SANTA CLAWS & NAKED CHRISTMAS
PLOT-A guy who murdered his own parents as a child grows up to become a psycho obsessed with a B-movie actress.
WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT IT-This movie was brought to you by SCREAM QUEENS ILLUSTRATED magazine, which I am a big supporter of. Debbie Rochon (the pierce-faced nurse from TROMEO & JULIET) stars as the B-movie actress that the killer is obsessed with. He orders a life-size bust sculpted in her likeness, and has a shrine to her in his house. He spray-paints a Santa outfit black, wears a ski mask, and kills girls with one of those little gardening claw things.There's a lot of nudity and dancing around from various women (who I'm sure have been in the magazine) also, which is never a bad thing. I liked the "scream queen" references and all the plugs for the magazine, and seeing posters in the background of people like Brinke Stevens. NAKED CHRISTMAS is a companion video for this that runs about an hour or so. It is hosted by the killer, and features extended stripteases by the actresses from the movie. If you're turned on by women getting naked under christmas trees (and rubbing themselves with packages and teddy bears) you may want to get this instead of the movie.
WHAT SUCKS- Honestly, I didn't like this stuff that much. I mean, Debbie Rochon was the only woman in there who qualifies as a "Scream Queen", and even she isn't much of a heavy-hitter in that area. She's been in many way better movies than this. And who the hell were these other girls, anyway? The movie dragged on, serving only as an excuse to show naked ladies. No good killings, no funny dialogue, no energetic acting. Just cut to the chase and see the stripping video, if that. Or, rent Bob Clark's BLACK CHRISTMAS. It may not have any nudity, but it sure as hell makes a better holiday horror flick.
NOTES- John Russo, famous for writing the classic NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, actually wrote and directed these movies. Incidentally, he also directed the "new" footage shot for the 30th Anniversary edition of NOTLD, which featured Debbie Rochon as a reporter.