The 2003 Christmas comedy, Elf, has won over countless fans in the years following its release, and the movie is filled to the brim with small details fans love to point out each year.
Some are obvious ones that are common knowledge, but eagle-eyed viewers have picked up on others that may slip past the casual viewer. From cameos to sight gags, fans are noticing more things each year, adding rewatch value to an already beloved movie.
Peter Billingsly Is A Frequent Collaborator Of Jon Favreau
A fact that is somewhat well-known, yet interesting nonetheless, is that Peter Billingsly had a cameo as Ming-Ming the elf. Billingsly is no stranger to Christmas classics, as he played Ralphie in A Christmas Story, which itself has plenty of trivia and behind-the-scenes facts surrounding its production.
This fact may seem like common knowledge, but what is lesser known is that Peter and director Jon Favreau have worked together many times. Perhaps most interesting is that Billingsly was actually an Executive Producer on Iron Man, and had a cameo in that film, as well as in Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Jon Makes Two Cameos
In addition to directing, Jon Favreau actually plays two characters in Elf. The most obvious is the doctor who gets annoyed at Buddy's antics and confirms he is indeed Walter's son. But Jon actually has a brief cameo earlier in the film, as Buddy is leaving the North Pole.
Several stop-motion creatures wish Buddy well on his travels, including a narwhal fittingly named Mr. Narwhal. This funny sea creature may only have one line, but he is voiced by Favreau.
Buddy's Fear Was Genuine
A memorable scene early in the film is when Buddy is testing Jack in the Boxes. He is clearly stressed and jumps every time the toy suddenly appears out of the box. This is something fans can relate to, as the toy is rather nerve-racking. Even more nerve-racking is the fact that Jack's appearance wasn't as random as it seemed.
As pointed out by Reddit user Ghostsss412, Jon Favreau had a remote just off-camera that he used to control the toys, Will Ferrell had no idea when the director would set the toy off, making his fear genuine. Details like this make this one of the greatest Christmas movies alongside Home Alone.
Familiar Costumes
The costumes for Buddy and the rest of the elves were colorful and cheerful, but they have also appeared in another Christmas special. Insider points out that the costumes are heavily inspired by the suits worn by the elves in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Some of them were altered slightly, but others are lifted directly from the timeless special. Even Buddy's now-iconic green getup appeared as the suit is worn by the Elf Foreman.
The "Brain" Behind The Burp
Another classic scene is when Buddy impressively belches after chugging an entire 2-liter bottle of Coke. While the burp clearly didn't come from Ferrell, it was somewhat real and came from an unlikely place.
The sound wasn't an authentic burp, but instead an odd talent held by a voice actor that involves twisting his tongue a certain way and growling. The voice actor? Maurice LaMarche, best known for providing the voice of The Brain in Pinky & The Brain. This fact was noted in a Reddit "Today I Learned" thread by Redditor Foozmuck.
Zooey Deschanel Was The Reason For The Singing
There are several memorable scenes featuring singing in Elf. Perhaps one of the best is when Buddy hears Jovie singing in the shower and joins her in an impromptu duet, much to her disdain. This scene planted the seeds for the relationship between the two and helps cement the movie as one of the best Christmas movies for rom-com fans.
What is interesting though, is that this scene was added in the film because of Zooey Deschanel's incredible singing voice. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Deschanel reveals that upon realizing she could sing, Jon Favreau added in several scenes where she could show off her talent. Because of this, "Baby, It's Cold Outside" enjoyed a large boost in popularity for modern audiences, and give the film one of its funniest scenes.
Gimbel's Manager's Name
The hilarious scenes set in Gimbel's Department Store is one of the many reasons Elf is one of the best comedies directed by an MCU director. One major reason is the manager, played by Faizon Love, and his side-splitting reactions to Buddy's shenanigans. While this character never receives a name on screen, close inspection shows that his name tag says "Wanda."
While this is funny enough on its own, the reason behind this nametag is pretty interesting. Showbiz Cheatsheet claims that originally, the manager was to be played by Wanda Sykes. Sykes dropped out before filming began, but production was far enough along that she had a wardrobe created including a nametag with her name on it. Love thought it would be funny to adopt the nametag into his own costume, and fans got this funny detail.
The Lingerie Was Regifted
While trying to earn his father's acceptance, he decides to buy him a gift. That gift was some lingerie he spotted at Gimbel's stating they were for a "special someone." Walter gets the gift and is clearly confused and disgusted at Buddy's well-meaning gesture. However, Walter must have thought the gift was perfect for Emily, as he regifts it to her.
At the end of the movie, The Hobbs' Christmas is shown. Jovie is seen singing as Walter plays the piano and Buddy receives the gift of syrup. A list on Buzzfeed reveals that if one looks at the couch right as Buddy is opening his gift, the same lingerie is sitting on the couch, implying Walter regifted it instead of buying Emily a gift.
It's A Wonderful Life Parallel
When Walter yells at Buddy and kicks him out of his office, he says some things he doesn't mean. This puts Buddy at his lowest, which leads to him running away. He spends time reflecting while staring off of a bridge. Reddit user Greenbeansjr points out there is another instance of a character at their lowest point standing on a bridge and looking inward on Christmas Eve.
George Bailey from It's a Wonderful Life does the same thing. Elf is filled with references to other Christmas movies, but most of them are more obvious. This is one that is more subtle and focuses on of the more tragic scenes in one of the best philosophical movies of all time.
Leon The Snowman Is Named After His Voice Actor
Leon the Snowman is clearly a parody of Sam from Rudolph. The Snowman claims to be wise but is lampooned by Santa for being all talk. The snowman's name is Leon, and this is also the name of the actor providing the voice.
In addition to Leon Redbone being the namesake of the stop-motion character, his facial characteristics are also shared with Redbone. Leon Redbone rose to fame as a Jazz singer, and his voice was perfect and soothing in the film. The late singer also had a duet with Zooey Deschanel on the soundtrack, singing Baby It's Cold Outside.