Christmas Evil (1980) Movie Review, Cast & Crew, Film Summary

Christmas Evil (1980) Film Summary

A toy factory worker, mentally scarred as a child upon learning Santa Claus is not real, suffers a nervous breakdown after being belittled at work, and embarks on a Yuletide killing spree.

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Christmas Evil (1980) Movie Review

This is one of the first and best Christmas horror movies. It was first published under the title You Better Watch Out and appeared on VHS as Terror in Toyland, but it is best known as Christmas Evil. Unlike many others of its kind, it has some intriguing things to say about how a season with a message of joy, compassion, and selflessness frequently gets really, truly distorted. It is a mix of psychological horror and dark comedy. Additionally, it was character actor Maggart’s first starring part, and he absolutely nails it, delivering a superb performance that is both comical and poignant in equal measure.

The actor pulls off the impossible double act of being creepy and sympathetic, alternately humming a rage-filled “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” while stomping on a toy in his palm and tearfully peering out the window to see his brother, his children, and his wife interacting as a family. Our emotions constantly rest with the poor guy, despite some of the horrific things he does throughout the movie, and Maggart deserves high recognition for masterfully tackling this challenging role.

I’ve heard this picture berated too many times to count by folks who were anticipating another bloody slasher movie in the vein of Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), but the movie deserves better respect than that. It’s insightful, frightening, well-acted, and frequently very, very funny (just take a look at that police line-up of Santas!). Sadly, it was Jackson’s sole movie, which he also directed and wrote. Joe Jamrog (who has his neck chopped with a Christmas tree topper), Philip Casnoff, Patricia Richardson, Scott McKay, Peter Friedman, Raymond J. Barry (playing a detective), Rutanya Alda, and Mark Margolis all had minor appearances.

This has frequently been released on DVD. The Synapse DVD of the movie is the director’s cut from the beginning, and it includes a wonderful commentary track from John Waters, a well-known supporter who calls this “The Greatest Christmas Movie Ever Made.”