Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation

Dir: Brian Yuzna

1990

***

Silent Night, Deadly Night III: Better Watch Out! was the franchises first big misfire - taking the pressure off of Part 2's cheap trick of only being half a movie. The great Brian Yuzna made the wise decision of taking the story away from the original origins, although the script for this film was the first draft written for Silent Night, Deadly Night III. At this point I was over the fact that the main villain wasn't dressed as Santa, I just wanted a good story, although there is something a little disappointing that this isn't quite a Christmas horror, but only because there just aren't enough of them (of any quality anyway). There are no killer Santas here, it is Christmas because in one scene there is a tree in the background but moreover, it's just a creepy horror. Fresh on the tails of Society - and using a few ideas that were written and never used for Society, Brian Yuzna has once again teamed up with the great Screaming Mad George. There is a character called Ricky (played by Clint Howard) but it's not clear whether he is connected or is even the same Ricky from the first films but I personally didn't see him as such. It doesn't really matter, Clint Howard is awesome and that's all there is to it. Add Witches, spontaneous human combustion, huge insects, worms coming out of people and Society-esque wobbly limb business and you're left with a damn fine eerie horror, everything you could want if you're a fan of Yuzna and Mad George - which of course I am. Yunza could have put a Santa hat on Howard (or one of the giant worms) but there was never really any need. At first I wondered whether this was a terrible horror given a title from a well-known and ever so slightly infamous horror franchise but apparently that wasn't the case. It's a great little horror film that has been hijacked by the franchise. It is fair to say the acting isn't the finest and leading lady Neith Hunter seems to spend more time undressed than dressed but she carried the film pretty well. The script is pretty good, so good in fact that even when the film reaches dazzlingly ridiculous heights, it's still somehow believable. Well maybe not believable but you go along with it without questioning it as much as maybe you should and I think that's down to Yuzna, as I feel this way about most of his films. It's also quite disturbing in its content, although not too disturbing that one could feel too effected by it. It's hard to explain but it's one of those great little unique horror films from the early 90s that I love. Seriously, the only thing missing, other than a Santa Hat and axed Nun is Jeffery Combs.