Disney on Unused/Alternate Opening for THE SANTA CLAUSE: “You Can’t Murder Santa”
With December right around the corner, you can expect plenty of recommendations for Christmas-themed horror movies. In addition to the upcoming Slay Belles and All the Creatures Were Stirring, there’s now a stable of classic holiday-themed movie for horror fans to enjoy during this disgustingly jolly time of year.
One film we won’t be recommending is Disney’s The Santa Clause, released in 1994 and starring comedian Tim Allen. The irony is, it might have at least qualified for consideration had the film’s original, much darker opener made it into the film. See, Allen recently revealed that the plot was initially propelled by his character’s accidental murder of St. Nick. Here’s what he told Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show:
“The original Santa Clause is a little darker, written by two comedians. And I actually shot and killed Santa in the original movie, and he fell off the roof. Because I thought he was a burglar! And he gives me the card, and the whole movie starts. And the kid actually starts, ‘You just killed Santa.’ And I go, ‘Well, he shouldn’t have been up on the roof when he wasn’t invited.’ I’m laughing so hard, but the head of Disney at the time, [Jeffrey] Katzenberg, says, ‘Well, we can’t start a movie like that.’ I said, ‘Why not?’ He said, ‘We can’t start a Disney movie with you murdering Santa.’ … I said, ‘You kill all the parents in all your other movies anyway.’”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWxS17gGsBc
What are some of your favorite Christmas-themed horror movies? Sound off in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
Categorized:News
