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TheSantaClause3 Poster

The poster for the film's theatrical release.

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (or simply The Santa Clause 3) is the third installment of Disney's The Santa Clause trilogy, once again starring Tim Allen as Scott Calvin/Santa Claus, with Martin Short as Jack Frost. Both had previously worked together in the 1997 Disney comedy film, Jungle 2 Jungle. Eric Lloyd returned in a smaller role as Scott's son, Charlie, as did many of the supporting actors from the first two films, reprising their previous roles. However, David Krumholtz, who previously played Bernard the Head Elf, did not reappear due to contractual issues, so his assistant Curtis (Spencer Breslin) has been promoted to Bernard's former position. Principal photography was completed in February 2006.

Synopsis[]

2006 tsc3 the escape clause 008

The story is a flashback told by Mrs. Claus/Carol Newman to a class of elves who asked how hard her life was after moving to the North Pole.

Scott and Carol have been happily married for a while now, but Scott/Santa Claus is having difficulties managing Christmas this year. Carol is expecting their first child, due on Christmas Eve, and is afraid that he will be making his deliveries while she is making hers. To keep her company, Scott invites his in-laws, Bud and Sylvia Newman, to the North Pole, along with his ex-wife Laura, her husband Neil, and their daughter Lucy. Meanwhile, he is summoned to a meeting of the Council of Legendary Figures, consisting of Mother Nature, Father Time, the Easter Bunny, Cupid, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman. They show him a cardboard cutout of Jack Frost, just as he arrives. Besides Father Time reminding him that he heralds the season and not a holiday, Mother Nature accuses Jack of attempting to upstage Santa by freezing a volcano in Hawaii, making it snow in the Amazon, and making it cold in Mexico, which sent the geese back up north for the winter. The other Legendary Figures agree that a punishment needs to be invoked against him, with the idea to suspend him being the best option to teach him a lesson. Jack manages to convince them to put him into community service at the North Pole instead. When Scott brings up the part with Bud and Sylvia during an argument with him, the Easter Bunny recommends the "Escape Clause" as an option, which he declines. When Jack asks what it is, Father Time tells him that he would know more about it if he attended the meetings more often. Scott reluctantly agrees to Jack's suggestion for community service, but with a warning to him if he does anything wrong on his watch. He helps to disguise the North Pole as a Canadian toy factory for Bud and Sylvia's arrival. Scott manages to get them there with the Sandman's help.

However, Jack, who wants Santa's power and influence, uses his powers to create technical problems with some of the equipment. The shop flies into chaos and many gifts are destroyed, and Scott is faced with the possibility that there will not be enough toys for all the children in time for Christmas.

Jack talks to Curtis the Head Elf about the Hall of Snow Globes and discovers that Scott's can be used to activate the Escape Clause, the most powerful clause of all. If the current Santa holds his snow globe and says, "I wish I had never become Santa at all," he can return to the point where he became Santa and prevent the event from occurring. Scott takes a quick break to show Lucy the Hall of Snow Globes, and gives her a magical one that shows her hugging a snowman, which turns pink because her hugs are so filled with love and warmth. As they leave, Jack sneaks in and steals Scott's, freezing Laura and Neil when they catch him, and threatening to do the same to Lucy if she tells Scott, before locking her in a storage closet. After further sabotage attempts, including Scott trying to finish decorating the Christmas tree, Jack manages to enrage Bud and Sylvia, and gives Scott a gift as he talks about his frustrations away from everyone else. Unaware of what he is doing, Scott is persuaded into uttering the Escape Clause while opening it and taking out his snow globe, just as Jack intended. He and Jack are transported back in time to his front yard, where, twelve years earlier, he caused Santa to fall off the roof and donned his suit to become the new Santa. Jack reaches it before the past Scott can, making sure of it by knocking the present Scott out with a shovel, and puts it on to become Santa.

Scott returns to the present, in which, thanks to Jack altering the past, he has been the CEO of his old company for the last twelve years and works even on Christmas Eve. He drives over to Laura's house, where she treats him unhappily. Charlie isn't happy to see him either and leaves to go out with his friend despite Laura telling him not to since it's Christmas Eve. Scott frantically asks her where Carol is and she says she "left town years ago because there weren't enough local kids to terrorize or something." He then asks her where Neil and Lucy are, knowing they'll understand the situation. She tells him she and Neil got divorced, and that he and Lucy are at the North Pole. She gives him a magazine that shows it is now a tourist attraction where wealthy parents take their kids and pay for them to be on the nice list. Knowing Jack is behind this, Scott assures her that he'll fix everything.

Scott returns to the North Pole, where the elves are miserable and Christmas has become highly merchandised. He also finds Lucy and Neil, although they too are not happy to see him, He asks Neil what happened between him and Laura, and he tells him that he doesn't know because, since he was never around, Neil tried and failed to fill his role to Charlie as his father. Scott confronts Jack with what he has done and claims his vision of Christmas isn't what it is about, but he reminds him that he wished he had never become Santa.

Scott convinces Lucy to sneak into the Hall of Snow Globes and bring Jack's to him. He interrupts a musical performance by Jack, when she tosses it to him. Jack mocks that Scott will never convince him to invoke the Escape Clause, but Scott plays a recording of him saying, "I wish I had never become Santa at all," when he said it to him earlier. To Jack's horror and fury, they are whisked back to the past again, where Scott holds Jack down while his past self finds the suit and puts it on, restoring the original timeline, much to Jack's frustration.

Back in the present, Scott reunites with Carol, even though no time has passed since he left, and he promises to make her life better. Jack, meanwhile, contemplates why his plan backfired so spectacularly. Scott then shows Bud and Sylvia the truth about his workshop, where despite Jack's sabotage, gifts are being manufactured and will be ready on time for his deliveries. To his surprise, Charlie arrives and helps out the elves, as do the other members of the Council of Legendary Figures.

Just as things seem to be going perfectly, Curtis and Lucy appear, and Neil and Laura are wheeled in, frozen solid. Jack is also dragged in by the "elficers", and when ordered by Scott to undo his spell on them, he refuses; by unfreezing them, he would have to "unfreeze himself". When Scott asks for Mother Nature to help him out, she reminds him that the abilities of a Legendary Figure won't work on others. Jack believes he still won; however, Scott has an idea. He tells Lucy to give Jack one of her heartwarming hugs; her tight one, full of love and warmth, breaks him down, changing his clothes and hair from icy to normal and breaks the spell around Neil and Laura. Everyone, including the defrosted and reformed Jack, celebrates with a hug, and Carol suddenly announces that her baby is coming. She gives birth to a boy just before midnight and names him Buddy Claus, right before Santa has to leave to deliver his gifts.

The film ends back at the school as Carol finishes her story, and Scott presents Buddy to the class.

Music[]

The score was composed by George S. Clinton, who won the 2007 BMI Film Music Award.

Songs[]

Title Performed by
"White Christmas"
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"
Andy Williams
"Santa Drives a Hot Rod" The Brian Setzer Orchestra
"O Canada" Otto Jensen and Julien Desabrasis
"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" The Kids Picks Singers
"The Christmas Song" Marin Short and Ann-Margret
"We Wish You a Merry Christmas Tree" Pam DeCosmo and John Ginger
"Come Meet Santa"
"Theme from New York, New York"
Martin Short
"Greatest Time of Year" Aly & AJ
"I'm the Real Santa" The Refreshments
Handel's "Hallelujah" The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square

Broadcast history[]

The film appeared on ABC Family on December 1, 2009, as part of the 25 Days of Christmas, and has aired there annually since. In Canada, it first appeared on CBC Television on December 13, 2009. In the UK, it was shown on the BBC for the first time on Christmas Eve 2009. In New Zealand, it was also aired on TV 2 on Christmas Eve 2009.[1] In Singapore, it was shown for the first time on MediaCorp Channel 5 on December 26, 2009.

Availability[]

The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on November 20, 2007, and in the United Kingdom on November 12th.

Reception[]

The film received negative reviews from critics, earning a 17% rating at Rotten Tomatoes. Eric D. Snider said that Allen did the role "the first time with enthusiasm, the second time with affection and the third time for a paycheck."[2] Kyle Smith wrote "We're getting a turkey and a ham for the holidays. [...] Santa is so dumb he should be demoted to cleaning up after Geoffrey the Giraffe at Toys 'R' Us." Manohla Dargis dismissed the film as "squeaky clean, but you might die of boredom." Nathaniel Bell wrote it off as "holiday filler, stuffed with unearned emotion and trite sentimentality." In the UK, Mark Kermode described it on BBC Radio Five Live as "the cinematic equivalent of tertiary syphilis".

While the first two films were box-office successes during their opening weekends, this one was beaten by Borat for the #1 spot. By February 7, 2007, it made $84,500,122 in the US and a worldwide gross of $110,768,122.[3] (The first film made $189,833,357 worldwide at the box-office while the second film made $172,855,065.)

Notes[]

  • The ticker sign reads "378 years without an accident", when in the first film, Scott became Santa Claus because the previous one fell off his roof, which should be considered an accident. However, the sign could only be referring to the North Pole workshop.
  • The revelation of the Escape Clause contradicts the first film's statement that being Santa Claus is a lifetime commitment. Scott even tried to get out of the responsibility in the first film, but the clause wouldn't allow him.

Cast[]

Actor/actress(es) Character(s)
Tim Allen Santa Claus/Scott Calvin
Elizabeth Mitchell Mrs. Claus/Carol Newman Calvin
Eric Lloyd Charlie Calvin
Judge Reinhold Neil Miller
Wendy Crewson Laura Miller
Spencer Breslin Curtis
Liliana Mumy Lucy Miller
Martin Short Jack Frost
Ann-Margret Sylvia Newman
Alan Arkin Bud Newman
Abigail Breslin Trish
Art LaFleur Tooth Fairy
Aisha Tyler Mother Nature
Kevin Pollak Cupid
Jay Thomas Easter Bunny
Michael Dorn Sandman
Peter Boyle Father Time
Sammi Hanratty
Ridge Canipe
Kate Emerick
Andrew Vo
Elves
Madeline Carroll Cocoa
Charlie Stewart Dr. Hismus
Alec & Eric Plotkin Engineer Elves
Chantel Valdivieso
Darian Bryant
Worker Elves
Zach Mills Carpenter Elf
Tom Hornof Security Guard
John Ross Bowie Rory
Tim Dougherty Masonry Elf
Cameron Monaghan
Ryan Heinke
Traffic Cops
Elizabeth Small Baker Elf
Tony Bustamante Fireman Elf
Brittany Bhagia
Emily Blair
Alana Brady
Jordan Felix
Kristen Fukuto
Eshe Gibbs
Alexis House-Gonsalves
Alexandria Kessinger
Caitlin Moravek
Kindra Reyling
Brittney Rippeon
Courtney Soren
Elfette Dancers
Uncredited
Arika Gluck
Grant Measures
Elves
Olivia Everhard
Chase Wilmot
Classroom elf
Samantha Feld
Zachary Gray
Workshop elf
Andrew Ferguson
Lilly Petruzzi
Baker elves
Zachary Gray Workshop elf
Tabitha Grayston Canadian elf
Christopher Haskell Parent
Julio Leal Young father
Taylor Masamitsu (voice) Additional voices
Deborah Ouellette North Pole mother
Enn Reitel (voice) Unknown
Cameron Scher Wrapping elf
Ariana Serrano Additional extra
Andrea Sweeney-Blanco
Kara Stribling
Tourists
Adam Thompson Trailer

References[]

External links[]

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The Walt Disney Company
Animated shorts
Empty SocksMickey's OrphansSanta's WorkshopMickey's Good DeedThe Night Before ChristmasBroken ToysToy TinkersPluto's Christmas TreeThe Small OneMickey's Christmas Carol • "Jingle Bells, Something Smells" • "The Nutcracker" • "Mickey's Mixed Nuts" • "Mickey's Christmas Chaos" • Operation: Secret Santa • "Oh, Christmas Tree!" • Olaf's Frozen Adventure • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Tinsle Tussle" • Mickey's Christmas Tales
Movies
Animated Christmas JollitiesThe Nightmare Before ChristmasBeauty and the Beast: The Enchanted ChristmasMickey's Once Upon a ChristmasWinnie the Pooh: Seasons of GivingMickey's Magical Christmas: Snowed in at the House of MouseRecess Christmas: Miracle on Third StreetA Very Merry Pooh YearMickey's Twice Upon a Christmas . Disney Princess: A Christmas of EnchantmentMy Friends Tigger & Pooh: Super Sleuth Christmas MovieA Christmas CarolMarvel Super Hero Adventures: Frost Fight!
Live-action Babes in ToylandOne Magic ChristmasThe Christmas StarErnest Saves ChristmasA Mom For ChristmasIn the Nick of TimeThe Muppet Christmas CarolThe RefThe Santa ClauseThe Preacher's WifeThe Christmas TreeI'll Be Home For ChristmasThe Ultimate Christmas Present 'Twas the NightThe Santa Clause 2The Santa Clause 3: The Escape ClauseSanta BuddiesThe Search for Santa PawsGood Luck Charlie, It's Christmas!Santa Paws 2: The Santa PupsThe Nutcracker and the Four RealmsNoelleGodmotheredMarley
Television specials and episodes
Animated
Television specials "A Present for Donald" • "From All of Us to All of You" • A Disney Christmas GiftA Disney Channel ChristmasWinnie the Pooh and Christmas TooA Goof Troop ChristmasPhineas and Ferb Christmas Vacation!Prep & LandingMickey's Christmas SpecialPrep & Landing: Naughty vs. NiceToy Story That Time ForgotDuck the HallsLEGO Star Wars: Holiday SpecialMickey and Minnie Wish Upon a ChristmasMickey Saves ChristmasShortsmas with Big City Greens
Television episodes Disney Television Animation "Jolly Molly Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Leaf" • "Miracle at the 34th Precinct" • "Doug's Secret Christmas" • "A Christmas Cruella" • "Yes, Mikey, Santa Does Shave" • "Don't Be Elfish" • "A Kosher Christmas" • "A Dog for All Seasons" • "The Worst Holiday Ever" • "Holiday Time" • "Cheery Theerlap, Lloyd" • "The Blight Before Christmas" • "Pete's Christmas Caper" • "Clarabelle's Christmas List" • "Happy Holidays, Mr. Gruff!" • "A Very Possible Christmas" • "Topper" • "On Whiskers, On Lola, On Cheryl and Meryl" • "Hairy Christmas" • "A Giftmas Story" • "Season's Beatings" • "Dick Daring's All-Star Holiday Stunt Spectacular 5" • "Stitch and Santa" • "A Phineas and Ferb Family Christmas" • "A Cousin Kyle Christmas" • "Merry Fishmas, Milo" • "The Gift" • "Gingersnaps and Grumpy Snaps" / "Jollybells" • "Future-Worm and the 54 Days of Snordfest" • "Stump Day" / "Holiday Spellcial" • "A Christmas Peril" • "Tree Lighting" • "A Merry Mocap Musical" • "Last Christmas!" • "The Present" • "Green Christmas" • "How Santa Stole Christmas!" • "Froggy Little Christmas" • "Saving Christmas" • "Virtually Christmas" • "White Christmess" • "We Wish You a Merry Chaos-Mas"
Playhouse Disney /
Disney Junior
"The Wishing Tree" • "Little Dog Lost" • "A Circus Town Christmas" • "Twinkle's Wish" • "The Christmas Wish " • "A Very Handy Holiday" • "The Wind-Up Toy Prince" • "Mickey Saves Santa" • "The Night Before Zipsmas / A Gift For Zooter" • "Flicker Saves Christmas" • "The Ayalas' Christmas Extravaganza" • "The Living Holiday Lights" • "It's a Winter Never Land!" • "A Very McStuffins Christmas" • "Holiday in Enchancia" • "Captain Scrooge" • "Winter's Gift" • "Toby's Christmas Critter" / "A Very Tricky Christmas" • " Navidad" • "The Mystic Isles: A Very Mystic Wassailia" • "Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas" • "Happy Hot Diggity Dog Holiday!" • "Happy Holiday Helpers" • "A Very Pug Christmas" • "The Latke Kerfuffle" • "A Very Muppet Babies Christmas" • "Summer's Super Fabulous Holiday Surprise" • "A Santa for Bob" • The Doc McStuffins Christmas Special • "Nanpire and Grandpop the Greats" • "Snow Place Like Home" • "Nancy and the Nice List" • "A Gargoyle Carol" • "The Lights Before Christmas" • "Elves for a Day/The Dreidel Dilemma" • "Festival of Lights" • "Tinsle Tussle" • "Santa Baby" • "The Fright Before Christmas" • "Merry Chickmas" • "It's a Wonderful Elf-bot" / "A Merry Litter Christmas" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "A Christmas Mission in Toyland / Nine Lights Tonight" • "The Christmas Car-Sled Race" • "The Gingerbread Palace" • "Jingle Bog Rock" • "Wrap Party Pups" / "Fixing Santa's Sleigh" • "Jingle Birds" • "Blizzard Buds" • "Pupstruction Saves Christmas" • "Merry Mousemas" • "Santa’s Crash Landing"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "How the Super Stole Christmas" • "A Very Special Clone High Snowflake Day Special"
Marvel Animation (post-2009) "Nightmare on Christmas" • "It's a Wonderful Smash" • "Jingle Bell Rock" • "The Moon Knight Before Christmas" • "A Very Spidey Christmas" • "Halted Holiday" / "Merry Spidey Christmas"
Lucasfilm, Ltd. LEGO Star Wars: Holiday Special • "Life Day"
Hyperion Films "Who Stole Santa? • "Christmas in Oz" • "Seven Days of Kwanzaa"
Live-action
Television specials The Walt Disney Christmas ShowChristmas at Pooh CornerA Magic Kingdom Yuletide SpecialThe Disney Christmas SpecialMickey's NutcrackerDisney's Christmas Fantasy on IceA Muppets Christmas: Letters to SantaGood Luck Jessie: NYC ChristmasJessie's Aloha Holidays with Parker & JoeyDisney Channel Fa-La-La-Lidays Celebrates a Radio Disney Family HolidayDisney Holiday Magic QuestDisney Channel's Epic Holiday ShowdownDisney Channel Holiday House Party" • The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special
Television episodes Walt Disney Television "Christmas at the Circus" • "Christmas in Wonderland" • "Refrigerator Day" • "A Roman Holiday" • "Fountain" • "Happy Holidays" • "Heck of a Hanukkah" • "Xtreme Xmas" • "Escape Claus" • "Christmas at the Tipton" • "Christmas Break" • "Killing Me Softly With His Height" • "Present Problem" • "Happy Ha-Ha Holidays" • "A So Random! Holiday Special" • "A London Carol" • "Bro Ho Ho" • "So Random! Episode 18" • "Pair of Santas" • "sANTa's Little Helpers" • "Christmas Story" • "Jingle It Up" • "A Little Elf Esteem" • "A Duncan Christmas" • "Bark! The Herald Angels Sing" • "Merry Merry It Up" • "Oh, Christmas Nuts!" • "Big Dreams & Big Apples" • "Nanny in Miami" • "Fa La La La-A-Rooney" • "Mix-Ups & Mistletoes" • "Twas the Mission Before Christmas" • "silANT night" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "Girl Meets Home for the Holidays" • "Stan Steals Christmas" • "Merry Miss Sis" • "Secret Santa" • "Twas the Fight Before Christmas" • "The Girls of Christmas Past" • "Santas & Surprises" • "Joy-to-a-Rooney" • "Single All the Way" • "Cali Christmas-A-Rooney" • "Girl Meets a Christmas Maya" • "How the Griff Stole Christmas" • "Holly Holly Not So Jolly" • "The Christmas Curse" • "Agh, Humbug" • "Stuck at Christmas" • "A Killer Robot Christmas" • "Would You Wrather Get a Moose Angry?" • "Holiday Video Sketchtacular " • "Bah Humbugged " • "Merry Christmas Mr. Gooch " • "It's Christmas, Gabby Duran " • "Would You Wrather Lose Your Presents? " • "Summer Winter Wonderland " • "How the Syd Stole Christmas" • "Mad About Yuletide" • "Jolly Holidance" • "The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year" • "Holiday" • "How the Villains Stole Christmas" • "A Very Villain Christmas" • "Friends in Snow Places"
Touchstone / ABC Signature "It's a Marginal Life" • "Yule Better Watch Out" • "I'm Scheming of a White Christmas" • "Santa's Little Helper" • "'Twas the Blight Before Christmas" • "Some Like It Hot Rod" • "'Twas the Night Before Chaos" • "'Twas the Flight Before Christmas" • "Easy Street" • "Bright Christmas" • "A Very Topanga Christmas" • "Home for the Holidays" • "An According to Jiminy Christmas" • "Spirit" • "One Office Party Too Many" • "The Christmas Party" • "Secret Santa" • "Silent Night, Opening Night" • "Stalking Santa" • "Aru-Bah Humbug" • "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" • "The Gift of Maggie" • "Christmas Time" • "Light the Lights" • "The Miracle Song" • "Fake Plastic Snow" • "The Nutcracker" • "Two for the Money" • "Holidaze" • "Boom Crunch" • "Cold Turkey"
Albums
30 Favorite Songs of Christmas with Chimes and ChorusA Family ChristmasDisney's Merry Christmas CarolsMickey's Christmas Around the WorldAriel's Christmas Under the SeaA Pooh ChristmasThe Twelve Days of ChristmasDisney's Christmas CollectionDisney's Christmas Collection IIDisney's Family Christmas CollectionDisney's Snowy Christmas . Disney Santa Sing-AlongDisney's Princess Christmas AlbumDisney's Merry Little ChristmasA Green and Red ChristmasDisney's Holiday Celebration 2007Disney Channel HolidayDisney Holiday Magic 2009Disney Winter Wonderland 2010Phineas and Ferb Holiday FavoritesMickey's Magical Holiday 2011Disney Channel Holiday PlaylistHolidays UnwrappedA Very Merry Disney ChristmasDisney Junior Holiday HitsICON: Disney HolidayDisney Junior Holiday Hits 2Disney Christmas Magic
Other
Disney Parks Christmas Day ParadeThe Magic of Christmas at DisneylandThe Magic of Christmas at Walt Disney WorldFa-La-La-Lidays25 Days of ChristmasThe Santa Clauses
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