This listing is for the standard edition Blu-ray. The limited edition slipcover (designed by Robert Sammelin) was limited to 5,000 units and is sold out. The two versions are identical, aside from the slipcover.
It's just days before Christmas in London, but not everyone is full of good cheer - as a maniac with a pathological hatred of Santa Claus stalks the streets, butchering any man that’s unlucky enough to be wandering around dressed as Old Saint Nick. Not restricting themself to any one method of murder, this twisted killer dishes out stabbings, gunshots, a castration, and even burns the face of one poor Santa on his own roasting chestnuts! As the bodies of slaughtered Father Christmases pile up, Chief Inspector Harris finds himself under increasing pressure to crack the case before the holiday is canceled for good!
The product of an extremely troubled production, DON’T OPEN TILL CHRISTMAS was the second stalk-and-slash collaboration between legendary exploitation producer Dick Randall (French Sex Murders) and former matinée idol Edmund Purdom (The Fifth Cord), after 1982’s deliciously bonkers Pieces. Originally conceived as Purdom’s directorial debut, the resulting footage was considered such a mess that much of it was rewritten and reshot by director Alan Birkinshaw (Killer’s Moon) under a pseudonym. The end result is a fascinating, and endlessly entertaining, patchwork of slasher film and super-sleazy thriller, punctuated by shocking moments of gore which appear almost out of nowhere, as well as an entirely gratuitous musical number from horror icon Caroline Munro (Maniac, Slaughter High) herself! Finally restored from original 35mm negative elements by Vinegar Syndrome and jam packed with new bonus features along with a selection of archival treats, including long lost scenes discovered in a rough cut, this is one present you won’t want to leave under the tree!
directed by: Edmund Purdom, Alan Birkinshaw
starring: Edmund Purdom, Caroline Munro, Alan Lake, Belinda Mayne, Mark Jones, Gerry Sundquist, Kelly Baker, Pat Astley
1984 / 87 min / 1.66:1 / English Mono
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.468165 / 5 from 267 reviews.
Don't Open Till Christmas is a restored Blu-ray featuring a unique blend of slasher film and thriller elements, with shocking gore and a gratuitous musical number. Customers appreciate the fantastic transfer, beautiful artwork, and special features, making it a great addition to any horror collection.
Review topics: [quality, looks, cover, set, design, packaging, upgrade, price, sound, buy, slasher, movie, film, slipcover, transfer, release, night, artwork, kills, flick, features, christmas, horror, extras, slip, scenes, art, atmosphere, twist, watch].
"Not sure this makes a lot of sense until it does. Somebody is over Santa showing up. Decent kills, a touch too convoluted, but the extras and interviews are great, as well as the commentary track. Eggnog sucks (not related at all, just saying)."
"Great fun British slasher. From the golden era of slashers. Little thrown together as there were a few directors, but hey, it's a slasher, it's not high art!"
"I loved this movie. But technically the film didn't deliver, the story was great though. I turned the contrast on my TV to 0 and watched it in black and white which made the film 100% better"
"As a huge slasher fan, I had a great time with Don’t Open Till Christmas. Instead of another killer dressed as Santa, this wonderfully sleazy British production turns the formula around and has a masked maniac hunting anyone unfortunate enough to wear the costume. The plot is undeniably messy and some of the acting is rather uneven, but the grimy early-1980s London atmosphere, nasty murders and strange characters give the film plenty of cult appeal. It feels rough, unpredictable and completely different from the more polished American holiday slashers. Vinegar Syndrome’s 2K restoration looks remarkably good considering the film’s troubled production history, with strong detail, natural grain and especially vivid Christmas reds. The extensive extras also provide fascinating background information about how this chaotic production was completed. A flawed but highly entertaining seasonal slasher that should appeal to fans of the genre’s stranger and sleazier side."
"Good flick."
"Great Christmas horror Was even better grabbing it during the sale"
"Perhaps not the best Yuletide Terror but a solid flick. Jan packed with extras."
"This thing is just bleak as hell. So much sleaze. Watch it late, when you should be asleep."
"Not the most engaging horror film--I'd much rather watch Silent Night Deadly Night--but it's good enough. I'm not unsealing the shrink wrap until Christmas like the title says."
"Great"
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