Christmas Evil is One of the Many Attempts to Bring Horror to the Season of Peace, Love and Joy.
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Although Christmas Evil may be well intentioned, this movie gets nothing but a lump of coal in the stocking.
Review by BHM Editor Don Sumner
December 12, 2006
Release: 1980
Written and Directed by: Lewis Jackson
Starring:
Brandon Maggart as Harry Stadling
Jeffrey DeMunn as Philip Stadling
Dianne Hull as Jackie Stadling
Andy Fenwick as Dennis Stadling
I will start this review by revealing that Christmas Evil is regarded by many as one of the best holiday horror attempts ever. John Waters says that this is "The BEST seasonal film of all time...True cinematic masterpiece." Leonard Maltin says (why do we care what he says?) it is a "Gripping, well-made little thriller...with Maggart excellent as the psychopathic Kris Kringle. A sleeper, with cult status possibilities..."
Bah, Humbug! It stinks.
Here is a brief accounting of what happens in Christmas Evil: First we see the dreams of a little boy (Harry, played by Brandon Maggart) envisioning Santa coming into his house and delivering joy and happiness under the family tree. Then we see reality, a man (Dad?) in a Santa Suit getting busy with Mom. Oh, the anguish!
Later, as an adult, Harry works in a toy factory and is very strange indeed. He puts shaving cream on his face and makes "Santa faces" in the mirror each morning, and dances around to Christmas carols each evening when he gets home. He even spies on the neighborhood children and writes down their naughty and nice behavior in big books that he keeps in a drawer.
After witnessing unacceptable Christmas cynicism among his co-workers he dons a Santa Suit and goes on a rampage. Then Christmas Evil gets really weird...
Harry, dressed as Santa, does many things this night, including:
- Breaking into the toy factory and stealing a truckload of toys,
- Breaking into a neighborhood kid's house and putting toys under the tree,
- Dancing with strangers having a Christmas party,
- Getting stuck in a chimney,
- Being chased by an angry mob with torches,
- One last hurrah in the surprise finish that will leave you scratching your head,
- Oh, and in between he kills some people.
I am all for mixing horror and holidays. I actually liked Silent Night, Deadly Night. I like lots of other off-beat flicks with interesting villains and original concepts. There are some criteria that must exist, however, if I am going to enjoy a bad horror movie: If it can't be scary and compelling then at least be funny! don't mean slap-stick humor or goofiness, but funny for the sheer ridiculousness and inherent badness of the flick. While watching Christmas Evil I couldn't even crack a smile.
The gore is stupid and the villain is creepy in Christmas Evil. Not "good creepy" mind you, but creepy like that guy in your office with dandruff that doesn't seem to bathe.
Oh, one more thing. Christmas Evil sets up Harry as being "Santa obsessed" from the beginning. During the film he pulls out the sewing machine and an old fur wrap and makes a Santa Suit. If he's so obsessed wouldn't he have had a Santa Suit already? He's an adult for crying out loud that has Santa memorabilia all over the house...surely he had a Santa Suit! No, not until now...and we watch him sew it. That's just dumb. Questions or comments about Christmas Evil? Contact us!
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