Santa Claus vs the Devil - What An Odd-ball Film!
I’ve watched movies that left me paralyzed in the theater, some over 100 times to the point I can quote scenes, my mind has been unlocked by others and opinions affected, many have been something I had to force myself through, and there have been those which I had to turn off for various reasons and never complete. Santa Claus VS The Devil is a little of all of these. One thing is for sure about this film, it is very odd on so many planes. If you like oddball films, this one is for you all day. Let’s talk about Santa Claus vs. the Devil from 1959.
Santa Claus vs the Devil Cake Recipe
I’m not going to really hit the plot any more than necessary on this one as usual. Let me sum it up though quite simply. Imagine if you will a Road Runner cartoon from the old Looney Tunes mixed up with Sci-fi from the 1950’s. Then put a heavy layer of frosting on top. Frosting in this case being a very interesting Christmas story. Oh yeah, take a cherry and put it on top too in the character Merlin. Yes, the wizard from the King Arthur stories. Take a healthy bite of that cake and we’ll keep moving along.
If the weird concoction I just gave you isn’t enough, consider that Santa Claus vs. the Devil was filmed in 1959 and in Mexico. Why does this matter? I’m glad you asked. In this Christmas tale, Santa has elves, but they are children from all different cultures of the world and not little guys with pointy ears and hats. Each of these children is dressed the part and speaks the language too. Santa Claus, of course, can understand all dialects but only replies in English. Of course, since Santa Claus vs. the Devil was filmed in Mexico, all the written words are in Spanish. I’m glad it was dubbed in English otherwise; it is likely I would have passed on this film.
1959 Interior Decorating and Culture
Even though I had to watch Santa Claus VS The Devil in a few sittings, it was a good movie and I’d love to talk about what I liked. Because this odd little film is true vintage, I dug the cars, the clothes, the homes, the furniture, the culture, etc. In one scene, you see the fire department and police departments respond to an emergency. Thus, you see their uniforms and vehicles too. The interior decorating that can be seen in Santa Claus VS The Devil was most appealing to me. What stood out the most though were 2 lamps. One’s shade was glass and was folded to resemble a ribbon. It was interesting to me to see that the bedroom had 2 beds and the man and woman slept apart from one another in the same room. This piece of culture has certainly changed today.
Santa Claus vs the Devil's Sci-fi Elements
About the sci-fi elements in this Christmas tale, let’s look at Santa’s palace in the clouds. The North Pole was really north in Santa Claus VS The Devil. It was so North that Santa’s house was in the clouds. He had devices that could hear what children were saying and that could communicate back to his palace. These odd devices consisted of an ear on a pole and a set of huge lips on a console. Neither of these contraptions were lacking that 1950’s flying saucer touch either. Santa Claus had only 4 reindeer and they were all white. Another interesting thing about his reindeer where that they were wind up. Yes, like the old toys complete with the t shaped handle and all. Merlin looked the part of a wizard, cone-shaped hat beard and all and he worked from a lab with smoking beakers. There were some odd animatronics too.
Use of Color in Santa Claus vs the Devil
Christmas stories are not my thing but, Santa vs the Devil had all the elements. Santa, the reindeer, sleighs, toys, and it was even narrated just like old holiday movies tended to be. There were plenty of trees and vintage decorations too. One of my favorite things about Santa Claus vs. the Devil was the use of color. Typically, the screen was really desaturated except for certain elements. You could be sure that Santa, the Devil, Christmas lights, and tree decorations were going to be vibrant. This made for a unique picture and feel for viewers to experience in Santa Claus vs. the Devil.
Let's Talk About That Mean Ol' Devil...
Let’s talk about that mean old devil. The character is in the stereotypical red suit with a beard, horns, etc. This took me back to a Halloween party from my frat days where a good friend dressed this part. I remember that the bathtub was red for weeks after he washed the body paint off. Anyway, one scene has the devil in the window seal contemplating his next move against Santa. He mentions something about whispering in the children’s ears. Depending on where you stand faith-wise, this is such a true depiction of him, I think – whispering lies in the ears of the youth.
Merry Christmas 2023
I’m closing out with a Merry Christmas to everyone who has read this and a final opinion of Santa Claus vs. the Devil. I wouldn’t personally watch this movie again, but it is a great Christmas tale. The devil tries to trip up Santa Claus along his path and the two outwit each other like the Coyote and Roadrunner with Santa coming out on top for an hour and a half in vintage color and class. In Season 6 Episode 21 of Mystery Science Theatre 3000, the crew reviews Santa Claus vs. the Devil if you’d prefer and comedic commentary. I really liked this movie but, it was not a sit-down and watch all the way through one for me thus, I say I would not rewatch this odd sci-fi Christmas tale. Again, and finally, Merry Christmas to all.
If you’ve seen this movie and are a fan, leave a comment and tell me what you liked. If you’ve seen the MST3000 version – is it worth watching this one again through their show? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to read your input on this oddball Christmas story. While you’re on my page, check out my artwork and photography here. You can read more of my blogs here and follow me on all social media here. All likes, shares, subs, and follows are appreciated. You can read more about Santa Claus vs the Devil here if you are interested. Apparently, it was just called Santa Claus. I suppose fans added on “vs the Devil” – who knows?