CHRISTMAS EVIL (a.k.a. YOU BETTER WATCH OUT) is arguably the best “killer Santa” movie ever made. Unlike other films in this particular subgenre, writer/director Lewis Jackson took the time to craft a character study of his lonely protagonist (played with a great sense of sadness and childlike love of the Christmas season by Brandon Maggart), making the audience sympathize with this man who will be pushed to the point of murder by the end of the film.

Red Suit Productions is giving this grimy, yet powerful exploitation classic a theatrical re-release that is probably wider than the film’s initial theatrical release in 1980. As of this moment, only the December 23 screening at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles will be from a 35mm print, the other screenings will be the 4K DCP. If you’re looking for a different kind of Christmas film to watch this season, you could do worse than taking in a film described by John Waters as “the greatest Christmas movie ever.”

Here is the full list of theaters and dates where CHRISTMAS EVIL will be playing:

12/1 – Alamo Drafthouse, El Paso

12/2 – Alamo Drafthouse, Omaha

12/8 – 12/10 – Gateway Film Center, Columbus

12-8, 12/9, 12/13 – Grand Illusion Cinema, Seattle

12/9 – Hollywood Theater, Portland

12/9 & 12/10 – Texas Theatre, Dallas

12/11 – Alamo Littleton, Denver

12/13 – Alamo Drafthouse, Yonkers

12/15 & 16 – Screenland Armour, Kansas City

12/15 & 16 – Loft Cinema, Tucson

12/16 – Capitol Theatre, Cleveland

12/18 & 12/23 – Row House Cinema, Pittsburgh

12/19 – Alamo Drafthouse, NYC

12/20 – Film Scene, Iowa City

12/21 – Roxy Stadium 13, Santa Rosa

12/21 & 22 – Carolina Theater, Durham

12/21 – Parkway Theatre, Minneapolis

12/21 – PhilaMOCA, Philadelphia

12/22 – Parkway Theater, Baltimore

12/22 & 23 – Coolidge Corner Theatre, Boston

12/22 – Frida Cinema, Santa Ana

12/23 – Alamo Drafthouse, Houston

12/23 – Roxie Theatre, SF

12/23 – Belcourt Theatre, Nashville

12/23 – New Beverly Cinema, Los Angeles

–Matt Wedge (@MovieNerdMatt)

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Matt Wedge

Matt Wedge is a writer, film fanatic, and cat herder whose obsession with the films of Larry Cohen and sticking up for unfairly-maligned cinematic bombs can be read at his site, Obsessive Movie Nerd. You can follow him on Twitter at @TheWedgeSerpent.

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Tags: Brandon Maggart, Christmas Evil, john waters, Lewis Jackson, You Better Watch Out