Bad Santa

The Bad Santa Region 2 DVD pales in comparison to its bigger, better, badder older brother in America. The Region 1 release offers up far more in extra features and extra content, but the UK version is enough to complement this hilariously anti-Christmas film.

The Outtakes are not as amusing as one would expect from a movie as naughty as this and watching them incites a feeling similar to finding a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking. The line fluffs, featuring Billy Bob Thornton and Bernie Mac, are funny enough, but otherwise this is the worst extra on the disc.

Fortunately, the Deleted Scenes make up for any disappointment. Some are merely extended cuts of scenes from the film, but the various takes of Thornton improvising lines when he is stopped by the security guard are a joy to watch.

The Featurette is the meatiest of the three and includes interviews, on set footage and thankfully very few clips from the actual film (these are always a bore, especially when viewing the extras straight after watching the film). The interview segments with director Terry Zwigoff are interesting and give insights into how such an unusual script came to get made by a Hollywood studio

What I was most impressed by was the brief clip that was shown of Thornton's 1996 film Sling Blade, which he wrote, directed and starred in. The clip is included only for the purpose of seeing John Ritter, but the audience is given an opportunity to catch Thornton acting superbly well. I remember going to the film, without knowing who was in it and realising half way through that it was Thornton himself in the main role, such was his transformation in body and voice.

The Bad Santa DVD is by no means a great Christmas present, but it offers up enough material to make for an enjoyable experience.

Nice, not naughty.