Silent Night, Bloody Night

• Director: Theodore Gershuny
• AMG Rating:
• Genre: Horror
• Movie Type: Slasher Film, Psychological Thriller
• Themes: Haunted By the Past
• Release Year: 1973
• Country: US
• Run Time: 83 minutes
• MPAA Rating: R

Plot

The secrets of a small New England town are violently exposed on Christmas Eve in this proto-slasher shocker. The owner of the long-abandoned Butler estate is desperate to sell, and dispatches his lawyer from New York to negotiate its purchase by the town council. Meanwhile, an inmate from a nearby insane asylum breaks loose and makes his way to the old mansion to take bloody revenge for a crime kept hidden for 35 years. The maniac makes mysterious phone calls to various prominent citizens, telling them that "Marianne" has returned, and lures each to the Butler house to meet their doom. The mayor's daughter, Diane, receives a visit from a man who claims to be Jeremy Butler, the mansion's owner, in town to investigate his lawyer's disappearance. Together they attempt to unravel the sinister mystery of the Butler house, which turns out to be a harrowing tale of incest, insanity and mass murder. Cult favorites Mary Woronov and John Carradine are featured in the cast of this eerie thriller, which also includes cameos from Warhol Factory legends Candy Darling and Ondine. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide

Review

Not to be confused with the ludicrous Silent Night, Deadly Night series, this 1972 thriller has enough eerie atmosphere to overcome its numerous plot holes and low budget production. Some critics have credited Silent Night, Bloody Night with more influence than it probably deserves, but there are a number of future slasher cliches on display that are often attributed to pictures that followed. POV shots for the maniac, sinister phone calls preceding the murders, even the holiday theme are all horror tropes that Black Christmas and Halloween are considered to have originated (or at least popularized). They're all here too, though charges of plagiarism are likely unfounded. Theodore Gershuny's understated direction gives a sense of realism to the characters that make the bizarre goings-on all the more unsettling. It helps that he has a fine cast to work with, a collection of solid TV and film professionals decorated with colorful cult figures who add eccentric ambience. The ubiquitous John Carradine has little to do as a mute newspaper editor (he communicates by ringing a desk clerk's bell), but despite the lack of his sonorous pipes, he still commands attention. In an early role, Mary Woronov has yet to establish the stern, haughty screen persona that has carried her through three decades of cult stardom. Instead, she's the ingenue, the only denizen of this fictitious town who is innocent of the blood crimes of the past, though it's not a role that particularly suits her. Much of the film is too dark, rendering some scenes more frightening and others more confusing, but the bravura final act (a horrific sepia-toned flashback that reveals the meaning behind the mayhem) makes wading through the story's murkier aspects worthwhile. Horror connoisseurs are encouraged to seek out this minor gem, now easily accessible as a bargain-priced DVD after years of obscurity. ~ Fred Beldin, All Movie Guide

Cast

Walter Abel - Mayor; Philip Bruns - Wilfrid, 1929; John Carradine - Tawman; Candy Darling; Astrid Heeren; Walter Klavun; Patrick O'Neal - Carter; James Patterson; Jack Smith; Mary Woronov - Himself; Tally Brown

Credit

Theodore Gershuny - Director, Gershon Kingsley - Composer (Music Score), Ami Artzi - Producer, Jeffrey Konvitz - Producer, Ami Artzi - Screenwriter, Theodore Gershuny - Screenwriter, Jeffrey Konvitz - Screenwriter

Similar Movies

House with Laughing Windows; House of 1000 Corpses; The Hills Have Eyes

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