| J'ai Rencontré Le Père Noël (aka Here Comes Santa Claus) | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Christian Gion |
| Produced by | Patrick Delauneux |
| Written by | Christian Gion Didier Kaminka |
| Starring | Karen Cheryl Armand Meffre Emeric Chapuis |
| Music by | Francis Lai |
| Cinematography | Jacques Assuérus |
| Editing by | Pauline Leroy |
| Distributed by | Starmaker Video New World Pictures |
| Release date(s) | 1984 |
| Running time | 79 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French English |
J'ai rencontré le Père Noël (1984) is a French film that was dubbed in English and retitled as Here Comes Santa Claus. The film is about Simon, a young boy, who is bullied at school by peers and adults alike. Simon's parents have been kidnapped in Africa, and the government has not responded to the ultimatum set by the kidnappers. Therefore, while on a field trip to the local airport, Simon and his friend Élodie sneak onto a jet liner and fly to Rovaniemi to visit Santa Claus in Lapland, to ask him to save Simon's parents. On the way, they encounter a Fairy and an Ogre.
The film stars Karen Cheryl, who was a popular singer at the time in France, as both Simon's schoolteacher and as the Fairy. She acts and sings musical numbers in the film.
Clearly designed for children, the film was primarily meant as a family comedy for the Christmas holidays. The film is also an opportunity for Karen Cheryl to repeatedly sing simplistic melodies, in line with the plot. Indeed, the director is not encumbered with improbabilities. Thus, the two young children arrive safely to travel to Lapland then Santa and the fairy teleport to Africa near the village where the parents are inmates, and finally the two children returned home and rushed to the Christmas Mass where no one seems really surprised they reappear after their prolonged absence.
The soundtrack was released on LP (WEA 74320 06). The music is composed by Francis Lai, with lyrics by Pierre-Andre Dousset.
Track Listing:
1. Générique
2. On s'prépare pour Noël
3. L'Arrivée à Rovaniemi
4. Oui, le Père Noël existe
5. La Classe
6. P'Tit Pomme sur le Pommier
7. Noël en Laponie
8. L'Usine à Jouets
9. Ballade pour une Fée
10. La Recherche en Afrique
11. Lutins, Trains, Vilains
12. Noël, un Enfant
13. Générique de Fin
L'usine à Jouets (The Toy Factory Video Clip) Noël, un Enfant (Christmas, A Child Video Clip)