With Halloween still eleven months away, and cheerful jingles being played ad nauseam since 12:01 a.m. on November 1st (if not earlier in some stores), for many horror fans, this is the slow part of the year. However, the Christmas season is actually ripe with horror touches if you know where to look. Horror and Christmas actually have a long history together – from Krampus to the old tradition of telling scary stories on Christmas (remember that line from It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – “there will be scary ghost stories”). Many filmmakers have modernized that tradition to create amazing frightfully fun Christmas horror movies.
Here are some of the best films to add some scary to your merry Christmas:
The Plot: Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, becomes bored of the same old Halloween routine. When he wanders into Christmas Town, he is inspired and tries to take over the holiday from “Sandy Claws” for a year – with disastrous results.
While there is heated debate in my household as to whether this is a Christmas or Halloween movie (and we have called it a Thanksgiving film as a compromise), this is one of the most-referenced horror-Christmas family films. Its music is catchy and memorable, and the unique style of Tim Burton shines through this stop-motion masterpiece.
The Plot: On December 5th, 1492, bishop Niklas and his murderous gang are killed in a fire after townsfolk rebel against their evil ways. They place a curse on the town, causing their ghosts to rise from the grave every December 5th that has a full moon. Over the years, as the truth of the gang is forgotten, Sinterklass becomes the legend of a benevolent Dutch Santa Claus that gives presents to kids. In 2010, a full moon presides over the annual Sinterklaas festival, causing Niklas and his gang to go on a murderous rampage in the town.
This action-packed horror film from the Netherlands is a fun watch for groups of friends. It adds a wonderful twist onto the rich Dutch folklore of Sinterklass and creates beautiful horror imagery from the traditional depiction of Saint Nick. It is a lesser-known Christmas horror, but worth a watch for horror film enthusiasts.
The Plot: On Christmas eve, a murderous Santa Claus goes on a rampage. He knows if you’ve been naughty and will fatally punish you for your transgressions. Can Sheriff Cooper (Malcolm McDowell) and the Deputy stop the killer before they also get put on Santa’s deadly naughty list?
This is not the most cerebral or fantastic film on the list, but it is a fun gore-fest that delivers exactly what it promises. A loose retelling of the classic Silent Night, Deadly Night, and within the same franchise, it doesn’t deliver anything new, but it is a solid slasher flick. The kills are creative and disgustingly bloody. It also has tongue-in-cheek humor that adds a little sparkle to this popcorn flick. My friends and I enjoy the humorous lines, such as:
The Plot: During Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are stalked and murdered by a stranger.
Released in 1974, this Christmas horror movie is a seminal early slasher flick. It inspired filmmakers (like John Carpenter) for decades to follow. While not as gory as its successors, the subtle murders are still effective at sending chills down one’s spine. Its elusive killer is a complete stranger to the girls. The arbitrary killings make it all the scarier – anyone could be next – even you!
Black Christmas was remade in 2006 and a retelling is being released this December on Friday the 13th, 2019. None, however, can outshine the original.
The Plot: Working late on Christmas Eve, businesswoman Angela Bridges plunges into a deadly game of cat & mouse with her stalker.
While I was skeptical about the restricted setting of the film, director Franck Khalfoun does a wonderful job of keeping the film action-packed mostly within the setting of a parking garage. Actor Wes Bentley is perfect for the twisted parking attendant. This is a non-traditional Christmas horror movie for those looking for something a little different this holiday season.
Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post continuing our Christmas horror movie list. When posted, you can see it here:
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