It's Christmas Eve, and all through the farmhouse,

Lots of creatures are stirring, especially a murderous louse!

I'm not a poet and I know it, but I do know that Sheitan ("Devil") is one of the most memorable, shocking and skin-crawly DVDs to come down the pike in quite some time (and it's just in time for Christmas day! Put this one on your stocking stuffer list, kids).

A nasty little French tart of a film, Sheitan tells the tale of a group of teens who go to the countryside and run afoul of a shifty shepherd (Vincent Cassel) named — what else? — Joseph, who has prepared himself for a big night of Satanic shenanigans. All he needs are some willing (or unwilling) sacrifices, and he's got it made.

While there are elements of The Last Supper, Hostel, a dash of Sisters and Straw Dogs, and a whole slew of creepy 70s horror/thrillers, Sheitan does things in its own funky, funny style. The movie is humorous in the blackest possible way, but it's also quite disturbing (one scene borders on puppy porn… 'nuff said!) and deliriously over the top as the villainous Cassel chews the scenery with huge, crooked, greenish choppers.

The movie features a tour de force of fear-triggers, including an attic full of mannequins, puppets, and dress-forms; a demented "caretaker" and bizarre townspeople; sinister sexual attention; chase scenes in the dark woods; being left behind by your friends, and so on. There's lots of handheld camera work, quick cuts, and loud music in the score, but it comes off well and fits in with the perverse 70s vibe of the film.

Sheitan is written and directed by newcomer Kim Chapiron, and aside from the baddie, stars mostly unknowns actors. Olivier Barthelemy as what passes for the protagonist, Bart, is well-cast and quite good (if not very relatable; every victim here is a jerk, so you really aren't emotionally invested in anyone). Julie-Marie Parmentier, as the mentally unbalanced local slut, is excellent as well.

The story is not quite cohesive enough, the pacing is just a little off, and the ending is a mess — but the hedonist-horror atmosphere of Sheitan more than make up for its shortcomings.

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