On July 26th, 2003, Ilya Salkind contacted me by phone (on my birthday, I might add), and uttered the latter quotation. He, like myself, was firmly devoted to taking those words seriously. We have tried here at KQ to do our utmost to raise public awareness about the Salkinds' legacy, leaving no stone unturned, no mystery unsolved. And, as always, it's still not enough. More than ever before now, the pursuit of more remains something that Ilya and I are hopelessly devoted to sharing. Once more, this website has rebooted its name, this time to KringleQuest.com, v.5, because, as has been the case for nearly 35 years, we believe that the news and information we bring you here represents far much more than just Santa Claus: The Movie itself.
That said, it's time yet again to ask ourselves where the road will take us next. We've had our share of fans, detractors, and curious on-lookers. They've all wondered: why I should need to take all this on in in the name of a 1985 Christmas movie that barely anybody saw. Barely anybody? Try telling that to Ilya Salkind. He knows that there are many people all over the world who have seen, and embraced, Santa Claus: The Movie --- because they understand its basic overall themes: naive innocence vs. bigtime greed; the constant ability of all human beings to love one another; the simple joy of giving of oneself and giving to others. But in 1985, all the critics ever whined about as far as Santa Claus: The Movie was concerned was the money.
Almost four decades on, we've had time to think, and to reflect, and to change our minds. Now, the message has become the more pressing topic in terms of Santa Claus: The Movie. Post-Man of Steel, more information about the world of the Salkinds continues to resurface on the web, not only through these pages, but also Jim Bowers' CapedWonder.com and Alex Serpa's Superman Online Galleries, to name but a few.
And sadly, the moment remains ever bittersweet in terms of such a resurfacing, because every March 8th, we reverently observe the anniversary of the passing of Alexander Salkind. As I have done elsewhere on these pages, I have wondered what Alexander himself might have thought about the Internet, with its predatorial sites, its controversial blogs, its eclectic mini-movies, and the blurring of what television actually is. Still, it would be a great interest to share the Salkinds' legacy with the world all over again, and bring it alive for a new generation, one who never understood these things before --- and had to be told by others.
I admit at this juncture that I'm rambling on by now, but when Ilya Salkind calls you up on your birthday, how can else can you react but in a positive way? Believe me, hearing from this wonderful man was an experience I am going to cherish for the rest of my life. And even as I say that, I am reminded of how Rod Serling used to describe both sci-fi and fantasy: "....science fiction [is] the improbable made possible; fantasy, the impossible made probable." Then Rod wondered what would happen if you put sci-fi and fantasy together.
Well, if you're Ilya Salkind, it's a universe called The Ilya Salkind Company. True, some of the names and faces have changed, but the basic premise of the Company remains the same: to produce film and TV projects for audiences of all ages to embrace throughout the world ... and a few places the 28 Known Galaxies haven't even heard of! In my book, that's magic right there ..... and if that magic is worth covering and/or revealing to the world, we will be there to capture it for you. That's a promise. Because we don't take no for an answer ---- and we do our darndest to make everything possible!
So, it's not exactly making you believe a man, much less a reindeer, can fly ---- but there you go.