Santa Claus Is a Stinker (1982)

Very Cool!!!

Undescribable Perfection

If you don't like this, we can't be friends.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

I just noticed that two of my all-time favorite comedies were both released during my birth year, one is "made in America" and you've probably heard about it: "Tootsie". But I'm not so sure about the other, it's called "Le Pere Noel est une Ordure" aka "Santa Claus is a Bastard", if you're French, you already know it's a classic. If you're not, I seriously doubt you've heard of it, but if you have the chance to watch it, go ahead, you won't be disappointed, believe me, it's a laugh riot and most of the jokes won't be lost in translation. Only don't expect a sugar-coated fairy tale with a Miracle at the end, the film isn't your typical Christmas movie."Santa Claus is a Bastard" is the movie adaptation of a stage play from 1979 starring the 'Splendid' actors who co-wrote it with Anémone, who plays Thérèse, the female lead. The film marks the come-back to the big screen of the Splendid Troop: Christian Clavier, Thierry Lhermitte, Gérard Jugnot and al after the two opus of the "Bronzés" series. Their films met with modest commercial successes but through the years and many airings on TV, they became more and more successful and today, it's only justice that they're regarded not just as cult-classics but as some of the funniest pages of French Comedy's book. "Santa Claus" is no exception as it made less than 2 millions in the box-office, probably because of the provocative title or the untimely release (on summer) but it's still better than many films directed by Jean-Marie Poire, his "Visitors II" made more than 7 millions spectators, but it's pure rubbish compared to his early classic.There's not much a plot in the film, it follows the nightmarish journey of a bunch of neurotic/misfit characters during the most sacred day of the year: Christmas. Now just imagine two volunteers at a telephone helpline for lonely and depressed people, the geeky Pierre Montes and Therese, a well-to-do woman, "not ugly" according to Pierre, but who "just doesn't have easy looks". Now take Josiane Balasko as Mrs. Musquin, the hot-headed colleague who's stuck the whole night in a malfunctioning lift. Take Katia, the depressive transvestite in love with Pierre. Christian Clavier is convincingly feminine for that part. Take a trailer trash couple : Félix, an ex-con using a Santa Claus outfit to sell Sexy Christmas parties leaflets across the street, and his wife, the heavily pregnant Josette, Therese's best friend. Last but not least, a Bulgarian neighbor, Mr Preskovic bringing his country's food to the great displeasure of Thérese and Pierre. Now, you have the most colorful gallery of characters, of any Christmas movie.Every actor plays its part with perfection, never trying to outshine the other, and as soon as the first gag starts, when an African Santa Klaus tells Felix to beat it, there is not one minute in the film that doesn't feature a visual gag and a classic funny line, what would you expect more from a comedy. See, there are two levels of fun in the film, carried by two opposite forces, there are the anarchic characters that don't give a damn about Christmas spirit and take it as an opportunity to eat or make money, or find sex or love and those who try to embody the spirit of Christmas out of charity, help and empathy. Therefore, Therese can't refuse hospitality to her friend Josette, Pierre can't refuse a sensual dance with 'Katia' and both Therese and Pierre can't refuse to taste Mr. Preskovic's delicious Dobicous from Sofia. They look awful, and their reactions are priceless, but when Mr. Preskovci specifies that ""They do taste home-made! Hand-made, and rolled under the armpits." My mouth was empty but I thought I was the one who would choke to death looking at Lhermitte's face.Thierry Lhermitte, far from his usual boyish and charming looks, is really impressive as the mild-mannered and calm Pierre, so calm that when he snaps and starts insulting Therese when she accidentally hurts his finger during an attempt to help Mrs. Musquin, it's so unpredictable, so out-of-character that the laughing effect is almost tripled. And there is something both touching and poignant in his interactions with Therese, these two have something going between, and like carried by the magic of Christmas, they didn't forget the gifts. And what gifts! Pierre painted a portrait of her naked with a smiling pig, surreal humor at its best; she offered him a sweater, "A floor-rag." He screamed. 'How beautiful! I'm so happy!" Realizing his mistake, he admitted he needed something to go to the trash room. The movie is cleverly written, not a surprise from the team who wrote the two "Bronzés" films. By the way, I love to consider it as the third of an unofficial trilogy rather than the third official "Bronzés" film made in 2006.Everything works perfectly in the film in every cinematic level of humor, dialogs, subtlety, surrealism, slapstick, it's perfect and carried by top notch performances. Gérard Jugnot is wonderful as the hot-headed Felix, Josette as his hysterically crazy wife. Thankfully, the whole mayhem of the film is punctuated with calmer moments. The slow between Pierre and Katia with the 'Destinée' song is one of the most memorable of French cinema, and plot's crescendo evolution goes on and one fluidly and perfectly until the inevitable outburst of violence and a final explosion of sex, so natural that we're not even shocked, sooner or later, it has to explode. Still, for a film so chaotic, that it remained to keep certain coherence with a shrinking and stinking cake, an albino rabbit, a corpse, a transvestite shot in the foot is a remarkable achievement.To conclude, I will paraphrase one of the most hilariously ambiguous lines of the film, and say "I hate to speak ill of movies. Such a nice film indeed!"

There are some movies that you can watch several times and each time you find them better. Le père noël, after a play of the same name, is definitely among these. The dialogs are so rich (and always funny), that every watching reveal you a reply you didn't notice. Every character is well defined and written by/for the actor who plays it with a rare intensity. That's a movie you can't describe or quote out of its context and just have to watch. If you're French, you might already have seen it several times, so this movie is popular here, otherwise I suggest you to watch it, hoping you'll share this typical French "humour".

This movie is my favorite! Every person in it is messed up in one way or the other, which I believe is a perfect start for movie. I must have seen this one over 10 times and it's still funny, and gets even funnier! There are many hidden jokes, especially for those that don't speak french (like myself). I don't know if there's an english subtitled version, I sure hope so 'cause this masterpiece must be seen all over the world! And, by the way, DO NOT watch that rip off Mixed Nuts!

I must have seen this film about 100 times : Le Père Noël... is probably the most famous french comedy ever done, at least in France, far, far more famous and cult than the recent "Le diner De cons" (which is not cult at all, plain funny and that's it). Le Père Noël wasn't a real hit when it got released (it was in fact the movie version of the same-titled play), but it gradually became THE reference in cult comedy amongst french teenagers. I don't even see what the equivalent could be in the States. Anyway : each and every line of this film is sheer fun delight, total trashy-meets-uptight-meets gory-meets-nonsensical humor. Obviously untranslatable and mainly based upon the very subtle depiction of each character, most of the specific expressions of the film are now part of everyday language. It's not even a must-see for every french movie-goer since everyone has seen it at least once in his life. For those who don't cringe at french humor (nothing scatological here), this is an absolute topper in fun. Highly recommended.