Hi-Def Preview

Bad Santa: The Unrated Version/The Director’s Cut

Walt Disney Home Entertainment

Released: 11/20/07

Review By: Joshua Noyes

Picture Quality – 3/5

Audio Quality – 4/5

Special Features – 3/5

Overall – 3.5/5

Comments: Well what can I say about Bad Santa? I could say lots of things, but without a doubt this is both my favorite dark comedy ever and my favorite Christmas comedy ever.

With picture quality, Disney did an average job. They used a VC-1 encode on to a BD50 disc. At no time did I notice any macroblocking or film debris. The colors were outstanding as well. They were vibrant, but at the same time natural, not any over saturation, which has been evident in some of the recent HDM reviews I have written. My one complaint is that at times the image can be a bit soft. This is evident mainly in darker scenes. With this softness comes a drop in sharpness. Many of the darker scenes exhibit this softness I spoke of above. It may distract some and may not others.

In-terms of AQ, this was decent showing by Disney. I listened using the PCM 5.1 4.6 Mbps option and it was GREAT! The Center Channel presented the dialog perfectly. It was as though the characters were sitting on your couch with you. The Surrounds too were used to perfection and used frequently. Much like the center channel, the surround created a very realistic encompassing effect, to the point of feeling like the sound effects were actually in your living room. Finally the LFE was used to perfection as well, albeit in a more discrete manner. It really added a “fullness” to many scenes and clearly enhanced the overall viewing experience.

The Special Features on this release are solid. There are your typical Commentaries and Behind-The-Scenes featurettes. There is also a nice feature, which allows you to pick one of two versions of the film: The Unrated Version or The Director’s Cut. It is nice to see this feature ending up on several new Blu-ray releases.

In conclusion, the purchase of this disc simply put, is a no-brainer if you are a fan of this film. Not only is it a substantial upgrade over the DVD version of this film, the story is HILARIOUS! and the Special Features are solid! I highly recommend this purchase!