Interesteg What makes it different from others?

SanEat A film with more than the usual spoiler issues. Talking about it in any detail feels akin to handing you a gift-wrapped present and saying, "I hope you like it -- It's a thriller about a diabolical secret experiment."

Micah Lloyd Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

Bob This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Mr_Ectoplasma "Christmas Evil" is a semi-obscure holiday horror treat that emerged in 1980 during the slasher film boom, although it isn't really isn't a typical slasher movie— in fact, I'm not sure you could call it a slasher movie at all. The movie focuses on Harry, a middle-aged worker at a Christmas-themed toy factory who has an unhealthy obsession over the Christmas holiday and Santa Claus, stemming from a traumatic childhood event. On Christmas Eve, Harry sets out to deliver toys to all the good boys and girls. His good deed, however, is disrupted, and an ensuing psychotic break has him slashing instead of spreading holiday cheer.One of the better (and earlier) holiday horror excursions, "Christmas Evil" is an interesting film and probably isn't what you'd expect. Many people seem to get the film confused with the 1984 slasher film, "Silent Night, Deadly Night", but in fact, these two movies are actually quite different aside from the "murderer in the Santa Claus attire" plot device. "Christmas Evil" is less a slasher, and more a character study, where the reverse is arguably true of the latter.Although the root of the main character's (effectively played by Brandon Maggart) mental disruption is addressed early on in the film, it does require some suspension of disbelief, as Harry's unhealthy obsession with Christmas leads him to assuming the identity of Santa Claus. His innocent intentions to deliver toys to the good boys and girls is actually rather heartwarming, but the narrative takes a sinister turn that has the film shift from what could have been a weird Hallmark movie to a demented slasher. In addition to the character study element, the film has some great spooky scenes and a heavy holiday atmosphere. The conclusion is rife with metaphor and is darkly appropriate and imaginative.Overall, "Christmas Evil" is a strangely thoughtful holiday horror film that probably won't please the masses, but it is a weird and memorable entry in the genre. As a character study, it's flawed, and as a slasher movie, it doesn't really register entirely, but it is a true one-of-a-kind. Worth a watch for anyone who can appreciate a little imagination (and suspension of disbelief) when it comes to yuletide terror. 7/10.

vengeance20 Watched this after hearing how it got over looked when the controversial, if not great Silent Night, Deadly Night, 4 years later in 1984 got pulled from cinemas because soppy parents were protesting against the film of a psycho dressed as Santa going around murdering people! It's no wonder Christmas Evil/You Better Watch Out got overlooked, it sucked f**king balls! I mean it was slow, boring & had little to no action in it, & when there was it was either too little to late, or just plane sh!te! The effects are 50/50. If not 30 or 20/50 as they aren't even that satisfying being 180% honest!The story follows a young lad who is scared for life after he sees his mum having oral sex with Santa (his dad) after this he doesn't see Santa let alone Christmas in the same way again! He then has a very slow X100 meltdown about this grim childhood experience!The story dragged for 90 odd minutes & again could've had a better body count as it lacked badly. By about 50 minutes into the film, something happened but it was not only too little too late! But it was badly done that event Halloween 1978 was better than this sh!te! With only 3 body counts vs 90 minutes of pure & utter boredom, this film sucked balls! Too much story & lack of action which makes Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1 2014 way better than this sh!te! It sucked so bad I found it painful & tortures to watch it was that bad!!Overall I give this a 1/10 it was sh!te!

Woodyanders Meek middle-aged toy factory worker Harry Stadling (superbly played with heartbreaking pathos and conviction by Brandon Maggart) has a decidedly unhealthy fixation on Santa Claus: He lives in a home adorned with a motley array of St. Nick-themed items, tries to get his indifferent coworkers to take pride in the toys that they manufacture, and even spies on the neighborhood kids with binoculars and keeps tabs on their behavior in a series of ledgers. However, one fateful Christmas Eve Harry has a severe mental meltdown and goes dangerously off the deep end with his Santa obsession.Those expecting a typical and conventional slice'n'dice body count opus will be seriously disappointed; instead writer/director Lewis Jackson offers something much better and more ambitious: A quirky, vivid, and often darkly humorous psychological character study of a deeply tragic and troubled soul who elicits from the viewer a complex blend of fear and pity. Best of all, Jackson not only grounds the premise in a thoroughly believable workaday blue collar reality, but also provides a handy helping of spot-on stinging social commentary on the crass commercialization of the yuletide season. Moreover, this film delivers a wonderful wealth of inspired oddball moments: A raucous Christmas office party that degenerates into a drunken fracas, Harry marking a bratty kid's house with muddy hand prints, Harry happily dancing at another Christmas party (Harry's speech to a bunch of little children at this particular party is an absolute loopy hoot!), Harry getting stuck in a chimney, Harry being chased by an angry torch-wielding mob, a police station line-up of sidewalk Santas, and a truly bonkers magical ending that's probably all in Harry's unbalanced head.While Maggart clearly dominates the movie with his top-notch portrayal of a fascinatingly sincere and well-meaning, yet still lethal and unhinged individual, he nonetheless receives sturdy support from Jeffrey DeMunn as Harry's fed-up long-suffering younger brother Philip, Dianne Hall as Philip's more sweet and tolerant wife Jackie, Joe Jamrog as lazy and irresponsible coworker Frank, and Peter Friedman as callous executive Mr. Grosch. Philip Cosnoff does a wickedly dead-on caricature of Geraldo Rivera as preening television reporter Ricardo Bauma. Popping up in small parts are such familiar faces as Mark Margolis, Patricia Richardson, Rutanya Alda, and Raymond J. Barry. Kudos are also in order for Ricardo Aronovich's lustrous cinematography and the wonky electronic score by Joel Harris, Julia Heyward, and Don Christensen. A marvelously singular treat.

Robert W. Christmas Evil is no feat of film making. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone convince me of that. That being said there are some things about this film that make it stand out from other slashers that came after or even before it. It has a distinctive Psycho vibe to it and it is clear that the director actually cared about this film and was trying to make a good solid horror flick. I didn't find it nearly as campy as other B-horror 80's flicks I have seen and the performance by our lead actor is downright disturbing. Certainly it borders on being comedic in some sort of twisted way but so much of the style, scenes, sound effects and acting is just too weird and creepy to be funny. I absolutely understand why this has become a cult classic in certain circles because as far as I know and can tell this was really the first movie to turn everything sacred about Christmas into a terrifying idea. Yes, Black Christmas was set at Christmas time but our killer is literally obsessed with Christmas, children, Santa and having his dreams shattered as a child. I'm not a film expert and I rarely notice things like camera angles or specifics in cinematography and yet I couldn't help but notice some of the smart and equally creepy shots in this movie.Perhaps in the most disturbing concept Sesame Street 70's alumni Brandon Maggart who has also had a lucrative Television career is fascinating in this movie as the completely deranged killer. I know many of you that hate B-movies will scoff and wonder if I'm crazy but Maggart is excellent in this. He displays his very best Norman Bates given the very shallow character development he gets. His mental breakdown and obsessions drives this movie and honestly his performance is far better than a movie like this deserves. I anxiously awaited his snap when he would finally lose it and he is actually a very good actor who makes such a ridiculous film concept seem viable. Its almost a one man show for him because every other person in the movie are small supporting roles so the main focus is squarely on him and it actually probably makes the film that much better. How incredible he is from the time he puts on the suit for the first time through delivering the gifts to the hospital (just a jaw droppingly disturbing scene) to his murderous spree. Not the kills are where the film really starts to get campy because they are ridiculous and poorly shot with dollar store special effects. But thanks to (once again) the music and the camera angles...it is just disturbing. Jeffrey DeMunn (a recognizable character actor) plays Harry's brother and does a solid job. Same with Dianne Hull as his sister in law. They don't get a ton of screen time and they are there strictly to show how far Harry falls from humanity.I have honestly never seen a horror film like this. I mean, it didn't just freak me out but it legitimately got under my skin. It just felt wrong...the killer is completely sadistic and his descent is terrifying to watch. As a horror fan I would never add this to my collection because I simply don't think I could watch it a second time and yet I have to give it kudos for style and just the sick dark nature of it. Writer and director Lewis Jackson has virtually no other credits to his name and I'm actually surprised because I keep emphasizing there is some talent here. The problem with the movie is the story is incredibly weak. I mean, it would have made a great difference to have something other than Harry spotting his Dad dressed as Santa and fooling around with his mother to leave a disturbing impression on him. If some aspects of another B-Horror Christmas classic Silent Night, Deadly Night mixed with this they would have had a real terrifying movie on their hands. I have to call it like I see it and this is brilliantly crafted in so many ways. It drags and dawdles a lot but its like a horrifying car wreck that you can't look away from. His Santa suit is so well done and every time you see a child on the screen you feel sick to your stomach because this guy is truly so messed up. Watch this but with caution because it is something really sick. Only horror fans looking for something outside of the box should watch this one. The last half hour of the film turns into a bizarre homage to Frankenstein and just about nearly de-vilifies our killer and makes him an anti-hero. But I would argue with anyone who says this belongs in a "campy horror" film section. It is a bizarre and twisted film that needs to be seen to be believed. 7/10