Silent Night, Deadly Night

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Silent Night, Deadly Night

R

Released Nov 9, 1984

1h 19m

Horror

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Popcornmeter

52%

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29 Reviews

40%

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5,000+ Ratings

An orphan raised by nuns (Lilyan Chauvin, Gilmer McCormick) grows up to be a killer toy-store Santa Claus.

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Matthew Rozsa

Salon.com

Buried beneath the blood-soaked Santa suit, "Silent Night, Deadly Night" has something a lot of slasher films lack - a unique identity, and thus cult film status.

Rated: 3.5/4

Oct 31, 2021

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Anton Bitel

Little White Lies

if his eventual explosion delivers all the by-numbers cat & mouse and multitool culling that is expected of thesubgenre, it is his personal psychodrama which keeps us engaged with what is as much a human tragedy as a succession of sensational thrills

Nov 9, 2020

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Richard Corliss

TIME Magazine

We're not knocking the transformation of a hallowed holiday figure into a homicidal maniac...it's the pleasure Billy and the movie take in leering at, then dicing up young women that lands Charles E. Sellier Jr.'s sicko Santa on our worst list.

Nov 29, 2018

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Preston Barta

Denton Record-Chronicle

The film is infamous for its blend of holiday cheer and brutal violence, exploring themes of trauma, abuse, and the darkness that can lie beneath festive surfaces, all while maintaining a sense of humor and not taking itself too seriously.

Jan 23, 2025

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Joe Lipsett

Horror Queers Podcast

A mean exploitation/slasher film with a surprising amount of nudity and a really hot Santa in Robert Brian Wilson. Not a lot of characterization, but a few decent kills and a breezy 80 min runtime.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 8, 2024

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Nick Rogers

Midwest Film Journal

An exploitative surgical strike on its era's hollow feelings of holiday cheer by way of a broadside attack against both Christian conservatism and the perpetual misery machine of Catholicism.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 25, 2024

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Jules N

Heureusement qu'on s'attarde sur le passé du tueur parce que sinon on aurait un slasher basique et ennuyant.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/16/25

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Jason W

Not the worst out there, but definitely not the best. It's a borderline softcore late night movie with some kills from psychos dressed as Santa. The plot is not very strong, but if you are looking for a sleezy, crazy killer flick for the holiday season, go for it.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/26/24

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Omar G

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984). First there was Tales from the Crypt (1972) where there is a madman dressed as Santa Claus and then Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984). Commercial Christmas, a holiday based on the Saturnalia. Those who do not celebrate Christmas in Hollywood enjoy it. Was hot, young blonde mom. The hypocritical repressive Catholic teachings with sex. Contrast with the depravity exposed in Hollywood. As a child he was nice as an adult an idiot, he notices a woman more idiotic than him. I was hoping Linnea Quigley would appear, she was young, pretty and sexy. Then she only appears for like three minutes. The stupid policemen shooting to scare people and be obeyed. The worst person in the movie was not punished, the mother superior, how she mistreated the orphan.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/23/24

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Audience M

Silent Night, Deadly Night is a classic corny and melodramatic 80s slasher. It is one of those horror films that toes the line between trashy slasher and unintentional dark comedy.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/21/24

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Horror fan 4

A great Christmas slasher with awesome kills. Tim Treakle

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/17/24

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Daniel C. M

This movie jumps around a lot into being a so-bad-it's-good and a genuinely good movie. Features a very nice and original story and cool kills, the character of Billy Chapman is actually a very good character, even if the actor is very average; however, he still remains probably the best actor here, as all the other acting is laughable and there are some really strange script errors and inconsistences that even if you are a very forgiving person for movies like me, it still bothers you.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

12/05/24

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Charles E. Sellier Jr.

Director

Lilyan Chauvin

Mother Superior

Gilmer McCormick

Sister Margaret

Toni Nero

Pamela

Robert Brian Wilson

Billy (Age 18)

Britt Leach

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Synopsis

An orphan raised by nuns (Lilyan Chauvin, Gilmer McCormick) grows up to be a killer toy-store Santa Claus.

Director: Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Producer: Ira Barmak
Screenwriter: Paul Caimi, Michael Hickey
Distributor: TriStar Pictures, Paragon Video, Live Video, USA Films
Production Co: TriStar Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 9, 1984, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 30, 2016
Runtime: 1h 19m

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