Santa Claus

I watched a movie called Santa Claus, a Mexican produced movie, directed René Cardona, released in 1959. An American version was produced by/ directed by Ken Smith and released in 1960. José Elías Moreno plays Santa Claus, José Luis Aguirre as Pitch, Lupita Quezadas plays Lupita and Ken Smith as the Narrator for the American version. I saw the American version, more specifically a special screening of RiffTrax version that was in theaters recently. The story is about Santa Claus, who has a castle in what appears to be space and does battle with a demon named Pitch who wants to ruin Christmas for everyone. That’s the most basic plot I Can say because this is a strange little movie to be sure. It has been famously used as a movie for the television series Mystery Science Theater 3000 and for good reason. It is poorly dubbed and some of the scenes with the children and the sleigh with reindeer moves into uncanny valley territory. The story itself is actually moral in some ways because the overall message is doing good results in good. The devil sends Pitch up to Earth to get the children to do bad and ultimately destroy Santa Claus, the embodiment of good.  Lupita plays a little poor girl that is tempted by Pitch at every turn but resists him at every turn. Pitch tries every which way to get people to ruin Christmas that Santa has to counter. Pitch also enlists the help of three little boys who are bad to do his bidding but Santa Claus knows because he watches through a machine, which also goes into uncanny valley territory because of how it’s made.
I said it is a weird little movie but it is still really good in a lot of ways. It is a classic of Christmas that represents a more innocent time. The moral isn’t banged over your head like in many other more saccharine of Christmas movies. And it is silly enough that it keeps you watching.
The only version I know of that is available is the Mystery Science Theater 3000 version that I spoke of above and I know that one is cut down to fit the format of the show. It doesn’t take away from anything as far I am concerned because the movie has such a simple premise and not all that much action that is cut out. The only things that are cut out are Lupita having a dream about dancing dolls that are pretty frightening looking and the look on Lupita’s face is priceless. Again, not having this in the movie doesn’t take away from the movie because it a nightmare brought on by Pitch, by blowing on her. Yeah.
If you find it, give it a try, as it is definitely something different to watch for the Christmas holiday. Or any time, really.