Posted in: Interview, Movies, Podcasts | Tagged: Christmas Bloody Christmas, Joe Begos
Christmas Carnage Continues with Christmas Bloody Christmas
In this episode of Castle Talk, Jason chats with Joe Begos, writer and director of Christmas Bloody Christmas, available in theaters, streaming, on Shudder and AMC+ on December 9th.
Christmas Bloody Christmas poster and Castle Talk logo used with permissionSay the producers about Christmas Bloody Christmas:
It's Christmas Eve and fiery record store owner Tori (Riley Dandy) just wants to get drunk and party, until the robotic Santa Claus at a nearby toy store goes haywire and makes her night more than a little complicated. Santa Claus begins a rampant killing spree through the neon drenched snowscape against a backdrop of drugs, sex, metal and violence, ultimately forcing Tori into a blood splattered battle for survival against the ruthless heavy metal Saint Nick himself.
So it's a little bit Terminator, a little bit Black Christmas, a little bit Chopping Mall, and weirdly a little bit Hallmark. What's wonderful about Christmas Bloody Christmas is how this much mayhem– and it's bloody mayhem, with squished heads and chopped limbs aplenty– can be so much fun. Joe Begos keeps the film from edging towards grimness with a deft touch that makes the film feel like a missing Christmas classic. Part of the secret is a timelessness that comes from shooting on film and using practical effects, which, combined with the falling snow and small-town streets, makes this feel like a violent sibling of A Christmas Story. Begos shot the film in Placerville, California, which has such a classic holiday look here that, but for the occasional appearance of smartphones, this movie could take place anywhere between 1983 and 2023.
Begos talks about the importance to him of shooting on film and of the methods he used to capture a very natural performance from stars Riley Dandy and Sam Delich. Check out the conversation, and be sure to catch Christmas Bloody Christmas this month.
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