SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (1984)
Starring Lilyan Chauvin and Gilmer McCormick
Parents groups did this slasher film a huge favor when they protested it and demanding that theaters pull it.
The movie has a serial killer take on the identity of Santa Claus, stalking naughty girls such as scream queen Linnea Quigley. Audiences weren't all that interested—until parents had the film banned. As a result of the free publicity, the film was a runaway hit on video and spawned several sequels.
The film opens with a boy in 1971 witnessing his mother's rape and father's murder by a convict dressed up as Santa Claus. He winds up being raised by abusive nuns. "What the hell's wrong with that kid?" a guy in a Santa costume asks after being punched by the boy.
Of course, he grows up to be a psychopath who wears Santa garb instead of a hockey mask It all starts when his manager at a toy store forces him to wear a Santa costume at Christmas. "Stop kicking," he tells a kid. "I don't bring toys to naughty children. I punish them—severely."
After getting attached to his new identity as a homicidal Santa, he murders anyone he knows is having sex. Since that's a large percentage of the world population it isn't hard for him to find victims. At least he doesn't kill any kids. He hands one a murder weapon for Christmas, however. It's a sick movie and the producers knew it was going to piss a lot of people off. By protesting, parents groups played perfectly into their hands.
But is it worth seeing? Absolutely. Who can resist a movie where Santa has lines like "Punishment is necessary." But if you're really looking for a great holiday horror film, you should see "Black Christmas," a masterpiece. Look for Madeline Smith, of "Vampire Lovers" fame, as a nun.
Followed by "Silent Night, Deadly Night 2."