DVD REVIEWS OF NEW RELEASE 'BAD SANTA' A NEW HOLIDAY CLASSIC.

Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor

Next Christmas some people will roast chestnuts or pop popcorn and settle down for the umpteenth viewing of ``It's a Wonderful Life'' or ``Miracle on 42nd Street.'' Others, though, now have a chance to pop open a beer or knock back a shot of tequila and watch a new yule classic - ``Bad Santa.'' Or if they really feel naughty - ``Badder Santa,'' the DVD with scenes too gross for the theatrical release.

There is something wonderfully subversive and demented in Terry Zwigoff's film about a drunken, thieving department-store Santa. Billy Bob Thornton plays the foul-mouthed Willie T. Soke, who gets a job every holiday season as Kris Kringle. His pal Marcus (Tony Cox), an African- American dwarf, lands employment as an elf, and the pair rob the place blind on Christmas Eve. They then live off the money during the year. In Willie's case, it mostly goes to drink.

Marcus is the driving force, keeping Willie going and employed. When Willie shows up drunk or insults a kid, as he is apt to do, and the pair are about to be fired, Marcus screams discrimination. (He's black and vertically challenged, after all.) Inevitably they keep their jobs. John Ritter - in his last role - plays a nebbish department store manager who gives in to them.

The problem with the plans for their latest caper is that Willie - a top- notch safecracker - doesn't care anymore. Even a Santa junkie (an amusing Lauren Graham) who likes to have sex with him in his red outfit can't lift his spirits. But when an overweight kid who still believes in the jolly old guy attaches himself to Willie, he gets vague feelings of responsibility. He even moves in with the kid, since his senile grandmother (Cloris Leachman) thinks he's someone else.

Now it might seem hostile to make a nasty film about Christmas, but Zwigoff (the documentary ``Crumb'' and ``Ghost World'') has the right (dis)temperament to draw laughs out of such baseness and not be mean-spirited. The characters aren't evil, just greedy, unlikable and hilariously stupid, and Thornton is perfect as a seamy Santa whose deadpan looks are worth a million lines. Take it from a guy who loves Christmas, ``Bad Santa'' is outrageous fun - but don't show it to the kids.

By the way, for those of you looking for more heartwarming holiday fare, New Line announced that ``Elf'' will be released on DVD in November.

``Bad Santa'' and ``Badder Santa (Unrated)'' (Miramax; $29.99 each). Both include commentary by Zwigoff, a behind-the-scenes feature, deleted scenes and a tribute to John Ritter.

'Secret Window'

If you need somebody to carry a film for you, there are few actors better than Johnny Depp. In ``Secret Window,'' Depp plays writer Mort Rainey, who after catching his wife in bed at a motel with someone else (the opening scene) retreats to a cabin in rural New England.

In the second scene - six months later - Rainey is awakened by a knock. A stranger - emphasis on strange - named John Shooter (John Turturro) is at the door claiming the writer has stolen one of his stories. Shooter's menacing presence and veiled threats put Rainey on edge, and for a large part of the film he wanders around his cabin talking to himself. Luckily, Depp imbues Rainey - who runs around a lot of the time in a torn bathrobe - with enough odd and amusing mannerisms to keep him interesting, which is more than can be said for the rest of the film.

Based on a Stephen King short story and written and directed by David Koepp, it isn't long before you see the horrormeister's tricks running all through the plot of ``Secret Window.'' And though you keep wishing that the story wouldn't end up going where you think it's going (the red herrings aren't very convincing), it eventually does, which makes the film even more of a letdown. This is no ``Shining,'' although you see echoes of that story.

After his winning performance in last year's ``Pirates of the Caribbean,'' it would have been nice to see Depp in something loftier than ``Secret Window.''

``Secret Window'' (Columbia; $28.95).

'The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra'

`The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra'' is a parody of cheesy '50s sci-fi. If you have a soft spot for such films (think Ed Wood's ``Plan Nine From Outer Space''), ``Cadavra'' might seem amusing. On the other hand, why bother to poke fun at something so atrocious that it's already amusing? And then why do everything - the acting, special effects, etc. - so intentionally badly? At least Tim Burton's film about everyone's favorite awful director Wood used the opportunity to look at Hollywood, ambition and talent - or the lack thereof. ``Cadavra'' has no such ambitions.

Which means there's little sense encapsulating the plot - just know there are mad scientists, a sexy woman and some silly thingamajig that everyone is after. Maybe in a couple hundred years (or decades), ``Cadavra'' might be mistaken as a real '50s film. Now, it just seems like a film out of time.

``The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra'' (Columbia; $24.96) includes director and cast commentary, character commentary, a blooper reel, an American Cinematheque Q&A featurette and a making-of featurette.

'Greendale'

Daily News film critic Glenn Whipp called Neil Young's ``Greendale'' ``a low-fi movie masterpiece that vividly captures both the grim realities and hippie idealism in Young's absorbing song cycle'' when it was out in theaters in February.

The film, which has a home-movie feel, looks at three generations of a family living in a Northern California town. What happens involves a series of vignettes that deal with people's dreams, fears and the state of the world. There's no tightly defined political agenda here, except to get involved and put a little love and affection into what you do.

Young, who shot the film with a video camera, is also the narrator, acting as the voice for the characters. The actors, however, mouth the words to the songs, which he sings with his longtime band Crazy Horse. The whole project is handmade, but like most handmade gifts, it's heartfelt and more valuable than things that cost more.

``Greendale'' (Sanctuary; $24.98)

'A Woman Is a Woman'

Anna Karina plays a stripper in New Wave French director Jean-Luc Godard's charming 1961 film ``A Woman Is a Woman'' who, when she wants to get her live-in boyfriend (Jean-Claude Brialy) to marry her, turns her attentions to another man (Jean-Paul Belmondo).

Now charming isn't a word often associated with Godard - didactic, caustic, confrontational, oblique, boring and brilliant are. ``A Woman Is a Woman'' is not a total lightweight, however. It has undercurrents of the director's conflicted feeling toward females.

If you don't know the work of Godard (``Breathless,'' ``Weekend,''), this isn't a bad place to start.

``A Woman Is a Woman'' (Criterion; $29.95) includes a new digital transfer, an early short film by Godard and excerpts from a 1966 French television interview with Karina and Brialy.

'Reno 911!'

There aren't many TV box sets out this week, with only the first season of Comedy Central's ``Reno 911!'' of interest. In one episode of this perverse little series, a police officer bursts into a darkened house, gun blazing, only to find out he's killed the host of his own surprise party. In another, an officer beats up a mime for making fun of him. The show takes obvious aim at such reality series as ``Cops,'' but instead of presenting the lawman as heroes, we get sometimes funny sad sacks.

``Reno 911! - The Complete First Season'' (Paramount; $26.99) includes all 14 episodes, commentary from the entire cast and alternate scenes on two discs.

Rob Lowman, [phone]

robert.lowman(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1) BILLY BOB THORNTON, left, and TONY COX in ``Bad Santa''

(2) JOHN TURTURRO, left, and JOHNNY DEPP in ``Secret Window''

(3) ``RENO 911!''