Silent Night Deadly Night (1984)
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AKA: –
Directed by: Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Starring: Robert Brian Wilson (Billy Chapman), Danny Wagner (8-year-yld Billy), Jonathan Best (5-year-old Billy), Lilyan Chauvin (Mother Superior), Gilmer McCormick (Sister Margaret), Charles Dierkop (Killer Santa), Toni Nero (Pamela), Randy Stumpf (Andy), Britt Leach (Mr. Sims), Will Hare (Grandpa), Alex Burton (Ricky Chapman)
Country: USA; Effed Up American Movies
Language: English (Optional Eng Subs)
Runtime: 01:24:51
Genres: Religious-themes, Childhood, Gruesome
Plot – Spoilers:
Family driving through snowy peak country on a visit to Grandpa. Smarmy smiles from Dad and Mum and happy-family conversations with kid in the back. And then Evil Santa arrives, bringing lifelong trauma rather than yuletide cheer. The kid survives and grows up in an orphanage where Mother Superior supplements Evil Santa’s earlier presents by infusing guilt and a twisted version of right and wrong, particularly in sexual matters.
The version here is from a release where the censored scenes were edited into the theatrical cut, leading to fairly obvious changes in quality and colour during the scenes.
It annoyed me greatly when the cop shot the priest dressed as santa. How about you identify him first you fucking idiot? Glad that cop died.
I’m half-way done with the film and it kinda embodies, how shit the understanding of mental health was in the ’80s.
Yeah, sure, force the kid with Christmas-trauma to engage with all the holly-jolly shit. Imbue all of the goddamned religious guilt for intimacy.
And then, noone goddamned mentioned his trauma to his new boss at any point, not even himself, because no, having trauma doesn’t fly! Instead make him take the role of the fucker who killed his parents and while he is intoxicated tell him, to embrace the role and do what Santa does on Christmas.
God, this is infuriating to watch from a modern perspective.
Not, that there wouldn’t be people in situations, who would act like that nowadays, but fuuuck. And yeah, it’s just a movie, but still reflects how people engaged with mental health back then.
Just watched for the first time and I’m going to start calling this my all-time favorite horror movie. Wow!
Why must be the protagonist be a hot psycho guy? Not fair. Imagine if this character was used in today’s movies, it would not be surprising if the death rate from hookups gets higher.
Indeed, this is a great watch for Christmas eve. Hehee
So bad that I couldn’t finish it.
Merry xmass everyone! 🙂
merry xmas
Merry Christmas errybody!
merry christmas everybody one and all
I saw this in the theater before they pulled the film. Parents picketed this because of Santa being cast as a murderer. How times have changed. Pure American Kraft Cheese.
I wish you all a Happy Christmas !
Just your “run-of-the-mill” Christmas movie. Great title, an okay movie – to say the least.
Silly movie. Merry Christmas to all! No hard feelings Zed Man – ok? Still friends?
Love this movie… especially the unedited parts that were missing the first time I saw it. Yes classic 80’s holiday horror. EU you’re the best !!!
A true Xmas classic. Cheers guys!