Jingle All the Way Review (With Guest Reviewer)

Jingle All the Way

Release Date: 21st November 1996 - Australia

Production Companies

20th Century Fox (presents)

1492 Pictures

Distribution

20th Century Fox Australia

Genre: Comedy

Rating: PG

Runtime: 86 minutes

Budget: $75,000,000 

Box Office Gross: $129,832,389 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary

After being hard at work

taking last-minute orders

from customers to whom

he can't say no, Howard

Langston, a high-powered

businessman, must get his

son a Turbo Man action

figure, the hottest toy

in the season! But there

is one BIG problem for

Howard. It's Christmas Eve,

and everyone has bought

all Turbo Man action

figures since Thanksgiving!

What began as Howard's

quest to find Turbo Man

has quickly turned into an

odyssey wilder than he

could have ever imagined.

During his seemingly

endless Yuletide

misadventures, he runs

into crazed mailman Myron,

another father on the same

quest. Langston's moral

code gets tested as the

clock starts ticking before

he learns Christmas's real

meaning.

Cast

Arnold Schwarzenegger -
Howard Langston

Jake Lloyd - Jamie Langston

Sinbad - Myron Larabee

Rita Wilson - Liz Langston
Robert Conrad - Office Hummell
Martin Mull - D.J.

Phil Hartman - Ted Maltin

Jim Belushi - Mall Santa

E.J. De La Pena - Johnny

Laraine Newman - First Lady
Justin Chapman - Billy

Harvey Korman - President

Richard Moll - Dementor
Daniel Riordan - Turbo Man

Jeff L. Deist - T.V. Booster/Puppeteer

Nada Despotovich - Margaret

Ruth Afton Hjelmgren - Single Mother Judy

Caroline Kaiser - Single Mother Mary

Chris Parnell - Toy Store Sales Clerk

Kate McGregor Stewart - Toy Store Customer
Danny Woodburn - Tony the Elf
Bruce Bohne - Santa at Warehouse Door
Paul Wight - Huge Santa

Nick LaTour - Counterman

Peter Breitmayer - Sparky

Phil Morris - Gale Force

Amy Pietz - Liza Tisch
Curtis Armstrong - Chain Smoking Booster

Spencer Klein - Kid in Turbo Man Commercial

Danny Pritchett - Kid in Turbo Man Commercial

Verne Troyer - Mini Santa (Uncredited)

Crew
Director - Brian Levant

Writer - Randy Kornfield

Associate Producers - Paula DuPré Pesmen

and Warren Zide
Executive Producer - Richard Vane

Producers - Chris Columbus,

Mark Radcliffe and Michael Barnathan

Co-Producers - Jennifer Blum and James Mulay

Casting - Judy Taylor

Production Designer - Leslie McDonald

Supervising Art Director - Tony Fanning

Art Director - Thomas Fichter

Set Decorators - John H. Anderson

and Ronald R. Reiss

Property Master - Russell Bobbitt
Costume Designer - Jay Hurley

Supervisors: Turbo Man Suit - Howard Berger,

Robert Kurtzman and Greg Nicotero

Special Makeup Artist: Cannom Creations

Inc. - Greg Cannom

Key Makeup Artist - Jeff Dawn

Makeup Artist: Second Unit - Michael Key

Makeup Effects Producer: Cannom

Creations Inc. - Keith VanderLaan

Hair Stylist - Beatrice De Alba

Key Hair Stylist - Peter Tothpal

Director of Photography - Victor J. Kemper

Camera Operator: Second Unit - Michael Ferris

First Assistant Director - George Parra

Second Assistant Directors - John G. Scotti

and Robin Solo (Uncredited)

Second Unit Director/Director of

Photography - Steve Boyum

Stunt Coordinator - Joel Kramer

Special Effects Coordinator - Jon G. Belyeu
Visual Effects Supervisors - Gregory L. McMurry

and Glenn Neufeld

Visual Effects Producers: VIFX - Josh R. Jaggars

and Scott Peterson

Digital Effects Supervisor: VIFX - Derek Spears

Effects Supervisor: Optical Illusions, Inc. -

Jeff Matakovich

Digital Producer: VisionArt Design and

Animation Inc. - Joshua D. Rose

Digital Compositing Supervisor: VIFX -

Edwin Rivera

Film Editors - Kent Beyda,
Wilt Henderson and Adam Weiss

First Assistant Editor - Mary Morrisey

Sound Effects Design - John P. Fasal

Supervising Sound Editor - John A. Larsen

Sound Effects Editors - Craig Berkeley,

Paul Urmson and David Lewis Yewdall

Re-Recording Mixers - Bob Beemer,

Bill W. Benton and Chris W. Carpenter

Foley Artists - John Roesch and

Hilda Hodges

Music - David Newman

Review (Film Guru Lad)

Now, if you're thinking about which Christmas-themed movie I will review to celebrate this festive time of the year, I have decided to review JINGLE ALL THE WAY, starring the one and only Arnie Schwarzenegger. I had seen and critiqued his previous action-oriented film roles of tough guys and killer machines. It is a downturn of what will become Arnie's second-greatest mistake, and I feel so sorry for my favourite actor. Arnie got cast alongside Sinbad in a movie that is nothing good compared to his over-the-top performance in next year's Batman & Robin. JINGLE ALL THE WAY has a comedy display in the holiday tradition with a crazy story and exceptional humour. It was a tough break for Arnold because he was an action hero and made a few films that belonged to the comedy genre. It is unable to break the mould of his preferred genre.

Arnie was miscast in this movie. I would have preferred to see Robin Williams or Steve Martin take the reins in this comedy. Also featured in this film is another notable actor who is a child by the name of Jake Lloyd. This young-talented chap would later play 9-year-old Darth Vader in The Phantom Menace. His lacklustre acting can't save the movie from a few of its lacklustre choices.

I am displeased to be the one to criticise this film for its flaws, being that I am an Arnie fan, but I endeavour to be unbiased and honest. In closing, JINGLE ALL THE WAY was merely an average seasonal gift, and it could have been better if a comedian like Steve Martin or the late Robin Williams had put to work in this movie.

Star rating: (5/10) Average


Review (Guest Reviewer)
But if you are looking for a family-orientated and well-written funny movie that celebrates the Christmas spirit in a comedic fashion. It would be a good movie for you. I have watched this feature several times, and it seems funnier each time. The actors are well-cast. Arnold accurately portrays an overworked, stressed father who wants his son and wife to think the world of him. Sinbad, Jim Belushi and Phil Hartman fit the bill perfectly for their roles and work well together in this movie.

The scenes that stuck with me in this film are when Arnold becomes jealous that his next-door neighbour is baking cookies with his wife and yells to his neighbour, "Put that cookie down, NOW!" Also, the scene when Sinbad and Arnold have a fight and chase scene to see who will be the first to claim the infamous Turbo Man toy from the radio free giveaway offer. There are no dull moments. It flows at a pace and, at any point, never gets boring. It appeals to all ages and offers a well-written comedy with a Christmas theme unparalleled by any other movie I have seen.

This movie has an excellent re-watch value, and I recommend it to anyone who has not seen it. Also, it is nice to see Arnie cast in a different kind of role outside of his usual action-hero work. He demonstrated his versatility as a multi-skilled actor. Thanks for listening, and please feel free to leave feedback. : )

Star rating: (7/10) Good Movie

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