Santa Buddies: The Legend of Santa Paws - DVD and Blu-ray Review
By Marcy Magiera -- Video Business, 11/16/2009
DISNEY
Street: Nov. 24
Prebook: now
> Franchised puppies power weak but warm holiday tale.
A pinch of
Elf, a dash of
Fred Claus and a splash of
It’s a Wonderful Life bake into a sugary holiday confection about puppies having as great a stake in Christmas as human children. Canine Santa Paws (voice of
Tom Bosley) delivers gifts right along with Santa Claus (a hangdog
George Wendt), but the entire holiday is endangered by a lack of faith on the part of puppies and children. When Santa Paws’ son Puppy Paws runs away from the North Pole so that he can live like a regular dog, the Buddies teach him that and more. There are multiple run-ins with a hardhearted dog catcher (
Christopher Lloyd), a poor family with an ill son who wants nothing but a puppy for Christmas and a melting icicle that is the source of Christmas magic. Adults might roll their eyes, but kids will cheer for Puppy Paws and his new friends, especially when the Buddies take to the air to pull Santa’s sleigh and help Puppy Paws deliver the goods on Christmas Eve.
Shelf Talk: As dogs go, they’re small, but the Buddies franchise has shown long legs at retail over the past couple years and this one’s shelf life will be limited only by its holiday theme. The studio is barking up a storm, including on the kids favorite Disney Channel, and leading retailers including Walmart.com and Amazon.com have the title priced for impulse purchase at $10.
Family, color, G (nothing offensive), 88 min., DVD $29.99, UPC: 786936775082; BD $39.99, UPC: 786936792645
Extras: sing-along, music video; BD is combo disc with DVD, digital copy, BD Live
Director: Robert Vince
First Run: DVD premiere
