Have a happy blooming Christmas (Father Christmas (DVD))

Member Name: Karenwilson

Product:	Father Christmas (DVD)
Date:	17/12/01 (733 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: see text

Disadvantages: None

This is a story about what’s its really like being Father Christmas. The voice is provided by actor and comedian Mel Smith who makes him sound grumpy but loveable.

The beginning shows Father Christmas getting ready for a well-earned holiday, after all his hard work over Christmas. He works hard in his garage making some very major alterations to his sleigh and when finished it appears to be more like a camper van, which can fly.

He decides to head off to France and dresses up for the part with a blue and white striped tee shirt. He pops into a very posh restaurant which is not really his scene and when the fish he orders arrives he then asks where his chips and ketchup are. The waiter is very unhappy with his request and babbles away in French to him and he does not understand a word. After eating a huge dinner of several courses he heads back rather fast to his camper van whereby he spends most of the day and night rushing out at full speed to the nearest bush, complaining all the way. This is guaranteed to get your children laughing their heads off, as it’s so comical. Eventually Its time to move on when he starts to get recognised by some local children. Scotland is the next place on the agenda.

Scotland is the ideal place for him as there is plenty of nightlife, he loves to have a drink and enjoy himself dancing the night away. One day he wakes up to a nice sunny day and decides to have a dip in the lake. With his sexy dotty shorts on he bounds down to the lake and dives in, only to find it freezing cold and his teeth are chattering in no time and then he spots a so called shark and jumps out and runs back to the safety of his camper van. He has now had enough of Scotland and heads off to hotter climates. This time its Las Vegas, here he does the usual, over eats, overspends down at the casinos and really enjoys himself sitting and relaxing by the pool. As always he is recognised again and decides to head h
ome as he is now a little short of money and its time to start preparing for Christmas again.

Once home he complains how the garden has got a little over grown and then goes around feeding all his animals. His struggles to get into his door as the Christmas letters are starting to arrive; again he complains how they get earlier and earlier every year. Every day he sits down with a nice cup of tea and starts reading the letters and making long list of presents he needs to get, like 201 teddies, a pony which he is still trying to think of how he can deliver that. The nearer Christmas gets the bigger the sack loads of letters he receives. Eventually they arrive daily in a huge lorry, but he does manage to read them all and once that job is over he prepares himself for the long journey ahead.

He has to collect his long red coat from the dry cleaners and guaranteed to make the children giggle is when you see Father Christmas sat on the toilet with toilet roll in hand, complaining as always about the state of the weather.

Once the reindeers are fed and watered he stacks all the presents on the sleigh and they are ready for the off. Whilst in the air he sings a song which starts off with “Jump up on my sleigh for another blooming Christmas”. Which will you have you humming all day long. On his travels you will see him having difficulties getting down narrow chimneys, using a tin opener to get into the roof of a caravan and puzzling over an igloo. He has a little picnic half way round on the top of someone’s roof and there the reindeers have a drink and a well-earned rest as well.

When he has finally finished he joins a Christmas party held by his friends the Snowmen. They all dance to their favourite tunes. The story of the Snowmen also continues on another Raymond Briggs video obviously called “The Snowman”. Unfortunately at the party he realises that he has left a parcel behind and rushes off to
deliver it to Buckingham Palace.

Once back at home he puts on his Christmas dinner has a nice long soak in the bath and then gives all his animals their presents. Not to be left out himself he has some presents to open from Cousin Violet, who gives him a tie and a pair of socks but Uncle Bob comes up trumps with a nice bottle of drink. He’s happy and after his busy night he heads off for bed and says “A HAPPY BLOOMING CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND ALL”.

I know I explained the story in great detail, but by know means has this spoiled it for you as its such an all time favourite that you will watch it year after year and its will still make you laugh. What appeals to me the most about this film is the originality of it, they make him appear a bit grumpy and a moaner but you cannot help loving him. The animination is excellent and the ideas are really orginal.

The running time of the film is 26 minutes and I can guarantee it will keep the children glued to their seats.

Summary: