History YMMV / SantaClausTheMovie

** On the side of the good guys, ''no one'' thought to test the mass-produced toys before sending them out. The {{Novelization}}'s explanation is that up to this point all of Patch's inventions over the centuries had worked exactly as intended, so 1) he was overconfident in his own abilities and 2) all the toys ''looked'' as perfect as the traditional handmade ones, but it's not wholly satisfying.

** On the side of the good guys, ''no one'' thought to test the mass-produced toys before sending them out.

* TookTheBadFilmSeriously: This is a near-EpicMovie about a character whose nature, associates, and world don't exactly cry out for the gravitas of a 'Superman'' spectacular, with a story that gets sillier as it goes along. One would expect a WorldOfHam, but with the key exception of John Lithgow as B.Z. (a case of EvilIsHammy as this film's equivalent to Gene Hackman's Lex Luthor, which works in context), ''every'' actor plays it sincerely and the movie is more likable for it than it otherwise would be. David Huddleston as Santa Claus is the most prominent example, but Creator/DudleyMoore's endearing Patch is a lot less hammy/indulgent than one would expect from a comic actor who was the biggest name in the cast back in the day, and Burgess Meredith is a OneSceneWonder as the dignified Ancient Elf.

** No one thought to test the mass-produced toys before sending them out.

* CoveredUp: Hands up Music/NewEdition fans: How many know that the title track of of their 1985 EP ''Christmas All Over the World'' is actually a cover of the AwardBaitSong from this movie? It doesn't help that unlike that EP, the movie's soundtrack has never had a CD or digital release, so only those who know the movie know much from Sheena Easton's version.

* HilariousInHindsight: Meta example: In 1985, the ProductPlacement for [=McDonald's=] and Coca-Cola was criticized as excessive, to the point it's discussed in the DVD commentary (the director arguing that it adds some real world detailing to Joe and Cornelia's first scenes). Three years later, ''Film/MacAndMe'' would show the world just how far ProductPlacement for [=McDonald's=], Coke, and other products could be taken...

* CultClassic: It was no box office blockbuster, but is one of the better-remembered Christmas films of TheEighties. It helps that it's as close as Christmas-themed fantasy cinema has ever come to a full-out EpicMovie. And while it's clearly a film of its time, the sincere approach to the story and characters has aged well.

* CultClassic: It was no box office blockbuster, but is one of the better-remembered Christmas films of TheEighties.
* HilariousInHindsight / HarsherInHindsight: The subplot about B.Z. and his toys takes on a whole new level of relevance with TurnOfTheMillennium stories about lead-based paint, etc. in toys that come from China.

* SceneryPorn: Much of the North Pole/Santa's workshop is practically dripping with atmosphere.

* WhatTheHellCastingAgency: Averted ''hard'' with David Huddleston as Santa.

* AwesomeMusic: The ''other'' [[Film/Lifeforce expensive 1985]] BoxOfficeBomb to be graced by a Creator/HenryMancini score.

* BigLippedAlligatorMoment: Even by the somewhat nonsensical standards of the movie's second half, The Patchmobile Launch is patently bizarre. From the silly launch sequence, to B.Z. and staff cheering Patch ENTIRELY too long for the segment, to Patch yelling "YAHOO!" as he launches (in a voice completely different than Moore's, and utterly out of character for the low key inventor elf)... it's just a very, very surreal sequence to observe.

* SceneryGorn: Much of the North Pole/Santa's workshop is practically dripping with atmosphere.

** There's also the matter of setting the price point on his candy canes so ludicrously high that most children wouldn't be able to afford them. Unlike the standard CorruptCorporateExecutive MO (doing evil in the process of making lots of money), B.Z. seems to be in it solely ForTheEvulz at the expense of actually turning a profit!

* AlternateAesopInterpretation: The failure of Patch's attempts to modernize production are treated like a lesson on GoodOldWays. However, they are consistently shown to fail due to him and his (untrained) operators not anticipating the need to inspect and maintain equipment, exacerbated by a complete lack of quality assurance testing. It's like the TooIncompetentToOperateABlanket part of a manufacturing training video.

* WhatAnIdiot: Why would B.Z. be stupis enough to deliberately make teddy bears stuffed with sawdust and nails when presumably other metal things that WEREN'T construction nails probably would be cheaper? Does he want to bring himself to ''financial ruin'' or something?

* {{Moe}}: Cornelia.

* MemeticMutation: '''''"FOR FREE?!"'''''

* HilariousInHindsight / HarsherInHindsight: The subplot about B.Z. and his toys takes on a whole new level of relevance with TurnOfTheMillennium stories about lead-based paint, etc. in toys that come from China.

* CultClassic: It was no box office blockbuster, but kids of TheEighties stand behind it.

* CultClassic

* HilariousInHindsight / HarsherInHindsight: The subplot about B.Z. and his toys takes on a whole new level of relevance with recent stories about lead-based paint in toys that come from China.

* CultClasic