I’ll just straight out admit that I did not anticipate what I got with Deadly Games – Dial Code Santa Claus (36.15 Code Pere Noel). I thought I had the killer Santa movie thing down at this point and had seen them all. I was wrong, very very wrong, and what I got here was a very rough (on the brutal scale) and very French take on the genre that pre-dates John Hughes’ Home Alone, but if one wants to really stretch it seems like it could be a dark influence on that particular film.

The film follows Thomas, an eccentric kid who lives in a mansion with his Grandfather and Mother. Thomas is obsessed with action, and when his Mother is away he turns the family mansion into a staging area for live action war games. His fictional games become reality when a department store Santa Claus that was under the employ of Thomas’ mother is fired for being harsh with a child. He sneaks into the mansion, and finds Thomas’ is harder to deal with than he expected.

French genre cinema is interesting. In the 2000’s they had that reinvention into a more brutal zone, but there was always trickles of harshness in French horror cinema going back to even Jean Rollin’s films or efforts like Night of Death. If I were to find an analog to any prior French works it would be with Rollin’s efforts or Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay, but pumped up with action movie mayhem. They have this whimsical touch that seems in line with French fantastic cinema, with the brutal, and that just gives this film an odd unique feeling. Mixing in the holiday vibe, and you have something that really stands out, and becomes an instant repeat holiday watch.

The UHD disc from Vinegar Syndrome is presented in 4k with a splendid presentation with excellent color reproduction, fine detail, and deep blacks. The HD audio track sounds crisp clear, and without issue (in French with subs). Extra include interviews with the director and another with actor Alain Lalanne, there are also shorts, music videos, a still gallery, featurettes, and much more. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.