Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming

James Plumb's gory, violent festive horror is for adults only, about a man who inherits his grandfather's home, unaware that an axe killer lives there too.

This is a British remake of the original version of Silent Night, Bloody Night, released 41 years earlier - and the final product here is one that should never have been done.

The story concerns the uninhabited house of Wilfred Butler (Philip Harvey), a rich but concerned man who killed himself in 1987, who has been willed to his grandson, Jeffrey (Alan Humphreys).

The home has sat in turmoil since Wilfred's demise, standing in the way of creators who desire to turn the property into residential homes.

Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming is an extremely low budget, modern, British remake, of the classic 1970's Christmas slasher of the same name (less the subtitle, of course).

And...while it's a well-meaning homage and all...it begs the question...why?!

Sure...it does make an effort to remain true to the viciousness of the original.

It just seems completely unnecessary, is all.

Mainly due to the fact that it's such a low effort reproduction...that it comes off as a disservice, if anything.

Like...why not make a more original film that riffs off the idea on which the original was based...instead of a direct remake that fails to capitalize upon the nuance that made it such a classic.

It just doesn't make sense.

I can appreciate the obsession the filmmakers, here, have for the original cult classic.

But just can't fathom why they felt the need to re-create it, in a format that is clearly inferior in every way.

Unless, maybe, it was a school project or something.

That aside...there's not much to say about the whole thing.

It's just a cheap, poorly made, ripoff of the original.

And that's that.

2.5 out of 10.

Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming (2013)

* (out of 4)

Wilfred Butler commits suicide by setting himself on fire. His grandson is left his mansion but when he plans to sell it a maniac with an axe shows up to start killing people.

SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT: THE HOMECOMING is a British remake of the 1972 cult film that features Patrick O'Neil and John Carradine. When this film first went into production it really wasn't clear if it was a remake or a long-rumored sequel. Well, it's certainly a remake but those hoping for a sequel to the original film will be happy to know that it's on the way too. As for this film, it's a pretty bad film on many levels and also a very frustrating one.

I say frustrating because even though the original was quite good, there were some flaws that could have been ironed out and made into an even better movie. Sadly this isn't that movie. In fact, the flaws in the original are somewhat made worse here. On a technical level this film, like the original, really shows its budget. The entire thing has a very cheap look and feel to it and there's really not a bit at atmosphere or anything else creepy. The film contains one of the worst CGI effects I've seen in my life and it won't take long for you to know what I'm talking about. The gore effects really aren't any more impressive, although I must admit that they did have a certain charm if you grew up in the 80s watching those direct-to-VHS titles. These low-budget films often featured kills off screen and then someone throwing blood onto a blanket or wall. The same type of stuff is used here.

The performances are pretty much what you'd expect from a film like this and that's not very good. The biggest issue I had with the movie is that it pretty much copies the original film with only some changes towards the end. The original film had a terrific plot but there were a few things that could have been changed for the better but that doesn't happen here. In fact, I'd say the story appears to be the least concerning thing to the filmmakers. Instead they go for the blood effects and these here just aren't enough to carry the picture. Fans of the original Friday THE 13TH might want to check this out for Adrienne King but be warned that she only supplies a voice.

SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT: THE HOMECOMING (2013, UK, dir. James Plumb) is a remake of the American horror flick SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT from 1974, this one made in Bridgend on a tiny indie budget. The story involves an ancestral home being visited by various characters and one of its previous inhabitants returning to get rid of the intruders who've dared to show themselves...

Truth be told, this is awful stuff, the very worst kind of material that you see in independent cinema. There's no plot to speak of, the script is dull and the acting is seriously awful. The story merely consists of one murder sequence after another, as various courting couples turn up at the house and are bumped off by a mystery villain with a covered face. The gore is slapdash and typically involves scenes of an axe rising and falling and blood splashing on a wall. There's an obligatory shower scene and a boring reveal at the climax, but it's all so appallingly conceived that I hated every minute of it. The nice slipcover art is the only thing good about this film.

I always try to be positive about low budget British horror films, for in the main there is good intentions and some skill involved from the makers, Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming is practically impossible to be positive about. From the cheapness of the opening shot, picture is awash with bad effects, bad acting, boorish plotting and direction (James Plumb) that wouldn't pass muster as an entry in a first time teenage director competition. In short it's an absolute mess, like a bunch of people sat in a bar drinking one day and decided to pop around to the local abandoned house and play Am-Dram and see what happens. Basically an unofficial remake of an early 1970s film that itself wasn't exactly good, this is best avoided by anyone who values low budget horror. For this may just turn you off the medium. 2/10 purely for the house itself and some rather nifty artwork that has promoted this drek.