(1972)
Director: Theodore Gershuny
Writers: Theodore Gershuny, Jeffrey Konvitz, Ira Teller
Silent Night, Bloody Night (a.k.a. Night Of The Dark Full Moon, Death House) begins with the Mayor's daughter (genre fave Mary Woronov) surveying the site of the old Butler place which is being demolished. She then tells us of how it was built by William Butler who returned to the house years later on Christmas Eve only to perish in flames. Now twenty years later, Jeffrey Butler, the inheritor of the Butler estate, is looking to sell the old house. Unfortunately, an escaped mental patient has made it his home and the dark secrets of the Butler family and the town itself are about to be revealed.
Silent Night, Bloody Night is a very slow and deliberately-paced film which may turn off many viewers. However, if you're patient, it will reward you with an intriguing story and plenty of creepy atmosphere. Silent Night, Bloody Night could also be considered one of the first slashers, predating Black Christmas even though they were released the same year. Although many of the scenes in Silent Night, Bloody Night are dark and indecipherable, there are just as many that are artfully crafted, especially the flashback scenes in the latter half of the film. If it hasn't been already, Silent Night, Bloody Night could certainly benefit from a restoration. It took me many years to grow to appreciate this film, but I would consider it necessary for any fans of holiday horror. 4 1/2 out of 6 beers.
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