Christmas Evil, 1980
This is an American slasher movie of the writer, director Lewis Jackson. The movie plot followed the deranged guy obsessed with Santa Claus who finally went on a killing rampage clothe in a Santa Claus suit. The moment this movie was released, it gained the cult following including some praises.
Cast Lists
Mark Margolis performed as the Christmas Party Accoster
Brandon Maggart performed as Harry Stadling Wally Moran performed as the Young Philip Stadling
Scott McKay performed as Mr. Fletcher
Patricia Richardson performed as Mrs. Garcia
Colleen Zenk performed as Binky
Mark Chamberlin performed as Charles
Jeffrey DeMunn performed as Philip Stadling
Joe Jamrog performed as Frank Stoller
Burt Kleiner performed as Mr. Wiseman
Peter Neuman performed as Moss Garcia
Gus Salud performed as the Young Harry Stadling
Rutanya Alda performed as Theresa
Raymond J. Barry performed as Detective Gleason
Peter Friedman performed as Mr. Grosch
Dianne Hull performed as Jackie Stadling
Michael Klingher performed as Peter
Narrative
In the suburban New Jersey, during Christmas Eve of 1947, the young lad named Harry Stadling saw his mother as sexually fumbled by his father that was dressed up in a Santa Claus suit. Traumatized, the kid rushed up to their attic and then cut his hand with The Shard of Glass that came from the shattered snow globe. After thirty-three years, the adult Harry worked in the low-level rank at Jolly Dream factory of toys, where his colleagues had taken consideration of him as a “schmuck” and then makes fun about him.
At their home, he had taken it upon him to be the next real Santa: he slept in costume, and the entire apartment is resplendent of Christmas décors. He spied on neighborhood kids to see if they’re being “bad” or “good” and kept detailed records about their behavior. Frank, the coworker of Harry asked Harry to cover about his shift at the assembly line just in order for him to be with the family. But, during his way home coming from work, Harry saw Frank drinking with his friends at the local bar. Distressed of the man’s deceit, Harry broke one of the dollhouse figures during the Christmas tunes humming. The next day, he cancelled the Thanksgiving dinner with Phil, his younger brother and his whole family. Phil had been constantly angry of his brother’s strange attitude, while Jackie, Phil’s wife is more sympathetic.
During the Christmas party of the company, the Jolly Dreams’ owner, Mr. Wiseman, announced that the company has a plan of donating toys to the kids of the local hospice, provided production raises sufficiently and the staffs contributed with their personal cash. One of the high-ranking executives of the company, Mr. Fletcher, introduced Harry to George Grosch, the new training executive, who devised the payment scheme. Harry was angry with this for not really thinking and caring about the kids. That evening, he fills the bags with toys that he stole from that factory and some other bags with much dirt. And on the Eve of Christmas, while glueing the beard Santa to his face Harry entered the fugue state that had him convinced that Harry was truly being the Santa Claus. Garbed with his outfit as Santa, Harry started doing his rounds at the van which he decorated with the sleigh picture.
Writer’s Notion
The movie was definitely an odd one. It was strange because of a particular scene, wherein a psycho Santa takes toys to the kids in a hospice. It actually warmed the audience’s heart. Christmas EVIL will warm your heart. You will feel horrible for this killer, as what the director intended. It is like the Christmas Slasher side of Frankenstein, wherein a villain is tragic with just in the killings. Plus, both presented the city of the mobbing individual with torches. However, there were small scenes scattered about, and at the end scene, a toy scene, which actually made the viewers happy. So it handles to scare and at the same time to celebrate Christmas.
