Original title: You Better
Watch Out , Terror in Toyland
Director: Lewis Jackson
Writer: Lewis Jackson
Cast:
Brandon Maggart ...  Harry Stadling
Jeffrey DeMunn ...  Philip Stadling
Dianne Hull ...  Jackie Stadling
Andy Fenwick ...  Dennis Stadling
Brian Neville ...  Marc Stadling
Joe Jamrog ...  Frank Stoller
Wally Moran ...  Philip Stadling Jr.
Gus Salud ...  Harry Stadling Jr.
Ellen McElduff ...  Harry's mother
Brian Hartigan ...  Harry's father

Runtime:100 min  | USA:95 min (re-release)
CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980)

You really come to appreciate these Christmas slasher flicks around their due season. I’m getting into
the Christmas spirit in one of  the many ways a horror fan can, by watching Christmas Horror films!
There are many of them out there, but unfortunately I have only seen three. But that won’t stop me, little
by little I’ll catch up. I have seen “BLACK CHRISTMAS” which was very good, “SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY
NIGHT”, which was good, and now “CHRISTMAS EVIL”, which has become my favorite Christmas horror
film. I came upon a top ten list online on the subject and “CHRISTMAS EVIL” was ranked number one,
and rightfully so. Yes, this movie IS one of the many “man in a Santa suit killer” films, but apart from that
the story is as rich, complex, and intriguing as any psychological horror film out there.

It’s Christmas Eve, 1947 and the Stadling boys; Harry and Philip, are joined by there mother midway on
the stairs peering at Santa Claus from a distance as he sticks presents under the tree. Later that night
Harry comes down stairs and catches Santa seducing his mother. Santa is off course the boys father but
that peculiar image has traumatized young Harry for the rest of his life.

Present day. Harry wakes up in his Santa pajamas, in a Santa decorated house. Although it is Christmas
season I doubt Harry’s love for Christmas is strictly seasonal. He is a kind hearted man, but demented. I
guess he sees Santa and Christmas as the last good part of humanity, a time for children, innocence
and charity. From his apartment window he spies on the neighborhood kids, keeping a list of who’s
naughty or nice. No kidding, he has a large hardcover book full of names and good or bad deeds the
kids do. In one example this young boy is reading a penthouse magazine and Harry, angrily writes the
information in his book.

Harry is a manager at a toy company and he loves his job. He is idealistic and his co-workers don’t like
him at all. Frank, who works the assembly line, asks Harry to fill in for him because he needs to get off
early for a family vacation. Harry covers for him, but it was all a ploy. Harry got taken for a sucker and
Frank left early. Poor Harry then has flashbacks of his over-sexed parents making love in inopportune
moments, when Harry is watching. I have never seen my parents have sex, and I thank God for that. I
can’t imagine the repercussions of seeing that more than once, like Harry.

During a company Christmas party Harry loads up several bags with toys and when Christmas eve
comes around he gives them away to the kids. He even has his homemade Santa outfit which is
shoddy.  During his mad excursion he drops by a hospital to unload more gifts and then kills some
people outside a church with a hand axe. Then he crashes a party, gives out more gifts to kids and
dances for awhile. I can’t explain how creepy Harry can get, it’s as if he was drunk on madness and
managed to keep himself from killing even more people, for the sake of the children. Later on he goes to
Frank’s house to leave toys for his kids, but then decides to also cut open his (Frank’s) throat with the
edge of a Christmas tree star.

Christmas day. Harry, as Santa, is at a street corner giving out even more gifts to the children. The
children’s parents are frightfully watching because the exploits of the Santa suit killer was on the news. A
mob begins to form as Santa flees in his van, which is painted on the sides to look like a sleigh.  Harry
drops by his brother Phil’s place and accuses him of never believing in Santa, WTF ? Phil gets upset
and chokes him till he passes out. He carries his brother’s body outside and places him inside the van.
Harry wakes up, punches Phil and drives away. The mob follow him and watch in awe as the van
crashes through a barricade but instead of falling down and crashing below the van flies through the air,
up, up and way. Yes, that’s exactly how it ends.

This movie is great stuff. You really need to see Brandon Maggart’s performance as Harry. This, right
here is what crazy people are really like. This film  should be considered a classic slasher. The ending
was perfect. It takes us with him to his fantasy world and he triumphs in a way over those that wronged
him. There could have been more killings, more blood, but the insanity factor is top notch.

                                                                                                                - Jorge Antonio Lopez
N / A
Christmas Evil (1980)
Seen it too ? Let us know what you thought.

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