Short Film Review: Mad Santa (2019)
One angry sumbitch with dashed aspirations of portraying Santa at the local mall goes ahead and kidnaps the manager of said establishment, her family, and her lover; and lets them know he’s a smidge miffed he lost the coveted Yuletide gig. Created for the Vancouver 48 Hour Run N Gun Horror Film Festival (which means the entire sinister shebang was written, shot, edited, and scored in 48 hours… which seems crazy as all fuck to undertake but kudos to the lunatics that ran those particular asylums) by writer/director/actor Bruce Blain (who portrays the eponymous lead character), Mad Santa is a vicious lil’ slice of fearsome fruitcake served up with a splash of shocking violence… and goddamn is it ever a satisfying short subject! In a mere seven minutes we get a powerhouse performance from Blain, cringe-worthy brutality, tension thicker than the heels of Karloff’s Frankenstein boots, and even an unexpected dash of playfulness… which adds up to a joltin’ jaunt
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