"Silent Night, Bloody Night"

[dvdasia62]

Here's an interesting little film that may have actually been the inspiration for Bob Clark's magnificant "Black Christmas". As much as Clark is credited with possibly starting the "slasher" genre with "Black Christmas" and as much as that film has been cited as "doing it all before" Carpenter did in "Halloween", it might have actually been a Canadian version of it's American cousin "Silent Night, Bloody Night".

The films are amazingly similar in their use of wide, distorting POV shots, bizarre phone calls from the killer, snowy and isolated settings and characters being "offed" at anytime. The thing is, "SN,BN" did it a full year earlier in 1973!!! Just something to think about. :)

BTW, the film is genunely atmospheric and creepy if amatuerish at times but makes for an interesting hour and a half. Again, a nice job by Brentwood here putting a film out I might not have ever seen and doing it at a bargain basement price. :)

[KillerCannabis]

Was this put out on its own, or in a Brentwood 10-pack? I wouldnt mind giving it a watch sometime.

[dvdasia62]

Actually it is part of Brentwood's "Evil Places" 4 movie boxset along with "Satan's School For Girls", "House On Haunted Hill" and "Don't Look In The Basement". I believe that Diamond has also released it solo or as part of a double bill.

[betterdan]

Yep I have the Diamond Release. It looks pretty bad but at least it was cheap and allowed me to finally see this decent flick.

[horrorboy101]

I love this film!!!!!!!! I think it's so atmospheric and interesting to watch. I have the Diamond version, anything special on the Brentwood edition? Better picture?

[MaxRenn]

Some Spoilers...........



I watched this bizarre film last night. It's low-budget and not too well-made but two things stand out. Firstly how many other slasher movies have the murders committed by an 80 year old man! :eek: Secondly that asylum flashback scene done in sepia is truly weird and wonderful. I think that someone should remake this movie.

I don't agree that this was the inspiration for "Black Christmas" but isn't Mario Bava's "Bay of Blood" generally accepted as the first slasher movie?

[dvdasia62]

I definately didn't mean to imply that it was the inspiration for "Black Christmas" but Clark's film is strikingly similar(though better) and "SN,BL" was done a year earlier. :)

[horrorboy101]

I think SN,BN could've inspired BC. I think Clark mentioned something about that years ago. Anyone know if the Brentwood DVD edition good?

[dvdasia62]

The Brentwood cut is about pretty much what you'd expect. I guess about the same as the Diamond disc. I'd like to see it get a decent release one of these days.