Ep. 15: Theodore Gershuny's "Silent Night, Bloody Night" (1972)

Screams & Streams

Journey with us, your hosts Chad Campbell and Mike Carron, as we turn our discerning gaze upon the murky depths of horror cinema. Ever questioned the low rating of the 1972 horror film, "Silent Night, Bloody Night" on Rotten Tomatoes? We certainly did and this episode is our deep dive into the disarray that is its plot, the overused trope of mental asylums, and its lack of character depth.
In our cinematic exploration, we also dissect, with a scalpel-like precision, the convoluted fear scenes and lazy camera work. We pick at the bones of the nonsensical asylum escape scene, the sudden attachment of the protagonist to a man she barely knows, and the dubious mourning (or lack thereof) for a dearly departed father. Our critique doesn't stop there. We question the first five minutes of the film, highlighting the bewildering lack of dialogue and just as confusing character traits.
For our grand finale, we delve into the trivia of "Silent Night, Bloody Night," holding a magnifying glass up to elements such as the film's budget, the use of horror tropes, and its cult following. We lift the veil on intriguing nuggets like the use of chocolate syrup as a stand-in for blood and posthumous dubbing of a deceased actor's lines. We pull no punches in our honest appraisal of this film's watchability (or lack thereof). So, horror movie enthusiasts, if you're brave enough, join us in this spine-chilling exploration of classic fear-filled flicks.

Head to www.screamsandstreams.com for more information related to our episode.

Chapters

1. Intro (00:00:00)

2. Film Intro & Plot Summary (00:00:55)

3. First Impressions (00:02:58)

4. Tropes Hall of Shame (00:04:59)

5. One Liners (00:10:27)

6. What Doesn't Hold Up (00:19:03)

7. Most Gratuitous Scene (00:27:05)

8. Stood the Test of Time (00:31:12)

9. Eerie to Ear Splitting (00:32:45)

10. Back It Up Moments (00:35:38)

11. Bonus Features (00:36:22)

12. Watchability Scale (00:41:02)