Silent Night Deadly Night

Part of the special series NACHTBLENDE

Nachtblende: THROWBACK 1984

‘Probably the secret favourite film of all people who hate Christmas.’ Patrick Lohmeier on Letterboxd

Ho Ho Horror! We end our throwback show with a sleazy X-Mas special. STILLE NACHT - HORROR NACHT (German distribution title) is an anti-Christmas film par excellence, which triggered a controversy due to its brutality and nihilism, which ultimately ensured that the film was quickly removed from the programme in 1984 despite a good theatrical release. They didn't want to spoil Christmas Eve for the children.

Billy Chapman (Robert Brian Wilson) was traumatised by Father Christmas as a young boy. Immediately after his catatonic grandfather warned him about Santa Claus in a brief, waking moment, he was forced to watch his parents being brutally murdered by a man in a Santa costume. As an adult, Billy is now supposed to cope with the trauma as part of a new job by playing the red and white present bringer. But triggered by a work colleague who is about to rape a woman, he himself becomes the perpetrator...