Watch Silent Night, Bloody Night

Silent Night, Bloody Night is a horror/thriller movie from 1972, directed by Theodore Gershuny and written by Gershuny and Jeffrey Konvitz. The movie stars Patrick O'Neal, James Patterson, Mary Woronov, and Astrid Heeren, among others. The story centers around a large house, formerly the home of the Butler family, which has been abandoned for years. The Butlers were a wealthy family who owned a factory in the nearby town, but they also had a dark secret: they kept their mentally ill son, Wilfred, locked up in the house's attic. One Christmas Eve, Wilfred escaped from his imprisonment and killed his parents, before being killed himself. After that, the house became infamous in the community, with rumors of hauntings and other horrors.

Years later, the house is sold to John Carter (James Patterson), who plans to turn it into a mental asylum. However, before he can finalize the deal, he is killed in a mysterious explosion. His daughter, Diane Hill (Mary Woronov), arrives in town to settle her father's affairs and finds herself drawn into the web of intrigue surrounding the house. She meets the town's sheriff, Caleb Johnson (Patrick O'Neal), who seems to know more than he's saying, and a mysterious man named Charlie (John Carradine), who claims to have a connection to the Butlers.

As Diane tries to unravel the mystery of her father's death and the secrets of the house, she is stalked by a mysterious figure in a black cloak with a disfigured face. She discovers that there are other people who also have an interest in the house, including a group of people who have been invited there by a man named Jeffrey (Walter Abel), who claims to be the executor of the Butlers' estate.

As the night wears on, the tension and horror escalate, with more murders and revelations about the past. Diane, Caleb, and Charlie race to uncover the truth before it's too late.

Silent Night, Bloody Night is a classic horror movie from the 1970s, with all the elements that fans of the genre love: a creepy old house, a mysterious killer, and a cast of characters with dark secrets. The movie has a slow-burn approach to building tension, with plenty of atmosphere and suspenseful scenes. The Gothic setting of the house adds to the creepy factor, with dark hallways, cobwebs, and flickering candles.

The acting is solid, with Patrick O'Neal giving a standout performance as the sheriff who may or may not be trustworthy. Mary Woronov is also excellent as Diane, the determined heroine who refuses to give up in the face of danger. John Carradine lends his eerie gravitas to the role of Charlie, a character who could be either ally or antagonist. The rest of the cast also do a good job, with Walter Abel as the enigmatic executor and John Widdicomb as the creepy man in the cloak.

The movie's pacing may be too slow for some viewers, especially those used to modern horror movies with faster cuts and more jump scares. However, for those who enjoy a good old-fashioned scare, Silent Night, Bloody Night has plenty to offer. The movie has a dark and twisted storyline with some unexpected twists and turns, and the ending is both satisfying and chilling.

Overall, Silent Night, Bloody Night is a well-crafted horror movie that deserves more recognition. It's a must-watch for fans of classic horror, Gothic settings, and suspenseful storytelling.

Silent Night, Bloody Night is a 1973 thriller with a runtime of 1 hour and 21 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.2.