Marco Castellini
•Christmas Night: a ruthless thief, dressed as Santa Claus, bursts into a house and, in front of the eyes of little Billy, kills his parents before vanishing into the night with the loot. The child spends an unhappy childhood in an orphanage and, once an adult, returns to his old town where he finds work in a clothing store. Christmas arrives: the store owner asks Billy to wear a Santa Claus costume and the young man's mind begins to be haunted by ominous memories… This is the first chapter (and, as far as we know, the only one released in Italy) of a true American slasher-horror "saga," which boasts five sequels (the fourth directed by none other than Yuzna, who then wrote and produced the fifth). Convincing is the idea of the Christmas setting of the story that creates an effective contrast between the horror of the murders and the joyful atmosphere that accompanies Christmas, but apart from this, the film does not offer other particular elements that make it memorable. A decent slasher-movie unjustly "famous" overseas. Practically absent from the television circuit, it is however once again available for sale (published by Avofilm).
Comments