A Texas filmmaker has released a movie he says can create a "PG rated" experience for a zombie apocalypse. A Creature was Stirring started streaming Friday on Amazon Prime Video, the Roku Channel and Tubi.
Cliff McClelland wrote, directed and stars as Santa Claus in the film.
"We catch up with Santa toward the end of the zombia apocalypse," McClelland says. "In this PG-rated movie, no blood or anything like that, he's just trying to bring hope to kids around the world through an old ham radio."
McClelland says Santa uses magic to communicate with kids who try to speak to him with walkie-talkies, car radios or other electronics. He says Santa understands every language kids might use to speak to him.
"We want to be very accepting. Santa's for everybody," he says. "That's part of the mythos is his magic."
McClelland says the idea came to him during the pandemic.
"What would Santa do if his entire means of existence is taken away? He's all about the kids: seeing the smiles, hearing the laughter and eating the cookies. When all of that's gone, what does this mythological being think about his life?" McClelland asks.
McClelland is also an English teacher. In September, a law took effect in Texas requiring cell phones to be powered off during the school day except during an emergency. He says he has already seen a change in kids' behavior.
"It's been magical being an English teacher this year," he says. "It's been great. Kids are actually looking at each other and talking to each other."
He says the film can highlight the positive applications of technology and show how people can come together during a crisis.
"We wanted to keep it simple. It's a simple story about people who are trying to come back together in the face of tragedy and how just a simple radio show can make people's lives better," McClelland says. "It's like how people would crowd around the radio back in the 40s to hear FDR talk just because they had no other communication. Now, in my movie, we're back there again, but it's the kids who are crouching around the radios and walkie-talkies listening to Santa talk, tell them fun stories and tell them everything's going to be okay."
A Creature was Stirring is available on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel and Tubi.