Lord of the movie Santas - Billy Bob Thornton and Richard Attenborough go head-to-head

LONDON, ENGLAND, December 25, 2010 (Press-News.org) Lord Richard Attenborough has sleighed Billy Bob Thornton to be named the Best Santa Claus on the big screen in a poll by LOVEFiLM users.

To mark Christmas 2010 LOVEFiLM, Europe's largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the internet and sending DVDs by post, asked over 1000 of its members to vote for the Best Movie Santa, with Attenborough's portrayal as kind-hearted Kris Kringle in 1994 Christmas favourite, Miracle on 34th Street earning him top spot on the nation's nice list with nearly a third of the votes (26 per cent).

A surprising second on the poll with 14 per cent was Billy Bob Thornton's turn as a drunken thieving conman who dresses as Santa to rob department stores in Bad Santa. The perfect catharsis to generic Christmas film fare, this unlikely festive tale gave the bad boy actor an advantage over other classic Clauses on the list...

Ho-ho-ho-ing into third place with ten per cent is Tim Allen as divorcee Scott Calvin in The Santa Clause; he is disgusted to learn his ex and her husband have told his son that Santa isn't real. His son's belief is firmly restored when Tim Allen unexpectedly gets a new job as the big man himself.

Sugar and spice and all things nice, David Huddlestone left the nation's hearts aglow as Father Christmas in 1985's classic Santa Claus: The Movie. Supported by an all star cast including Dudley Moore and John Lithgow, the film answered every child's questions from how reindeer's fly to how Santa ascends the chimney securing Huddlestone fourth place in the poll (nine per cent).

Miracle on 34th Street appears again in the top ten with nine per cent of the votes for Edmund Gwenn's original 1947 performance as Kris Kringle. The movie won Academy Awards for Best Actor (Edmund Gwenn), Best Writing, Original Story and Best Writing, Screenplay - undoubtedly one of the best festive flicks of all time.

Others making the top ten Best Santa Clauses include Father Christmases from The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Grinch, The Polar Express, and Elf.

To find out how to watch movies online and other ways to view your favourite films and TV shows, visit http://www.lovefilm.com

The Best Film Santa Clauses were as follows:
1. Richard Attenborough in Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - 26%
2. Billy Bob Thornton in Bad Santa - 14%
3. Tim Allen in The Santa Clause - 10%
4. David Huddlestone in Santa Claus: The Movie (1985) - 9%
5. Edmund Gwenn in Miracle on 34th Street (1947) -9%
6. Jack Skellington in The Nightmare Before Christmas - 8%
7. Jim Carey in The Grinch - 6%
8. Tom Hanks in The Polar Express (2003) - 4%
9. Ed Asner in Elf - 3 %
10. Mel Smith in Raymond Brigg's Father Christmas - 2%

(Other - 9%)

Fliss White, Head of Brand Marketing at LOVEFiLM commented:

"While he may have a reputation for being a bad boy, Billy Bob Thornton has proven he can be a good movie Santa - it's great to see a mix of traditional Clauses such as Lord Attenborough alongside edgier actors like Billy Bob Thornton in the top ten.

"With over 70,000 DVD titles and the option to watch movies online you can find your favourite Father Christmases from LOVEFiLM instantly to keep the family entertained over the festive season."

For further information please contact the LOVEFiLM.com press office at Mischief on 0207 100 9999 or lovefilm@mischiefpr.com

LOVEFiLM International Ltd.
No. 9
6 Portal Way
London W3 6RU
UK

NOTES TO EDITORS
About LOVEFiLM
• In a little over 6 years, LOVEFiLM has become a leading European film subscription service, combining the benefits of DVD rental by post and, more recently, watching movies online via the LOVEFiLM Player (on the PC, the PlayStation 3 or streamed direct to TV). Customers can therefore choose how they want to watch from a selection of over 70,000 titles, including HD/Blu-ray DVDs, video games and digital streaming
• LOVEFiLM was a pioneer in digital film delivery in the UK since launching the first download to own movie in April 2006. The LOVEFiLM Player launched in March 2010 with thousands of digital titles available for members to watch on their TV, PC or PlayStation 3. For those on an Unlimited or capped package the service comes at no extra cost. Premium titles are available to everyone on a pay-per-view basis, and a number of titles are available to all site visitors for free with advertising support
• LOVEFiLM is an official PlayStation 3 integrated subscription film service partner
• LOVEFiLM is also available through a range of internet-enabled devices - including Sony and Samsung - taking LOVEFiLM directly into members' living rooms through their TV sets
• LOVEFiLM has over 1.4 million members and operates in the UK, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Germany
• LOVEFiLM weekly newsletters reach over one million members
• LOVEFiLM customers have generated 80 million ratings, 843,000 member reviews and generate around 2 million trailer views per month - information which helps LOVEFiLM to promote the most relevant titles for customers to choose from
• LOVEFiLM also sells DVDs, Blu-ray and video games through the LOVEFiLM shop
• LOVEFiLM is Hitwise's 2009 Number 1 website based on market share of visits among all UK websites in the Entertainment - Movies industry (ranked 4th in the Shopping and Classifieds - Video and Games industry)
• LOVEFiLM offers a range of rental options in each market with free postage and no late fees. In the UK these include GBP4.99 a month allowing members to have one DVD at a time (limit of two per month. Does not include online viewing), GBP5.99 a month for one DVD at a time (limit of three per month plus 2 hours online viewing ), GBP7.99 for two DVDs at a time (limit of four per month plus 4 hours online viewing), GBP9.99 a month for one DVD out at a time (Unlimited DVDs by post and online viewing), GBP12.99 for two at a time (Unlimited DVDs by post and online viewing) and GBP15.99 gives the option for three DVDs at a time (Unlimited DVDs by post and online viewing). Members on an Unlimited package have access to the LOVEFiLM Player at no extra cost
• LOVEFiLM also offers a range of video games rental options in the UK market to support gaming across XBox 360, Xbox, PS3, PS2, Wii and DS. These include GBP5.99 a month for one disc at a time (limit of three per month. Does not include online viewing), GBP9.99 a month for two discs at a time (limit of three per month plus 4 hours online viewing), GBP14.99 a month for two discs at a time (Unlimited discs by post and online viewing) and GBP18.99 for three discs at a time (Unlimited discs by post and online viewing), all with free postage and no late fees
• LOVEFiLM UK awards include: Inclusion in The Sunday Times top 100 fastest growing private technology companies in 2010, 2009, 2008, and 2007, 3rd place in The Sunday Times top 100 private equity-backed companies with the fastest-growing profits in 2010, a finalist in the National Customer Service Awards 2008, finalist in the Retail Week awards 2009, awarded 5th place in the Deloitte Fast 50 UK 2009, awarded 22nd place in the Deloitte Fast 500 EMEA fastest growing public and private technology companies and named Company Of The Year at the Growing Business Awards 2009. LOVEFiLM won first place for 'Best New Product or Service of the Year - Media & Entertainment' for its direct-to-TV application with Sony at the 2010 International Business Awards and was also named the number one call centre in the Entertainment, Travel & Leisure sector of the Times Top 50 Call Centres for Customer Service programme. In November 2010 LOVEFiLM also won the WOW That's What I Call Service award at the National WOW awards
• The group currently works with major partners in the UK including Tesco, easy Group, CD Wow, Guardian News Media, Odeon and Vue Cinemas, some of whom offer a fully white-labelled online DVD rental service