Well, this one was even funnier than the Santa Claus Conquers the Martians episode of "MST3K". Besides Santa, there's also Pitch the Devil (loved Mike and the 'bots comments on his dancing, "He really seems to enjoy pantaloons too much!" LOL), and Merlin the Magician. This being a Mexican production, the little girl is named Lupita and "Feliz Nadivad" is printed on the store window. There's a couple of good Holiday songs especially written for the show. Those white mechanical reindeer are some of the most creepiest I've ever seen in a movie and one of them has a really creepy laugh that gets laughed at in derision by the Satellite of Love gang. Oh, and there's also a bulldog that gets distracted by a doll cat that runs on skates! "The Hot Wheels cat!" LOL This was one weird movie that deserved all the catcalls by the "MST3K" gang. And it's from schlockmeister producer K. Gordon Murray. That info alone should warn you about this American-dubbed picture's quality. So for any die hard "MST3K" fans, Santa Claus is definitely recommended.
3 Reviews
Hilarious . . . but disturbing at the same time
TitusYorick12 March 2012
Warning: Spoilers
I can't think of one negative thing to say about this episode. The politically correct Christmas carol was great and the comments throughout the movie were perfect. There is one thing about this episode that really gives me the chills though - and that's the movie itself.
It's supposed to portray a rosy story of Santa's quest to spread joy and love to the world and to punish all the bad children, but it doesn't even come close to hiding the fact that Santa's a crazy stalking sociopath! He's got a workshop full of kidnapped child labor for crying out loud! Am I the only one who noticed this? I guess since it's technically international space there's no child labor laws to prevent it. I think the only way it works is if they were the bad children of the world being rehabilitated, but that still doesn't justify him snatching them from their families!
And what's with Santa's sleigh? It's run by toy reindeer that laugh when wound up? How screwed up is that? I mean, when I first saw the laughing reindeer, all I could think of was that scene from "Evil Dead II" when the mounted deer head starts laughing at Bruce Campbell! In that kind of environment, I'm surprised the gifts didn't open themselves and start attacking the children and Santa on the spot! Geez, after everything else that'd happened, it would've at least made sense.
His rather toned down duel with Pitch the devil was like something out of a either a cheap Abbot and Costello or Laurel and Hardy routine too! I'm just glad they didn't try to make it as serious as the rest of the movie, what with the devil's bassoon based theme music. And what about Santa sinking down to Satan's level with the toy cannon? I know the anagram is there, but that doesn't mean Santa has to make good on it!
Finally, the children that Santa visits. Were they they only children on Santa's list that year? Was there some kind of lottery that I missed each year when I was a kid? Sure, I know the movie wouldn't have been able to show him visiting every child on the planet, but a montage of some kind showing him visiting a few more houses would've been better than wasting his time on a small handful of kids! And the way he convinces the neglectful parents of the sad rich kid? He gives them a steaming bubbling drink they take without question? The last time I checked, either something's gotta be acidic or boiling hot to do something like that! What were they, Pangalactic Gargleblasters?
I'm still giving this episode a perfect score though since the creepiness of the whole thing really helps add to the hilarity. Bravo Best Brains!
It's supposed to portray a rosy story of Santa's quest to spread joy and love to the world and to punish all the bad children, but it doesn't even come close to hiding the fact that Santa's a crazy stalking sociopath! He's got a workshop full of kidnapped child labor for crying out loud! Am I the only one who noticed this? I guess since it's technically international space there's no child labor laws to prevent it. I think the only way it works is if they were the bad children of the world being rehabilitated, but that still doesn't justify him snatching them from their families!
And what's with Santa's sleigh? It's run by toy reindeer that laugh when wound up? How screwed up is that? I mean, when I first saw the laughing reindeer, all I could think of was that scene from "Evil Dead II" when the mounted deer head starts laughing at Bruce Campbell! In that kind of environment, I'm surprised the gifts didn't open themselves and start attacking the children and Santa on the spot! Geez, after everything else that'd happened, it would've at least made sense.
His rather toned down duel with Pitch the devil was like something out of a either a cheap Abbot and Costello or Laurel and Hardy routine too! I'm just glad they didn't try to make it as serious as the rest of the movie, what with the devil's bassoon based theme music. And what about Santa sinking down to Satan's level with the toy cannon? I know the anagram is there, but that doesn't mean Santa has to make good on it!
Finally, the children that Santa visits. Were they they only children on Santa's list that year? Was there some kind of lottery that I missed each year when I was a kid? Sure, I know the movie wouldn't have been able to show him visiting every child on the planet, but a montage of some kind showing him visiting a few more houses would've been better than wasting his time on a small handful of kids! And the way he convinces the neglectful parents of the sad rich kid? He gives them a steaming bubbling drink they take without question? The last time I checked, either something's gotta be acidic or boiling hot to do something like that! What were they, Pangalactic Gargleblasters?
I'm still giving this episode a perfect score though since the creepiness of the whole thing really helps add to the hilarity. Bravo Best Brains!
Bad Santa
hellraiser711 August 2017
Throughout my lifetime I've seen my share of good, bad, to even really bizarre movies about my favorite time of the year. There were even several films about St. Nick himself three of the ones I like are "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", "Santa Clause 1 and 2", and even the underrated gem "Santa Claus the Movie"; this film is not one of them in fact it's on my naughty list. This is my forth favorite episode of the show and also one of my favorite TV Christmas episodes, there is just not a dull moment in this and it has some of the best scenes and lines. And on a side note check out James Rolfe's review on this film it's just as funny.
I never even knew this film ever existed, let alone made and personally glad I didn't. Just seeing this makes me wonder what the hell the writer was thinking or was someone on something when they made this or green lit it.
This is a really bizarre and creepy take on Santa, from a workshop full of Children whom seem like Child Slave Labor. Santa peering into dreams and even having a laugh that looks demented. Reindeer that are creepy talking robots and of course having Satan in this film, OK not exactly an emissary of Satan named Pitch (yeah were all thinking the word it rimes with) spread evil throughout the season, happy holidays indeed.
Some of my favorite scenes are whenever there is this transition with smoke and then we would hear the MST crew cough. Even like when they were pointing how many wrong things Santa was doing as well as getting creeped out by that maniacal laugh. Liked also what they said about the mechanical reindeer as well as what a total wimp Pitch is and when he gets his comeuppance.
This episode is a gift of hilarity.
Rating: 4 stars
I never even knew this film ever existed, let alone made and personally glad I didn't. Just seeing this makes me wonder what the hell the writer was thinking or was someone on something when they made this or green lit it.
This is a really bizarre and creepy take on Santa, from a workshop full of Children whom seem like Child Slave Labor. Santa peering into dreams and even having a laugh that looks demented. Reindeer that are creepy talking robots and of course having Satan in this film, OK not exactly an emissary of Satan named Pitch (yeah were all thinking the word it rimes with) spread evil throughout the season, happy holidays indeed.
Some of my favorite scenes are whenever there is this transition with smoke and then we would hear the MST crew cough. Even like when they were pointing how many wrong things Santa was doing as well as getting creeped out by that maniacal laugh. Liked also what they said about the mechanical reindeer as well as what a total wimp Pitch is and when he gets his comeuppance.
This episode is a gift of hilarity.
Rating: 4 stars
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