5. Tim Allen – The Santa Clause (1994)
The Santa Clause takes a cynical everyman and casts him in the role of Santa Claus – quite literally. When the skeptical Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) hears noises on his roof on Christmas Eve, he assumes it’s a burglar and frightens the intruder into a fatal fall. Upon realizing he’s killed Santa, Scott unwittingly becomes his replacement, gradually transforming into the image of Santa Claus that we all know and love.
It’s an interesting take on the traditional story of Santa Claus, as it incorporates all of the familiar festive notes with a hint of self-aware cynicism. Tim Allen gradually morphs into a near-perfect representation of Santa, but that isn’t to say that his version is without its issues. Despite being something of a festive favorite, The Santa Clause is a bad Christmas movie.
Not only does Scott Calvin refuse to believe in Santa (even after he begins his transformation, which is baffling), but his subtle self-deprecation simply isn’t becoming of Saint Nicholas. However, he certainly looks the part, and he has a certain sense of warmth about him. He also feels distinctly more fleshed-out than many other versions, largely due to the work of The Santa Clause‘s makeup artists and its costume and set designers, all of which combine their efforts to build a comprehensive mythos around the film’s version of Santa Claus.