‘I Am Santa Claus’ Blu-Ray Review – Mick Foley Discovers What It Means To Be Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick

Everyone thinks of Santa Claus as a magical figure without flaws, but the men who keep his legend alive, real-bearded professional Santa’s, are nothing like the jolly ol’ Saint Nick we’ve all grown up knowing. In reality, the mall Santa in your cherished children’s photo has problems just like the rest of us. Even the jolliest of men fall victim to divorce, job loss, insecurity and even the occasional hangover. ‘I Am Santa Claus’ is a documentary that follows the lives of four real- bearded professional Santa Clauses and one notable (Mick Foley) aspiring Santa as they anticipate and prepare the coming holiday season while showing them for who they actually are; flawed, flesh and blood men who feel an overbearing responsibility to protect the integrity of the spotless, untarnished reputation of the “Red Suit”.  A documentary of an entire year in the lives of five real-bearded professional Santa Clauses to find out what the rest of the year is like for a man who perpetually looks like Jolly Saint Nick.

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Video Quality

I Am Santa Claus comes to Blu-Ray via ETR Media in its original 1.78:1 aspect ratio from a very pleasant HD master. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray in 2014 by Virgil Films, and the presentations look fairly comparable from a video assessment. The film is primarily a mixture of interviews and fly-on-the-wall material captured over the months along with some archival footage interspersed for additional context and history. The footage looks as pleasant as the source will allow in high definition. The transfer does not stumble with significant issues of compression artifacts, banding, or other digital nuisances. 

There is not too much archival footage, but what is utilized seems to be from the best source available at the time. The new interview segments along with the roaming footage of the various Santa Claus performers appear clear with natural skin tones and detailed facial features. The colors featured in the film achieve a nice sense of depth and complexity, especially in the bright red of the suit. Black levels are solid and harness detail in shadows when the conditions allow for it. There is not much more you could have hoped for to improve this experience. ETR Media knows how to present documentaries like this to glowing effect.  

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that easily translates this material. Dialogue is the forthright element of the film and is balanced well with the competing sonic details of the filming locations. The musical cues add some vibrancy to the film, and it is resolved well here as it fills the room. Environmental sounds are a consistent presence and are replicated perfectly. The surround channels are not put to the test, but they flesh things out naturally. Every audio element is in fine shape. Optional English SDH subtitles are included for those who desire them. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director Tommy Avallone, Producer Derek Lindeman and Executive Producer (and Featured Santa) Mick Foley provide a very informative commentary track in which they discuss the evolution of the film, the process of capturing the footage, additional background on working with some of the Santas, how things have changed since the production of the film, and so much more that fans should take the time to check out. 

• Deleted Scenes: There are 10 scenes of unused material totaling nearly 70 minutes provided here that are worth checking out if you enjoyed the movie. 

• Behind The Scenes: There are four behind-the-scenes featurettes that reveal details about the production and moments that occurred during the release process. 

• • Behind The Animation (8:46)

• • The Santas Meet (11:44)

• • Movie Poster Shoot (5:30)

• • Fourty-Five Minutes (46:03)

• Catch-Up Video: There are three incredible videos where you can learn about what has happened with some of the Santas in the 10 years since the film was released. 

• • Catching Up With Santa Frank (10:18)

• • Talking With Santa Mick Foley (21:56)

• • Talking To Russell’s Daughter (8:15)

• Foley Is Santa: A collection of videos is provided that revolves around Mick Foley largely through his live storytelling shows. 

• • Changing The Face of Foley (8:07)

• • Mick Foley – Live In Philly (8:07)

• • The Santa Heckle (4:07)

• • I’m Not Sorry, Santa (5:27)

• • Mick In Minnetonka (0:57)

• Film Threat Watch Party: A two-hour watch party video is provided in which various members of the creative team join the Film Threat team to discuss the creation and legacy of the film. 

• Official Trailer (2:09)

• Photo Gallery: A gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and marketing materials is provided. 

Final Thoughts

I Am Santa Claus is a great alternative Christmas movie for those who want something besides the annual favorites. Not only do you get a personal look at what Santa Claus means as a symbolic figure within society, but you also understand what inhabiting this persona means to the people who have chosen this calling. The performers are very colorful individuals who do not always live up to the saintly title of the iconic figure, but this is part of what makes the documentary so compelling – showing real people doing their best to live up to the responsibility of being this monumental presence. ETR Media has released a Blu-Ray featuring a solid A/V presentation and a welcome assortment of special features. If the subject sounds compelling to you, it is worth a watch. Recommended 

I Am Santa Claus is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: ETR Media and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.