Alamo Drafthouse releasing French cult classic Dial Code Santa Claus

Last Updated on July 21, 2021

First screened in its native France in 1989, writer/director René Manzor's Christmas horror film DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS didn't officially make it way to North America until this year's Fantastic Fest, but now Alamo Drafthouse is teaming with American Genre Film Archive to give the film the North American release it deserved to get nearly thirty years ago.

DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS is said to be a "big-time audience movie" with crisp visuals that have "the slick flair of a vintage MTV video", a spooky atmosphere, "inventive fist-pumping set-pieces", and dark surprises every few minutes.

The synopsis: 

Thomas is a typical 1980s kid: he loves computers, role-playing games, and his dog. While mom is away at the office on Christmas Eve, Thomas and his grandfather are left home alone — perfect timing for a disgruntled, perverted, bloodthirsty Santa Claus to raid the home down the chimney. But Hell hath no fury like a mulleted ten-year-old with an arsenal of toys! Made a year before HOME ALONE, the French-made DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS has almost the same plot — only filled with more style, bloodshed, and Rambo references.

The trailer can be seen below, and once you see that it's easy to understand why the kid turns into a warrior and takes on Santa Claus. He's a preteen John Wick, and Santa is in definite need of a severe ass-kicking.

The list of upcoming theatrical screenings of the film include

12/18 (Sidewalk Film Fest – Birmingham, AL)
12/19 (Egyptian – Los Angeles) 
12/19 (Globe Cinema – Calgary)
12/19 (Boston Underground Film Festival – Boston)
12/19 & 12/23 (Alamo Drafthouse Brooklyn – New York)
12/20 (Royal Cinema – Toronto)
12/21 (Alamo Drafthouse – Raleigh, NC)
12/22 (Suns Cinema – Washington D.C.)
12/23 (Frida Cinema – Santa Ana, CA)
12/24 (Alamo Drafthouse Ritz – Austin)
1/9 (Winnipeg Film Group – Winnipeg)
1/19 (Jacob Burns Film Center – Pleasantville, NY)

Theatrical screenings of DIAL CODE SANTA CLAUS can be booked through the AGFA website.