Santa Clause, The (DVD)

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Video:
Walt Disney Pictures and Buena Vista Distributing have remastered this new DVD transfer to THX standards and at a higher bit rate than they did their first DVD edition, producing richer, deeper hues and a marginally sharper image. The colors inside Santa's North Pole headquarters are especially bright and lustrous, the picture quality more pleasing than ever, natural and vibrant.

The picture size is available in either widescreen or standard "fullscreen," each available separately. I reviewed the widescreen version, which is presented in its original theatrical-release aspect ratio, approximately 1.74:1 anamorphic, ideal for displaying the colorful interiors of Santa's workshop and for shots of Santa in his sled flying over huge vistas of scenery. Be careful when you buy or rent the disc, though, that you read the fine print on the back cover that differentiates the widescreen issue from the fullscreen.

Audio:
While the video quality shows marked improvement over the original edition, the Dolby Digital 5.1 sonics seem to my ears about the same. The surround channels are still used subtly and sparingly, mainly in the sounds of elves at work in their workshop and musical ambiance accompaniment. Voices are clear, and frequency response and dynamic contrasts are appropriate, too. It's proper and effective, if somewhat restrained, sound.

Extras:
What wasn't so good about Disney's first edition of "The Santa Clause" was that it provided almost nothing in the way of extras. The widescreen picture and Dolby Digital sound were fine, certainly, but offering only two language choices, a chapter search, and a trailer seemed more than a little stingy. This time the Disney folks have tried to rectify the situation, although there still isn't much. Now we get several items aimed entirely at kids. "So You Want To Be An Elf" is a six-minute ordeal hosted by David Krumholtz, the head elf in the movie. "Santa's Helper" is an adventure game that seems designed for the youngest possible members of the family who can hold a remote. And "Making Santa Snacks With Wolfgang" is simply bizarre, Wolfgang Puck showing us how to cook various dishes. There are also some DVD-ROM features, a THX Optimizer set of audiovisual calibration tests, and seventeen scene selections. English, French, and Spanish are provided for spoken languages, with Spanish subtitles and English captions for the hearing impaired. Oddly enough, while there are nine "Sneak Peeks" at other Disney titles, the trailer for "The Santa Clause" has gone missing. Oh, well. Everything is tied together by an attractive animated menu.

Parting Thoughts:
"The Santa Clause" is not a laugh-out-loud, screwball comedy to knock audiences out of their seats, nor is it a satirical or cynical adult fable like "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" or "Bad Santa." Instead, it's a gentle bit of whimsy, a sweet fantasy for children and adults alike. I have the feeling it will be around for a lot of Christmases to come. It will be at our house.

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