March 17, 2025
Klaus
Although we are entering spring, and it is nowhere near Christmas time, the animated movie that I want to give a shout out to is Klaus. Released in 2019, this movie gives a fun twist on Santa Claus’ origin, creating a new story that’s far from any previous existing folklore. We follow the main character Jesper, who has grown up in the comfort and wealth of his father’s mail company. Because he knows his son is purposefully slacking off in his postal training with the intention of living off his family’s fortune, Jesper’s father gives him an ultimatum: take a job on a remote island and successfully mail 6,000 letters, or be cut off from the family wealth. Reluctantly, Jesper goes to the island, where he meets the unwelcoming townsfolk of Smeerenburg. While originally just sent out to learn more about being a responsible worker, Jesper ends up finding much more through friendship and a community that he unintentionally fosters.
What makes Klaus unique is the stylized animation that gives the film a more whimsical vibe. What’s amazing about this movie is that not only does it bring a return to a hand-drawn style, but the artists also created a new animation technique called “volumetric lighting” specifically for this animation. SPA Studios, the creators of Klaus, used new tools they developed for this specific movie to create a new way to layer how the light reflects on the characters. This is what gives the film the look of being 3D while remaining 2D animation. So, even though it is not Christmas time, if you would like to watch a feel-good movie that created a new type of animation, Klaus is the perfect movie for you.Want to learn more about the animation process? Check out this article that goes into more depth about how they created the volumetric lighting in Klaus.
Available on Netflix.