TODAY IS: The feast day of Saint Nicholas, a fourth-century bishop of Myra, in what is now Turkey. The belief of his early Gnostic followers -- that the only way to salvation lay in frequent sexual intercourse -- has, alas, not come down to us today. Instead, Nicholas's notable charity became the basis of the story of Santa Claus and his generous gift-giving, a legend that also borrows heavily from Norse mythology, particularly from the gods Odin, who flies through the sky with reindeer, and Thor, who carries a wassail bowl. We learn how modern Santas get the job in the delightful 1994 comedy THE SANTA CLAUSE, in which Tim Allen's selfish ad man inadvertently applies for and gets the job of the jolly elf. [today's movie at IMDb]

[flick filosopher home] [read the flick filosopher's review of today's movie]

January | February | March | April | May | June | July
August | September | October | November

Copyright (c) 2001 MaryAnn Johanson. All rights reserved.