1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night

Silent Night, Deadly Night is a controversial 1984 American slasher film that has since become a cult classic. It tells the story of a young man traumatized by his parents' Christmas Eve murder by a man in a Santa suit, who then goes on his own killing spree years later while dressed as Santa Claus.
The story follows Billy Chapman, who at age five witnesses his grandfather give a cryptic warning about Santa punishing "naughty" people, and moments later sees his parents murdered by a criminal in a Santa suit. He and his baby brother are sent to an orphanage where the sadistic Mother Superior brutalizes him throughout his childhood, compounding his mental trauma.
Director: Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Starring: Robert Brian Wilson (adult Billy), Lilyan Chauvin (Mother Superior), Linnea Quigley
Release Date: November 9, 1984
Runtime: Theatrical cut was 79 minutes; uncut versions run around 85 minutes.
Controversy: The film was highly controversial upon release, facing public protests (especially from parents' groups) and an advertising ban because of its depiction of a killer Santa. TriStar Pictures pulled the film from theaters after just two weeks.
Legacy: Despite the initial controversy and mixed reviews, the film was a box office success on its opening weekend, has since developed a devoted cult following, and spawned a film series with several sequels and two remakes (one in 2012 and a new one released in 2025).