By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I’m reposting this Xmas Horror Movie review. It’s a little known gem starring the late, great David Hess. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year!!!
Watch it Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsvp0Khx5LU
Some of the greatest horror movies take place during the Christmas holiday. Child’s Play (1988), Silent Night Deadly Night (1984), Dead End (2003), Silent Night Bloody Night (1972), and of course the best Xmas horror Black Christmas (1974) are just a few of the great classics that emerged celebrating the holiday in a macabre manner.
I had heard about To All a Goodnight for some time, but had never seen it. It was a difficult find as it was only ever released on VHS. There are a few websites which provide a bootleg copy for a small fee. My brother was actually able to find the whole film, uninterrupted on YouTube.
For starters, the film was directed by the incomparable, dynamic and very talented David Hess. Prior to his untimely death, my husband Stephen and I had the privilege of meeting him and acquiring his autograph. He was sweet, funny and he gave me a kiss which I will forever remember. Hess is definitely a horror icon as he has blessed so many films within the genre with his presence. Most notably he was in Last House on the Left (1972), House at the Edge of the Park (1980), Body Count (1986), and of course the Sci-Fi classic Swamp Thing (1982). He would often use a suave personality that added so much to each character portrayed. More often than not, he was cast as a villain. As such, he was able to put forth a sinister level of evil without saying a word. He would embrace an abundance of arrogance while committing the most despicable acts imaginable.
In To All a Goodnight, it is evident that not only was Hess a wonderful actor, but also quite a great director. On the surface, the movie seems like just another whodunit slasher, but it’s so much more. First, it’s important to note that it predates the release of Friday the 13th (1980) by 5 months. There are definitely similarities to the film and prior to knowing it came out just slightly before, I had guessed that one inspired the other.
The movie follows the Calvin’s Finishing School for Girls. Years ago, there was a hazing incident which resulted in the death of one student. In present time, it is Christmas Break and the women, who dorm there, decide they are going to have a party. Of course, things don’t go as planned. People begin getting killed by someone dressed like Santa Claus.
The suspects are interesting and each character is different from one another enough so that they stand out. The acting is well above par and the dialogue is captivating. The body count is average and the death scenes though not gory are well done.
One of the most important factors in the horror whodunit is the motive of the villain. I remember Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000) was atrocious, but the justification of the murderer was hilarious and provided a saving grace though it certainly didn’t make the production worth watching.
My Bloody Valentine (1981), Terror on Tour (1980), Graduation Day (1981), Phobia (1983) and Island of Blood (1982) offer a few of the greatest revelations to the subgenre. To All a Goodnight comes through in the same manner. It certainly does not disappoint and actually once all is known, it fits well among those movies.
A true horror fan expects more from a horror movie made in the 80s than one made today. The 70s and 80s were the heyday for horror. The brilliant minds behind the productions understood how vital great dialogue, intense conversations, animated characters, and a solid plot are to great films. Nowadays that is forgotten. Characters are often interchangeable. They look and act the same which is more often than not annoying. The actors are usually over-the-top gorgeous. Their hair and make-up is always perfect. They dress in designer clothes. These models lack acting ability.
The “horror” elements are usually created through the CGI. So many times, I’ll watch an old horror movie and be disturbed by a certain scene. I’ll be so happy that the film was created when it was as had it been made later, the scene would have more likely than not negatively impacted by utilizing CGI rather than puppetry, animatronics, a set, etc.
A perfect example is the new movie Oz The Great and Powerful(2013). My husband and I saw the trailer and neither of us had any interest in seeing it. Our sentiments were exactly the same. How could something that was made nearly 75 years ago look better than something that was made now with a budget of 200 million dollars? Of course the answer is easy. In the 30s they built the set rather than rely on CGI.
Nothing is worse than when this technology is used improperly in horror. Whether discussing Japanese remakes like The Grudge (2004) and One Missed Call (2008), American reboots like The Amityville Horror (2005) or The Thing (2011), or original pieces like Cloverfield (2008) and Underworld (2003), CGI is common practice now.
Even in Halloween H20: Halloween 20 Years Later (1998), the decision was made to use CGI in combination with a real mask for Michael Myers.
In the 70s and 80s concentration was placed on the areas that mattered. All one has to do is look at the original The Amityville Horror (1979) versus the remake to see how this technology can ruin a film. CGI monsters, ghosts, etc are not scary. It doesn’t look realistic enough and the gray tinge that they use for the skin of these beings looks stupid.
Even in Grave Encounters (2011) which is a really good movie, poor CGI was utilized which really takes the viewers out of the film. The best horror movies are simple. So many of the greats have a plot summary that says something like, “a mysterious stalker murders the girls at …..” or “something strange is haunting the house at ……” The plot doesn’t need to be intricate. There doesn’t need to be a twist or a shocking development. All it needs to be is good.
Nothing is better than when all of the parts come together to make a good movie. I remember the first time I watched Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). It was perfection put on screen. The villain was perfectly sinister and cruel. He had a back story that was riveting. The acting was superb and the characters were pretty but didn’t look like they should be strutting down a catwalk. I had the same experience when I watched Halloween (1978), Night of the Living Dead (1968) Psycho (1960) and The Evil Dead (1981). The best horror movies sit with the viewer long after the credits roll. It’s the effect of lying in bed hours after watching The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), closing your eyes, and seeing Leatherface cutting himself with his chainsaw as Sally (Marilyn Burns) jumps in the back of the truck.
The most recent horror movie that had an old school vibe and used special effects positively was The Hole (2009). There were chilling sequences, great actors and a fun factor that couldn’t be denied. Sadly, that’s the exception rather than the rule. More often than not, we end up with movies like The Apparition (2012).
I cannot recall the last great whodunit. The closest was A Perfect Getaway (2009) though that played out more like an action/suspense than a straight-out horror. Before that, High Tension (2003) was fantastic. Still, I long for the days when a murderer dressed in a costume goes around murdering people with strange weapons. The Scream (1996) franchise attempted to bring it back, but it really doesn’t have what the films of yesteryear did. When the first one came out it had been a long time since horror reigned as king so fans of the genre rushed to theaters and celebrated it as if it were the best movie of all time. In retrospect, it lacks in a lot of areas. The sequels are all atrocious.
I have said it before and I’ll say it again. I wish the filmmakers of today would go back and watch the great movies of the 70s and 80s to learn how to make a great horror film. If we could keep no talent idiots like Michael Bay away from the genre and allow assets like Alexandre Aja to keep creating, horror films could once again take over the mainstream and put out films that are not only worth watching but classics that would be revered by the next generation.
Scared Stiff Rating: 7.5/10 RIP – Still missing you David Hess
