Tagline: Twas the fight before Christmas.
The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause. Holiday magic mixes with comical chaos at the North Pole in “The Santa Clause 3.” Tim Allen reprises his role of Scott Calvin-AKA Santa-as he juggles a full house of family and the mischievous Jack Frost (Martin Short), whose chilling Santa envy has him trying to take over the “big guy’s” holiday.
At the risk of giving away its secret location, Scott invites his in-laws, Sylvia and Bud Newman (Ann-Margret and Alan Arkin), to the North Pole to share in the holiday festivities and be near their daughter, Carol (Elizabeth Mitchell)-AKA Mrs. Claus-as she prepares for the eagerly anticipated birth of baby Claus.
Along for the adventure are Scott’s extended family: son Charlie (Eric Lloyd), ex-wife Laura Miller (Wendy Crewson), her husband Neil (Judge Reinhold), and their daughter, Lucy (Liliana Mumy), who together with head elf Curtis (Spencer Breslin), must foil Jack Frost’s crafty scheme to control the North Pole.
Walt Disney Pictures presents “The Santa Clause 3,” directed by Michael Lembeck from a screenplay by Ed Decter and John J. Strauss. Producers are Brian Reilly, Bobby Newmyer and Jeffrey Silver. Even with the success of 1994’s “The Santa Clause” and 2002’s “The Santa Clause 2,” Tim Allen wasn’t convinced that he should don the 75-pound Santa suit once again and go back to the North Pole for a third time. But a meeting with Disney executives changed his mind.
“I didn’t think I would do another `Santa Clause.’ I’m not interested in doing the same story,” says Allen. “But we started hashing out ideas at the meeting. Then I said, `I wonder what it would be like without Santa Clause? How weird would it be to not have this great mythical figure in the world?’ That struck a chord with all of us.”
The concept-which resembled a modern-day take on the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life”-gained momentum. “I’m like a kid,” admits Allen. “I want to see the North Pole, too. In `The Santa Clause 3,’ we decided we were going to shoot inside the North Pole even more, and get to know more about my family and my relationship with Mrs. Claus.”
“The Santa Clause 3” finds Santa taking on new challenges as his family continues to grow. He is faced with the hefty double responsibility of keeping peace within his blended brood while preventing Jack Frost (Martin Short), who makes his debut in this third installment, from exploiting Santa’s stressed state and taking over Christmas.
“I get to a point in my career as Santa where the mortal side of me starts to show,” says Allen of his character. “There’s too much conflict at the North Pole.”
Ultimately, Santa Claus and Jack Frost switch places, and “you get to see what the world would be like if Jack Frost ran the North Pole,” says Allen. “Believe me, you don’t want to see that world!”
Having Tim Allen aboard the third installment of “The Santa Clause” was vital to its success. The popular star of the beloved ABC series “Home Improvement” and hit movies such as “Toy Story” and “Galaxy Quest,” Allen has now made the character of Santa his own. So what is it about Tim Allen as this jelly-bellied, rosy-cheeked icon that strikes a chord in all of us?
“It’s simple,” says producer Brian Reilly, who has been part of all three “Santa Clause” films. “Tim has a great gift for making us all laugh. These movies created a place for themselves in the holiday season. In this North Pole world, audiences just love Tim Allen.”
Continues executive producer William W. Wilson III, “From the moment Tim Allen transformed into Santa Claus in the first movie, he embodied the part. He’s funny, and he has heart, and that is what struck a chord with so many people. Hopefully audiences will want to continue to watch Santa’s journey.”
“An amazing thing happens when Tim gets in the Santa suit,” adds director Michael Lembeck. “He literally, totally inhabits the character. There’s something about Tim playing that role-he becomes that loveable icon.”
Like Allen, Lembeck, who directed “The Santa Clause 2,” came aboard for North Pole visit number three. Lembeck has his own opinions about what makes the “Santa Clause” franchise so successful. “It’s hard to define what lightning in a bottle is,” says the director. “But the audience loves our honesty, our entertainment value, our dramatic content, and our comedy.
Lembeck was also looking forward to seeing some old friends from “The Santa Clause 2.” “When you get together again, it’s as if you just saw each other,” he says. “We never missed a step. We got right back into being comfortable with each other, and enjoying one another, and it made the work so easy. Everybody was really just licking their chops to get back together.”
The filmmakers knew they needed Lembeck’s Energizer Bunny-like enthusiasm on set to make “The Santa Clause 3” a winner. “Michael is so open and collaborative. He has his vision and knows what he wants,” says Brian Reilly. “He allows the actors to play, and as a result we have performances that touch your heart. His positive attitude is infectious.”
“He is one of the greatest directors that I have ever worked with,” says costume designer Ingrid Ferrin. “He believes in the story that he wants to tell.”
Old Friends and New Faces
For this third go-round, the filmmakers put together a stellar ensemble that combined stars from the previous “Santa Clause” films with several first-rate additions.
“It’s a tremendous cast-Ann-Margret, Alan Arkin, Marty Short-just to name three,” says Tim Allen. “This is a great group of actors. It’s amazing to see how well Michael Lembeck put this terrific cast together.”
“It is something special when a director knows how to bring a great cast together, and understands the magic that can happen between different people,” adds Ingrid Ferrin.
The new cast members are highlighted by Martin Short, who from “SCTV” to “Saturday Night Live” to feature films like “Jiminy Glick in Lalawood” has been making Americans laugh for over 20 years. The character of Jack Frost was too scrumptious for Short to resist. “Jack feels he’s just as qualified as Santa and has all this untapped potential-he just hasn’t been given his moment yet.”
Despite being labeled as the villain at the North Pole, Jack Frost has charm to spare. “He’s almost lovable in a sleazy, cheesy sort of way,” explains Short. “He’s constantly sucking up to people, but none of it is sincere. I don’t think there’s an honest bone in his body.
Executive Producer William W. Wilson III raves, “Marty is funny, hardworking and gives it his all 100 percent of the time. He literally threw himself into the part.”
Rounding out the newcomers are the incomparable Ann-Margret and Alan Arkin as Sylvia and Bud, Santa’s in-laws. Joining the freshmen were several actors who returned from previous “Santa Clause” sojourns, including Elizabeth Mitchell as Mrs. Claus, Judge Reinhold as psychobabbler Dr. Neil Miller, and Wendy Crewson as his wife, Laura. Also returning were Spencer Breslin as trusty elf Curtis, Eric Lloyd as Charlie Calvin and Liliana Mumy as Lucy Miller.
“It really does feel like a big family reunion,” says Elizabeth Mitchell. “It was great to see everybody and to hear what’s happening in their lives.”
Mitchell had her own personal news to share-she gave birth to her first child six weeks before shooting began. It wasn’t a big stretch, therefore, for Mitchell to return to the North Pole as an expectant Mrs. Claus.
“It felt great to come back after having the baby, and to get to wear big clothes,” says Mitchell. “I was really happy.”
Judge Reinhold, who reprises his role as Neil Miller from the original film, thinks the third installment may be the best yet. “It’s more whimsical, and there’s a lot of new elements,” says the actor. “It’s got more comic energy. There’s something a little wilder about it.”
Reinhold, who has come to accept that by portraying Dr. Miller he is not only recognized for being a permanent part of Christmas but also for “really ugly sweaters,” gets to take his character to New (Age) heights in “The Santa Clause 3.”
“It takes Neil maybe 30 minutes after he arrives at the North Pole to begin conducting an elf yoga class,” says Reinhold. “He takes it upon himself to make sure that elfin stress levels are managed. He’s been reading a bit too much Deepak Chopra.”
Wendy Crewson is back as Scott’s ex-wife Laura, who makes her first visit to the North Pole along with husband Neil and daughter Lucy. One element of the script that Crewson particularly admires is the positive message that the blended Calvin/Miller/Claus family sends to audiences.
“This is a perfect tale for today,” she explains. “This modern, divorced family gets along so well, and I love that aspect of the story. I really think this movie is the guide to a good divorce! It’s a good lesson for today’s audience.”
Spencer Breslin reprises his role as Curtis from “The Santa Clause 2.” The bespectacled assistant has now landed the plum assignment of Santa’s Head Elf.
“Curtis got a promotion for his 900th birthday, I think. Now he’s the number one elf, and he likes the power,” says Breslin of his character. “But although he may get a little crazy sometimes, he would never try to steal Christmas from the big guy like Jack Frost.”
“Spencer is a 55-year-old man in a 13-year-old’s body,” laughs producer Brian Reilly. “He has such authority, and he is so good at what he does.”
Liliana Mumy, whose real-life dad is Bill Mumy, AKA `Will Robinson’ from the famous 1960’s television series “Lost in Space,” is glad that her returning character, Lucy, gets an opportunity to visit the North Pole this time around.
“In the last movie I didn’t get to go to the North Pole. I am so glad I got to go this time because it looks so cool,” she says. “It’s so big, and when you walk around you keep noticing new things.”
About her co-star Eric Lloyd, who originated the role of Scott Calvin’s son and Lucy’s older brother, Charlie, at the age of eight in “The Santa Clause,” Liliana says, “He’s changed so much from the last movie. He’s in college now. He teases me a little bit, but that’s okay with me.”
Executive producer William W. Wilson III admires the contributions of the younger cast members. “Spencer and Liliana-and also Abigail Breslin, Spencer’s little sister in real life who also has a role in the film-are such professionals. They give such honest performances in our fantasy world.”
Adds Reilly, “Liliana Mumy is so wide-eyed, I think there is a part of her that thinks she is actually in the North Pole. She is a genuine child. She loves what she’s doing.”
Also reuniting for “The Santa Clause 3” is the Council of Legendary Figures, comprised of Mother Nature (Aisha Tyler), Father Time (Peter Boyle), Easter Bunny (Jay Thomas), Cupid (Kevin Pollak), Tooth Fairy (Art La Fleur) and Sandman (Michael Dorn).
Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause ‘2006)
Directed by: Michael Lembeck
Starring: Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, Judge Reinhold, Wendy Crewson, Ann-Margret, Eric Lloyd, Spencer Breslin, Liliana Mumy, Alan Arkin, Martin Short
Screenplay by: Ed Decter
Production Design by: Richard Holland
Cinematography by: Robbie Greenberg
Film Editing by: David Finfer
Costume Design by: Ingrid Ferrin
Set Decoration by: Don Diers
Art Direction by: Greg Berry, Charlie Daboub
Music by: George S. Clinton
MPAA Rating: G for general audience.
Oistributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: November 3, 2006
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