What, you don't believe in Santa Claus? Don't tell that to Dr.Lloyd Darrow, a self-proclaimed 'Santa-ologist', whose life's mission is to uncover the truth about the elusive fat man who visits us just once a year. Darrow's proof the jolly man exists include a lost video from a 1949 polar expedition, the Santa Papyrus dating from 1342 B.C., and an actual jingle bell found in the wreckage at Roswell, New Mexico.
Chris Clark is so convincing as Lloyd Darrow, we're told he even had NPR producers and television stations fooled during the making of the movie. Maybe it's that child-like innocence in us, but when we read about the movie before seeing it, we too kind of wanted to believe there really was someone out there trying to prove that Santa exists.
With an impressive cast that could easily act with the likes of a Christopher Guest ensemble, this mockumentary had us laughing despite ourselves. The first five minutes of laughter had everything to do with William Shatner, whose distinctive voice narrates the film. The director made a wise choice casting him as the narrator, setting the tone for this comedy, which very seriously examines the evidence and efforts of Dr.Lloyd Darrow's quest and the toll his research is taking on his family.
With such a silly premise, we didn't know what to expect from Stalking Santa, and even though we thought this feature length film could have been a bit shorter, we still left the theater in a jolly mood and encourage anyone up for some laughs to see it tomorrow afternoon at the Roxie. After it's over do like we did and go to Gestalt, one of our new favorite spots, to discuss Darrow's evidence over a liter (yes liter) of beer and a vegan kielbasa.