If someone were to ask me to describe slasher cinema to them I would show them Silent Night, Deadly Night. It plays as if director Seller was reading from a how-to book on the genre, joylessly going through each trope as the film lumbers toward the inevitable. To the film’s credit it is an invaluable tool for a film critic since it is a Rosetta Stone to understanding the psychology of horror cinema. It is never subtle. If you miss a key concept like the fact that Billy is intended to be sympathetic, don’t worry; the film will go over this point several times. I wonder if it’s dawned on Rob Zombie that by working Michael Myers’ childhood into his Halloween, he’s inadvertently remade Silent Night, Deadly Night?
by David Carter | Source: Starz! DVD
05 Jan 2008 11:36 PM | Submit Comment
