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?
78 comments
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John Cavener
Obscenity is Obscene
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James G. Ward
Who gets to say what is reasonable for all of us? There is no one answer and no one is the same. I agree with the theory if you don't like something leave it alone! Don't try to force you values on everyone else!
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
What happened to if you don't like it, don't watch it? Stop beating the country about the face and head with your bible. Your religion controls you, not anyone else.
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Coleman Wallace
The mass for Christ or Yahshua Ha'mashiac, Yahshua the anointed one, should never be a practice for followers of "The Way". What is was before the term "christian". My people perish for lack of knowledge. Be set apart. Seek. It's all there. Use etymology to discover the true meanings of words.
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Quinn R Amaro
What needs to be done is to explain to children the history surrounding Halloween. Once the children know it will, in time, become the child's choice. Do I promote the fears and beliefs from hundred's of years ago? Do I promote the commercialized foolishness? Or do I accept the reality of life hay this is and pass on participating?
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Quinn, that's exactly what I tell my daughter. Of course instead of halloween I say relgion but your point stands; explain how much nonsense it all is and they will decide on their own as they get older to participate or not. But at least it will be their choice
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Donna Riccardo
Should definitely not be censored. People are so touchy these days. And others are too worried about people being touchy. Enough!
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Jay Ryan
Unless you're talking about Catholic priests being touchy... just sayin'.
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Pastor George Day
Jay Ryan
yeah right... they condemn lgbt only when they are not among their altar boys in which case they are fine with them!
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Walter J. Holbrook
I need a drink after this. I guess the Easter Bunny will be running around with ammo belts all over him and a fifty caliber machine gun shooting up the white house.
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Teresa Freeman
Doesn't matter how Satan rapes his own pagan holidays , Jesus was born in September , and the Only thing Jesus said to do in remembrance of His was the Communion during the passover feast , the blood and the body , He said This do in Remembrance of me , Boone is doing a kid a favor by lying about an idol that brings gifts and joy
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Pastor George Day
Teresa Freeman,
Are you one of Jehovah's Witnesses, by any chance?
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Rev. Donut
It's a movie. Go and see it or don't.
Don't get on your high horses and try to tell everyone what to think or say or do.
Thats Kommie all the way..
I always thought the Wizard of Oz was weird.
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Rev. Rory
We live in an increasingly weird world. The best thing that can happen to a second rate film maker is to have people argue about the appropriateness of a movie or piece of art. They become famous and make money by building outrage. When junk is ignored, it will stay as it is - junk. Politicians figured this out. They are in the news daily for saying all types of things to cause outrage and to keep their faces on social media and in newspapers. I doubt that as a society we will ever deal with this properly. I am not offended by something because it is an afront to religion. I'm offended that no-talent individuals make a career out of producing garbage with no value. Ignore it.
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Billie Lyons
I'm concerned that parents would take their children to see such a film, how else would they be traumatized by it. Second, First Amendment is there remember bad taste is not a crime and anything is up for satire.
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Rev. BH
Great point, Billie. "Bad taste is not a crime". Ties right in with that Mary giving birth statue blog.
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Thomas Christopher Medina
Blah, blah, blah. Be true to yourself, mind your own business and allow others to do the same.
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Pastor George Day
Thomas Christopher Medina,
I completely concur. The philosophy is simple: live and let live.
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Genevieve Friday Ard
Terrifier as Santa Claus... Ever hang out at the Santa Claus event at the mall or shopping center? ...or, when I was a kid the local Jitney Jungle grocery store.... a LOT of little kids ARE white eyed terrified of Santa Claus! Having said that? Santa Claus in Modern Dress is strictly a Coca~Cola Brand Trademark and has been since no Church objected to Santa Claus/St. Nikolaus being commercialized. The one aspect Coca~Cola did change when it commercialized Santa Claus is the change in Robe and Cap colors. Traditionally its Dark Green or Dark Blue. As for horror stories, plays, radio dramas or movies? Hardly ever see or hear an objection because over the decades, if you watch them with a critical eye.... The Church? and Christianity? before you see 'The End' on that big screen? Christianity and the Church appears to 'save the day' every single time. Well, unless Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee is involved.... only then is that end title card 'The End' iffy. I have been watching horror and sci-fi movies since the 1960s and I can't think of one where 'Satan' wins, the Vampire walks away without turning into a plie of dust, the Wolfman wees on a fire hydrant or Frankenstein's Monster Adam walks ...er... lurches, into the Sunset with Mrs. Bride of Frankenstein's Monster. Do you? Not having seen the mentioned Terrifier movie? I can only guess that there may be a few more of the series .... but, in the end? it will fade into the past like all the other horror movies... (but you'll never bury the Hammer House of Horror!)
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Patricia Ann Gross
I find it rediculous that they are more concerned about a "satanic" Santa than the graphic violence. Santa is not a Christian symbol, so even the jolly old man in a red suit at the mall should be considered "satanic" by some of these people's definitions. I am honestly not a fan of horror flicks and will not see this film, but it's because of the violence and not a creepy Santa.
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Dustin McNiff
Art in any form should not be censored regardless of religious persecution. Art in all forms is the expression of the artists and to censor or add trigger warnings is just an example of how weak human minds can be.
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Jaime Lynn King
I was a pentecostal and charismatic non denominational Christian at one point. Many Christians of different denominations don't even believe in Santa..they call him an idol and evil.. 🤷♀️
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Scott Smith
Ah, yes... I remember when Santa Claus = Satan's Claws.
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Suzanne Thackston
Kinda funny that's it a Satanic depiction of Santa- not a Christian figure at all- that has folks riled up.
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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Wow! Religiously delusional are actually protesting movies now?
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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]
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Pastor George Day
Reverend Doctor Father JJ,
His name is Yehoshua, not 'Jebus.'
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Best xmass movie....Bruce Willis in Die Hard
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Are there no more lion's dens to throw these people into?
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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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Pastor George Day
James Riggle-Johnson,
Nonsense!
What does St. Nicholas have to do with Christ?
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James Riggle-Johnson
Aboslutely nothing.
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Pastor George Day
James,
I will only continue to engage with you on this matter after you have completed your history research.
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James Riggle-Johnson
Perhaps we misunderstand each other. Santa Claus has nothing to do with Jesus Christ. No further engagement required.
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James Riggle-Johnson
Engagement not required.
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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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Dr. Zerpersande, NSC
Yep, I’d agree that Santa is just as real as god. You didn’t really think about how that was going to sound, huh? But if you believe in god, well, you don’t think much anyway.
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Pastor George Day
Dr. Zerpersande, NSC,
That analogy is as flawed as one might expect from you. Delve into popular tradition to uncover the true origins of Santa.
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Scott Smith
I think Santa represents commercialism, trauma for those who cannot afford to gift, and continued church backed lying.
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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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Pastor George Day
Timothy C. Stone,
Santa Claus is commonly depicted as St. Nicholas, a bishop known for giving gifts to poor children during Christmas, a tradition rooted in Christianity.
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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. BH
There's a FLAGGED LIST? Where? Might be some fun reading!
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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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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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James Riggle-Johnson
Exactly!
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Pastor George Day
Reverend Deborah Dunkle (Raven Wolf Song),
As Christians, we have the right to defend our faith.
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James Riggle-Johnson
Pastor George, Christians absolutely have the right to defend their faith. What they don’t have the right to do is make sure the rest of us cannot watch something they find offensive. Simply don’t watch it. There is no reason to demand it be banned. Nobody is forcing them to watch it.
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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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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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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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Pastor George Day
Colleen McAllister,
I'm uncertain how you perceive 'The Last Temptation of Christ' as reinforcing the Gospel's message. I have actually watched it.
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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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Rev. BH
RAK, Fairly reasonable!
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Russel A. Kester
Thank you, BH.
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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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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
Deck the halls with bowels from Holly....
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Timothy C Stone
LOL!
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Reverend Paula Copp
Oh, please! If you find a movie which you absolutely dislike, don’t go see it. It’s not that difficult!
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Rev. BH
Right on again, sister.
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Reverend Paula Copp
Thank you, brother!
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Alicia M Martin
Exactly! It's literally a horror movie about an evil clown. Why watch it if you don't like that sort of thing? My husband is a fan, I am not. No protest here.
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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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Suzanne Thackston
Huh. Sounds a bit like Hate Speech. Are you in the right place, hon?
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Pastor George Day
Why are you shouting? That is rude!
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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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Suzanne Thackston
And Mithras and Dionysos and the Norse Yul and hundreds of other winter festivals. You don't own the Winter Solstice, and it's y'all who have insisted that ALL the winter festivals get called Christmas here in America.
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I believe they should remove Terrifer3 from shows and T. V. It is an outrage to even make a movie like Terrifer3: Satan is trying to turn people away from Christ; and every Christians need to ban together to protest Terrifer3.
actually fundamentalist christians are doing a great job of turning away people from christ. on another note: christmas is based on a pagan holiday; nothing to do with christ until the church took it over.
so good kkkrs chns like you should get to decide what everyone else gets to watch? is there no on/off switch on your shows and TV? are you unable/incapable of looking away from the TV? why possibly would you think shows you disapprove should not be made, shown or viewed? do you get to decide what music other people get to listen to, or play, or compose? do you get to decide what type of clothing other people buy or wear make of sell? do you get to decide what food people get to buy, grow, sell, eat? what makes you an expert on what others can view "...from shows or T.V.?"