How can I review a film like this and trash it? It's 35+ years old, made for children and families, based on beloved characters but honestly what in the HECK did I just watch. It was over before I could blink (thankfully) and the story made absolutely no sense, the quality was terrible (I watched it on DVD) and Benji being there was a third or fourth factor to the entire film. It had nothing to with Benji!! I'm not sure what it had to do with. I suppose I'm over-analyzing and being way over critical because a lot of children's specials when you look at them now are downright creepy and this one certainly has its moments.
Ron Moody is especially creepy as Kris Kringle. He comes across as the manic, eccentric old man who you would not want delivering gifts to any child. His voice is grating and weird and he is just creepy. The musical number in the film is eye popping-ly terrible and I wanted to stop watching right then and there but it was only 25 minutes long and by the time I thought enough to turn it off...it was over. Its been a very long time since I've seen a Benji movie so I can't recall how good Patsy Garrett and Cynthia Smith were in their original roles and I suppose they are okay in this but there is virtually no story here and its so rushed and slapped together that they don't even need to be there. That goes quadruple for Benji who is reduced to following everyone around to make sure he's in the shot but has no point of being there.
No one knows Benji better than Joe Camp who wrote and directed every Benji story for the last 40 years. I don't know why he would make this...I imagine he was forced to and I can't believe this won Emmy's. How far entertainment has come since this sort of thing was released. I mean people make fun of the Star Wars Christmas Special and that was twenty times better than this junk. I understand that this isn't for me and that it was made for kids but I can't imagine any kid enjoying this because there is no point to it. There is no story, there is no adorable moments of Benji-Goodness...this was just a total miss on their part and pointless to be made. I only own this because its part of a Benji collection so I won't be putting this in next year during my Christmas rotation, I can promise you that. 0/10
Ron Moody is especially creepy as Kris Kringle. He comes across as the manic, eccentric old man who you would not want delivering gifts to any child. His voice is grating and weird and he is just creepy. The musical number in the film is eye popping-ly terrible and I wanted to stop watching right then and there but it was only 25 minutes long and by the time I thought enough to turn it off...it was over. Its been a very long time since I've seen a Benji movie so I can't recall how good Patsy Garrett and Cynthia Smith were in their original roles and I suppose they are okay in this but there is virtually no story here and its so rushed and slapped together that they don't even need to be there. That goes quadruple for Benji who is reduced to following everyone around to make sure he's in the shot but has no point of being there.
No one knows Benji better than Joe Camp who wrote and directed every Benji story for the last 40 years. I don't know why he would make this...I imagine he was forced to and I can't believe this won Emmy's. How far entertainment has come since this sort of thing was released. I mean people make fun of the Star Wars Christmas Special and that was twenty times better than this junk. I understand that this isn't for me and that it was made for kids but I can't imagine any kid enjoying this because there is no point to it. There is no story, there is no adorable moments of Benji-Goodness...this was just a total miss on their part and pointless to be made. I only own this because its part of a Benji collection so I won't be putting this in next year during my Christmas rotation, I can promise you that. 0/10