"Smurfy, very Smurfy." - Fred Claus
FRED CLAUS
After a slow start leading from the past to the present, this latest 'Santa' movie picks up speed (and laughs) once it hits the North Pole, while throwing in a good dose of sibling rivalry (& some hilarious cameos)!
3 stars (out of 4) [(2007)USA/Warner Bros./Rated PG] - (1 hr 55 min)
Directed by David Dobkin
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Cast ... Lead characters:
Vince Vaughn ... Fred Claus (Santa's big brother)
Paul Giamatti ... St. Nick (aka 'Santa' Claus)
Review:
"Why can't you be more like your brother?" -Mrs. Claus
[Before I write anything, I would just like to extend kudo's to the music supervisor for some inspired selections that would make this soundtrack well worth purchasing as a change-of-pace to more traditional holiday fare.]
I have to admit that I went into the theater thinking "Fred Claus" would be another "Elf" retread (aka' big man amidst little people), but was pleasantly surprised (after the dimwitted first half-hour).
Sure there was bunk bed joke with 6'-5" Vince Vaughn hanging his legs off the edge (also seen in the trailer), which is not unlike the 'too-small' furniture jokes in 'Elf' (w/ 6'-3" actor Will Ferrell).
Luckily, that's where the duplication ends and the originality begins (sort of). The entire film is built on the completely unbelievable premise that once a person is sainted both he and his entire family stop aging. Somehow the fact that 'Fred' (Vince Vaughn) is several hundred years old never comes up with his girlfriend 'Wanda' (Rachel Weisz w/ a British accent).
However, if you quickly forget these minor details you'll find that director David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers") has assembled a great cast for some emotional fireworks as Fred and his much more successful kid brother 'Nick/Santa' (Paul Giammati) face off both verbally and physically.
Feuding family movies are fairly predictable during the holidays, but Dobkin throws a wrench in the works that pays off big dividends in the final moments of the film. That 'wrench' is the malevolent efficiency inspector bent on shutting Santa down while using Fred as his tool.
Actor Kevin Spacey ("Superman Returns") plays the grim inspector BETTER than he did Superman nemesis 'Lex Luthor', and there's a bonus element that ... will remain nameless (sorry, no spoilers allowed).
Check it out to find out, you won't be disappointed!
"EVERY kid deserves a present on Christmas." - Fred
Cast ... Supporting characters:
Kevin Spacey ... Clyde Northcut (Efficiency Inspector)
John Michael Higgins ... Willie (Santa's sled navigator/likes Charlene)
Jorge Rodero ... Willie's Movements
Elizabeth Banks ... Charlene (Mgr. of Santa's workshop)
Miranda Richardson ... Annette Claus (Santa's wife/detests Fred)
Rachel Weisz ... Wanda (Fred's British girlfriend/Traffic cop)
Kathy Bates ... Mother Claus (Santa & Fred's mom/Past & Present)
Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges ... DJ Donnie (Workshop scenes)
Michael Mbhele ... DJ Donnie's Movements
Key crew:
Original Music by Christophe Beck
Music programmer: Stephen Coleman
Director of photography: Remi Adefarasin Editor: Mark Livolsi
Cameos (Support group scene):
Frank Stallone (singer/Sly's brother) ... Therapy participant
Roger Clinton (actor-singer/Bill's half-brother) ... Therapy participant
Stephen Baldwin (actor/Alec's kid brother) ... Therapy participant
SOUNDTRACK info (from Amazon.com)
1. "Jingle Bells" - Performed by Johnny Mercer
2. "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" - Performed by Elvis Presley
3. "Sleigh Ride" - Performed by The Ronettes Listen
4. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" - Performed by Doris Day
5. "I Want You For Christmas" - Performed by Russ Morgan & His Orchestra Listen
6. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" - Performed by Jackson 5 Listen
7. "Christmas Wrapping" - Performed by The Waitresses Listen
8. "Silent Night" - Performed by Sinead O'Connor Listen
9. "Auld Lang Syne" - Performed by Guy Lombardo
10. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World" - Performed by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole
11. "The First Noel" - Performed by Leigh Nash Listen
12. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Performed by Matt Turk with Matter & Gaby Moreno Listen
13. "Suite From Fred Claus" - Performed by Christophe Beck
Not included on the soundtrack but in the film:
"Beast of Burden" by the Rolling Stones
"Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen
Additional cast (from IMDbPRO.com):
Trevor Peacock ... Papa Claus (Santa & Fred's dad/Past & Present)
Jeremy Swift ... Bob Elf (Workshop scenes)
Elizabeth Berrington ... Linda Elf (Bob's wife/Workshop scenes)
Bobb'e J. Thompson ... 'Slam'/Samuel (Fred's neighbor pal/orphaned)
Allan Corduner ... Dr. Goldfarb (therapist for Claus family)
Jordon Hull ... Young Fred - 6 yrs old (opening scenes only)
Liam James ... Young Fred - 12 yrs old (opening scenes only)
Theo Stevenson ... Young Nick - 6 yrs old (opening scenes only)
Allison Sparrow ... Girl With Plasma TV (opening repo scene only)
Salvation Army Santas: Danny McCarthy, Keith Kupferer, & Craig J. Harris (Jermaine Santa)
Morgane Monjauze ... Molly Gordon
Caden Niewolnu ... Timmy Jackson (Naughty boy scene)
Orphanage Kids: Justin McEwen & Dylan Minnette
Anne White ... Midwife (Birthing scene @ open)
Jean-Yves Thual ... Mission Control Elf
Elves:
Burn Gorman, Orlando Seale, Charlie Condou,Peter Bonner, & Rusty Goffe (Frosty Bar Man)
Melody Hollis ... Timmy Jackson's Sister (Naughty scene)
Bert Matias ... Eskimo (gives Fred directions at end)
MOVIE website-http://fredclaus.warnerbros.com/
HIGHLIGHTS of Oddball plot structure (that worked):
The Birth and Growth of the Claus Brothers ... first 7 minutes
The Present/Fred's life with Wanda ... next 18 min.
**The North Pole** ... next 46 min (jokes and more)
Fred leaves before Xmas ... next 7 min. (hilarious group therapy session)
Grand finale ... next 20 min.(CGI and delivery gags)
Epilogue ... 10 min (finally a little romance for the ladies)
"I'm a Saint, tough love's a little difficult for me." - Santa
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
FRED CLAUS
After a slow start leading from the past to the present, this latest 'Santa' movie picks up speed (and laughs) once it hits the North Pole, while throwing in a good dose of sibling rivalry (& some hilarious cameos)!
3 stars (out of 4) [(2007)USA/Warner Bros./Rated PG] - (1 hr 55 min)
Directed by David Dobkin
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Cast ... Lead characters:
Vince Vaughn ... Fred Claus (Santa's big brother)
Paul Giamatti ... St. Nick (aka 'Santa' Claus)
Review:
"Why can't you be more like your brother?" -Mrs. Claus
[Before I write anything, I would just like to extend kudo's to the music supervisor for some inspired selections that would make this soundtrack well worth purchasing as a change-of-pace to more traditional holiday fare.]
I have to admit that I went into the theater thinking "Fred Claus" would be another "Elf" retread (aka' big man amidst little people), but was pleasantly surprised (after the dimwitted first half-hour).
Sure there was bunk bed joke with 6'-5" Vince Vaughn hanging his legs off the edge (also seen in the trailer), which is not unlike the 'too-small' furniture jokes in 'Elf' (w/ 6'-3" actor Will Ferrell).
Luckily, that's where the duplication ends and the originality begins (sort of). The entire film is built on the completely unbelievable premise that once a person is sainted both he and his entire family stop aging. Somehow the fact that 'Fred' (Vince Vaughn) is several hundred years old never comes up with his girlfriend 'Wanda' (Rachel Weisz w/ a British accent).
However, if you quickly forget these minor details you'll find that director David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers") has assembled a great cast for some emotional fireworks as Fred and his much more successful kid brother 'Nick/Santa' (Paul Giammati) face off both verbally and physically.
Feuding family movies are fairly predictable during the holidays, but Dobkin throws a wrench in the works that pays off big dividends in the final moments of the film. That 'wrench' is the malevolent efficiency inspector bent on shutting Santa down while using Fred as his tool.
Actor Kevin Spacey ("Superman Returns") plays the grim inspector BETTER than he did Superman nemesis 'Lex Luthor', and there's a bonus element that ... will remain nameless (sorry, no spoilers allowed).
Check it out to find out, you won't be disappointed!
"EVERY kid deserves a present on Christmas." - Fred
Cast ... Supporting characters:
Kevin Spacey ... Clyde Northcut (Efficiency Inspector)
John Michael Higgins ... Willie (Santa's sled navigator/likes Charlene)
Jorge Rodero ... Willie's Movements
Elizabeth Banks ... Charlene (Mgr. of Santa's workshop)
Miranda Richardson ... Annette Claus (Santa's wife/detests Fred)
Rachel Weisz ... Wanda (Fred's British girlfriend/Traffic cop)
Kathy Bates ... Mother Claus (Santa & Fred's mom/Past & Present)
Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges ... DJ Donnie (Workshop scenes)
Michael Mbhele ... DJ Donnie's Movements
Key crew:
Original Music by Christophe Beck
Music programmer: Stephen Coleman
Director of photography: Remi Adefarasin Editor: Mark Livolsi
Cameos (Support group scene):
Frank Stallone (singer/Sly's brother) ... Therapy participant
Roger Clinton (actor-singer/Bill's half-brother) ... Therapy participant
Stephen Baldwin (actor/Alec's kid brother) ... Therapy participant
SOUNDTRACK info (from Amazon.com)
1. "Jingle Bells" - Performed by Johnny Mercer
2. "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" - Performed by Elvis Presley
3. "Sleigh Ride" - Performed by The Ronettes Listen
4. "Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)" - Performed by Doris Day
5. "I Want You For Christmas" - Performed by Russ Morgan & His Orchestra Listen
6. "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" - Performed by Jackson 5 Listen
7. "Christmas Wrapping" - Performed by The Waitresses Listen
8. "Silent Night" - Performed by Sinead O'Connor Listen
9. "Auld Lang Syne" - Performed by Guy Lombardo
10. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What A Wonderful World" - Performed by Israel "IZ" Kamakawiwo'ole
11. "The First Noel" - Performed by Leigh Nash Listen
12. "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" - Performed by Matt Turk with Matter & Gaby Moreno Listen
13. "Suite From Fred Claus" - Performed by Christophe Beck
Not included on the soundtrack but in the film:
"Beast of Burden" by the Rolling Stones
"Surfin' Bird" by the Trashmen
Additional cast (from IMDbPRO.com):
Trevor Peacock ... Papa Claus (Santa & Fred's dad/Past & Present)
Jeremy Swift ... Bob Elf (Workshop scenes)
Elizabeth Berrington ... Linda Elf (Bob's wife/Workshop scenes)
Bobb'e J. Thompson ... 'Slam'/Samuel (Fred's neighbor pal/orphaned)
Allan Corduner ... Dr. Goldfarb (therapist for Claus family)
Jordon Hull ... Young Fred - 6 yrs old (opening scenes only)
Liam James ... Young Fred - 12 yrs old (opening scenes only)
Theo Stevenson ... Young Nick - 6 yrs old (opening scenes only)
Allison Sparrow ... Girl With Plasma TV (opening repo scene only)
Salvation Army Santas: Danny McCarthy, Keith Kupferer, & Craig J. Harris (Jermaine Santa)
Morgane Monjauze ... Molly Gordon
Caden Niewolnu ... Timmy Jackson (Naughty boy scene)
Orphanage Kids: Justin McEwen & Dylan Minnette
Anne White ... Midwife (Birthing scene @ open)
Jean-Yves Thual ... Mission Control Elf
Elves:
Burn Gorman, Orlando Seale, Charlie Condou,Peter Bonner, & Rusty Goffe (Frosty Bar Man)
Melody Hollis ... Timmy Jackson's Sister (Naughty scene)
Bert Matias ... Eskimo (gives Fred directions at end)
MOVIE website-http://fredclaus.warnerbros.com/
HIGHLIGHTS of Oddball plot structure (that worked):
The Birth and Growth of the Claus Brothers ... first 7 minutes
The Present/Fred's life with Wanda ... next 18 min.
**The North Pole** ... next 46 min (jokes and more)
Fred leaves before Xmas ... next 7 min. (hilarious group therapy session)
Grand finale ... next 20 min.(CGI and delivery gags)
Epilogue ... 10 min (finally a little romance for the ladies)
"I'm a Saint, tough love's a little difficult for me." - Santa
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++