Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

Director:

Charles E. Sellier Jr.

Writers:

Paul Caimi (story)
Michael Hickey (writer)

Release Date:

9 November 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

You've made it through Halloween, now try and survive Christmas

Plot:

After his parents are murdered, a young tormented teenager goes on a murderous rampage dressed as Santa, due to his stay at an orphanage where he was abused by the Mother Superior.

Plot Keywords:

Spanking | Female Nudity | Frustration | Drugged | Sled

Cast

Lilyan Chauvin	...	Mother Superior
Gilmer McCormick	...	Sister Margaret
Toni Nero	...	Pamela
Robert Brian Wilson	...	Billy Chapman (age 18)
Britt Leach	...	Ira Sims
Nancy Borgenicht	...	Mrs. Randall
H.E.D. Redford	...	Captain Richards
Danny Wagner	...	Billy Chapman (age 8)
Linnea Quigley	...	Denise
Leo Geter	...	Tommy
Randy Stumpf	...	Andy
Will Hare	...	Grandpa Chapman
Tara Buckman	...	Ellie Chapman (Mother)
Geoff Hansen	...	Jim Chapman (Father) (as Jeff Hansen)
Charles Dierkop	...	Killer Santa

Also Known As:

Slayride (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

79 min | Belgium:96 min (video version) | USA:85 min (uncut version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1989) | Iceland:16 | Netherlands:16 | Canada:R (Manitoba/Nova Scotia/Ontario) | New Zealand:R18 | Finland:K-18 (2007) | Australia:R | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Heber City, Utah, USA

Company:

TriStar Pictures

Trivia:

This film was known as "Slayride" though out its production. Tri-Star decided to change the title to "Silent Night, Deadly Night" at the last minute.

Quotes:

Jim Chapman: Need a ride, Santa Claus?
Killer Santa: Oh, no, not exactly.
Jim Chapman: What's the problem?
Killer Santa: Oh, there's no problem. It's just that I've run into a bit of lolly luck.

Movie Connections:

Featured in My Demon Nights (2004) (V)

Soundtrack:

Santa's Watching

Very good and much maligned shocker!

A small boy named Billy with her family have been traveling to see his grandpa at a mental hospital somewhere in Utah, but his grandpa tells him that Santa punishes bad children leaving him scared. During that night as they are on their way home, a crook in a Santa Claus outfit murdered her family leaving him and his brother alone. 4 years later they are at a orphanage run by nuns especially the mean spirited Mother Superior who punishes poor traumatized Billy who is now afraid of Santa Claus no thanks to that night as it still haunts his mind, 10 years later he has became 18 and gets a nifty job at a toy store. He's been a great worker for the past few months until Christmas time which is his most loathed holiday, he's assigned to be the store's Santa but during Christmas eve he snaps and goes on a murder spree killing those who have been naughty or nice.

A shocking, violent, disturbing and sleazy low budget horror flick that was one of the most controversial movies of it's time mainly because in November of the year 1984 when this movie came out in theaters there were angry parents who picketed this movie because they didn't like the idea of Santa Claus as a murderer then the studio Tri-Star Pictures pulled it out in three weeks but was released on video in the full Uncut version with some gore trimmed out to avoid an "X" rating and became a cult flick.

Also recommended: "Halloween Series", " Nightmare on Elm Street", " Friday The 13th series", "Freddy Vs. Jason", "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer", " Maniac ( 1980)", " I Spit on Your Grave", " Mother's Day", " Christmas Evil", " Tales from The Crypt" ( 1972 movie), " The Prowler", " Scream 1 & 2", " A Clockwork Orange", " Driller Killer", " High Tension", " Gremlins", " Urban Legend", "The Hills Have Eyes ( 1977 and 2006)", " House of 1000 Corpses", " The Devil's Rejects", "Santa's Slay", " Terror Train", " Hostel", "Wolf Creek", " Cry Wolf", " My Bloody Valentine", " Bloody Birthday", " "Sleepaway Camp", "Ichi The Killer", "Silence of the Lambs", "Se7en", " The New York Ripper", " The Toolbox Murders ( 1978 and 2004)", "Cape Fear", "Bad Santa", and " Psycho ( 1960)".