While slasher films were common by 1984, "Silent Night, Deadly Night" crossed a line for many parents and critics by using the image of Santa Claus as a symbol of terror.
Parents picketed theaters, singing Christmas carols to drown out the film's screams. Silent Night, Deadly Night
Critics Siskel and Ebert famously went on a crusade against it, with Ebert reading the names of the production crew on air to "shame" them. While slasher films were common by 1984, "Silent
The film follows Billy Chapman, a young man traumatized by witnessing his parents’ murder by a man in a Santa suit on Christmas Eve. Raised in a strict, abusive orphanage, Billy eventually suffers a psychological break when forced to play Santa at a local toy store. He embarks on a "naughty or nice" killing spree, wielding an axe while dressed as Father Christmas. The Controversy: Protesting St. Nick The film follows Billy Chapman, a young man