Christmas Classic Miracle On 34th Street Was A Guiding Light For David Harbour In Violent Night [Exclusive]
The upcoming action comedy "Violent Night" starring David Harbour ("Stranger Things") is just about to hit our stockings. This is no regular Christmas movie, in case you didn't get that from the title. On Christmas Eve, a bunch of mercenaries break into the house of a wealthy family and take everyone hostage. Who comes to the rescue? None other than Santa Claus (Harbour) himself. He's been bringing presents to good little kids throughout the centuries, but he's gotten a bit jaded. All these little rug rats want nowadays is cash.
As it turns out, Santa isn't just a jolly old elf who's a little over it all. He's a complete badass! You do not upset the cutest little kid ever (Leah Brady) and get off scot-free. You mess with the Christmas reindeer, you get the horns, you know what I mean? The film also stars John Leguizamo ("John Wick"). Cam Gigandet ("Without Remorse"), Alex Hassell ("Cowboy Bebop"), Alexis Louder ("The Tomorrow War"), Edi Patterson ("The Righteous Gemstones"), and Beverly D'Angelo ("National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation"). It is directed by Tommy Wirkola ("Dead Snow"), and it promises to capture the Christmas spirit ... with a whole lot of violence packed in Santa's sack of presents.
/Film's own Bill Bria spoke to David Harbour about the film and the homage to classic Christmas movies in "Violent Night." You might not expect his pick, considering this film was produced at 87North, who brought you "Nobody," "John Wick," "Atomic Blonde," and "Bullet Train," but here we are!
' ... you need to punch that heart pretty hard'
Harbour said that the important part of this film is the relationship between Santa Claus, and the little girl Trudy (Brady). He says:
"For me, the big one that I wanted to even draw more of, me and the relationship with the little girl that I wanted to develop, that we did develop I think very well so that it really has heart, was 'Miracle on 34th Street'" The old original black-and-white 'Miracle on 34th Street.'"
It's not the first film you'd expect to be associated with "Violent Night," but it's lovely. Harbour continues:
"In that movie, it's a little bit different. [The Natalie Wood character] is a very square girl, and her mother doesn't believe [in Santa]: 'You shouldn't lie to kids, and this is the truth.' And [Kris Kringle] is like, 'Well, imagination.' And then at the end, there's a house and there's the guy's cane, and she gets her wish and the parents even believe. And that's something that we wanted to — that courses throughout the movie."
Harbour says that classic Christmas action films — and he includes "Home Alone" and "Die Hard" (because that is 100 percent a Christmas movie and I will fight you on that) — have their own "sort of fun wackiness" to them, but that "Miracle on 34th Street" is "straight ahead emotional" and "straight ahead sincere." He explains that, though this is an action movie and has lots of humor, "you need to punch that heart pretty hard so that it resonates through that." He thinks we'll end up crying because of how much Santa loves this little girl. How's that for Christmas spirit?
"Violent Night" will hit theaters on December 2, 2022.