Elf

Twenty years later, Elf still proves itself to be a grand timeless film that can entertain audiences of all ages. It opens with a charming depiction of the North Pole that replicates the classic Rankin/Bass holiday specials, complete with stop-motion puppets, white backgrounds, and colorful elf outfits that are near-identical replicas of the elves in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. There are more tidbits of trivia to prove the level of love, care, and whimsy that went into this instant Christmas classic. For instance, while filming the montage of Buddy entering New York for the first time, everyone Will Ferrell interacts with wasn’t an actor or paid extra! They were real random people found on the street!
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Also, to make the actors playing the elves look short, forced perspective was used, much like in the Lord of the Rings movies. Director Jon Favreau didn’t want to use digital effects for illusions such as this one, so he and his production crew found clever ways to achieve the forced perspective shots, such as by using kids as doubles whenever an elf’s hand or foot had to interact with Buddy. There’s a plethora of many more behind-the-scenes stories and secrets that cement why this Yuletide feature film has become a favorite for many, and a guide for other smaller independent studios to follow on how to replicate the feel of a film made with a massive budget.

PG (DLSV)
Comedy/Fantasy
1 hr. 37 min.

Watch it for FUN.
​Watch it to feel HAPPY.