Rentasanta, the Rentaghost Christmas Special from 1979, reveals that many Christmas traditions have stood the test of time and into the afterlife, writes GEMMA JOHNSON and the Junior Paranormal Team
Review of Rentasanta, Rentaghost 1979 Christmas Episode
We have previously reviewed Rentaghost, a much beloved and popular children’s television programme from the 1970’s.
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a spectacularly cheesy festive special and so we looked forward to seeing the antics of the Rentaghost crew in Rentasanta.
The Episode
This episode aired on 19th December 1979.
The spooks are getting ready for the festive period and there is much merriment including a delightful ‘Christmas Spirit’ song that the spooks are using to recruit new customers.
Mumford, Claypole and Davenport soon become very busy as they are hired out to help the Meakers who are putting on a pantomime of Aladdin.
There is a wonderful appearance and sing along by Christopher Biggins, as Adam Painting, a local department store owner, who wants the spooks to help him out at the store and hires them as Santas.
Before long, they see their schedules clash as Mumford, Claypole and Davenport try to manage their commitments to the Meakers and Mr Painting. Something most of us can relate to at this time of year as we juggle family commitments, parties, festive preparations, and work.
Being the consummate professionals that they are, the spooks try to use their skills to help support the pantomime cast, resulting in much hilarity when Mr Meaker and Mrs Meaker end up with each other’s voices.
Saving the day, Claypole summons a real-life Genie from the lamp making the pantomime a complete success.
Our Rentaghost Review
Aubrey: It was very funny because the special effects are so bad but then they didn’t have the technology that we do now. The songs are strange and some of them I haven’t heard before. There were some fast dance moves happening and I bet that they had to rehearse that quite a bit. It doesn’t make me want to go and join in with a pantomime though – singing is not really my thing!
Finlay: I laughed a lot when I was watching this – it was all very funny but not really the content, it was the special effects and editing that I found entertaining. The bit that made me laugh the most was the sleigh with the Santa’s on, it didn’t look big enough to hold them and the presents weren’t on it. The singing made me cringe a bit, there isn’t any singing on the programmes that I watch so I am not used to it!
How does it compare to today’s spooky viewing?
Us adults, being of the 80s generation, loved the opportunity to go back to a simpler time and relive memories of our childhood programmes and favourite festive viewing.
The songs set to sparkly tinsel backdrops and the pantomime horse – who doesn’t love a good old pantomime horse!
Let’s not forget about the awful (I mean so bad it’s good) Santa sleigh and dancing on a roof top with red umbrellas – brilliantly bad!
One thing that we did observe, having recently reviewed a BBC Ghosts Christmas Special, is that there are some similarities here in that the Rentaghost crew are working on a pantomime and that Claypole becomes infatuated with the leading lady.
But you can forgive them for that, Rentaghost was iconic.
Stay Spooky!
Gemma, Michael, Finlay, and Aubrey
Junior Paranormal Events
What do you think of Rentasanta, Rentaghost Christmas Special? Tell us your memories in the comments section below!
