The number one film at the box office is also being accused of blasphemy, sparking protests from Christians across the nation who object to the film's over the top violence and “Satanic Santa.”
Terrifier 3 is the latest entry in the Terrifier series, which follows horror villain Art the Clown as he slices and dices his way through, well… just about anybody he comes in contact with. Here's a quick preview:
The series is known for its extremely graphic violence, but Terrifier 3 is also courting controversy for its use of religious imagery, which some say is downright blasphemous.
Satanic Santa
“Keep Christ in Christmas” read one protest sign seen outside of a movie theater in Kansas City, Missouri. “We protest the Satanic Santa ‘Terrifier 3’ movie showing here.”
That image was shared to Instagram by the film’s lead actor, David Howard Thornton, with the caption "We're doing something right! 🤡🤘."
Similar reports of religious protests are popping up all over the country.
In this latest Christmas-themed entry in the series, Art the Clown dons a Santa Claus outfit during his murder spree. The Christian film review site Plugged In panned the film in its review, and called out religious imagery it found offensive:
"This pic’s [sic] Christmas setting does open the door to flashes of religious imagery. We see crosses and other iconography in a chapel setting, for instance, as well as a painted rendition of Jesus and the Last Supper. There are also quick shots of snowy Nativity-scene displays and the like, as well as several Christmas carols (such as 'Hark the Harold Angels Sing' and 'Silent Night.'"
The review continues, “The movie also takes pains to snub its dramatic nose at faith in general,” including “a man’s eviscerated corpse… nailed to a wall in a mockery of Jesus on the cross,” as well as a makeshift crown of thorns, which is jammed onto another character's head as a demon proclaims “there is no God.”
So… it’s easy to see why this film might not resonate with Christian audiences. But this is hardly the first film to bring religious protesters to the theater.
A History of Film Protest
40 years ago, another murderous Santa Claus film was the subject of religiously motivated protests.
In 1984, the film Silent Night, Deadly Night – which follows the murderous exploits of a man who dresses as Santa to enact his bloody revenge on the Catholic nuns who abused him – also faced faith protests. Protesters picketed the film across the country and Christmas carols outside of theaters.
"Most protests were generated by the feeling that the depiction of a killer in a Santa Claus suit would traumatize children and undermine their traditional trust in Santa Claus," read a Variety article at the time.
But it isn’t just horror films that have drawn the ire of the faithful over the years. "The Last Temptation of Christ" was widely protested for its depiction of a Jesus tempted to abandon divinity and live a normal life, and "Dogma" was famously opposed by some Christians over its profane satirization of Catholicism.
Dogma's director and creator, (and ULC Minister) Kevin Smith even attended a protest incognito:
Clearly, films created to push religious boundaries received pushback from faithful audiences unsatisfied with their faith being disparaged is a well-worn tale. But is protesting these films, or trying to get them removed from theaters, the right way to engage with ideas one disagrees with?
Should art – including Art the Clown – be censored in favor of religious sensibilities?
29 comments
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Rev Deborah Dunkle (Raven Wolf Song)
Hmm same old song. If it offends anyone ban it. Nope no one religion has the right to choose what I or we watch or see. If Christians are so hot to condemn anything non Christian why are they supporting a lier, a cheat, a foul mouthed bigot who comes as close as I can imagine to the description of the Anti Christ???
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James Riggle-Johnson
Exactly!
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Rev. BH
Rev. Raven I always suspected D.T. was indeed the antichrist. And wonder why the Christian Nationalists and their ilk support him. I'll venture it's because his obedient supreme court choices deny women bodily autonomy, and Kamala being both black and female riles them no end. Uppity women need putting in their place! Right fellers? And yet with a possible 666 man living in our midst, these fringe "Christian" incels are more worried about scary self-possessed women and creepy movie Santas. I love both my strong, intelligent woman and goofy horror movies.
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Michael Howard Schrader
"Dogma" was such a great movie, especially the Happy Jesus that was actually sold in at least one Catholic bookstore. These protestors need to get a grip about Art the Clown.
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Timothy C Stone
I have that Buddy Jesus figure!!! Love that movie.
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Timothy C Stone
LOL! Once again, don't like it, don't watch it. I don't really like 'slasher' films. I grew up with the late great Vincent Price making movies based on Edgar Allen Poe stories, and old school horror flicks like HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, 13 GHOSTS, DR SARDONICUS ...etc. More modern horror is more like, How many ways can we slice and dice a teenager? I don't like them so I don't watch them. And by the way, Santa has little to do with Christianty. Some people need something to be angry about. Just don't watch it!
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Nicholas J Page
Wtf Christmas is not or will never be satanic It's all about Christ So best thing as it's going to upset us Christians is to ban it all together.I know it can be seen on YouTube but it's a Christian Festival.
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Reverend Paula Copp
The season isn’t all about christians. Many religions have holidays around the winter solstice. The world doesn’t revolve around christianity, and they don’t get to ban ANYTHING! If you don’t like the movie, don’t watch it!
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Timothy C Stone
How about, FESTIVUS FOR THE REST OF US? See Seinfeld for the reference.
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Lori-Ann Neeb
Christmas is what people make of it.. not all about Christ. There are many faiths and organized religions in the world. Only entitled Bible thumpers believe the "all about christ line".
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John P Maher
FOR CHRISTs SAKE, CHRISTMAS is FOR KIDs, NOT FOR DUMMIES PLAYING DRESS UP, THATS FOR LGBTQ, CROSS DRESSERs and "WHATEVER " GET A LIFE PLEASE !
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Rev. BH
John, we're talking about a movie here. A fiction. Costumes. "Play-acting". Get it? (And the all-caps thing: "Posting in all caps is generally considered to be rude and is often interpreted as shouting")
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Reverend Paula Copp
John, your comments about the LGBTQ+ community are unbecoming of a minister. Don’t spew opinions on stuff you know nothing about.
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Timothy C Stone
Your comment has nothing to do with the posted topic. Just your need to post uneducated hateful bigotry?
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James Riggle-Johnson
Cross dressers? Really?
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Deck the halls with bowels from Holly....
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Kathryn Diane Taft
Ha! Christmas is about Christ? Since when? Since the clergy has been saying it is? Right. Y'all know the origin of Christmas has never been about Christ, it's about kids, presents and sales. It used to be about giving but now it's about spending a bunch of money you don't have on a bunch of stuff you don't need or want
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Russel A. Kester
Much ado about nothing. I don't watch horror films. It's clearly shouldn't be seen by children. But adults can waste their time watching it if they wish.
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Colleen McAllister
It's a movie, one that children are not permitted to see. Santa does not represent Christ so not sure why folks are upset on religious grounds.
As to previous protests, if the naysayers had actually seen The Last Temptation of Christ then they would know that the ending is one of the most brilliant statements in support of the Gospel ever made.
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arawngraalrd
Santa's an old friend. I don't know what she'll think, but it's likely she'll watch it. He was accused of punching someone out at the Council of Nicea, so let's admire Art's bravery.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
This is rather annoying, being on the FLAGGED LIST. A post on Friday at 1:56 can't be approved and likely won't be until Monday (or Tuesday because the ULC buries my comments). I don't get it because there are always some pretty offensive comments that seem to populate with no moderation. The ULC must be 'conservative' in their approach here it is now 8:25AM Saturday (11:25 EST)
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Rev. Elizabeth
Leave Santa alone. He was created to help parents teach their children about giving as well as receiving and to believe, even if you don’t see him, he is real, just like God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Even God’s Angels and then there is Satan and his demons. We don’t see them but they are real and one is real bad. Teaches about rebuking all evil. Yes, leave Santa alone. He represents all that the evil cannot do.
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James Riggle-Johnson
There is no hate like Christian love. The Catholic church has little to get angry about after knowingly hiding pedophiles in their ranks for decades. And what does Santa have to do with Christ? If you don’t like a movie then just don’t watch it. Why do they have to go the extra mile. Obviously, someone likes it based on the box office. They certainly got a return on their investment.
Personally, I like Violent Night with David Harbour.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Are there no more lion's dens to throw these people into?
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Best xmass movie....Bruce Willis in Die Hard
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
"The review continues, “The movie also takes pains to snub its dramatic nose at faith in general,” including “a man’s eviscerated corpse… nailed to a wall in a mockery of Jesus on the cross,” "
LOL so a depiction of a man's eviscerated corpse nailed to a wall is is mockery of jebus's non-eviscerated corpse nailed to a tree? I would think that's more...iriony? (the complaining about it, I mean)
What's the argument here, 'we had our 'man nailed to a cross' first and so you don't get to copy that'? I can't image a better way to drum up interest and box office sales to a movie than get a bunch of holy rollers' panties in a not and out protesting the movie. Cha ching!
[maybe a church, or a denomination helped finance the movie and they're looking for ROI and decided to drum up business by protesting the film? Probably unethical, could be illegal, might be immoral...right up the alley for religionists]
Oh, please! If you find a movie which you absolutely dislike, don’t go see it. It’s not that difficult!
Right on again, sister.
Thank you, brother!