La leyenda de Santa Claus

Once upon the time the seven year-old Nikolas loses his parent and his little sister Anna in an accident in the frozen lake. The poor villagers decide to adopt the boy sharing him among the six families: every Christmas Nikolas should move to another home. After six years, the families do not find fish and none of them is able to stay with Nikolas for the next year.

The grumpy carpenter Iisakki offers to the villagers to stay with Nikolas and teach him a profession. In the beginning, Nikolas is treated roughly by Iisakki; however, Nikolas makes toys for the children in his village during the nights. When Iisakki discovers what Nikolas is doing, he helps him to make the toys. In the Christmas, Iisakki helps him to distribute the gifts. Year after year, Nikolas and Iisakki continue the tradition.

When Iisakki's estranged sons visit and invite their father to move to the big city to live with them, Iisakki delivers a small fortune to him. Nikolas uses the money to follow the tradition of giving a gift to every child on Christmas.

The Finish "Joulutarina" is one of the best Christmas movies I have ever seen, showing the wonderful story of Santa Claus. I regret that only today I have found this film and not in the Christmas Eve to see with the whole family together. Unfortunately the Brazilian DVD is dubbed in Portuguese and does not offer the original language. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Uma História de Natal" ("A Christmas Story")

Amazing scenery, beautiful music and of course our "Nikolas", who became something we all want to be. In northern Finland we do not need false snow, not to mention the degrees below zero :o) Kari Väänänen made a very good role as "Iisakki", the carpenter. After all he was just a lonely man and much more kind as his character first appeared. Also Hannu-Pekka Björkman was as lovable and as cuddly as "Nikolas" can be. I think, the way "Nikolas" remembered his younger sister Aada during his life was also very touchable. We remember, we care and most of all, we can learn from the things we do and which are done to us. This is to me a film which I think will become a tradition for every Christmas. And you know, I'm only 40 years "young". Have a joyful sleigh ride!

its simplicity. this is the basic virtue of this admirable touching film. nothing new, at the first sigh. nothing extraordinary. the story of a poor boy and its purpose of life. the great thing is the atmosphere. you touch each scene. to discover, again and again, old memories. about other poor boys, about small communities, about childhood and about dark character with painful past. it could be a fairy tale or reinvent of the origins of a tradition. but it is more - a real simple story who gives the chance to Hannu - Pekka Bjorkmann to give a realistic in magic manner portrait of Santa, to Kari Vaananen to remind pages from Dickens and to be the perfect master and to Laura Bim to shine.and, sure, the role of cinematography, landscapes and smell of the house are important details. it is more than a Christmas film. it is only a simple story about basic values. and this does it successful.

I actually got to see this movie for the first time in Rome, Italy this past October during a film festival. Before that, I had never heard of this movie, let alone that they were dubbing a version in English. I got to meet the director who was very nice. He talked about all the things that a beginning filmmaker should never do, including working in bad weather, working with children, special effects, and animals, all of which were done for this movie. Shot on location in the dead of winter, with real reindeer, this is a pretty impressive piece of work. It's also a great movie to add to the collection of other Christmas films. I can't predict whether it will become a Christmas classic, but I can say that I liked the back story given to Santa Claus in this movie.

Let's assume that even Santa Claus was born some day in the past. That he was a small boy that grew up to be the mythical figure of legends and bedtime stories. What would he have been like, as a boy, as a man starting the Christmas tradition of giving gifts, as an old, bearded man driving reindeer sled? Well, if that has aroused your interest, then this is the movie for you.

Filmed mainly in Finnish Lapland, it's a beautiful film to behold. The rural, medieval fishing village offers a breathtaking setting for young Nikolas' beginnings and the bleak winter grandeur of Lapland practically screams Christmas at you. The music is also the very best Finland has to offer and as a whole you can find no fault in the production values or the technical aspects.

The acting is also topnotch. I especially love Kari Väänänen as Iisakki, the aging carpenter who takes Nikolas under his wing and makes him the toymaker the world knows him as. Such a perfect blend of curmudgeon and grumpy warmheartedness. The rest of the actors are equally talented and they really sell the whole premise.

With the sole exception of Hannu-Pekka Björkman, playing the role of adult Nikolas, that of Santa Claus. He's a good actor, don't get me wrong, and it's really the script's fault instead of his, but his take on Santa Claus is way over the top. And yes, it's a more realistic take on Santa's origins, but did they really need to make him so unhinged. The only reason this Santa wasn't locked in a looney bin was that they hadn't been invented yet. And no, that doesn't ruin the film and it's really just a pet peeve of mine, but I prefer my Santas to be a lot more dignified than this.

As a whole Christmas Story has potential to become a classic. It practically is one already in Finland where it is shown every Christmas Eve as the main movie of the night. That's how good it is.