Christmas Evil

CHRISTMAS EVIL (aka You Better Watch Out, 1980) - One of the more perverse, but, still interesting 'killer Santa' movies out there. Director Lewis Jackson (who I got to see speak at a screening of this several years back) was a bright guy and he brings a psychological edge to the typical holiday slasher genre. All shot in New Jersey. The script isn't much (Jackson confesses to having come up with the concept stoned), and the acting is variable but Brandon Maggart gives it his all as the tortured toymaker turned killer Claus (he's Fiona Apple's dad).

The Cinematography is interesting with the film being shot by Ricardo Aronovich of all people - he also lensed films by Costa-Gavras (MISSING) and Louis Malle (MURMUR OF THE HEART).

If you've played out the original BLACK CHRISTMAS and want another 'black' Xmas flick, check it out. Unsurprisingly, it's a favorite of John Waters.

And, the ending is SOMETHING else (remember, the filmmaker was stoned!)

This is a strange film. It has good acting, yet bad editing. One longs to fast forward it; it could use some cutting--yet, by the time it's over, one is curiously moved. The anti-hero is strangly moving; he is not your usual B-film slasher. He has a genuine, though insane in a world like ours, moral sense. The ending makes it more like a dark fairy tale. I did not enjoy watching it; yet, when it was over, I remember it fondly. It was really trying something different. Its shifts of tone may be its problem; yet it is a worthy effort.

Christmas Evil (1980) is a movie I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a man who was scared as a child when he discovered Santa Clause wasn't real. He now works at a toy factory as an adult until he discovers his employers are more worried about profit than creating fantastic toys for the kids. He embarks on a killing spree to gain revenge on the factory owners on the children's behalf.

This movie is directed by Lewis Jackson (The Transformation: A Sandwich of Nightmares) and stars Brandon Maggart (Dressed to Kill), Jeffrey DeMunn (The Mist), Dianne Hull (Girls on the Road), Peter Friedman (Single White Female) and Patricia Richardson (Home Improvement).

The storyline for this picture was actually fun to watch unfold and reminded me of a Santa themed Child's Play in some ways. The man losing his mind and his family dynamic was well depicted and a little like Maniac. The sets and settings do a great job of setting up the scenarios and circumstances. The kill scenes themselves are a bit disappointing but has some good use of blood and props.

Overall this is more fun to watch than good and I'd score it a 5.5/10. I'd recommend seeing this once.

oddball seasonal slasher that has more characterisation and less gore than many of its contemparies.After witnessing his mother getting it on with his father in a santa suit as a boy,a now deeply disturbed and grown up harry standling (Brandon Maggart) decides to celebrate Christmas his own way by metering out punishment to those who have besmirched the season of good will.

'Christmas evil' succeeds due to the film's emphasis on showing harry as a three dimensional character and for conjuring up a generally oppressive and Eerie atmosphere throughout,the fact that the death scence's are sporadic and often off kilter add too this 1980 slasher's unsettling nature.

'Christmas evil' will be far too off-beat for your average stalk and slash fan,but for those open minded and adventurous enough,'Christmas evil'is a one of a kind,genuinely original treat.

A young boy sees mommy having sex with Santa Claus (this seems to turn a lot of people crazy in these movies) and grows up Christmas-obsessed. He has his own "Naughty and Nice List" and takes Holiday cheer seriously...very seriously. If any adults are mean to Santa, they get a punishment a little worse than coal.

This movie was definitely odd. It was odd because of one scene, in which the psycho Santa brings toys to kids in a hospital. It actually... warmed my heart. Yes. Christmas EVIL warmed my heart. I felt horrible for the killer, as the director intended. It's like a Christmas Slasher version of Frankenstien, where the villain is tragic and just in his killings. Plus, both feature a town of mobbing people with torches. But there were little scene scattered about, the end scene, the toy scene, that actually... made me happy. So it manages to scare AND celebrate Christmas at the same time.

Oh boy, what am I saying? All in all it's a weird ass film that's pretty entertaining. 7/10. HO HO HO! MERRY Christmas!