You Better Watch Out (1980)

Director:

Lewis Jackson

Writer:

Lewis Jackson (writer)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

You'd better take care...Santa is coming to town!

Plot:

A psycho in a Santa suit gets to decide who's been naughty and who's been nice.

Plot Keywords:

Christmas | Toy | Children | Killing | Christmas Horror

Cast

Brandon Maggart	...	Harry Stadling
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Philip Stadling
Dianne Hull	...	Jackie Stadling
Andy Fenwick	...	Dennis Stadling
Brian Neville	...	Marc Stadling
Joe Jamrog	...	Frank Stoller
Wally Moran	...	Philip Stadling Jr.
Gus Salud	...	Harry Stadling Jr.
Ellen McElduff	...	Harry's mother
Brian Hartigan	...	Harry's father
Peter Neuman	...	Moss Garcia
Lance Holcomb	...	Scotty Goodrich
Elizabeth Ridge	...	Susie Lovett
Chris Browning	...	Richie Sharp
Tyrone Holmes	...	Frankie

Also Known As:

Christmas Evil
Terror in Toyland

Runtime:

100 min | USA:95 min (re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:K-18 | UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Glen Ridge, New Jersey, USA

Trivia:

When Harry slips on the street running from the mob, he really did slip, and Lewis Jackson left it in the film.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Harry's brother falls down the hill, it's obviously a fake sheet of snow as it all lifts off the ground.

Quotes:

Harry "Santa": But if you're bad, then your name goes in the Bad Boys and Girls Book, and then I'll bring you something... horrible.

Movie Connections:

Features Babes in Toyland (1934)

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus, right up Mommy's gown!

Christmas Evil isn't a gore or boob fest but it certainly puts horror fans into the holiday spirit! As a child, Harry sneaked downstairs on Christmas Eve and caught a glimpse (a good long one!) of his father, dressed as Santa, feeling up his mom. That'd be enough to push any young boy over the edge, if you ask me. Years later, as an adult, he now has an unhealthy obsession with ol' Saint Nick, decorating his house with toys, keeping track of neighbor kid's behavior in his personal "naughty or nice" books, and even working in a toy factory. After taking abuse from fellow employees, getting no respect, and feeling that his workplace isn't generous enough to needy sick kids at the local hospital, Harry glues a beard to his face, stuffs a big red jacket, paints a sleigh on his van, and sets out to deliver toys to needy children. Unfortunately, things go wrong when he brutally murders two obnoxious guys outside of a church and slits a guy's throat with a Christmas tree star in his bed. Many scenes are entertaining such as his attempt at climbing down a chimney where he gets stuck and quite frustrated. Hilarious! Also the end in which he is chased down the street by an angry, torch carrying mob of parents. Torches? In 1980? Christmas Evil is far from a great film - it has a fairly cheap look and the character development wasn't all it could have been. But overall, give this little holiday treat a look!