Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Tags: psychedelic

Plot synopsis:
Special Delivery "S.D." Kluger (voiced by and resembling Fred Astaire) the mailman is introduced after a newsreel prologue, telling how children around the world are preparing for Christmas and Santa Claus' arrival. When his snowmobile/mail truck breaks down, he tells the story of Santa Claus, answering the children's letters to Santa.
The story begins in the gloomy city of Sombertown, ruled by the ill-tempered Burgermeister Meisterburger (voiced by Paul Frees). A baby arrives on his doorstep with a name tag reading "Claus" and note requesting that Burgermeister raise the child. He instead orders his lawkeeper Grimsley (also voiced by Paul Frees) to take the baby to the "Orphan Asylum". On the way there, a gust of wind blows both sled and baby to the Mountain of the Whispering Winds, where the animals hide him from its inhabitant the Winter Warlock (voiced by Keenan Wynn) and convey him to an Elvish family by the name of Kringle in Rainbow River Valley. Led by Tanta Kringle (voiced by Joan Gardner), the elf queen, they adopt the baby and name him “Kris”. A few years later, Kris hopes to restore the Kringle family as "The First Toymakers to the King".
When Kris is old enough, he volunteers to deliver the elves' toys to Sombertown. Unfortunately, the Burgermeister has outlawed all toys in the town, and declares that anyone found possessing a toy will be arrested. On his way to Sombertown, Kris meets a lost penguin whom he names Topper as they evade the Winter Warlock who vows to catch him the next time he passes. In the town, he offers toys to two children washing their stockings by a water fountain. He is stopped by Miss Jessica (voiced by Robie Lester), their lovely schoolteacher, but she softens toward Kris when he offers her a china doll as a "peace offering". As Kris gives more toys, the Burgermeister arrives to arrest the children, but Kris gives him a yo-yo. He at first happily plays with it, but Grimsley reminds him he's breaking his own law, leading to Burgermeister ordering Kris' capture.
As Kris and Topper return to the Kringles, the Winter Warlock captures them with the help of his Tree Monsters Willy Willow and Peter Pine. But when Kris gives him a toy train as a present in exchange for having his Tree Monsters release him, the Warlock befriends Kris as his appearance changes. To repay him, he re-unites Kris with Jessica, who informs him that the Burgermeister has destroyed all the toys and the children now want new ones. When the Burgermeister hears that Kris means to bring more toys, he orders all doors to be locked before their houses are searched. But Kris enters by the chimneys where the children hung their stockings to dry by the fire where Kris hid the toys.
Thereafter Burgermeister sets a trap for Kris as he makes another delivery, and thus captures the Kringles, Topper, and Winter. Jessica pleads to release her friends, but he refuses, and Jessica requests Winter to break everyone out, but he refuses, on grounds of having little magic except some magic feed corn enabling reindeer to fly. With the reindeer's help, the Kringles, Kris, Topper, and Winter escape.
After months as an outlaw, Kris returns to the woods, where he grows a beard as a disguise. After Tanta suggests that he return to his birth name "Claus" for safety, Kris marries Jessica. After the ceremony on December 24, the group travels to the North Pole to build their own castle and workshop.
As the years pass, Kris still has to travel by night because he's still an outlaw. Eventually, the Meisterburgers died off and fell out of power and their laws were abolished. The townspeople then look up to Kris who becomes Santa Claus and Jessica becomes Mrs. Claus. Santa then decides to limit his journeys to one night a year and chooses the right night. Christmas Eve, "the night of profound love." Just as Santa is getting ready to leave, Winter tells him that he has his magic powers back to guarantee the world a white Christmas.
At the end, after S.D. Kluger explains Santa's true meaning, he remembers that he still has to deliver the children's letters to him and leaves for the North Pole (joined by Topper, Winter, the Kringle family, and a parade of children singing "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town") during the credits. As they finally reach Santa's workshop, we see Santa and Mrs. Claus' shadows inside their castle. Santa steps outside and waves goodbye to the viewers as a group of children say, "Merry Christmas!"

Review: This is the one with the toy-hating Burgermeister Meisterburger and.....the Winter Warlock!!We get to see Santa Claus go from an orphaned baby raised by elves to a groovy, red-haired hip young adult who is outlawed for delivering toys to finally becoming the toy making/giving king of Christmas!
We also get to see Mrs Claus as a groovilicious babe in her own right and she finally gets a name, Jessica.Some charmingly dated scenes only add to the warm innocence of this show: like when Jessica realizes "her own town has turned against her" and begins singing of her love for and desire to be with Kris Kringle....transcending into a cornucopia of hippy-trippy flowers, swirls and polka-dots and finally catching a glimpse of her paper cutout reflection in the water fountain in the center of town.
In some ways anticipation made the viewing of Christmas specials that much better.SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN(SCICTT) is in my top five Rankin/Bass specials.
No matter how many times I saw this as a kid I would always wonder if Kris would make it past the warlock.I suppose the best thing about this type of Christmas classic is that when people my age view it they can escape back to their innocent youth for a short while.
"Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" is my favorite of all Christmas cartoons.
(I was a kid in the 70's when all the Rankin/Bass cartoons were on during Christmas, so I remember and have most of them!)  The mailman (Fred Astaire) is just adorable!
It's VERY early 70's from Santa's (or Kris Kringle's)Bobby Sherman-like haircut to the psychedelic song sung by Jessica (aka the future Mrs. Claus).
Why have so many of the best and special Xmas cartoons been discarded for Xmas shows that are non existent.We couldn't wait when Xmas came around to watch this show, I feel so sad for kids today, who grow up with no real Xmas shows, like the ones of the 60's and 70's!Why can't our TV stations make a special Xmas night, where all the great Xmas shows are on TV.Xmas Eve is a special night, and so many stupid and meaningless program's are displayed.
along with the little drummer boy, frosty the snow man, and any other Xmas cartoon of that time.I really hope someone does read this, and gives me some info on where I could buy all the good old Xmas cartoons.I ALSO hope someone out there feels like I do.How great Fred Astaire was as the postman, and MICKY ROONEY as Santa.
Personally, I have always liked anything with Keenan Wynn, Fred Astaire or Mickey Rooney-and the Burgomeister with Paul Frees doing the honors-is a riot.Rankin Bass did a fine job retooling the Santa myth here, and I think that this oughta be shown more.
This is the best of the Rankin-Bass animated holiday specials, much more entertaining than Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, which is much better known.
As of now, Santa Claus is Comin' To Town is one of my favourites, along with Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.
As for the writing, I agree with anyone who says this one has the best writing out of the specials to come from Rankin'/Bass, a bit like I consider The Little Drummer Boy to be the most poignant.
Mickey Rooney is his charming self as Santa/Kris Kringle, so he was an ideal casting choice, and Keenan Wynn was superb as Winter.
The 1977 TV movie "Santa Clause is Coming to Town" is by far the best Rankin/Bass movie and one of the best Christmas movies altogether.
This family classic is about the early life of "Kris Kringle" and his road to becoming the man everyone knows as Santa Clause.
However, Santa Clause is coming to Town takes you back to the true meaning of Christmas.
So next time you're wondering how reindeer fly or why Santa goes down chimneys, watch Santa Clause is Coming to Town.\ Christmas Movie Score (8.5/10) Overall Movie Score (8/10) Recommended.
"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" is a 1970 Christmas stop motion animated television special produced by Rankin/Bass Productions.
The film stars Fred Astaire as the narrator S.D. Kluger, Mickey Rooney as Kris Kringle/Santa Claus, Keenan Wynn as the Winter Warlock, and Paul Frees in various roles.
It is based on the hit Christmas song of the same name, which was introduced on radio by Eddie Cantor in 1934, and the story of Saint Nicholas.This special is a classic.
Funny thing was that the mailman looked a whole lot like the man who supplied the voice, Fred Astaire.The only other people you'll know as suppliers of voice are Mickey Rooney as the young foundling taken in by the Kringle family after he's abandoned and given the name of Kris.
Believe it or not Santa Claus starts out as an outlaw smuggler of toys.Animation techniques will change and improve, but cartoons never go out of style.
Neither will Christmas so you can't do much better than Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.
Mailman Special Delivery Kluger (Fred Astaire) introduces the tale of Santa Claus.
Santa Claus Is Comin' to TownJesus would get more recognition at Christmas if he'd only allow children to sit on his lap at the local shopping mall.Until then the holiday belongs to the urchin in this animated movie.An orphan named Claus fortuitously finds his way into the home of a family of toy-making elves named Kringle.Raised as one of their own, Kris (Mickey Rooney) vows to deliver elf-made toys to the kids of Sombertown - despite the Burgermeister's (Paul Frees) stringent laws against it.For years, Kris, his wife (Robie Lester) and their woodland friends outwit the Burgermeister's men with what are now Clausian traits, i.e. sneaking down chimneys.
Narrated by Fred Astaire, this Rankin-Bass stop-motion origin tale maintains the company's reputation for quality holiday fair.With memorable songs and oddball supporting characters, this is a believable beginning to an unbelievable legend.Furthermore, it's more inspiring than Santa's real origins as a Coca-Cola mascot.Green Lightvidiotreviews.blogspot.ca.
A mailman (Fred Astaire) reveals the origin of Santa Claus (Mickey Rooney).I really like this story, especially the idea of an evil Burgermeister (which seems to put this story somewhere in Germany).
It seems like Rankin Bass really wanted to tie up the loose ends of all the Santa Claus traits, and they did a fine job.
This Christmas film is another childhood relic of mine which as an adult I still watch to this day, just like Santa himself this film is timeless.The animation as usual from the Ralkin and Bass company is great, I always love claymation because it all look real.
But most importantly I just think it's a beautiful song since it's one about awakening, change and new beginning, it perfectly reflected the 70's era since that was part of what that decade was about.I kinda like how Santa's story has a bit of influence from the story of Moses, Christ, as well as Robin Hood, which I feel makes sense and all three characters were people that contributed to the well being of mankind.
It's fascinating seeing how it all comes together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle forming a picture.The characters are all well designed, diverse and the voice cast are great.The late great Fred Astre as the Post Man narrator tells the story well, even like how the claymation character looks like the actor.Paul Frees whom you probably know as the voice of Boris from "Rocky and Bullwinkle" is great as the Burgermeister.
But what I love most about his is that his spirit can never be broken, despite how hard things get for him as the film goes further, he never loses hope, he keeps going and grows as time goes on and become whom we all know and love him as.This film has a good message about the importance of giving, how making a contribution in life either big or small can make the world a lot friendlier and people kinder to one another.
I love the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials so much.
I love the Rankin/Bass Christmas specials so much.
This particular special is about the origin of Santa Claus (charmingly voiced by Mickey Rooney), as told by everybody's favorite mailman Fred Astaire.
It was an era that began at the close of the Baby Boom with "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and fizzled out sometime after "The Year Without a Santa Claus." And although this era is dominated by Rankin-Bass Productions, the ones written by Charles Monroe Schulz and Theodore Seuss Geisel can not be excluded from this field either.Among the specials of this era is "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," which gave what at the time was a daring perspective on yuletide folklore -- The image of jolly ol' St. Nick as somebody willing to stick it to "the man!" Here, all the routines we were taught about as children seem to make a little more sense.
Besides that, attacking communism wasn't considered socially acceptable anymore.Like "Olive, the Other Reindeer" a generation later, the special is clearly an effort to make Christmas hip, and yet besides Fred Astaire also has Mickey Rooney voicing Kris Kringle.
All right folks, I admit I still love to watch the classic Christmas specials they show every year.
I am talking about the Charlie Brown specials and Frosty and the Grinch and the Santa Claus cartoon where there was Mickey Rooney and Shirley Booth's voice.
However, this cartoon is special because it takes us back and shows us the origin of old Saint Nick and who better to be the storyteller then Fred Astaire.
Astaire had a wonderful singing voice and I think he did a great job singing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town".
"You better watch out...you better not cry...you better not pout I'm telling you why...SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN (This is delivered in a screeching voice!!!).
Of course Santa is those things in our imagination, but mostly is portrayed as a prickly curmudgeon in movies and Christmas specials.
So far I have seen, Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer, The Year Without a Santa Clause and Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town.
Even if you don't believe in Santa Claus the story is still good with a great message at the end of if we could all learn to be like the character then there might be peace on earth and happiness in the world.
The film explains in the end how if we could give of ourselves and each of us learn to be happy then we would have a happy planet - it's not about money, stores, toys and consumerism but about love, joy and giving of your time and self.I remember this one from my childhood, watched it again recently and find this to be a joyous and exceptionally good movie.10/10.
I watch "Santa Clause is coming to town" every Christmas, and love even more every single year.
Arthur Rankin Jr. and Jules Bass are known for their classic Christmas special musicals so it didn't surprise me when I discovered that they made a film on the origins of Santa as well.
Voicing Santa Claus is Mickey Rooney who if you didn't know who he was, you'd almost never guess he was the funny looking security guard from Night at the Museum (2006).Maybe one of the goofiest characters in this film is the villain named Burgermeister Meisterburger.
The animation recalls that of Rankin and Bass' other Christmas special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964).
A really wonderful Christmas special from Rankin and Bass.
Fred Astaire plays a mailman that decides to educate us about the origins of Santa Claus.
Rankin and Bass, the same people that brought you Rudolph brings you the story of Kris Kringle.
The perfect Christmas special that the whole family can watch, older people can remember when they watched when they were young and kids can discover it for the first time.
Many people unabashedly love, "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" because it and others like, 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer', 'Year Without Santa', 'Charlie Brown Christmas', 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas', 'Frosty The Snowman', represent everything that was warm, comforting, and loving about our collective childhoods.
The message of love, compassion, charity, and redemption never outgrows us and remains relevant for our entire lives.Still, why continue watching these beautiful Christmas specials your entire life?
These people totally missed the message of Christmas.It's impossible not to see Santa Clause Is Comin' To Town with adult sensibility today in 2017.
Like Rudolph in the way it looks, this X-mas special would come out six years after Rudolph and while it looks good, it just is not as entertaining as Rudolph.
However, at least Santa Claus is never quite as mean spirited as he got at times during the Rudolph special.
Many read too much into "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" with claims that its about capitalism, communism, post Woodstock hippie values, etc, etc, etc....the fact of the matter is that it is wonderful little story built around a favorite holiday song.
Others, like "Frosty the Snowman" and "The Other Wiseman" are entirely regrettable and should not be watched.But SCICTT is a great deal of kid-spirited fun, with narration by Fred Astaire and a villain with the delightful moniker "Burgomaster Meisterburger." It's a lightly tarnished seasonal gem, with the forgettable villainy of the Winter Warlock and some very predictable life lessons.
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town is perfect Rankin/Bass Christmas special.
I've just seen Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town for the first time since I was an under-12 kid in the late '70s.
Rankin/Bass was the name you trusted to give you a perfectly doll-animated Christmas special.
(Two more that come to mind are Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and The Year Without a Santa Claus) So, to quote Nat King Cole, "to kids from 1 to 92", I highly recommend Santa' Claus Is Comin' to Town!.
This is one of the best of the Rankin-Bass holiday specials and the special presentation of "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" is right up there with the rest of Rankin-Bass protégé of classic holiday specials including,"Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer", "The Little Drummer Boy","Frosty The Snowman",and "The Year Without A Santa Claus" along with "Rudolph's Shiny New Year",and "The Christmas That Almost Wasn't" to name a few.
However,it is to note that that ABC has re-broadcast this special annually from December 3, 1971 until December 19, 1981 and most recently ABC re-aired it again on a annual basis since it came back in 2007.Narrated by the great Fred Astaire,it tells the story of how Kriss Kringle became the world's greatest toymaker,met and married his sweetheart Mrs. Claus,and melted oldman winter's frozen heart.
Mickey Rooney provides the voice of Kriss Kringle,who was also known as Santa Claus along with Keenan Wynn as the voice of oldman winter is a sheer delight along with the talents of Paul Frees,Joan Gardner,and Greg Thomas.
Back in 1964, Rankin-Bass Studios brought the world RUDOLPH, THE RED-NOSED REINDEER and it instantly became a Christmas classic.
Fortunately, here with SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN, the studio wisely decided to return to its roots and made the film in the old stop-motion style.
And, with several stop-motion films made in between, the resulting film is definitely a bit higher quality even if the story isn't quite as magical as RUDOLPH--and it sure comes close.The film is about the supposed roots of the character "Santa Claus", though the story really has nothing to do with the traditional Santar (that version isn't as much fun, believe me).
The film features great voice talents with Paul Frees playing a totally over-the-top Burgermeister Meisterburger and Mickey Rooney playing the voice of Santa.
But the creators of Santa Claus is Coming to Town must have been toking something righteous when they designed what is by far the most psychedelic christmas special ever.
Well you better not pout or cry cause Santa Claus is coming to town...This animated classic that chronicles the birth and life of Santa Claus as he fights conformity in order to deliver toys to the children of the world.
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is one of my all-time holiday favorites and it's hard for me to believe it was made in 1970 because I was fully 12 at the time and I used to think I'd grown up seeing it as a kid.
Well, aside from the wonderful animation, singing and the extraordinary talents of the various artists -- Fred Astaire as the postman, Mickey Rooney as Santa, Keenan Wynne as Winter Warlock and Paul Frees as the Burgermeister (did you know his most famous vocal role was Boris Badenov in the Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle?
Mickey Rooney always does an excellent job as the voice of Kris a.k.a. Santa, and Fred Astaire seems to have had fun as the narrator.
Back when I was a kid, there were T.V. specials and movies our family waited for every year to come on during the holiday season.
Like millions of others, we watched this, "Rudolph", "The Grinch" and other holiday specials every year.
However, the most touching moment is Astaire's solo, "What Better Way to Tell You" where he explains the real meaning of Christmas which isn't presents, cookies, trees or even Santa Claus himself.
For my family, Christmas is never complete without some Rankin-Bass holiday specials.
They can be corny and their animation is a little rough, but they possess such heart, innocence, whimsy, and good faith that's all too rare nowadays in a market infested with hip cynicism.Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is dated in a way that the other R-B specials are not, yet this is not a flaw at all.
Its characters are human and memorable, and the story of the young Santa promotes the best qualities of Christmas: love, compassion, and hope for mankind.
I love the story of Santa Claus, and this film really sticks to tradition which is great.