Silent Night, Deadly Night is one of those films that feel like it was an entire accident. By review of the entire cast and crew (minus Leanna Quigley), it would give you no indication of just how brutal and good a film Silent Night, Deadly Night is. Rather than play it as a straight slasher film with a final girl at its end, Silent Night, Deadly Night follows its killer through his formation and eventual killing spree. It’s dirty, it’s offensive, it plays in the most general cloying terms but… it works and it works well.
The film’s weapon that separates it from other slasher films is its adherence to following Billy (Robert Brian Wilson) the young boy (played by Danny Wagner) and the young man who eventually turns psycho Santa Claus in a small Utah town. The film doesn’t sympathize with Billy but empathizes with him. A huge difference that makes the film so powerful. Silent Night, Deadly Night doesn’t ask you to feel bad for Billy but it does show you the exact road that took him to get there. It may not be pretty but it is a fascinating, albeit brutal ride.
Be warned the film has no problem with taking the Catholic church to task and in the most critical of manners. Silent Night, Deadly Night as written and directed makes Billy’s turn from a shell-shocked young kid to eventual Santa Claus-fearing serial killer, the church’s fault. Specifically, the church in the form of Mother Superior (Lilyan Chauvin) who manages to mentally and physically abuse Billy as a child as a means to “solve his issues”. Many will be more offended by this plot exposition than any of the gore or kills.
One of the issues people may face is that Silent Night, Deadly Night plays as a serious somber drama more than a slasher/horror film. Much of the film’s run time is spent on the setup and the “whys” rather than the actual kills. One expecting Friday the 13th Part __ will be sadly disappointed. Silent Night, Deadly Night wants to be more and for the most part, succeeds as being a dark drama with a serial killer as its lead. It never does ask you to side with Billy as very apparent after he begins his killing spree, murdering everyone in the toy store he works in. What Silent Night, Deadly Night does ask of you is your complete attention during its stark 96-minute runtime leading to one of the best final lines in horror history.
The Transfer
4K UHD Theatrical Edition [Disc One]
The all-new 4K Transfer from The Original Camera Negative presented In Dolby Vision is a beautiful upgrade and is the best the low-budget feature has ever looked eclipsing the wonderful Scream Factory Blu-ray released in 2018. Scream has gone above and beyond with the help of Sony/Tristar Pictures by giving us the best version of the film in this new 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative. The Contrast and Black Levels are balanced giving a film that’s mostly shot at night a beautiful look. The grain structure and sharpness give this release of Silent Night, Deadly Night a razor-sharp but filmic look. Fans of this film will be delighted by the film’s stunning native 4K Transfer even those that purchased the previous Scream Blu-ray. The image is an all-around upgrade.
Blu-ray Unrated Edition [Disc Three]
Disc three with its all-new 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative With Standard Definition Inserts is a mixed bag as to be expected. Huge kudos to Scream Factory and Sony/Tristar for giving us the fans that we wanted, which is the unrated edition. One does wish they had thrown caution into the wind and created the 4K UHD for the unrated with the SD inserts. Though once one sees the native 4K image from disc one it’s apparent why they did not opt to produce a 4K version. The inserts are definitely noticeable in quality level. That being said I had a great time watching it calling it “80’s VHS Vision” whenever these moments would come up. Scream/Sony/Tristar has done their best to clean up the footage. It should also be noted that they definitely let you know up front (like they have with prior editions like Black Christmas) about the quality and change in the transfer. It’s these types of small considerations that show how much respect Scream Factory has for its fan base.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC ONE (4K UHD – THEATRICAL VERSION):
NEW Audio Commentary With Author Amanda Reyes And The Hysteria Continues Podcast
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION):
NEW Audio Commentary With Author Amanda Reyes And The Hysteria Continues Podcast
NEW “The Night He Came Home… For Christmas: Creating Silent Night, Deadly Night”
NEW “In Search of Charles Sellier Jr: Remembering the Director”
NEW “Naughty or Nice: 40 Years Of Silent Night, Deadly Night”
DISC THREE (BLU-RAY – UNRATED VERSION)
Audio Commentary With Actor Robert Brian Wilson And Co-Executive Producer Scott J. Schneid
Audio Commentary With Writer Michael Hickey, Composer Perry Boykin, Producer Scott J. Schneid, and Unit Director Michael Spence
“Slay Bells Ring: The Story Of Silent Night, Deadly Night”
“Oh Deer!” – An Interview With Actor Linnea Quigley
Christmas In July – Silent Night, Deadly Night Locations – Then And Now
Audio Interview With Director Charles E. Sellier, Jr. From Deadpit Radio (Extended Version)
“Santa’s Stocking Of Outrage”
Poster And Still Gallery
R-Rated Theatrical Trailer & Japanese VHS Trailer
TV Spots
Radio Spot
NOTE: The new podcast with Reyes and The Hysteria Continues Podcast appears on both the 4K and Blu-ray theatrical discs.
DISC ONE (4K UHD – THEATRICAL VERSION):
The all-new Audio Commentary with Author Amanda Reyes and The Hysteria Continues Podcast opens with Reyes and the THC podcaster discussing their love of the film and when and how they saw the film. Some of the other details include the initial release and the strong reactions to the film – the dark humor which many of those involved said was missed by the original audiences; fan theories of Billy’s psychosis; how the film was develop and produced and the trouble the producers had with Tristar in releasing and dropping it after controversy; the reasons why the film’s production is so well documented; their own recollections of the controversy and the picketing of the film; a discussion of the UK release, where there was no release because this was made during the “Video Nasties” era and a discussion of the various reasons why; the reasons why the sexual scenes exist and the pathology of the Billy character is tied to it; the original inception Billy and how he was to supposed to be the atypical slasher; a discussion of the big budget studio slasher versus low budget and indie produced slashers; the appearance of Linnea Quigley – and how her death and entire scene changed during the production; a discussion of the origins of the story – which began as a novel (which was never released); a larger discussion of the screenwriters Michael Hickey & Paul Caimi including their other screenplays/movies – and a discussion of who they wanted to get to direct; a discussion of director Charles Sellier his personal history and directing career – his refusal to direct the violent scenes and his work within children’s film; a larger discussion of the various locations that appear in the film; a larger discussion of the connections to Footloose this production has; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear throughout the film with discussion of the various roles they played and their personal histories; and much more. Reyes and Co. provide a truly wonderful and informative commentary track that covers the gamut of topics one would want to know about Silent Night, Deadly Night.
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION):
“The Night He Came Home… For Christmas: Creating Silent Night, Deadly Night” (16:47) – is an all-new interview with Producer Scott Schneid discusses how he came to find the project that would become Silent Night, Deadly Night. Schneid discusses how he and Whitehead came together to develop the film, how Michael Hickey came aboard the project, Hickey’s version of the script and the differences from the original script, being “frozen out” of the production, how they got involved with Tristar, the attaching of Sellier Jr. – the other directors they were trying to attach, and much more.
“In Search of Charles Sellier Jr: Remembering the Director” (10:32) – is an all-new interview with Editor Michael Spence that begins with his work with Sun Classics (which developed and produced Silent Night, Deadly Night). Spence discusses his beginnings in the industry and how he found work as an editor because of friendships he had; his work for Sun Classics beginning with TV Spots and eventually editing TV Episodes and eventually to feature films; his first impressions of Charles Sellier Jr.; his first feature TV Film (which was Jeff Goldblum starrer The Legend of Sleepy Hallow); his work on a big budget feature called Hangar 18; and the last film of Sellier which was Silent Night, Deadly Night; and more. The interview features some truly great snippets of his work throughout the years.
“Naughty or Nice: 40 Years of Silent Night, Deadly Night” (11:52) – is an all-new interview with Producers Scott Schneid and Dennis Whitehead About the longevity of Silent Night, Deadly Night. Whitehead and Schneid discuss getting the rights back to the film and being able to begin to merchandize the property, a musical stage production, finding the right production company to remake the film, the current status of the remake, and much more.
DISC THREE (BLU-RAY – UNRATED VERSION)
The first of two Audio Commentaries features Actor Robert Brian Wilson and Co-Executive Producer Scott J. Schneid moderated by Blu-ray producer Justin Beahm. Some of the details include how Schneid began his career and eventually became a producer; the original title and how it was changed during the production; did they have concerns about the subject matter and the controversy it would cause; how Wilson got involved with the project and acting as a whole; the reasons why the production filmed in Utah – and the discussion of how Scheid was frozen out of the physical production; Wilson’s experience filming in Utah and staying in Salt Lake City; the way that pop culture items throughout the film – including the toy store – has an amazing amount of IP that’s become iconic now (GI Joe, Masters of the Universe, Barbie, et. al.); the cast of Hollywood Veterans and inexperienced local actors and how they interacted on set from Wilson’s account; and much more. Wilson and Schneid provide an informative commentary track with the assistance of Beahm guiding them.
The second of the two Audio Commentaries with Writer Michael Hickey, Composer Perry Boykin, Producer Scott J. Schneid, and Unit Director Michael Spence begins with their credentials for this picture. Some of the details include how each got involved with the project; a discussion of the original screenplay by Paul Cami – and what they took from that Cami screenplay and was rewritten by Hickey; Quentin Tarantino’s favorite scene in the film – including a hilarious story about showing his love at a Festival; working on Scores back at the time versus in the current digital editing era; a discussion of Sellier Jr.’s career and lack of horror content; a discussion of the protests and controversy and each’s perspectives when it became a “media circus”; a larger discussion throughout of what Spence shot as 2nd unit director; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; a larger discussion of the various issues that arose during the production with doing night shoots; and much more. The group commentary is a solid informative track.
“Slay Bells Ring: The Story of Silent Night, Deadly Night” (45:51) – this archival making-of documentary that covers everything from the writing of the original script to pre-production, to production and the critic backlash of the film. Many of the original cast and crew are interviewed for this making-of. Many of these interviews do not hold back on their thoughts or stories of the production. It’s a fascinating look at the making of this now-infamous horror film. Some will find that this making-of is more interesting than the film itself. Featuring Interviews with Writer Michael Hickey, Co-Executive Producers Scott J. Schneid & Dennis Whitehead, Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Spence, Composer Perry Botkin, Actor Robert Brian Wilson, and more.
“Oh Deer!” (21:50) – is an archival interview with horror icon Linnea Quigley opens with her personal history with Christmas and Santa Claus. Quigley discusses her rise through the ranks in Los Angeles in modeling and acting – including some wild anecdotes about her time on sets; the audition process for Silent Night, Deadly Night; working with Charles Sellier Jr. – and her feeling that he was in out of his element and lack of direction; a discussion of her iconic death in the film; and much more.
Christmas In July – Silent Night, Deadly Night Locations – Then and Now (10:00) – this archival featurette takes a look at the filming locations now and back during the production proving nothing changes in Utah, or not much.
Audio Interview with Director Charles E. Sellier, Jr. From Deadpit Radio (58:03) – this archival radio interview covers the director’s entire life from the beginning with his very first film – a nature documentary that was initially rejected by normal studios, but a risky gambit turned into a huge profit. Sellier Jr. goes through the various highs and lows of his career in independent cinema covering the genre films he produced and or directed (e.g., Hangar 18, Chariot of the Gods, The Boogens,The Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Fall of the House of Usher) to Television Movies (his many Grizzly Adams TV movies and series) to Silent Night Deadly Night and much more. The Silent Night Deadly Night conversation starts in earnest around the 16:00 minute mark. The interview is more of a career-spanning interview than one specifically about the horror classic. Though this interview is truly interesting as it gets into the details of the business.
“Santa’s Stocking of Outrage” (4:31) – a hilarious little bit that features some of the distressed people who wrote to Tristar about their outrage over Silent Night, Deadly Night. These appear to be pulled from real-life complaints including Mickey Rooney (who would end up filming the 5th entry in the series).
Poster And Still Gallery (0:58) – the gallery consists of 10 posters, VHS covers, Blu-ray covers, and production stills.
Trailers (2:20) – featuring the Redband R-Rated Theatrical Trailer, US VHS Trailer, and Japanese VHS Trailer.
TV Spots (1:10) – the two thirty-second spots.
Radio Spot (0:36) – the single radio spot plays over an animated image.
The Final Thought
Scream Factory / Shout Studios continues to outdo themselves with their upgrades to 4K UHD of existing titles like Silent Night, Deadly Night – adding new 4K Transfers and new special features. Highest Possible Recommendations for the Christmas Horror fan!!!
Start the Yuletide season proper with the cult horror classic Silent Night, Deadly Night. Scream Factory’s 4K UHD update is an all-around amazing upgrade for this 40th Anniversary Edition.
The Film
Silent Night, Deadly Night is one of those films that feel like it was an entire accident. By review of the entire cast and crew (minus Leanna Quigley), it would give you no indication of just how brutal and good a film Silent Night, Deadly Night is. Rather than play it as a straight slasher film with a final girl at its end, Silent Night, Deadly Night follows its killer through his formation and eventual killing spree. It’s dirty, it’s offensive, it plays in the most general cloying terms but… it works and it works well.
The film’s weapon that separates it from other slasher films is its adherence to following Billy (Robert Brian Wilson) the young boy (played by Danny Wagner) and the young man who eventually turns psycho Santa Claus in a small Utah town. The film doesn’t sympathize with Billy but empathizes with him. A huge difference that makes the film so powerful. Silent Night, Deadly Night doesn’t ask you to feel bad for Billy but it does show you the exact road that took him to get there. It may not be pretty but it is a fascinating, albeit brutal ride.
Be warned the film has no problem with taking the Catholic church to task and in the most critical of manners. Silent Night, Deadly Night as written and directed makes Billy’s turn from a shell-shocked young kid to eventual Santa Claus-fearing serial killer, the church’s fault. Specifically, the church in the form of Mother Superior (Lilyan Chauvin) who manages to mentally and physically abuse Billy as a child as a means to “solve his issues”. Many will be more offended by this plot exposition than any of the gore or kills.
One of the issues people may face is that Silent Night, Deadly Night plays as a serious somber drama more than a slasher/horror film. Much of the film’s run time is spent on the setup and the “whys” rather than the actual kills. One expecting Friday the 13th Part __ will be sadly disappointed. Silent Night, Deadly Night wants to be more and for the most part, succeeds as being a dark drama with a serial killer as its lead. It never does ask you to side with Billy as very apparent after he begins his killing spree, murdering everyone in the toy store he works in. What Silent Night, Deadly Night does ask of you is your complete attention during its stark 96-minute runtime leading to one of the best final lines in horror history.
The Transfer
4K UHD Theatrical Edition [Disc One]
The all-new 4K Transfer from The Original Camera Negative presented In Dolby Vision is a beautiful upgrade and is the best the low-budget feature has ever looked eclipsing the wonderful Scream Factory Blu-ray released in 2018. Scream has gone above and beyond with the help of Sony/Tristar Pictures by giving us the best version of the film in this new 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative. The Contrast and Black Levels are balanced giving a film that’s mostly shot at night a beautiful look. The grain structure and sharpness give this release of Silent Night, Deadly Night a razor-sharp but filmic look. Fans of this film will be delighted by the film’s stunning native 4K Transfer even those that purchased the previous Scream Blu-ray. The image is an all-around upgrade.
Blu-ray Unrated Edition [Disc Three]
Disc three with its all-new 4K Scan Of The Original Camera Negative With Standard Definition Inserts is a mixed bag as to be expected. Huge kudos to Scream Factory and Sony/Tristar for giving us the fans that we wanted, which is the unrated edition. One does wish they had thrown caution into the wind and created the 4K UHD for the unrated with the SD inserts. Though once one sees the native 4K image from disc one it’s apparent why they did not opt to produce a 4K version. The inserts are definitely noticeable in quality level. That being said I had a great time watching it calling it “80’s VHS Vision” whenever these moments would come up. Scream/Sony/Tristar has done their best to clean up the footage. It should also be noted that they definitely let you know up front (like they have with prior editions like Black Christmas) about the quality and change in the transfer. It’s these types of small considerations that show how much respect Scream Factory has for its fan base.
The Extras
They include the following;
DISC ONE (4K UHD – THEATRICAL VERSION):
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION):
DISC THREE (BLU-RAY – UNRATED VERSION)
NOTE: The new podcast with Reyes and The Hysteria Continues Podcast appears on both the 4K and Blu-ray theatrical discs.
DISC ONE (4K UHD – THEATRICAL VERSION):
The all-new Audio Commentary with Author Amanda Reyes and The Hysteria Continues Podcast opens with Reyes and the THC podcaster discussing their love of the film and when and how they saw the film. Some of the other details include the initial release and the strong reactions to the film – the dark humor which many of those involved said was missed by the original audiences; fan theories of Billy’s psychosis; how the film was develop and produced and the trouble the producers had with Tristar in releasing and dropping it after controversy; the reasons why the film’s production is so well documented; their own recollections of the controversy and the picketing of the film; a discussion of the UK release, where there was no release because this was made during the “Video Nasties” era and a discussion of the various reasons why; the reasons why the sexual scenes exist and the pathology of the Billy character is tied to it; the original inception Billy and how he was to supposed to be the atypical slasher; a discussion of the big budget studio slasher versus low budget and indie produced slashers; the appearance of Linnea Quigley – and how her death and entire scene changed during the production; a discussion of the origins of the story – which began as a novel (which was never released); a larger discussion of the screenwriters Michael Hickey & Paul Caimi including their other screenplays/movies – and a discussion of who they wanted to get to direct; a discussion of director Charles Sellier his personal history and directing career – his refusal to direct the violent scenes and his work within children’s film; a larger discussion of the various locations that appear in the film; a larger discussion of the connections to Footloose this production has; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear throughout the film with discussion of the various roles they played and their personal histories; and much more. Reyes and Co. provide a truly wonderful and informative commentary track that covers the gamut of topics one would want to know about Silent Night, Deadly Night.
DISC TWO (BLU-RAY – THEATRICAL VERSION):
“The Night He Came Home… For Christmas: Creating Silent Night, Deadly Night” (16:47) – is an all-new interview with Producer Scott Schneid discusses how he came to find the project that would become Silent Night, Deadly Night. Schneid discusses how he and Whitehead came together to develop the film, how Michael Hickey came aboard the project, Hickey’s version of the script and the differences from the original script, being “frozen out” of the production, how they got involved with Tristar, the attaching of Sellier Jr. – the other directors they were trying to attach, and much more.
“In Search of Charles Sellier Jr: Remembering the Director” (10:32) – is an all-new interview with Editor Michael Spence that begins with his work with Sun Classics (which developed and produced Silent Night, Deadly Night). Spence discusses his beginnings in the industry and how he found work as an editor because of friendships he had; his work for Sun Classics beginning with TV Spots and eventually editing TV Episodes and eventually to feature films; his first impressions of Charles Sellier Jr.; his first feature TV Film (which was Jeff Goldblum starrer The Legend of Sleepy Hallow); his work on a big budget feature called Hangar 18; and the last film of Sellier which was Silent Night, Deadly Night; and more. The interview features some truly great snippets of his work throughout the years.
“Naughty or Nice: 40 Years of Silent Night, Deadly Night” (11:52) – is an all-new interview with Producers Scott Schneid and Dennis Whitehead About the longevity of Silent Night, Deadly Night. Whitehead and Schneid discuss getting the rights back to the film and being able to begin to merchandize the property, a musical stage production, finding the right production company to remake the film, the current status of the remake, and much more.
DISC THREE (BLU-RAY – UNRATED VERSION)
The first of two Audio Commentaries features Actor Robert Brian Wilson and Co-Executive Producer Scott J. Schneid moderated by Blu-ray producer Justin Beahm. Some of the details include how Schneid began his career and eventually became a producer; the original title and how it was changed during the production; did they have concerns about the subject matter and the controversy it would cause; how Wilson got involved with the project and acting as a whole; the reasons why the production filmed in Utah – and the discussion of how Scheid was frozen out of the physical production; Wilson’s experience filming in Utah and staying in Salt Lake City; the way that pop culture items throughout the film – including the toy store – has an amazing amount of IP that’s become iconic now (GI Joe, Masters of the Universe, Barbie, et. al.); the cast of Hollywood Veterans and inexperienced local actors and how they interacted on set from Wilson’s account; and much more. Wilson and Schneid provide an informative commentary track with the assistance of Beahm guiding them.
The second of the two Audio Commentaries with Writer Michael Hickey, Composer Perry Boykin, Producer Scott J. Schneid, and Unit Director Michael Spence begins with their credentials for this picture. Some of the details include how each got involved with the project; a discussion of the original screenplay by Paul Cami – and what they took from that Cami screenplay and was rewritten by Hickey; Quentin Tarantino’s favorite scene in the film – including a hilarious story about showing his love at a Festival; working on Scores back at the time versus in the current digital editing era; a discussion of Sellier Jr.’s career and lack of horror content; a discussion of the protests and controversy and each’s perspectives when it became a “media circus”; a larger discussion throughout of what Spence shot as 2nd unit director; a larger discussion of the various actors that appear in the film; a larger discussion of the various issues that arose during the production with doing night shoots; and much more. The group commentary is a solid informative track.
“Slay Bells Ring: The Story of Silent Night, Deadly Night” (45:51) – this archival making-of documentary that covers everything from the writing of the original script to pre-production, to production and the critic backlash of the film. Many of the original cast and crew are interviewed for this making-of. Many of these interviews do not hold back on their thoughts or stories of the production. It’s a fascinating look at the making of this now-infamous horror film. Some will find that this making-of is more interesting than the film itself. Featuring Interviews with Writer Michael Hickey, Co-Executive Producers Scott J. Schneid & Dennis Whitehead, Editor/Second Unit Director Michael Spence, Composer Perry Botkin, Actor Robert Brian Wilson, and more.
“Oh Deer!” (21:50) – is an archival interview with horror icon Linnea Quigley opens with her personal history with Christmas and Santa Claus. Quigley discusses her rise through the ranks in Los Angeles in modeling and acting – including some wild anecdotes about her time on sets; the audition process for Silent Night, Deadly Night; working with Charles Sellier Jr. – and her feeling that he was in out of his element and lack of direction; a discussion of her iconic death in the film; and much more.
Christmas In July – Silent Night, Deadly Night Locations – Then and Now (10:00) – this archival featurette takes a look at the filming locations now and back during the production proving nothing changes in Utah, or not much.
Audio Interview with Director Charles E. Sellier, Jr. From Deadpit Radio (58:03) – this archival radio interview covers the director’s entire life from the beginning with his very first film – a nature documentary that was initially rejected by normal studios, but a risky gambit turned into a huge profit. Sellier Jr. goes through the various highs and lows of his career in independent cinema covering the genre films he produced and or directed (e.g., Hangar 18, Chariot of the Gods, The Boogens, The Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Fall of the House of Usher) to Television Movies (his many Grizzly Adams TV movies and series) to Silent Night Deadly Night and much more. The Silent Night Deadly Night conversation starts in earnest around the 16:00 minute mark. The interview is more of a career-spanning interview than one specifically about the horror classic. Though this interview is truly interesting as it gets into the details of the business.
“Santa’s Stocking of Outrage” (4:31) – a hilarious little bit that features some of the distressed people who wrote to Tristar about their outrage over Silent Night, Deadly Night. These appear to be pulled from real-life complaints including Mickey Rooney (who would end up filming the 5th entry in the series).
Poster And Still Gallery (0:58) – the gallery consists of 10 posters, VHS covers, Blu-ray covers, and production stills.
Trailers (2:20) – featuring the Redband R-Rated Theatrical Trailer, US VHS Trailer, and Japanese VHS Trailer.
TV Spots (1:10) – the two thirty-second spots.
Radio Spot (0:36) – the single radio spot plays over an animated image.
The Final Thought
Scream Factory / Shout Studios continues to outdo themselves with their upgrades to 4K UHD of existing titles like Silent Night, Deadly Night – adding new 4K Transfers and new special features. Highest Possible Recommendations for the Christmas Horror fan!!!
Scream Factory’s 4K UHD Edition of Silent Night, Deadly Night is out December 10th
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