Written by Raymond Briggs
Directed by Dave Unwin
Father Christmas: "That's that for another blooming year. And a happy blooming Christmas to you and all."
It wasn't just The Snowman that was a Christmas classic at the hands of Raymond Briggs. In this particular story, we got something of an in depth look at what Father Christmas himself is really like and let's just say, the word 'blooming' is used at a rapid pace in this 26 minute little gem.
I liked the idea of Father Christmas trying to find a decent holiday in order to deal with the pressure of Christmas and his exploits in the likes of France, Scotland and Las Vegas are really amusing to watch. I guess when you look the way you do, it's hard to go to any country in the world without someone recognising you. Father Christmas's attempts of be unnoticed weren't exactly a roaring success.
Then there's the actual Christmas stuff. Frankly, I've got to admire anyone who can deliver that amount of presents in one night of the year while dancing with Snowmen at their annual party as well and Father Christmas just about managed to do it for another year with aplomb too.
I think after all of that, Father Christmas definitely deserved a good Christmas dinner as well as some better presents than his aunt and cousin managed to provide. At least Uncle Bob got it right with a certain gift that should be used sensibly over the festive period.
- Aunt Edie gave him a tie, Cousin Violet gave him socks and Uncle Bob provided him with booze. One out of three isn't great but could be worse.
- This was a Father Christmas who smoked and drank and swore a lot throughout this 26 minute film and did it in a way that will fly over younger viewers heads.
- I liked the actual segue into the events of The Snowman in this one. Plus Mel Brooks was a perfect choice for this slightly cantankerous but amusing take on Father Christmas.
- Father Christmas had two reindeer (neither of them had a shiny nose) as well as a dog and a cat.
Well, let's face it, this might not get as much acclaim as a certain other story but there's no denying that Father Christmas is blooming marvellous nonetheless. Definitely a treat to watch, no matter how old or young you are at this time of year.
Rating: 9 out of 10
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