The resemblance is due to its source material. With its nymphs, knooks, and ryls inhabiting the Forest of Burzee, a land untouched by mortal hands until the arrival of the infant Claus, The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus seems more Lord of the Rings than typical Christmas story (specifically with its haunting chant “Ora e Sempre” and its battle sequence of good Immortals versus the evil and monstrous Awgwas). The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus takes that combination and situates Claus as a mythical hero who endures trials and is ultimately rewarded with god-like immortality for his efforts. The most common element present in Rankin-Bass Christmas specials that feature Santa Claus is the pairing of real-world hardships with the need for a figure who brings hope and joy to people around the world. While it does not take long to find uses of the fantastic in the catalog of TV holiday specials produced by Rankin-Bass, such as the Bumble in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) and the Winter Warlock in Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town (1970), what sets The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus (1985) apart is its complete departure from and reintegration of reality in order to explain the origins of Santa Claus to its viewers.
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