Customer Reviews

Silent Night, Deadly Night (Better Watch Out / Initiation / The Toymaker)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've waited so long for the rest of this series! I have to say that part 4 is my favorite simply because of Screaming Mad George's FX work! He does an amazing job at creating the most nastiest bugs I've seen on film to this day! Step aside CGI. S.N.D.N. part 5 is cool too!....you can't go wrong with killer toys, plus, you gotta see the ending! I would mention part 3 but I don't remember that one. Part 4+5 are well worth the price. It's gonna be a great Christmas!

I love these movies and have waited a long time to see them get a DVD release. LionsGate's release of these three sequels to the classic originals leaves a lot to be desired. First, they are NOT in widescreen. They are 4 x 3 standard only (there is no widescreen edition offered according to the LionsGate website). The transfers are not restored and have quite a bit of dirt and some print fade. I suppose it is possible that this release presents the films in their original aspect ratio as they were all three made straight for video by Live Entertainment. I don't know, all I've ever seen are my VHS copies. Still, Amazon lists them as being widescreen. The soundtracks are stereo only. There are NO special features. Zero. Too bad Anchor Bay couldn't have released these and did a job like they did for their release of parts 1 and 2. Anyway, thats what you get with this edition: parts 3,4 and 5 in unrestored versions and nothing else. Also, this is in no way a BOXED set as claimed. It looks like any other DVD release in a standard case with one of those flippy things in the middle. The DVD's all have the same grey paint job, making them difficult to tell apart and they all have the same annoying LionsGate advertisements at the startup and they all have the same (non-animated) menu design (which consists of play and scene selection). The DVD comes in a cardboard slipcase with excellent new cover art.

Amazon has also dropped the ball on shipping these things. I pre-ordered mine so I would have it on the street date and the day after the street date they sent my an email saying they were unable to get copies and it would be another couple of weeks wait. I went to BestBuy and bought mine off the shelf the same day. What's the deal?

So how are the movies? Part 3 tries to keep the original plot of the first two going by having Ricky in a coma at the beginning of the film. He soon wakes up and starts his killing spree again. This is a strange entry in the series. It's very slow paced and having Richard Beymer and Eric Da Re from Twin Peaks in the cast is also sort of surreal. I suppose the most frightening thing about it is seeing Eric Da Re looking like a wet Sasquatch in a bubble bath. Casting devil's reject Bill Mosley as Ricky was just the wrong choice. His emaciated frame just dosen't come close to the beefy musclebound Eric Freeman from part 2. The dome on the head is pretty lame as well. Also in this film is Elizabeth Hoffman, a great actress (from FEAR NO EVIL). Robert Culp is also wandering around in this one. While this film uses far fewer flashbacks than part 2, it lacks the exploitative charm of the second sequel, and of course, it's missing the bug-eyed Freeman performance.

In spite of the presence of PHANTASM'S Reggie Banister, part 4 is a complete shambles. There are a couple of nasty sequences in it but a cult of lesbian bug worshipers is not my idea of a great Christmas horror film. The grotesque, pumpkinfaced Clint Howard is also a revolting addition. While this film is often repulsive, it is never scary and never whips up any Christmasy atmosphere.

Part 5 is probably the best of all the sequels and the one that comes closest to the quality of the original film (in tone and execution if not in storyline). Micky Rooney chews the scenery and is quite good in his role as Petto.
Clint Howard is back for an appearance in this one as well but he looks a bit more human in this one in spite of his unfortunate face. When all is said and done, this one is just another killer toy movie, but it IS a pretty good one and while it will never be the classic that part 1 is (Part one being one of the greatest slasher films of all time) it is certainly a worthy addition to this franchise.

Curiously now that parts 3,4 and 5 are at long last available, Anchor Bay has pulled parts 1 and 2 from distribution and they are now commanding ridiculous prices. Crazy.

The picture quality of the films in this set is just better than vhs, full frame, no extras. Part 3, despite boasting Bill Mosely and two actors from Twin Peaks, is a dull, ridiculous waste of time. It's not so bad it's good, it's just a poor conclusion to the killer santa story from the first two films. Part 4 is my least favorite Brian Yuzna film, but it's got some great bug/monster effects around the half way mark. It's also got Clint Howard being repugnant as usual, which is a bonus. Part 5 is fun and inventive with the best kills of the three films and some excessive silly looking gore. Overall, I'm glad I bought this set, and Lions Gate should be commended for releasing a set of catalog titles at a nice price.

This year we've seen plenty of older films finally make it to DVD. Night of the Creeps, Trapped, Choke Canyon, and finally the last three SNDN sequels. The one thing that sets this release apart from the others, however, is how this one was handled. It's safe to say that a few of those other titles are better known than "The Toymaker," but would it have been so difficult to throw a trailer or poster gallery onto one of the discs? Instead we get three identical discs with three identical title menus along with three of the same LGF trailers.

More than extras though I'd just have preferred better transfers and for the film to be in the correct aspect ratios.

As far as the films go if you're reading this chances are you know what you're getting into. The only sequel that continues the story line from the first two movies is SNDN 3. The other two films have nothing to do with the original two, in fact part 4 has nothing to do with Christmas at all.

If you're a completest like myself this is a necessary purchase. If you're not my best advice is to stay away unless you can find this set for under ten bucks.

At last and after a long time SNDN parts 3,4,5 are being released in dvd for as far only parts 1 and 2 were available in this format.
SNDN is also being remade and maybe that was the reason for releasing the remaining movies in a single box set at a great price.
I'm sure parents will be angry again BUT horror fans will be DELIGHTED.

BRING IT ON...

Invest in parts 1 and 2 but not this. The only one that had anything to do with the originals is part 3 and it is just plain stupid. Part 4 has nothing to do with the other 3 or Christmas. Part 5 not even Mickey Rooney as a maniacal Santa can save. The only thing good I can say is that it is a high quality, well made set

i know i shold have not brought this but being the retard i am {and cause i hread some misleading reviews which mentioned the the thrid was the best in the series and i also like brian yuzna work} the thrid and fourth movie were quite treible. i did not even watch the fitht one cause i did not think i woul like it much. thrid one was just an overall bad slasher movie with a bad script and acting and effects. the fourth is just a wreid movie with no subtance at all. so if u are a die hard fan of the series get cause it is a great value but other wise pass. even the first one was better and that is not saying much

There is no such thing as Silent Night Deadly Night part2!!!!!!! I saw it all it was is a rehash of the classic first one with two kills at the end. Anchor Bay took it off the market because the combo was not selling! All you need is the first one, I promise if you buy the combo sndn 1and2 from the idiots who got ripped off your a sorry dude! The so called part 2 even cuts the flash back scenes from part one and changes the story, the original classic must have been banned in the US. So nobody saw it and in the later 80's they put out part two to show people most of the original! Also the other sequels, while having little to do with Christmas are great fun and I promise you'll enjoy them! They are like lost classics! Too bad there in full screen and not buy Anchorbay. They are great fun fun and a steal at the price. PS. Remember buy just part One of SNDN it's all you need and 3, 4 and 5. Have fun!

Silent Night, Deadly Night 1 and 2 were classics. Many may disagree with the second film being good but I think it's funny. Listen to the director's commentary on the dvd and you'll see why. That being said, I couldn't wait to view the rest of the series but Santa delivered a pile of coal instead. The picture quality is clear and crisp. The only extra's is trailers for other Lion Gates films and many of them were released long ago. The problem with this set is simple- these movies friggin SUCK! I couldn't get thru all of part 3 because the acting was so bad and it seemed censored because there is no gore at all, let alone action. I can understand buying this set to complete the series but don't buy them if you have not seen the first two movies. These are so really crappy films and I'd stay far away from them.

If you saw part 1 & 2 do not waste your time or money on this mess, it did not continue from the second movie part 3, 4, or 5 had the worst plot it did not makes sense it was just a awful awful set of movies a waste of time!