Characterization of Santa in the Movies
There are a lot of Santa Claus movies out there, and in each one Santa is displayed in different ways. In many ways it is through these movies that the mythos about Santa Claus have been perpetuated. Many of these movies have answered children’s questions about Santa. In some he is really jolly, in others he is a bit comedic, and in some he is even portrayed as a bit of a villain. The characterization of Santa Claus varies quite a bit, so let’s take a look at the different characterizations of Santa Claus in various Santa movies.
The Santa Claus, 2, 3: In these movies Santa is characterized as a bit of a comedian. Tim Allen plays Santa Claus, and at first he is unwilling to take on this role, and fights it. He kind of thinks he is dreaming until he puts on weight, his hair turns white, and he grows facial hair rapidly. He uses humor to deal with a lot of the things in his life he is not happy about, such as his divorce, etc.
So, in these movies Santa eventually becomes more like the Santa we know, but he is modern, thinks forward, cares about kids, but is still a bit harder edged than you would think of for Santa. He is also younger and less wise than many Santa’s are. The reindeers in this movie fly, but have a bit of an attitude and are not nearly as jolly and friendly as you would think. The elves in the movie are young, and they are feisty. They have teams of elves that cause mischief, etc. So, it is a different take, a younger, more modern take on the Santa Claus most think of.