Of the many holiday special that have aired on television , fromFrosty the SnowmantoA Charlie Brown Christmas , very few have come with a parental advisory warning over violent depicted object . That changed in 1989 , whenHBOdebuted “ And All Through the House , ” an episode ofTales From the Cryptin which a psychopathic Santa Claus wields an axe and terrorize a single mother on Christmas Eve . ( In trueCryptfashion , the booster is single because she just murdered her married man with a fireplace fire hook . )
The story may have pioneered a new vacation horror figure of speech : a Santa who is far more blue than courteous .
MerryCrypt-Mas
Santa ’s execution started in the 1950s , when the market for morbid tales was at an all - time high . tarradiddle From the Cryptand other EC Comics anthology — in which amoral character get their comeupance in ironic and frequently violent twists — were democratic but courted controversy . One cover of a woman ’s unembodied head drip profligate forCrime SuspenStories#22 was believe to be specially inexcusable . At a Senatehearingon comical books and juvenile dereliction in October 1954 , EC publishing firm William M. Gaines could only come up a feeble defense of his lurid product . Asked if he recall the figure was in dear taste , he said , “ Yes , sir , I do . For the covering of a horror comic . ”
“ And All Through the House ” was originallypublishedinThe Vault of Horror#35 in early 1954 , just prior to the Senate chiding . In the story — written andillustratedby Johnny Craig , who also conjured thatinfamousCrime SuspenStoriescover — an unnamed woman can her dysphoric man and wife on Christmas Eve with “ one fleet black eye of a poker game . ” As she contemplates how good to dispose of the dead body , she has to grapple with her young daughter , Carol , who ’s anxiously awaiting the arriver of Santa Claus . But a different Santa is lurking — a maniac dressed as Saint Nick has murder four cleaning lady , and is report to still be on the loose .
The risible story is a light four varlet , just enough time to introduce the characters and salute a modest twist : tiny Carol has let the killer into the house , consider him to be Santa Claus .
With its perverted sense of seasonal cheer , “ And All Through the House ” became a memorable EC story , and one that was often revisited . In 1972 , production company Amicus released aTales From the Cryptanthology feature film adapting the report ; Joan Collins plays the widow woman , and Santa is for the most part absent from the 12 - minute segment until the very end .
Subsequent movies likeChristmas Evil(1980 ) andSilent Night , Deadly Night(1984 ) depict a raiding Santa . Film critic Gene Siskel dub the latter “ quite sick ” ; the critical rage led to television ads for the movie being pulled .
“ While we were filming [ Who Framed Roger Rabbit ] , Joel mentioned that he was work on getting EC Comics on cable , and I thought that was a impudent way of life to do it , ” Zemeckistoldauthor Digby Diehl in 1997’sTales From the Crypt : The Official Archives . “ I knewTales From the Cryptwould never succeed on internet television set . They ’d smash it . If it was going on cable , I told him I was concerned . ”
Holiday Haunt
There was some shock value in purge Drake , who at that point was comfortably known for his portrayal of Benny Stulwicz , a tolerant - hearted Isle of Man living with noetic disablement , on NBC ’s effectual dramedyLA . Law . ( Drakewontwo Outstanding Supporting Actor Emmys for the role . ) His Santa was a mostly mum aught who hunts Trainor while she tries to figure out a way to make it face like he ’s the one who killed her hubby .
“ I want something dissimilar , ” Drakesaidof the part . “ I do n’t worry about my image . I did n’t have an image beforeL.A. Law , and I do n’t need to have it incessantly . ”
Zemeckis was somewhat challenged by the fact the level had been previously adapted in the 1972Cryptfilm . “ I want to start novel , ” hesaid . “ I did n’t want it to look like we were trying to make over the prior movie . I went back to the comic book — there were fate of images that I wanted to suggest or replicate , including the final image with Santa Claus . ”
Drake ’s Santa does n’t in reality kill anyone onscreen ; his four anterior murders are only reported on the radiocommunication . Unlike in the comic , he has time to haunt his victim , who realizes she ca n’t summon the police because of her married man ’s sassy stiff . By the clock time Santa is let inside the planetary house by the guileless daughter Carrie Ann ( formerly Carol ) , it ’s fourth dimension for the Crypt - Keeper to close out the episode , assuring looker that Santa did n’t harm the kid . ( The wife , one assumes , is another report . )
The deficiency of uttermost gore may have been one cause “ And All Through the House ” got a more tepid answer thanSilent Night , Deadly Night , which drew protests . The Washington Postcritic Tom ShalesdeclaredDrake ’s throw “ tacky ” and the evil Santa premise one that “ stinks . ” Tucked away on pay cable , it was deemed tasteless but not worthy of a moral scare .
Tales From the Cryptwasn’t all done with Christmas : In 1994 , John Kassir , who vocalize the Crypt - Keeper , released a vacation record album , Have Yourself a Scary small Christmas . The show itself injure down in 1996 , after seven seasons — though there have been attempts to climb a new version , mostrecentlywith M. Night Shyamalan . If it is revive , it ’s potential “ And All Through the House ” will once again be resurrected along with it to spread some holiday fear .
