J'ai Rencontré Le Père Noël



J'ai rencontré le Père Noël (1984) (English: I Met Father Christmas), is a French film that was dubbed in English and retitled as Here Comes Santa Claus and released on DVD under the title I Believe in Santa Claus. The film is about Simon, a young boy, who is bullied at school by peers and adults alike. Simon's parents have been kidnapped in Africa, and the government has not responded to the ultimatum set by the kidnappers. Therefore, while on a field trip to the local airport, Simon and his friend Élodie sneak onto a jet liner and fly to Rovaniemi to visit Santa Claus in Lapland, to ask him to save Simon's parents. On the way, they encounter a Fairy and an Ogre.

The film stars Karen Cheryl, who was a popular singer at the time in France, as both Simon's schoolteacher and as the Fairy. She acts and sings musical numbers in the film.

Clearly designed for children, the film was primarily meant as a family comedy for the Christmas holidays. The film is also an opportunity for Karen Cheryl to repeatedly sing simplistic melodies, in line with the plot. Indeed, the director is not encumbered with improbabilities. Thus, the two young children arrive safely to travel to Lapland then Santa and the fairy teleport to Africa near the village where the parents are inmates, and finally the two children returned home and rushed to the Christmas Mass where no one seems really surprised they reappear after their prolonged absence.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack was released on LP (WEA 74320 06). The music is composed by Francis Lai, with lyrics by Pierre-Andre Dousset.

Track Listing:

1. Générique

2. On s'prépare pour Noël

3. L'Arrivée à Rovaniemi

4. Oui, le Père Noël existe

5. La Classe

6. P'Tit Pomme sur le Pommier

7. Noël en Laponie

8. L'Usine à Jouets

9. Ballade pour une Fée

10. La Recherche en Afrique

11. Lutins, Trains, Vilains

12. Noël, un Enfant

13. Générique de Fin