted, I have to say. What a weird & wacky way to celebrate the holidays and to step on the toes of Rudolph, but what great fun as well.
This is the tale of how Santa Claus came to be, and how the title song fit the man, or how the man fit the song, or somesuch; just enjoy and don’t ask questions, kids. He started out an orphan, raised by a family of small, toy-making people named Kringle, and as he grew, his one mission became to make people happy by giving them gifts. Well, that didn’t sit well with the evil Burgermeister Meisterburger, and that’s where the fun comes in, and the legend starts.
This movie is amazing. I mean, bizarre as hell, kinda trippy, and pretty bad stop-motion, but amazing all the same. It’s like the people who made it simply did not give a damn, they’d tell whatever screwball story they wanted to, and they’d make up songs that made no sense too, if they wanted. And they did want, and they did do, and the result is pure, nutty entertainment. The villain, the way the story fits the details, the kooky characters, and of course Santa himself; almost no sense is made but we don’t care, it’s a complete abandon and a good time doing it; we’re just lucky to be along for the ride.
My rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆