5/5 A touching and hilarious Christmas CLASSIC
  by Gwyn Gwyrdd (USA)
It amazes me how much this movie has been passed over in the annals of Christmas classics. It is one of my family's personal favorites. For starters, it has some of the most beautiful opening credits I've seen in a Christmas film - gorgeous Norman Rockwell illustrations of Santa Claus mixed with classic accapella music.

For those of you that love Ernest, this is his hands down his very best film. Unlike his other films, he is not the central character here. He is definitely an important player, but the story centers around an aging, forgetful Santa Claus looking for a predecessor. Most of the film is centered around Santa's efforts to convince the man he's sure is suited for the job that he truly is Claus. Ernest, in his glorious innocence, is a believer from the beginning, and a sidekick runaway picked up part way through the film is his polar opposite.

Jim Varney really shows his comedy chops in this movie by whipping out just about ever character he's ever played. The snake man is my personal favorite and has me in tears from laughing every time. He pretty much pulls out the funniest stuff he's ever done and puts it all here in one movie. The cheese is thick, but it's high quality cheese, and Jim Varney takes his comedy seriously and treats it with respect, which is what makes this movie work.

Some of the funniest scenes are played by two regulars in Varney films, working here as airport luggage and crate workers who receive some unusual crates from the north pole.

As all Ernest movies, ESC is as endearing and touching as it is humorous - perhaps more so than any other Ernest film. On top of that, this probably had the largest budget of any Ernest film ever made and it shows. Some of the effects toward the end of the film as Ernest is racing around in Santa's sled are truly stunning and a real joy to watch.

Vern is here in full force in this film, and the scene with him is the funniest Vern scene ever made. Ernest really makes a mess of things for the poor guy as usual.

In short, this Christmas classic is unlike any other. It is not Christmas in my house without this light hearted and good natured comedy. Enjoy the season in a whole new way with Vern and Ernest. Ho Ho Ho Merry Christmas, know what I mean Vern?

3/5 Help Save "Ernest Saves Christmas"
  by Teri E. O'Donnell (Sugar Land, TX)
What a shame this is unavailable...our tape is so worn out and almost unwatchable. Okay...it's corny and silly and, hey, it's Ernest! More important, it's clean...even Grandma can watch! "Ernest Saves Christmas" really does have a good message/moral... This is one of the few movies my three teenagers, my husband and I will sit down and watch together and everyone enjoys during the holiday season. Please make this one available again! I know this would have been a hit on Christmas morning...oh well. Maybe next year.

5/5 ERNEST DOES SAVE CHRISTMAS & THIS GEM IS A CHRISTMAS CLASSIC
  by Heather L. Parisi (Pekin, IN USA)
YES - I AM AN ERNEST FAN! ISN'T EVERYONE?

Like most everyone who reviews Ernest films, I am an Ernest fan -- but I wasn't always. Then, in 1990, I just happened to stumble onto "Ernest Goes To Jail" via its opening -- "Ernest versus the Rug Shampooer"! It did not matter that it was on a marble floor, this was classic ERNEST -- knowwhutImean?!

HOW DOES ERNEST SAVE CHRISTMAS?

DON'T ASK!

WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?

Santa Claus [Douglas Seale -- the Sultan from Disney's Aladdin] has to retire as he can't remember all the things he must any longer. He held on one year too many because he just loved the job as any true Santa would, but he has now resorted to taking notes, and as he points out, you just can't do the job that way. Christmas is indeed in jeopardy.

Santa shows up in Orlando, right before Christmas Eve, as his choice of successor is there. Ernest is the cab driver that picks up Santa, which is how they became acquainted. The new Santa, a washed-up kiddie-show host in Orlando, Joe Carruthers [Oliver Clark], must be enpowered by the old Santa, before he can take his place. Unfortunately, he (Joe) has to believe it first, and that's only where the trouble begins!

Along the way, the real Santa ends up in jail on Christmas Eve and it's up to Ernest P. Worrall (Jim Varney) to bust him out and save Christmas. Ernest gets help from a gaggle of supporting characters, a handful of which he plays himself, including a slick-talking attorney from the governor's office.

WHO IS "MISTER SANTOS"?

What gets everything all messed up for Santa and the whole world is Joe's agent Marty [Robert Lesser], who wants Joe to take a film role on a Christmas "slasher" film titled "Christmas Slay". Naturally, Santa is strongly opposed and he is still waiting to speak privately with Joe about the Santa position. At this point, Marty tells the police that Santa is actually a holiday nut-job whose real name is Mr. Santos. Yes, you heard right -- MISTER SANTOS -- a Santa impersonator! Next thing, Santa [AKA: MR. SANTOS] is in jail on Christmas Eve!

Now, only Ernest can save Christmas -- knowwhutImean?

ALONG THE WAY:

There is a good deal of silliness and sappiness along the way, and it is all good clean fun for the whole family, which can't be said for many films today. Sure, new ground is not broken here, but Christmas is not new. Nevertheless, this clean-fun sort of sentimental silliness is pretty fresh and, given a strong Ernest influence, quite different from the typical holiday fare.

BOTTOM LINE:

This is an essential Ernest flick and this is a classic in a traditional sense too-- an Ernest sense and a solid cinematic effort in its own right. knowwhutImean?

ABOUT THE DVD:

This is a very good WIDESCREEN transfer with NO FEATURES unless you consider scene selection a feature.

4/5 Christmas is coming! Know what I mean?
  by Pamela Scarangello (Middletown, NJ USA)
1988's "Ernest Saves Christmas" is a loveable children's movie that's packed with goofy gags and silly holiday humor. Of course, most of the magic is brought out by America's favorite country bumpkin, Ernest P. Worrell (Jim Varney).
After 151 years on the job, Santa Claus (Douglas Seale) moves to Orlando, Florida to retire. To keep the Christmas spirit alive, he attempts to hire a former T.V. show host named Joe Curruthers (Oliver Clark) as his replacement. Joe is chosen because of his unending devotion to making kids happy. However, Joe's money-hungry agent, Marty Brock, (Robert Lesser) offers him a chance of a lifetime; a starring role in a gruesome horror movie called "Christmas Slay." Later on, after believing that Santa isn't who he claims to be, Marty has the old man arrested and taken to prison! Even worse, Santa accidentally left his bag of toys behind! Meanwhile, Ernest is an airport taxi driver who tries to celebrate Christmas with his flabbergasted neighbor Vern...and with disastrous results! When he discovers Kris Kringle's magical bag of toys, Ernest realizes that he's the real thing! In a race against time, Ernest and a runaway teen named Harmony Star (Noelle Parker) have to bail Santa out of jail and help him fetch Joe before 7:00 pm on December 24th. Otherwise, the magic of Christmas will disappear forever! Along the way, Ernest flips pancakes onto the ceiling, crashes a chandelier on a dining room table, adapts a few cartoonish disguises (including that of the cranky Auntie Nelda), and rockets to the moon on a sleigh with 8 tiny reindeer! To make a long story short, "Ernest Saves Christmas" is fun for the whole family.

5/5 ERNIE IS A GEM!
  by Alexander S. Meyer (Laredo Texas)
This is by far my favorite Ernest movie, Why is this not available on DVD?

Everything about this movie is right. It has such a warm and genuine tone throughout. It is a wonderful happy story about a hero who almost makes me believe in Santa Claus again!

I have always considered this film an "unsung" family classic..it's every bit as good as other modern Christmas films such as "The Santa Clause". This is so wholesome and honest in its presentation...it just feels real! I sense that Mr. Varney really loved making this film..it is an absolute joy and unrelentingly funny! God Bless you Ernest!!