Christmas Evil (1980) You Better Watch Out (original title)

Director:

Lewis Jackson

Writer:

Lewis Jackson

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 | Christmas Horror | Killing | Children | Toy

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
Patricia Richardson	...	Moss' mother
Scott McKay	...	Mr. Fletcher
Peter Friedman	...	Mr. Grosch
Owen Hollander	...	Ben
Horace Bailey	...	Jake
John Brockman	...	Dr. Probst
Burt Kleiner	...	Sol Wiseman
David Hughes	...	Worker
Lloyd David Hart	...	Tipsy worker
Francine Dumont	...	Mrs. Fletcher
Pamela Enz	...	Mrs. Gosch
William Robertson	...	Guard
Sheila Anderson	...	Nurse
Robert Ari	...	Doctor
Philip Casnoff	...	Ricardo Bouma
Michael Klingher	...	Peter (as Michael Klinger)
Mark Chamberlin	...	Charles
Colleen Zenk	...	Binky
Lisa Sloan	...	Khaki
James Desmond	...	Man #1 (as Jim Desmond)
Mark Margolis	...	Man #2
Jennifer Novtney	...	Little girl
Audrey Matson	...	Woman
Danny Federici	...	Accordion player
Arthur Bressler	...	Saxophone player
John Scarangella	...	Drummer (as Jack Scarangella)
Raymond J. Barry	...	Det. Gleason (as Ray Barry)
Sam Gray	...	Insp. Grello
Robert Lesser	...	Gottleib (as Bobby Lesser)
Will McMillan	...	Young Man
Bill Raymond	...	Priest
Joan Jonas	...	Older woman
Nancy Clark	...	Female witness
T. Wellington Perkins	...	Black Santa
Jim Gagan	...	Santa #1 (as Jim Gagen)
Leib Lensky	...	Santa #2
James Gallagher	...	Santa #3
Hy Mencher	...	Older woman
Michael Gordon	...	Policeman
Stephen Mendillo	...	Tom
Rutanya Alda	...	Theresa (as Ratanya Alda)
Kerry Broderick	...	Angeline
John Towey	...	Joe
Annette Kurek	...	Mary
Matthew Levine	...	Matthew
Marian Vitale	...	Mrs. Stoller
Carrie Steele	...	Daughter
Sam Samilari	...	Son (as Robert Samilari)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Annie Gagen	...	Dancer at Party (uncredited)
Don Stitt	...	Dancer at Party (uncredited)

Directed by
Lewis Jackson

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Lewis Jackson

Produced by
Pete Kameron	....	producer
Burt Kleiner	....	producer
Michael A. Levine	....	associate producer
Jerald Rubinstein	....	executive producer (as Jerold Rubenstein)

Original Music by
Don Christensen
Joel Harris
Julia Heyward

Cinematography by
Ricardo Aronovich

Film Editing by
Linda Leeds
Corky O'Hara

Production Design by
Lorenzo Mans

Art Direction by
Roberta Neiman

Costume Design by
Deirdre N. Williams

Makeup Department
Lyzanne Goodson	....	makeup artist
Francine McGivern	....	hair stylist (as Francine McGiven)
Eileen Schaeffer	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Graham Place	....	production manager
Mark Silverman	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Karen Miller Ehrlich	....	third assistant director (as Karen Ehrlich)
Deborah Reinisch	....	second assistant director

Art Department
H. Aoki	....	artwork (as H. Aoki)
Pam Budz	....	storyboard artist
Bob Craft	....	assistant props
Marc Donnenfeld	....	props (as Mark Donnenfeld)
Kevin Dowd	....	assistant props
Tom Eaton	....	set construction
Sylvette Engel	....	artwork
Barbara Fleischer	....	artwork
Jeffrey Garney	....	props
Joan Herder	....	assistant props
Marty Riggleman	....	assistant art director
Christopher Santoro	....	artwork: Jolly Dream Santa Poster
Will Scheck	....	props (as William Scheck)
Sam Swope	....	assistant props

Sound Department
Cari Comart	....	sound editor
Margaret Crimmins	....	sound editor (as Margie Crimmins)
Rick Dior	....	re-recording engineer
Phyllis Fernandez	....	associate sound editor
Chat Gunter	....	sound mixer
Bernard Hajdenberg	....	sound editor (as Bernie Hajdenberg)
Lori Kornspun	....	assistant sound editor
Michael Levine	....	dialogue editor
Skip Lievsay	....	associate sound editor
Mark MacKenzie	....	sound assistant (as Mark McKenzie)
Sally Menke	....	assistant sound editor
Maggi Travis	....	boom operator
Tete Vasconcellos	....	assistant sound editor (as Te Te Vasconcellos)
Lenni Wong	....	assistant sound editor (as Lennie Wang)

Special Effects by
Tom Brumberger	....	special effects
Alex Fernbach	....	special effects photogrphy

Stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Affonso Beato	....	additional photography
Alan Bowden	....	fourth electric
David M. Dunlap	....	assistant camera (as Dave Dunlap)
Alex Fernbach	....	effects photography
Richard Garber	....	third grip (as Rich Garber)
Tom Hart	....	generator op
John Keeler	....	video camera
Michael Levine	....	second unit photography
Judith Linn	....	still photography
Craig Nelson	....	gaffer
Ralph Perri	....	key grip
Nestor Reyes	....	second grip
Bob Rudis	....	loader
Michael Slovis	....	third electric
Doug Sutton	....	second electric
John Thomas	....	third electric
James Wilberger	....	electrician
James Wilberger	....	grip and electric (as Jim Wilberger)

Animation Department
Justus Taylor	....	model animator

Casting Department
Jane Hallaren	....	additional casting
Maria Heritier	....	casting coordinator
Vic Ramos	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Charlotte Fairweather	....	assistant wardrobe

Editorial Department
Miguel Chivite	....	assistant editor
Lianne Halfon	....	post-production coordinator
Gilberto Costa Nunes	....	assistant editor
David Block	....	colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Danny Federici	....	arranger

Transportation Department
Mark Silverman	....	unit transportation

Other crew
Geri Ashur	....	script supervisor
Suzanne Eastham	....	production assistant
Richard Eliiana	....	production assistant
Scott Gould	....	production assistant
Denis Hann	....	production assistant (as Dennis Hann)
Allison Hickey	....	production office coordinator
J. Alan Hostetter	....	production assistant
Mary A. Kelly	....	food coordinator
Martin Kim	....	production assistant (as Kim Martin)
James Y. Kwei	....	production assistant (as Jimmy Kwei)
Gerhard Lodico	....	production assistant
Charlotte McKim	....	production assistant
Edward R. Pressman	....	presenter
Oliver Rish	....	assistant to director
Barry Shapiro	....	production assistant
Ruth Siekevitz	....	food coordinator
Harry Streep	....	dance choreographer (as Harry Streep III)
Paul Volo	....	equipment coordinator

Thanks
Clarissa Ainley	....	thanks
Nick Bowen	....	thanks
Sarah Boyles	....	thanks
Hamilton Fish	....	thanks
Zach Harman	....	thanks
Richard Karp	....	thanks
Phil Kleiner	....	thanks
Sandy Kleiner	....	thanks
Robert Lasky	....	thanks
Rebecca Litman	....	thanks
John Loomis	....	thanks
Eli Noyes	....	thanks
Dianne Olik	....	thanks
Ted Olik	....	thanks
Annie Patton	....	thanks
Lynn Pressman-Raymond	....	thanks (as Lynn Pressman)
Karen Sellars	....	thanks
Harry Yaruss	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Edward R. Pressman Film (as Edward R. Pressman Productions)

Distributors

• Pan American Pictures (1983) (USA) (theatrical) (retitled re-release)
• Saturn Productions (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Troma Team Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Reel Media International (2004) (worldwide) (VHS)
• EastWest Entertainment (2004) (worldwide) (DVD) (as "Christmas Evil")
• Synapse Films (2006) (USA) (DVD) (widescreen)
• Reel Media International (2007) (worldwide) (all media)
• Finnkino (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Academy Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinemavault (????) (worldwide) (all media)
• Diamond Entertainment Group (DEG) (????) (USA) (DVD)
• Genesis Home Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Iver Film Services (IFS) (198?) (UK) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Screen Time Images  DVD menus and authoring
• Screen Time Images  film restoration

Also Known As:

"You Better Watch Out" - USA (original title)

Runtime:

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

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:18 | USA:R | Germany:BPjM Restricted | Finland:K-18 (self applied) (2008)

Filming Locations:

Edgewater, New Jersey, USA

Company:

Edward R. Pressman Film

Trivia:

Kathleen Turner was turned down for the role as Harry's sister-in-law.

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":You want it all... but you're no longer a child.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Ban the Sadist Videos! Part 2 (2006) (V)

The "Taxi Driver" of Holiday Horror

This film is just great. Maybe the best Christmas movie next to "A Christmas Story." Imagine a low budget movie with a "Travis Bickle" type character that has an affinity to Christmas. He takes it way over the edge ,sleeps in his Santa suit and stalks the little boys and girls."He'll sleigh you"(he certainly will) He ends up killing all the bad people that don't appreciate Christmas and becomes.....well I don't wanna spoil it for you, YOU JUST HAVE TO SEE THIS ONE!