Title: Father Christmas
Starring: Mel Smith,
Director: Dave Unwin
Duration: 26 minutes
Released: November 2010
Father Christmas lacks much of the warmth and charm of The Snowman. Father Christmas as voiced by Mel Smith is miserable and cantankerous, whinging about presents and moaning about his job.
A Father Christmas that continuously says “blooming this” and “blooming that” is not the sort of fatherly, Christmas figure that I would enjoy meeting. “Blooming” may not actually be swearing but in the context it is being used here it may as well be.
The Snowman was a lovable figure of fun and excitement, Father Christmas, as realised here with Mel Smith’s dull and grumpy voice is not. To be honest I never really liked Mel Smith as a comedian so his choice as the voice of Father Christmas for this kids film was never really going to sit well with me, but I’m sure I’m not the only one.
The animation retains some of the charm it had back in the 80s but it does look very dated and to be honest Father Christmas looks a touch evil. Personally I don’t trust him. He’s certainly not jolly and fun anyway. When The Snowman is so wonderful in every way, why would you want to watch this?
