Happy Birthday To One Of My Ultimate Heroes, The Incredibly Talented Mr Rolly Crump. I Bow Down To You

Happy birthday to one of my ultimate heroes, the incredibly talented Mr Rolly Crump. I bow down to you sir.

As a change from watching movies I am at the theatre! Waiting for St Clere’s Players production of Oliver! to begin!

SANTA CLAUS aka SANTA CLAUS VS THE DEVIL (Dir: Rene Cardona, 1959).

Unraveling like one of my better fever dreams, the weird and wonderful Santa Claus is a 1959 Mexican production, re-cut and dubbed into English by schlock movie producer K Gordon Murray and released in the US in 1960.

José Elías Moreno stars as Santa as he is pitted against devil minion Pitch, portrayed by dancer José Luis Aguirre, in a bid to save the festive season from the clutches of Lucifer.

Seemingly made with an eye on the international market, Cardona’s film is a mishmash of Mexican, US and British cultural references (who knew Merlin the Magician was an ally of Santa?). Santa’s workshop (which is in space by the way) is filled with some frankly freaky gadgets. Everyone knows that “he sees you when you’re sleeping” but who ever thought it was through a re-purposed vacuum cleaner hose with a human eye on the end? Or that he listens to us by way of what looks like a severed human ear attached to a fan? All of this is relayed to Santa via a bulky bit of machinery complete with a massive pair of human lips!

It is true that much in this children’s film could terrify those of a sensitive disposition and no one would argue that it is a good film. In fact many would argue that it is a very bad film. It is certainly camp and kitschy and little of it makes much sense, but it does features some weirdly attractive mid-century style sets and it means well; I have to admit that part of me enjoyed it un-ironically.

With its copyright having long-ago lapsed, Santa Claus is easily to find on-line in varying states of decay. If you are inclined to watch it (and you really should be!) I suggest you find a decent print and settle yourself down for 95 minutes of incredulous festive fun!

100+ movie reviews now available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.

Reblog if you appreciate him

Movie number 28: Gus (Vincent McEveety, 1976).

By 1976, 10 years after the death of its founder, Walt Disney Productions were struggling for relevance in a changing film industry which had largely moved away from family entertainment to more adult fare. The fantasy comedies which were the company’s mainstay had been a Disney staple since The Shaggy Dog (Charles Barton) had hit big in 1959. However, nearly two decades later, what had once seemed fresh and inventive had become tired and formulaic. Budgets were kept low so the films made a small profit and Gus, with it stock footage and unconvincing back-projection was, indeed, a minor success. Its plot, as high concept as it is ludicrous, involves a Yugoslavian mule with a talent for 100 yard field goals who is hired by failing US football team The Atoms. The human cast is headed by Edward Asner doing his lovably gruff bit as The Atoms manager and he is supported by familiar 70s faces Don Knotts, Tim Conway and Tom Bosley. Considering the material the cast do a decent job and some genuine laughs are to be had from the visual gags involving The Atoms ageing cheerleaders and Gus the mule running amok in a supermarket! The movie Gus feels something of a cousin to Disney’s earlier The World’s Greatest Athlete (Robert Scheerer, 1973) and if you enjoyed that you will probably like this. To be fair, I lapped up this sort of thing as a child and taken for what it is Gus is entertaining, cheap and cheerful formulaic fun!

THE LAND BEFORE TIME (Dir: Don Bluth, 1988).

In 1979 director Don Bluth famously led an animators walk out at the Disney Studios to form his own company Don Bluth Productions. Their first feature length venture The Secret of NIMH (Bluth, 1982) while critically well received was a commercial disappointment and it wasn’t until after Bluth released the groundbreaking coin operated video game Dragon’s Lair that Hollywood once again came calling.

The Land Before Time was to be Bluth’s third feature and his second, following An American Tale (1986), for Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment, co-produced by Lucasfilm. This surprisingly downbeat dinosaur adventure is something of a prehistoric Bambi meets The Incredible Journey as longneck Littlefoot, after the death of his mother and separation from his grandparents, teams up with a band of similarly lost young dinos to find their families in the fabled Great Valley.

Just as An American Tail was pitted against Disney’s Great Mouse Detective on original release, The Land Before Time found itself competing against Disney’s Oliver and Company in late ‘88. Unlike the previous meeting, Disney’s movie was box office champ on this occasion. However, I would argue that, on this occasion, Bluth’s movie is superior. Unlike the numerous made for video sequels, the original Land Before Time features some beautiful animation, and while its plot is quite basic and occasionally saccharine, it is sophisticated enough to engage adults as well as children.

At little over an hour The Land Before Time is short and sweet. Stick around for the end titles for Diana Ross’ lovely ballad ‘If We Hold On Together’.

100+ movie reviews now available on my blog JINGLE BONES MOVIE TIME! Link below.