First, let’s clarify this report. The movie, which I have seen, does not portray Santa Claus (who, I hasten to add, is not real) as “a sex-crazed, foul-mouthed alcoholic,” it portrays a Mall Santa -- who bears no resemblance to the “real” Santa -- as a sex-crazed, foul-mouthed alcoholic. Second, the film is rated R, and is aimed entirely at an adult audiences. It is not a kids' movie and does not pretend to be. Third, though all reports say the film is released by Miramax, that is only partly true; it’s in fact released by Miramax subsidiary Dimension, best known for its adult-aimed horror pictures.

It seems there are several potential reasons behind this press release. First, it’s possible that Disney really hadn’t seen this film, saw it, wet their collective Depends at the sight of a cherished American institution (who is not real) gone insane, and sent their publicists out in a mad dash to voice their disgust. Or, maybe Disney’s known what’s going on all along and this is just their way of distancing themselves in advance from the film to protect against any potential backlash. Or -- and this is where I get all conspiracy-ish and the lights dim and the organ music comes up -- there’s something else about the movie that Disney doesn’t like.

It’s worth adding that BAD SANTA is an outstanding picture. The online articles tell you the stodgy Disney bosses didn’t like it but they don’t tell you that the audience I saw it with, one made up largely of random people off the street, flat out loved the film. It is a dark look at its subject matter for sure, but it is brilliantly funny and beautifully acted by its cast. It’s easily the funniest movie of 2003. It’s so good, and so dark, in fact, that while it was running I turned during one rather naughty scene to the friend I attended with and whispered, “I can’t believe they’re releasing this movie!”

The comment was delivered with fiendish glee; demented director Terry Zwigoff had seemingly snuck one past the content goalies of our pop-culture world. So it was with some dismay but little surprise that I took these reports of Disney’s disgust. By the way - what is “the spirit of Walt Disney,” anyway? Was the spirit of Walt Disney turning a beloved theme park ride into a showcase for Johnny Depp’s fey, drunken pirate? Probably not, but since the movie made a huge amount of cash, you don’t hear them complaining. No, that film was “edgy” and “modern.” Bad example, I guess, that actually was a Walt Disney film (though the company’s logo was mysteriously absent from the opening credits) not one released by Miramax, a company that a few months ago released KILL BILL VOL. I, which was violent to an almost impossible extreme. Don’t get me wrong; I loved KILL BILL VOL. I and can’t wait for VOL. II, but why wasn’t Disney in an uproar over that picture? Was Walt’s ghost cool with the blood geysers?

It reminds me of the moral of SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER, & UNCUT: “horrific violence is okay, as long as people don’t say any naughty words.” BAD SANTA not only has naughty words, it even has sexual content! Not even nudity, mind you, but sexual content, and we simply cannot have that. Walt Disney may have had children, but he did not have sex.

Or maybe it’s religion that’s still such a touchy subject for these Disney people. Let us not forget that they dropped DOGMA due to its controversial religious subject matter after the movie had already been made. I suppose if Disney is afraid of rubber poop monsters, it stands to reason that they’re afraid of Billy Bob Thorton in a ratty old Santa costume.

There’s another thing about this that troubles me. Terry Zwigoff’s film is not against Christmas, or Christianity, or anything of the sort. In fact, it’s really not much of a political film at all. If it’s against anything, it is America’s insane mall culture. It’s a Mall Santa they’re skewering here, as well as the mall that is so desperate to cut corners they are willing to hire him. If you want to make the connection, it points to our culture’s growing religion of consumerism and the inherent dangers therein. It really deflates the whole concept of mall culture and instead promotes the values of family (Oh yeah, no one at Disney wants to tell you the movie has a strong, positive message, either).

Now why would The Walt Disney Company, a corporation that has a Disney store in every single mall in America, be unhappy with a movie that skewers mall culture?