As a seasoned critic with a penchant for all things animated and Christmas-y, I must say that Klaus left me utterly smitten and bewildered in equal measure. Having watched countless Yuletide animations over the years, it’s quite astonishing to see only one of its kind graced with an Oscar nomination – Klaus, being the lucky charm in this case.
During cold winter days, you can easily find yourself watching numerous holiday-themed animated movies, whether they’re on regular TV or streaming platforms. From classics like “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas” to more recent ones such as 2018’s “The Grinch” and “The Star”, there’s an extensive collection of these films. In fact, Netflix even launched a new one called “That Christmas” in December 2024. However, just one animated Christmas movie has ever been nominated for the Best Animated Feature Oscar. This is partly because this award was only introduced in 2002, meaning that most of the animated Christmas films from the 20th century didn’t have a chance to compete for the prize due to the sheer number of them.
Although most Yule-themed movie titles don’t seem to strike a chord with the Academy, there is an exceptional case – “Klaus” managed to break through at the 92nd Academy Awards. This hand-drawn animated film became the first Christmas-themed animation ever to be nominated for Best Animated Feature, a remarkable milestone in several aspects. What was it that made this heartwarming animated feature stand out among its peers and secure an Oscar nod?
What Is Klaus?
On November 8, 2019, the Netflix film “Klaus” was debuted. This animated feature offers a backstory for the Santa Claus lore, in which we follow the adventures of the self-assured postman Jesper Johansen (portrayed by Jason Schwartzman), who is dispatched to the remote and run-down town of Smeerenburg. His capacity to set up a post office there is contingent on his family’s fortune. In this cold, unfamiliar place, Johansen crosses paths with a recluse named Klaus (J.K. Simmons). The unforeseen bond between these two characters ultimately plays a significant role in shaping elements of the Santa Claus tale, such as the emphasis on writing letters to the man with the enormous white beard and practicing kindness towards others.
Under the guidance of director Sergio Pablos, who co-wrote the script with Zack Lewis and Jim Mahoney, the hand-drawn animated film “Klaus” marked the debut production from Netflix Animation. While not Netflix’s initial foray into distributing animated features, for their in-house animation studio, “Klaus” represented a milestone akin to “Toy Story” or “Despicable Me”. Despite Netflix’s diminishing interest in animated movies lately, the production and release of a full-length hand-drawn animated movie indicated promising possibilities for the growth of Netflix Animation. Perhaps this division could foster projects and mediums that other studios might overlook.
The nomination of Klaus for the Best Animated Feature Oscar boosted Netflix Animation’s reputation, and another nominated Netflix animated film that year, I Lost My Body, followed suit. This placed streamer-produced animation on par with projects from Pixar and Laika. Additionally, this was a relatively uncommon nomination for English-language, hand-drawn animated films in the 2010s, alongside several works by Cartoon Saloon. Klaus made history by breaking through as an animated Christmas movie in that category.
It’s undeniable that “Klaus” was a significant film in the Academy Awards, yet the reason behind the omission of other animated Christmas movies from the Best Animated Feature category remains unclear.
What Kept Other Animated Christmas Movies From Oscar Nominations
In the realm of animated features, films such as The Polar Express, which lost out to Shark Tale, Shrek 2, and The Incredibles in the Best Animated Feature category, and A Christmas Carol that was surpassed by several other movies, including two years later with Arthur Christmas, have often missed out on Oscar nominations. One possible reason behind this trend could be the bias of Academy voters towards a more traditional animation process. Movies like The Polar Express and A Christmas Carol, both directed by Robert Zemeckis, utilize motion-capture animation, a technique that has been met with skepticism among Oscar voters over the years. This may explain why even non-Christmas related motion capture titles such as The Adventures of Tintin have also failed to secure nominations for Best Animated Feature.
In the early years of the Best Animated Feature category, only three films could be nominated per award ceremony, which significantly narrowed down the selection of eligible movies. This limited nomination process led to some highly-acclaimed films like Tangled, The Simpsons Movie, and A Scanner Darkly being overlooked during the ceremony, and it also reduced the chances for animated Christmas films to contend for an Oscar.
Primarily, it’s worth noting that many popular animated Christmas films often fail to garner the praise required for success during award seasons. A few cherished animated holiday titles have oddly been overlooked, such as “Arthur Christmas.” Films like “The Polar Express,” “A Christmas Carol” (Scrooge), and “The Star” were met with mixed-to-negative reviews upon their debut. In 2018, “The Grinch” was not only criticized but also struggled due to the fact that only one Illumination production (“Despicable Me 2”) has ever been nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Animated Feature category.
I wouldn’t hold my breath for That Christmas to follow in Klaus’s footsteps as a nominee for the Best Animated Feature Oscar, considering its mixed reception and low profile in popular culture. The film industry’s affection for Christmas-themed movies is undeniable, so it’s only a matter of time before another festive feature makes it onto the list of nominees in this category.
Currently, Klaus is the sole animated Christmas film that has been considered suitable by the Academy to receive a nod for the Best Animated Feature Oscar.
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2024-12-08 19:09