Originally released in the late ’80s and early ’90s, the French thriller Dial Code Santa Claus (also known as 3615 code Père Noël, Deadly Games, Game Over, and numerous other titles) pits a resourceful boy against a murderous man dressed as Santa, who comes lurking down the chimney in the boy's mansion one fateful Christmas Eve. Recently rediscovered as a cult Christmas horror film, Dial Code Santa Claus was given its first official US premiere at Fantastic Fest earlier this year, and now it's coming to theaters in select cities in the US and Canada.
From the Press Release: "DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS is a newly rediscovered holiday cult classic from France, previously available only via VHS bootlegs. The film actually pre-dated HOME ALONE, annihilating a generation of French kids weaned on action-packed Christmastime gems such as GREMLINS and DIE HARD. It disturbed critics and the moviegoing public with its uncompromising look beneath the surface of the beloved holiday. From there, the film went on to worldwide distribution… except for America, where it had yet to see an official release until now.
The film had its North American Premiere this year at Fantastic Fest in Austin, TX with director René Manzor in person, where it thrilled audiences and critics alike -- “[Dial Code Santa Claus] plays like a blend of classic Amblin and a grindhouse nightmare. To say ‘this shit is nuts’ would be an understatement.” (Jacob Hall, Slash Film).
With the slick flair of a vintage MTV video, DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS blends holiday cheer with the audacious shock of a home-invasion thriller and 80s action classics like RAMBO. DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS is a big-time “audience movie”, with dark surprises every few minutes along the way. Its crisp visuals and spooky atmosphere are catnip to horror fans, and its inventive fist-pumping set pieces are brand-new favorites for connoisseurs of cat-and-mouse thrillers.
Thomas is a typical 1980s kid: he loves computers, role-playing games, and his dog. While mom is away at the office on Christmas Eve, Thomas and his grandfather are left home alone -- perfect timing for a disgruntled, perverted, bloodthirsty Santa Claus to raid the home down the chimney. But Hell hath no fury like a mulleted ten-year-old with an arsenal of toys! Made a year before HOME ALONE, the French-made DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS has almost the same plot -- only filled with more style, bloodshed, and Rambo references.
Upcoming screenings include:
12/17 (Alamo Drafthouse Sloans Lake – Denver)
12/17 (AFI Silver – Washington D.C.)
12/18 (Sidewalk Film Fest - Birmingham, AL)
12/19 (Egyptian – Los Angeles)
12/19 (Globe Cinema – Calgary)
12/19 (Boston Underground Film Festival – Boston)
12/19 & 12/23 (Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn - New York)
12/20 (Royal Cinema - Toronto)
12/21 (Alamo Drafthouse – Raleigh, NC)
12/22 (Suns Cinema – Washington D.C.)
12/23 (Frida Cinema - Santa Ana, CA)
12/24 (Alamo Drafthouse Ritz - Austin)
1/9 (Winnipeg Film Group - Winnipeg)
1/19 (Jacob Burns Film Center - Pleasantville, NY)"
Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.
When he’s not writing about horror as the Senior News Reporter for Daily Dead, Derek can be found daydreaming about the Santa Carla Boardwalk from The Lost Boys or reading Stephen King and Brian Keene novels.
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