Toby
01-02-2009, 01:51 AM
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CHRISTMAS EVIL {also known as YOU BETTER WATCH OUT} (1980)
Starring: Brandon Maggart, Jeffrey DeMunn, Dianne Hull, and Andy Fenwick.
Written and Directed by: Lewis Jackson
Now, before you bash me for loving such a cheesey '80s gem, let me tell you...while watching this over Christmas, I was very impressed with the backdrops, looks and colors of places and the music is just how I love the look and sound of 80's horror films, sure it was cheese, but it was great stil for me since I'm a b-movie lover. Now, here's the shinangnang...
Christmas Evil seems to begin with a middle-aged man who makes and sells toys from his company, Harry Stadling, who was horribly traumatized as a child by seeing his parents making love under their christmas tree, his father in a Santa suit, making him realize Santa didn't seem to exsist and he becomes crazed and obsessed with Christmas and Santa. His older brother, Philip, seems to be worried about him 24/7 and tries to help Harry out when he can.
But there's no helping with Harry's problem, he's determined to bring holiday cheer and toys to all the little good boys and girls that need the gifts of Christmas bought to them...even if that means he glues a white beard, makes his own Santa suit, steals his own toys from his toy factory to give to the kids...but even when there's good children, there's bad people and he uses his toys and whatever Christmasy gift he can use to bash out the brains and faces of those naughty adults out there...
Now, I really thought this was a really good movie to watch, yeah it had slow-paced moments, but for me I thought it was for good reason because you follow along with Harry and watch him go through the phases of sheer insanity and kind of feel his pain some times and seeing how scary it is when he becomes Santa Claus.
***SPOILER***
And about the ending, for those that went "WTF?" when Harry's van flew away into the sky, I too thought it was very silly and weird. But I would like to say, as a logical solution, that that was a symbolic moment. I believe Harry did fly off the edge of the road and crash and died, and what we saw was basically his spiritual dreams of whatever he had left that still made him feel like he really was Santa Claus and would fly as far as he could into the moonl ight before his soul completely crossed over. Poor Harry, but he was crazy.
The story was pretty brief, but it was likeable still, very screwed up and yet enjoyable at the same time. There's a lot of average-yet-good acting in this movie here and there and it didn't leave my interest, the blood and gore needed some more touch ups, because when he killed people it really was a pretty scary scene and I think it could've used a lot more though, of course the effects were cheesey but I never doubted the movie one second, this is a good gem that I'll try and find to put into my collection.
7/10
CHRISTMAS EVIL {also known as YOU BETTER WATCH OUT} (1980)
Starring: Brandon Maggart, Jeffrey DeMunn, Dianne Hull, and Andy Fenwick.
Written and Directed by: Lewis Jackson
Now, before you bash me for loving such a cheesey '80s gem, let me tell you...while watching this over Christmas, I was very impressed with the backdrops, looks and colors of places and the music is just how I love the look and sound of 80's horror films, sure it was cheese, but it was great stil for me since I'm a b-movie lover. Now, here's the shinangnang...
Christmas Evil seems to begin with a middle-aged man who makes and sells toys from his company, Harry Stadling, who was horribly traumatized as a child by seeing his parents making love under their christmas tree, his father in a Santa suit, making him realize Santa didn't seem to exsist and he becomes crazed and obsessed with Christmas and Santa. His older brother, Philip, seems to be worried about him 24/7 and tries to help Harry out when he can.
But there's no helping with Harry's problem, he's determined to bring holiday cheer and toys to all the little good boys and girls that need the gifts of Christmas bought to them...even if that means he glues a white beard, makes his own Santa suit, steals his own toys from his toy factory to give to the kids...but even when there's good children, there's bad people and he uses his toys and whatever Christmasy gift he can use to bash out the brains and faces of those naughty adults out there...
Now, I really thought this was a really good movie to watch, yeah it had slow-paced moments, but for me I thought it was for good reason because you follow along with Harry and watch him go through the phases of sheer insanity and kind of feel his pain some times and seeing how scary it is when he becomes Santa Claus.
***SPOILER***
And about the ending, for those that went "WTF?" when Harry's van flew away into the sky, I too thought it was very silly and weird. But I would like to say, as a logical solution, that that was a symbolic moment. I believe Harry did fly off the edge of the road and crash and died, and what we saw was basically his spiritual dreams of whatever he had left that still made him feel like he really was Santa Claus and would fly as far as he could into the moonl ight before his soul completely crossed over. Poor Harry, but he was crazy.
The story was pretty brief, but it was likeable still, very screwed up and yet enjoyable at the same time. There's a lot of average-yet-good acting in this movie here and there and it didn't leave my interest, the blood and gore needed some more touch ups, because when he killed people it really was a pretty scary scene and I think it could've used a lot more though, of course the effects were cheesey but I never doubted the movie one second, this is a good gem that I'll try and find to put into my collection.
7/10