"Director: Glen Hill"

• The Life & Adventures Of Santa Claus | DVD | (05/10/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  "When was Santa Claus born? Why doesn't he ever die?". The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus provides answers to these and other pressing questions from the 3 to 8-year-old set. This 75-minute animated version of the popular children's book by L Frank Baum (author of The Wizard Of Oz), steers clear of Christian references, focusing instead on wood nymphs, pixies and magic. A wizardly fairy named Ak (voiced by Hal Holbrook, who also narrates the tale) helps the young Nicholas (Robby Benson) understand human misery and charges him with the task of serving mankind. Nicholas's talent for charming little children and brightening the lives of the poor--and poor at heart--soon turns into a lifelong career. Baum's imaginative scenario involves many bumps along the way; most unusual is a fight between good and evil (here demonstrated by a group of naughty thugs who curiously resemble rock Pokémon). Lush, realistic backgrounds of misty forests and blustery, snow-laden towns contrast surprisingly with roughly drawn characters, detracting from the film's overall quality. But a pleasing Celtic score and a strong message of hope, giving and caring easily outweigh this minor flaw. --Liane Thomas, Amazon.com