Compared are the uncut Theatrical Version / R-Rated Version and the Extended Unrated Version (not rated) (both available on the US Collector's Edition Blu-ray by Scream Factory).


- 15 removed scenes
- 3 scenes with alternate footage
- 1 scene with removed & alternate footage
- Length difference: 143.8 sec resp. 2 min 23.8 sec

Please note: Minor jump cuts with a length of less than 0.5 sec have not been listed in the following comparison.



In 2014, Anchor Bay released their so-called "30th Anniversary Edition" on Blu-ray. The release contains the uncensored Unrated Version. On 12/05/2017, Scream Factory released another Blu-ray in the US: The "Collector’s Edition" is a 2-disc set (2 Blu-rays) plus slipcase. One disc contains the uncensored US Theatrical Version (R-Rated Version), the other one contains the uncensored and extended Unrated Version. Also, the release is based on a new 4K scan from the original negative and the result is pretty great. In addition to new bonus features, the Theatrical Version is what makes this release so unique it had never been released for home theaters before. Unfortunately, there is a little flawed because the Unrated footage is not in HD - those are SD inserts from and the lack of quality (compared to the rest of the movie that is) is quite obvious which also explains the quality of the screenshots of the Unrated footage. Speaking of which, if some Unrated footage had to be added in a scene, the entire shot has been replaced - no exceptions. This means the picture can change within a scene but never within a single shot. Nonetheless, the Unrated Version is still the better choice because it is simply the better version resp. too many alterations were required in order to get the R-rating for the Theatrical Version.



Time index refers to
US Theatrical Version / R-Rated Version (Blu-ray) – Unrated Version (Blu-ray)

31:46 / 31:46

The Theatrical Version lacks the final shot of Billy's nightmare, right before he wakes up: Santa slices Pamela open.

2.4 sec



34:51 / 34:54

Missing shot of "Santa Billy" and the little girl who can't sit still. Billy does not like it one bit.
Billy: "What's the matter with you? Please, stop it."

4.2 sec



39:32 / 39:39

Billy's conversation with Sims is longer.
(Sims: "You remember what Santa Clause does on Christmas Eve, don't ya?"
Billy: "Yeah. Yeah, I know what he does.")
Sims: "Better get started."
"Mr. Hangover" then says hi to Sims. Subsequently afterwards, he says: "I better get started."
He looks to the left and sees Pamela and Andy.
Back to Sims. He says: "Fuckin' party's dead anyway. Ha! Go, get 'em, Santa. Go, get 'em."
Sims leaves, Billy remains behind by himsself. He watches Pamela and Andy. It appears as if they decided to get somewhere quiet. With them opening the door, the versions are back in sync.

38.9 sec



40:24 / 41:10

Subsequent to the scene with Pamela and Andy, Billy keeps starring at the door Pamela and Andy used to leave.
Then Sims and Mrs. Randall. They are singing.
After a while, there is further footage of Billy, Sims and Mrs. Randall keep singing in the background though. At first, there is a close-up of Billy and the subsequent shot of him starts a little earlier in the Unrated Version as well. With him putting down the cup, the versions are back in sync.

At least footagewise that is because the song Sims and Mrs. Randall are singing does in fact differ.

28 sec




Alternate Footage
40:31 / 41:45

And now the explanation for the different song.
Sims and Randall are still singing and the Theatrical Version contains an alternate take which also explains the different lyrics. The following shot of Billy is also different. First of all, the shot is longer in the Unrated Version. Second of all, the angle is slightly different. In addition to that, the song differs one last time.

6.6 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

42:17 / 43:37

Billy's flashback is shorter in the Theatrical Version.

2.5 sec



42:24 / 43:46

And again, Billy's flashback is shorter. In the Theatrical Version, the scene ends with Santa yanking Billy's mom's blouse open. No nudity here because of Santa's arm.
In the Unrated Version, Santa then leans back which leads to some frontal nudity.

0.9 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

42:32 / 43:55

Two more missing shots: First Billy, then a close-up of the knife in Santa's hand.

3.1 sec



42:39 / 44:05

Billy's mom gets her throat slit. In addition to that, only the Unrated Version contains some frontal nudity.

4.3 sec



Alternate Footage
42:49 / 44:19

More alternate footage: The Unrated Version shows Santa a little earlier with the bloody knife in his hand & the subsequent shot of Billy is slightly alternate. Once again, the Unrated Version is a little closer to the action while Billy turns his head to Andy who is about to rape Pamela. Also, the shot is a bit longer in the Unrated Version. And of course, the subsequent shot of Billy (Billy attacks Andy) is also a bit alternate. Curiously enough, it is a few frames shorter in the Unrated Version.

4.3 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

Alternate Footage
43:31 / 45:06

After taking out Andy, Billy turns back around to Pamela. Once again, the shot in the Theatrical Version is slightly alternate and a little shorter.

1.4 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

44:15 / 45:51

Missing shot of Pamela getting killed.

1.6 sec



44:18 / 45:56

Extended shot in the Unrated Version: Billy pulls the knife back out.

0.3 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

44:37 / 46:15

Missing shot of Sims on his way to the back because he believes to have heard something.

8.8 sec



49:04 / 50:51

Mrs. Randall's death is also cut: the footage of her body penetrated by the arrow and then hitting the ground is missing in the Theatrical Version.

5.1 sec



49:05 / 50:57

After a single identical shot of Billy, there is another cut: Mrs. Randall's body is lying on the ground. The camera then pans up to the christmas decoration resp. to Santa.
The Theatrical Version only contains the end of the shot (Santa).

9.5 sec



Removed Scene / Alternate Footage
54:23 / 56:24

The Theatrical Version lacks several details when Denis gets killed, including some bloody close-ups. In addition to that, the shots of Billy are slightly alternate. Last but not least, only the Unrated Version shows Billy walking away at the end of the scene.

16.3 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

01:04:28 / 01:06:45

When Mac realizes that Bob's head has been chopped off, there are further cuts in the Theatrical Version. For starters, the shot of headless Bob coming down the hill is longer. The following shot of Mac starts earlier in the Unrated Version. He yells "Oh, God!", followed by a scream. In the Theatrical Version, all he does is screaming. The following shot of Bob's head rolling down the hill is identically equal but the next one of Mac differs. Not only does the shot ot Mac start earlier but it is also longer. As a result, only the Unrated Version shows him throwing his hands up in despair plus there is a further "Oh, God!" somewhere between his screams. The following shot of Bob's body is completely missing in the Theatrical Version. Then a shot of Bob's head on the ground and his body hits the ground next to the head - basically identically equal, except the shot is insignificantly longer in the Unrated Version.

9.5 sec

R-Rated	Unrated

01:16:29 /01:18:57

Two missing shot when Barnes gets neutralized. After Billy rams the axe in the abdomen, a close-up of Barnes's face is missing. The subsequent shot of him from a further distance is also missing.

2.7 sec