Why Google Buries ‘Santa Clause The Movie’ Even at Christmas

Welcome back to another episode of Wholesome TV Picks. But first I want you to do something for me. Open Google and type "The Santa Clause." Just those three words. What do you see? Tim Allen, right? Everything about the 1994 version. Now add "1985" to that search. This is the topic of today's episode, and it's funny how Google doesn't think you need to know it exists.

It's family entertainment perfect for all ages, but especially for the young at heart and captures exactly what Christmas is all about—a little spark that reminds kids and us grown-ups that with some faith and a little magic, anything can happen. So why can't you find it without typing in the year?

About Wholesome TV Picks

I'm Jennifer, homeschool mom of three, and I've spent over 35 years loving and rewatching wholesome TV. If you're tired of endless scrolling or settling for shows that don't match your family's values, I'm here to help. Each week I share tried and true favorites so you can skip the stress and rediscover TV that brings your family together.

This Month's Christmas Marathon

Merry Christmas. Joyeux Noel. Feliz Navidad. We're kicking off the Christmas season with "The Santa Clause" and the rest of this month I will be sharing five phenomenal Christmas movies that you can snuggle up to and enjoy with your family.

What to Expect Today

I'm gonna tell you who made the movie and why it should have been huge. Then we'll talk about the story and then the characters, and some pretty deep themes about what gift giving really means. And at the end I'll tell you exactly where you can stream it for free and what your kids might actually take away from watching it.

The Story and Characters in 'Santa Clause The Movie'

The film is about the mythology of Santa. We see in the film that he is a master toy maker and delivers them to the local children. He absolutely loves kids. And later we see time passing by through the different centuries until we come to the 20th century. Present day being 1985 when the movie came out.

Then we meet the other characters in the film, two children named Cornelia and Joe. Cornelia is from an affluent family and Joe is the homeless boy, that ends up becoming a really close friend of Santa Clause. But Cornelia doesn't act stuck up or arrogant about being rich. She sees Joe. She feeds him. She tries to help him. I think it shows compassion and kindness regardless of where you are economically.

Her uncle is BZ, who is played by John Lithgow and he is a corrupt toy manufacturer. But of course the movie isn't about him. It's about saving the tradition of Santa.

'Santa Clause The Movie' Themes That Matter: Craftsmanship vs Mass Production

This movie has tradition, family values all rolled into it, which I think are very lacking in modern Christmas movies and really hones in on the idea of craftsmanship versus mass production.

You see the elves assembling by hand and throughout the film you get this sense of handmade items are more valuable than the disposable mass produced items that are made today. And isn't that the truth? When you're doing your spring cleaning or you're having your kids throw out old things, doesn't it seem like the mass produced stuff are so much easier to donate to the goodwill? Compared to something else that was actually handmade with love, time, and talent, a gift that was really made custom for you. This movie really makes you think about what gifts are really the best kind of gifts.

Why the Critics Are Wrong About 'Santa Clause The Movie'

The reviews are not very nice and the Rotten Tomato score I think is very unjustified. But you have to remember, this movie was made for children. I think the practical effects are so much better. If you've listened to me for a while, you know I'm big on hand animation and less CGI.

The movie is not a huge, flashy, DC comic style movie that most people are accustomed to. And I think that's one reason why people critique these old movies of the past so harshly. Some people say it's a bad script. Others say it was just poor acting. But again, this is geared towards children, which I don't think most 6, 8, 10, 12 year olds are gonna be analyzing acting skills or the script or the technical effects.

The movie helps you slow down and to really relish in the season and to think back to your own childhood when you used to have the faith of a child and see Christmas through your child's eyes.

'Santa Clause The Movie' Music That Makes It Magical

My family and I really enjoy the music of this film. Henry Mancini did a great job with the score. There are two songs in particular that I consider are the best in the movies. That's the song during the scene where we see time passing with a hourglass, where it's going through the 16th century, the 17th, the 18th and 19th until we get to the 20th century. And then we also have the main movie theme song, which is "It's Christmas All Over the World" from Sheena Easton. This one in particular is always so very special.

I emailed the program director, who was in charge of all the songs, and told her how much the song meant to me. She surprised me in the mail with a CD of these two songs on them. She made my Christmas that year. That was a really special gift. See, that's what I mean about gifts. Gifts that are made for you.

Childhood Memories and Nostalgia about 'Santa Clause The Movie'

I think back to all the memories when I was eager to turn on the TV, when the movie would come out every Christmas, because a lot of the times I couldn't find the movie on VHS because it was always rented out at the video store. There's something about this movie that just hones in on childhood innocence and really makes you believe in the spirit of Christmas.

The Algorithm Problem

This all brings me back to where we started. Why can't you find it without typing in the year? The answer I really don't know. I can only speculate as to the reason why. I don't think it's a conspiracy. I think it's just Google's algorithm prioritizing popular movies. But I guess that's the problem. Popularity isn't the same as quality and when the algorithms get to decide what's popular and what's not, things that weren't as popular but may have better quality get buried.

What Your Kids Will Learn from 'Santa Clause The Movie'

So what can your kids take away from this movie? The true meaning of gifts, taking time to be with your family and just the traditions of Christmas.

Where to Watch 'Santa Clause The Movie'

So where can you watch "Santa Clause: The Movie?" Well, there's a ton of options actually. You can watch it for free right now on The Roku Channel and Tubi TV. Paid versions will be YouTube movies, Fandango. I'll have all the links where you can watch this great film in the show notes, so be sure to check them out below.

And I find this interesting that you can watch this great quality Santa Clause movie for free, but Tim Allen's version you have to pay for. Isn't that interesting? It's kind of like the character BZ, corporate greed trying to extract five bucks from you.

Join the Challenge

I have a challenge for you, my loyal listener. I am starting a 50 reviews by episode 50 challenge. I need your help by leaving a review at ratethispodcast.com/wholesometvpicks so that the show can gain 50 reviews by episode 50. I need just 36 of you listening to leave a review. And if you'd like me to give you a shout out on the show, send me an email at wholesometvpicks.com and let me know your name and where you're from, and I'll give you a shout out on the show.

Coming Next Week

That's it for today. Next week is a wonderful comedy that stars two twin girls that were famous in the nineties that have a chaotic Christmas adventure traveling to Grandma's house. Which movie is it? Tune in next week to find out. Have a great rest of your week. Remember, your values matter and your TV should too. Take care and I'll catch you in the next episode.