Canadian Slashers #2

'Silent Night Bloody Night' - No, not the 80's slasher flick that involves a crazy boy in a Santa suit.
I'm referring to one of the first proto slashers of its kind that would later set standards for the horror movie world - especially slasher films.

Wilfred Butler supposedly died thirty years ago, but someone has been making sinister phone calls to town officials claiming to be at the Butler house. The Butler house is to be sold by the present owner, Jeff Butler, which just so happens to be old man Wilfred Butler's grandson.

It seems as if a lot of macabre events went on at the Butler House - which was converted from an old asylum in which Wilfred's emotionally distraught daughter would reside. She would also become pregnant during this time.

A series of murders took place after the natives became restless and decided to turn on their tormentors - drunken doctors and nurses with eyes for gluttony and debauchery.

Sinister secrets from the Butler family have been locked away in the town folk's minds ever since Wilfred was burned alive on his farm thirty years before. It is sort of reminiscent of the Myer's house in Carpenter's Halloween - The demonic abode that had a persona all of its own. The house all kids dared their little brothers to step up on the front porch.

Anyway, Jeffrey's lawyer has everything settled with the town council to sell the house at a ridiculously low price of $50,000 . The lawyer seems to think it's worth $250,000 or more, but Jeff wants to hurry up and sell it. The town folk are happy to pay the low fee and set off to the bank for the cash.

In the mean time, an escaped lunatic from the towns mental facility is on the loose. Not only this, but the phone calls persist - the creepy voice on the other end of line coaxing our scared town council to the Butler house.

Is Wilfred Butler alive? Is he seeking revenge upon his grandson's selling of his estate? Whatever the case, this movie is one of the better slashers ever made. Released in 1973, Theodore Gershuny (director) delves deep into incestuous overtones, with a median of sickness and depravity laden atmosphere.

Our creepy phone calls might ring a bell. A year later, Bob Clark released the 1974 Canadian sleeper/slasher entitled 'Black Christmas' - about a sorority house harassed by sick phone calls while a killer is on the loose in town. I would have to imagine that Clark may have watched 'Silent Night Bloody Night' and used the phone calls as an outline for an entire film. Whatever the case, the phone calls in 'Black Christmas' may be a little more sinister and crazy, but SNBN did it first and with mucho effectiveness.

There's a dark and cold ambiance that seems to hover in the middle of the room. There's a certain err of gloom and doom that never leaves the screen. There's an infamous flashback scene involving the last minutes of the asylum that will take your breath away. Filmed in an eerie sepia toned color, the scenes of violence and perversion are escalated tremendously, giving the viewer one of those 'bite the knuckle' moments, as we're not sure we're actually getting things right.

With a narration during this scene, [from a letter Mr Butler had written in regards to why he decided to place his daughter in his asylum] everything finally comes together, although, we're not sure if we're right on the money until the very end.

One can't bring this movie up without mentioning the twist ending. Our heroine of the film is accompanied by Jeff Butler to the old Butler house. This is where Jeffrey finds out of his shaded past. One great climax to a film that did just as well throughout the first 75 minutes. The reveal is just as depraved as the rest of the film. We also find out slowly just who make up the town council as well.

There's more secrets and turns in SNBN than under your grandmother's dress. The feeling of isolation and sexual depravity always lingers about. There's more under the dress tail than meets the eye. Slowly, a tale darker than burnt toast unravels until we're finally let in on the little secret behind the Butler house and the town itself.

One sour note in regards to the film is the dark picture quality. In some parts, it can become frustrating to watch, but not too bad. If ever a film needs a total re-mastering, it's this one. I'd almost cut off my third nut for a special edition dvd release.

In a nutshell, SNBN is a film that shouldn't be missed by a horror fan - not just fans of slasher flicks. This movie delves deep in story with a twist of depravity to make us bite our tongues a bit. One of the better movies of the 70's.

Tidbit: Andy Warhol alumni can be seen in the flashbacks scene.