Silent Night, Bloody Night Collection

Patrick O'Neal

James Patterson

Mary Woronov

Astrid Heeren

John Carradine

Walter Abel

Fran Stevens

Walter Klavun

Philip Bruns

Staats Cotsworth

Ondine

Tally Brown

Lewis Love

Candy Darling

Harvey Cohen

Hetty MacLise

Jay Garner

Donelda Dunne

Charlotte Fairchild

Michael Pendry

Alex Stevens

Barbara Sand

Lisa Blake Richards

John Randolph Jones

George Strus

Grant Code

Debbie Parness

George Trakas

Susan Rothenberg

Cleo Young

Kristen Steen

Jack Smith

Leroy Lessane

Bob Darchi

Jeffrey Konvitz

Theodore Gershuny

Ira Teller

Ami Artzi

Gershon Kingsley

Adam Giffard

Neil Barbella

Pat Pizza

Henry Shrady

Frank Vitale

Tom Kennedy

Lloyd Kaufman

Andrew Geygerson

Sam Bender

Jim Walker

Bill Christians

Bruce Perlman

Paul Bang

Sal Guida

Aristides Pappidas

Helga Petrashevich

Joe Bruck

Jim Crispi

Roy Patterson

Nobuko Oganesoff

James Korris

Jonathan Kroll

Charles Baum

Jack Cooley

Louis Antzes

Sal Vitale

Hugh Valentine

Thriller

Horror

Mystery

Night of the Dark Full Moon

Zora Investments Associates

Armor Films Inc.

Jeffrey Konvitz Productions

The Cannon Group

United States of America

_**Moody horror that influenced many films to come**_

A mysterious man from California (James Patterson) inherits a manor in a Northeast town at Christmastime, but someone has escaped the local asylum and key citizens feel increasingly threatened, especially after some creepy phone calls. Patrick O'Neal, Astrid Heeren, John Carradine and Walter Abel are on hand.  
 
"Silent Night, Bloody Night" was made in December-March, 1970-71, on a modest budget ($295,000), but not released until 1972. This is an atmospheric horror flick that originated tropes that became staples of the oncoming slasher craze, such as the (possible) killer escaping from an asylum, sexual immorality results in death, disturbing phone calls and naming horror films after a holiday or significant date, à la “Black Christmas” (1974) “Halloween” (1978), “Friday the 13th” (1980), “April Fool's Day” (1986/2008), “Valentine” (2001) and “My Bloody Valentine” (1981/2009).

Unlike the later “Silent Night, Deadly Night” (1984), this is less of a one-dimensional slasher flick and more artistic horror. Don’t expect Santa Claus stalking victims with an ax. It shares an effective plot element introduced in “Psycho” and “The City of the Dead” (both from 1960).   

Interestingly, several of the cast members were iconic of Warhol's arty retinue in the 60s, including star Mary Woronov, who married director Theodore Gershuny the same year this movie was made (a marriage that lasted till 1973). Others play either asylum inmates or “guests”: Ondine, Kristen Steen, Tally Brown, Lewis Love, filmmaker Jack Smith, artist Susan Rothenberg and Candy Darling.

Speaking of Candy, this was her last movie as she died of lymphoma in 1974 at the too-young age of 29. She expressed before her passing, “I am just so bored by everything. You might say bored to death.” Julie Newmar read her eulogy. It was also the last film of costar James Patterson (who was dubbed); he would be dead of cancer three months before the film’s debut.

While some critics call bits of the story a “mess,” practically everything is explained if you put the pieces of the puzzle together (although how someone can walk around for very long with hands literally cut off is a great mystery).

The movie is succinct at 1 hour, 21 minutes, and was shot at Mill Neck & nearby Oyster Bay in northwestern Long Island, NY, straight across the sound from the Connecticut panhandle.

GRADE: B-/B

English

Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972) - Trailer HD 1080p

Trailer - Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974)