YOU BETTER WATCH OUT-1980-A Santa obsessed psycho named Harry (Brandon Maggart) spies on his neighbors and keeps records on the local children (who's naughty, who's nice). He's mesmerized while watching a Santa Claus parade on TV and makes his own costume. He hums Christmas tunes and makes a lot of toys which he delivers to a children's hospital on Christmas Eve but when he is ridiculed by some church going assholes he kills 3 of them with some toys. He later goes to a party and dances with the women and kids there. Then he kills a jerk who bothered him at work by slashing his throat with a Christmas tree star. An emotionless TV reporter says: "Avoid anyone dressed as Santa". Harry blames his brother (Jeffery DeMunn, as of this writing a regular on THE WALKING DEAD) for most of his problems after he saw his dad (dressed as Santa) having sex with his mom (I think).
Crazy parts include a police line-up featuring Santas and a vigilante mob chasing old St. Nick. Except for Maggart (the father of singer Fiona Apple) most of the acting is bad as is the script and direction (Lewis Jackson's only movie) but I don't believe this is a set-up. It's suppose to be s serious psychological slasher movie and it's an unintentional laugh riot! Look for Father Christmas in an alley with a stiletto.
Scenes from MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLDIERS show up on a TV. Also with Dianne Hull (Rose in ALOHA BOBBY & ROSE) as Harry's kindhearted sister in law. Pre-dates the more well known and infamous SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT by four years. The fantasy ending kind of threw me too.
Filmed in Edgewater, NJ which may explain why the late Danny Federici (keyboard player from Springsteen's E Street Band) has a cameo playing the accordion. This is also known as CHRISTMAS EVIL.
Thanks for reading!
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