Review of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) by Eric H — 09 Jul 2008

Well, if the poster and the premise weren't enticing enough. This allegory for a school-shooter deals with a boy who witnessed his father shot and mother raped and murdered by a crook dressed as Santa (nice, huh?).

Young Billy then endures an adolescence-worth of torture from the Mother Superior at the orphanage and finally goes on a berserk axe-murdering spree when he has to dress as Santa for work (PUNISH!). While some of it sounds good on paper, the story is filmed in an over-exploitive way that it's neither campy nor enjoyable, it's just offensive and mean-spirited.

The film's tone is all over the place, when you think you're enjoying it, whether it being a scary turn, or a corny line, something so stupid, incompetent or insulting will happen and rear it's ugly head.

None of the characters are particularly likable, and the plight of Billy is just torturous to watch. So why do people love it? I guess from the controversy from what I've been reading and the fact that not too many horror films set on Christmas exist ("Gremlins" and "Black Christmas" come to mind) that demands to be seen to be believed.

Admirably audacious and daring, yes, but also completely contemptible for it's audience ends up making this one not entertaining at all for a horror flick.