Not a member? Sign up today
“A great deal of fun, filled with unforgettable sequences, quotable lines, and pitch-black humor, all of which contributed to its infamous reputation.” – Brian Keiper, Bloody Disgusting
“The most talked about film of the decade! The movie that shocked America, outraged Hollywood, and frightened the government! The movie they tried to ban! You’ve read about it! You’ve heard about it! Now you can see it in all its terrifying horror!” —TV spot for Silent Night, Deadly Night
In this notorious slasher, life is cruel to a young boy named Billy Chapman; his grandfather scars him with a terrifying story about a Santa Claus who punishes the naughty; some other maniac dressed as Saint Nick murders Billy’s parents; and, at the orphanage where he goes to stay, Mother Superior is utterly unforgiving and an extreme disciplinarian. Flash forward to when Billy is a hulking teenager and gets a job lifting heavy boxes at a toyshop. When the Christmas decorations go up, the staff get wild under the mistletoe, and Billy turns sour. When the strapping young man gets stuck playing his white-bearded worst nightmare, he goes on a murderous rampage as one unjolly juggernaut.
Parents and film critics were outraged as the film’s marketing tainted a beloved childhood icon. At the film’s NYC premiere, parents sang carols in protest, and, on At the Movies, Gene Siskel ranted, “There’s no question in my mind that the showing of Santa with an axe on free TV in commercials is sick and sleazy and mean-spirited.” He also called out the participating film studios, TV networks, and filmmakers by name, with support from Roger Ebert, who added, “I would like to hear them explain to their children and their grandchildren that it’s only a movie. I think that would be a real interesting explanation.”
TRIVIA & SPECIAL PRIZES
Be the first to answer our trivia questions during the introduction to this screening and win an issue of Drive-In Asylum, courtesy of Groovy Doom; a Blu-ray of John Russo’s Santa Claws (1996), courtesy of Terror Vision; a special satanic selection on Blu-ray, courtesy of the American Genre Film Archive; or a copy of Silent Night, Deadly Night: The Game, courtesy of Stop the Killer, the creatives behind My Bloody Valentine: The Game and forthcoming Halloween II: The Game!
Directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr., USA, 1984, 85 mins, DCP
DOUBLE FEATURE
Silent Night, Deadly Night is a part of our Naughty List double feature co-programmed by John McDevitt and Groovy Doom screening alongside Dial Code Santa Claus. View double feature.
Friday, December 9th
7:00pm
Single Ticket: $12 /General & $10 /Members
Double Feature with Dial Code Santa Claus: $15 /General & $13 /Members
Not a member? Sign up today