I get some of the criticism, at least in the context of the time it was made.  Although there'd certainly been other Christmas Horror movies, (Black Christmas) Silent Night, Deadly Night may have been one of the first mainstream films to weave in so many children, childhood Christmas traditions, and depict such violent actions from a Santa Clause. 🎅 

We're used to bad Santa's today, but at the time, I can understand it being shocking.  That being said, the movie wasn't for children, and children certainly shouldn't see it.  Even today, 40 years later, I can see this film being nightmare inducing for anyone child who see's it, especially if they still believe in Santa.

Still, there were some positives among all the negative reviews.  The  Hollywood reported complimented the director, and praised the cinematography.  They also praised actress Gilmer McCormack, who played Sister Margaret.  Even with all the critical bashing, the movie opened big. On its opening weekend, the film finished eighth, grossing $1,432,800. It out grossed Wes Craven's classic A Nightmare on Elm Street, which opened the same day.

The film made an impact however, and resonated with viewers.   Years after it was pulled from theatres, viewers found it on home video and made it a cult Christmas classic.  I think one of the reasons was how well they told the back story.  It wasn't rushed, writers Paul Caimi and Michael Hickey and Charles E. Sellier Jr didn't rush through it's telling.  Billy's backstory, and motivation for who he became at 18, was carefully laid out in the first chunk of the film.

So many horror films rush through a Killer's backstory, either shoving it quickly into dialogue, or trying to explain it quickly at the end.  Billy's backstory was almost like two separate stories, from the first traumatic incident, through it's aftermath, with Billy living in a orphanage, run by a nun not scared of a little corporal punishment.  By the time we're introduced to Billy at 18, we know him well, and fully understand his terror about Christmas, Santa and their connection withs sex and naughtiness. 

One of the other reasons we know, and yes like, Billy so much is actor Robert Brian Wilson.  Robert had never acted before this film, and was encouraged to audition by his girlfriend at the time.  His inexperience as an actor actually worked well as it mirrored Billy inexperience with both adulthood, and coping with all that comes with it.

As for male skin, there's a little.  There are three 'love scenes', all featuring shirtless hotties.  Two, one near the beginning, and one featuring Billy, (Wilson) also include brief shots of butt.  Their oddly shot though, ensuring we don't see too much.  The angle int he see with Wilson however, is shot in a way, that oddly adds to it's hotness.  As the camera scans up the two naked bodies, we get a rather long view of Wilson's hot, hairy behind.

If I had one complaint about the film's nudity, it was about the female nudity.  Now FH readers know I love me some on-scree nudity, male or female, but the female nudity in this film was violently gratuitous.  I guess it was an 80's thing, but almost every woman killed by a Santa had her breasts showing.  It was most disturbing in the first killing, (given her relationship to Billy) but it continued in two additional scenes and deaths.  I'm guessing it didn't seem so odd or offensive in the 80's.

That criticism aside,  I'm a huge fan of this film.  Not only because of the well told story, and how much I love a horror/holiday combo, but because of the visuals.  The Christmas scenes, especially in the toy store, scream the 1980's, the decade I experienced most of my Christmas memories.  The colors, the retro toys on the shelves are like taking a time machine back to when I was a kid.  If like me, you enjoy a Horror over the holidays and haven't seen the film yet, do!