Yes, thanks for clearing it up for me! I also own the film, yet it's part of a cheap 'horror' DVD set I bought at WalMart a few years back. I admit I've only viewed it a couple of times. I honestly thought he was using a super glue to apply the beard, wanting to make the beard more permanent, without regard to the possible after effects of it not being able to come off! I assumed that he was willing to go through great lengths to become Santa...even permanently change his appearance. Though I now see what it really was. The copy I have is pretty crappy quality, very dark in places, so you miss a lot.
As far as the 'mud' scene goes, I read somewhere that the mother in that scene was actress, Patrica Richardson (later of TV's Home Improvement). I'll have to watch it again to see!
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dmercer2961
16 years ago
Dear Jayanxiety,
Thank you so much for your kind reply.
I found this film on Time Warner Cable on a spot called Fearnet where they show Chillers and Science Fiction for free.
The copy I recorded of it had no doubt been digitally enhanced so it was not dark and so that one sees the entire picture as it was meant to be seen on the screen(back when it was first released in the early 1980's) by letterboxing it.
If you like this film enough and would like to get a better copy of it you might check on Amazon.com to see if they have better copies of it for sale.
I've bought alot of films from there over the past several years and been almost always pleased with the results.
When I first saw this film over twenty years ago,I rented it under it's more
ominous title of Christmas Evil.I watched it that first time and hated it because I thought I was renting a Chiller/slasher film.
So I stayed away from this film for over twenty years.
This last Christmas season I looked at it again and found a movie that I really liked because it's really a black comedy and a character driven film about one man's breakdown.I feel most of all that this film is a black comedy
that's very Pro-Christmas and while the Harry character does kill a few people in this film....they are approximately four adults who are cruel to him first.
He is loved by all the children in this film whether he's dressed as Santa Claus or not(a perfect example of the children loving him is when he's protected by a group of children from a mob who wants to kill or hurt this Santa Claus).
Yes Patricia Richardson plays Moss Garcia's Mother who cracks her son across the face when she believes he's lying about Harry hiding in the bushes.
This was before Miss Richardson was the beautiful wife of Tim Allen on his T.V.
Show.
Write me back with your thoughts about this film because I think this Picture is a Classic in it's own way.
To Better Days,
BRAD
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jayanxiety
16 years ago
Just thought I'd add a little interesting note. Brandon Maggart who played Harry later went on to play a Santa Impersonator in an episode of ER. Kind of interesting how this film would showcase the talents of this actor as a man who becomes Santa Claus and would later 'reprise' the role on a popular TV show. If you look at the actor's IMDb profile of roles, he also played a character named 'Harry' later in his career! There's just got to be at least some connection here.
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dmercer2961
16 years ago
Dear Jayanxiety,
A thousand thanks for that extra info and your kind words.
It certainly sounds like Brandon Maggart deservedly is recieving a certain amount of fan appreciation for his excellent performance in You Better Watch Out.His character of Harry is one that you can strongly sympathize with as well
as laugh out loud at.Let's talk again.
To Better Days,
BRAD
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betel-geuse
15 years ago
Dear dmercer2961
Although spirit gum is the standard in putting on fake hair and latex pieces. It would seem unlikely that he used it in the film. If it was supposed to be spirit gum then they goofed. Spirit gum does not dry in seconds and the beard would've come right off his face when he tugged it. It makes sense if it was superglue. But then why would he use a brush to apply it? It is most likely either a goof or a make believe type of spirit gum that dries in seconds.
This film is hysterical. I could listen to him talk about the tune all day long.
Betel Geuse
"You know someone lacks intelligence when their only argument is Dont See It."
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