Silent Night, Deadly Night

1984

1h 19m

IMDb RATING

5.9/10

425

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8 Videos

85 Images

Thriller

Horror

After a man dressed as Santa Claus brutally murders his parents, little Billy Chapman then endures the cruelty of a sadistic nun at his orphanage. Years later, when adult Billy has to fill in for an absent in-store Santa, his childhood trauma brings him to the breaking point.

Directors

Charles E. Sellier Jr.

Writers

Paul Caimi(original story by)

Michael Hickey(writer by)

Stars

Robert Brian Wilson

Lilyan Chauvin

Gilmer McCormick

See production, box office & company info

Videos8

Photos85

Top cast

Billy at 18

Mother Superior

Sister Margaret

Killer Santa

Pamela

Andy

Denise

Mr. Sims

Tommy

Cindy

Billy at 5

Billy at 8

Mother (Ellie)

Father (Jim)

Grandpa

Mr. Levitt (Storekeeper)

A. Madeline Smith

Sister Ellen

H.E.D. Redford

Captain Richards

Directors

Charles E. Sellier Jr.

Writers

Paul Caimi(original story by)

Michael Hickey(writer by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews2

Review

Featured review

6/10

_**Beware: An ax-wielding Santa**_ A traumatized boy grows up at a Catholic orphanage in a small Utah town near the mountains. Once he gets a job at a toy store at 18, havoc ensues. "Silent Night, Deadly Night" (1984) is infamous for causing moral outrage when it was released, but I never understood the indignation. Not only is this a horror flick, it’s a slasher. Shock and grisly killings come with the territory. Aduh. Consider clowns for a moment. They are whimsical & funny and yet no one had an issue when they were used for scares in “He Who Gets Slapped” (1924), “Terror on Tour” (1980) and “Poltergeist” (1982). How exactly is Santa off limits, especially since he was depicted as the killer twelve years earlier in “Tales from the Crypt” (1972), not to mention four years earlier in “Christmas Evil” (1980)? Unlike many slashers, this one takes the time to establish why the killer does what he does. The tone is mostly serious, but there’s also a wink of humor or camp here and there. While it lacks the mood and artistry of “Silent Night, Bloody Night” (1972), it’s serviceable as a one-dimensional (and sometimes amusing) slasher. I appreciated the scenic mountain town locations. Linnea Quigley is notable on the female front as Denise, as is winsome Toni Nero as Pamela. Both are shown top nude so, if that offends you, I suggest staying away. The full version is succinct at 1 hour, 22 minutes (while the theatrical version is 3 minutes shorter). It was shot at Heber City & nearby Midway, Utah, which are both east of Salt Lake City on the other side of the mountain pass. GRADE: B-

Wuchak15 Apr, 2022