Friday Night Frightfest

Author: GeekProfs

A podcast celebrating the horror movie double feature
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Genres: Society & Culture, TV & Film

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Silent Night, Deadly Night - 1984 and 2025
Episode 169
Friday, 26 December, 2025

This week on Friday Night Frightfest, we’re unwrapping a gift that keeps on giving... or rather, slaying. We are celebrating the return of the most controversial Santa in cinema history, comparing the infamous 80s slasher that caused parents to protest in the streets, Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), with the brand-new, twisted reimagining, Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025). Lock your chimneys and check your list twice—Billy is back! Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) Directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr., the original Silent Night, Deadly Night is a cornerstone of holiday horror. After witnessing his parents’ brutal murder by a man in a Santa suit and enduring years of psychological abuse at a strict orphanage, young Billy Chapman snaps. Donning the red suit himself, he goes on a relentless rampage to "punish the naughty." This film is legendary for its iconic kills (who could forget the antlers?) and the massive real-world controversy it sparked for "ruining" Christmas iconography. Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025) Directed by Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn 2021), this new vision brings Billy Chapman into the modern era with some truly ambitious twists. Starring Rohan Campbell (Halloween Ends) as a more nuanced, brooding Billy, the 2025 remake shifts the focus toward a psychological "anti-hero" journey. This version features a literal "voice in his head" guiding his vengeance and a central romance with a woman named Pamela (Ruby Modine). It’s a stylish, hyper-violent blend of slasher horror and a Dexter-style character study. Join us as we break down these two generations of holiday terror. Which Billy captures the true spirit of "Killer Santa"? Tune in for a sleigh ride through the blood-stained snow! Spoilers start around 7:05.