Don't Open till Christmas
| Don't Open Till Christmas | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Edmund Purdom |
| Written by | |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Alan Pudney |
| Edited by | Ray Selfe |
| Music by | Des Dolan |
Production company | Spectacular Trading International |
| Distributed by | 21st Century Film Corporation |
Release dates |
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Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Don't Open Till Christmas is a 1984 British slasher film directed by Edmund Purdom, and starring Purdom, Alan Lake, Belinda Mayne, and Gerry Sundquist. Written by Derek Ford and Alan Birkinshaw, the film follows a mysterious killer murdering Santa Claus impersonators in London during Christmastime.
The production of Don't Open Till Christmas was troubled, with director and star Purdom eventually dropping out of the project, after which its editor, Ray Selfe, took over directorial duties to complete the film, while screenwriter Alan Birkinshaw performed significant rewrites of the screenplay. As a result, principal photography lasted nearly two years.
Don't Open Till Christmas was theatrically distributed in the United States through 21st Century Film Corporation, opening in New York City on 7 December 1984. This was the only directorial work of Purdom's career, and the final film of both Lake and Sundquist.