Let's talk Christmas horror films, Tis the season for Yuletide terror

Dick Maas (THE LIFT, AMSTERDAMNED) just added to this subgenre with SINT (aka SAINT), which is about a killer St. Nicholas (sorry Mr. D'Annucci).

Other Xmas horrors since this thread started include the remake of BLACK CHRISTMAS (ugh), THE CHILDREN, ALIEN RAIDERS, and something called SILENT NIGHT, ZOMBIE NIGHT.

I recently watched the Mondo Macabro DVD of DON'T OPEN TIL CHRISTMAS and the disc looks and sounds good and there is a nice selection of bonus materials. It's just a shame the film itself isn't any good. It's not even so bad that it's good, it's just boring. I think 13 Santa Clauses get offed here? The mystery is so ridiculous and the characters are all so stupid that I just checked out...

Can anyone chime in on this thing? I know it has a cult appeal but what IS the appeal? Is it the inappropriate music when nothing is happening? The weird dialogue between the husband and wife right after her father is killed?

Lucy you got some 'splainin to do!

First movie that comes to mind is Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010). If you're looking for an offbeat Santa tale, it's this.

Outlaw Vern reviews SANTA'S SLAY (2005)

Okay, despite what I said before, I'm intrigued.

MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSUEM (1932)

The title says it all. The opening sequences take place on New Year’s Day. Later on, Police Headquarters is shown with its Christmas décor and tree still on display in its 2 strip splendor. The police are just sitting next to it and being easily annoyed about something. I guess they didn’t want investigate anything over the Holidays. After that the trimmings are out of view and it’s a frightful fest from there on. There is something endearing about a villain that is working over the Holidays to have his exhibit completed for the spring season.

EYES WIDE SHUT (1999)

Its Christmas time, after a quarrel with his wife a Doctor embarks on an odyssey that takes him all over dives and dirty places through Manhattan and upstate New York. In short he finds a whole different world in existence. The festivities are upon us with parties, colors, sex orgies, and who knows what else. Depending upon you aesthetics it’s sometimes known as Kubrick’s Jess Franco movie or his Radley Metzger movie or his own compilation movie. The movie seems to pertain to all of his previous movies in some form or another (especially KILLER’S KISS and LOLITIA). The Christmas color scheme looks as if the Monolith is an omnipresent thing that has been shattered into a billion little pieces and scattered over earth. Have you ever imagined Christmas without Christ? This is it. While nowadays Christianity has a pretty good lock on the holiday as a time for innocence and hope. However in the pre-medieval Christmas was something else. EYES WIDE SHUT is a very Pagan Christmas. Also the use of children is pretty astonishing. Some people groom children for nefarious things. Even the kids seen running around in a toy store at the conclusion seem like there being fatten for a kill.

THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE (1971)

Christmas week is spent in Hell House by four researchers studying the paranormal. The holiday itself is barely mentioned. The dates are posted on the screen to inform the audience of the impending time table. So why did the scribe Richard Matheson have it set at Yuletide? Perhaps it’s a parallel comparison between the spiritual cleansing of the house and the Winter Solstice. The days will slowly grow longer after New Year’s. Either way it’s an excellent movie to no matter what time of the year.

THOMAS KINKADE’S THE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE (2008)

It’s based on a Kinkade painting. That should make it scary. Look for Peter O’Toole as his mentor. “Paint the Light, Thomas. Paint the Light.”

GHOST STORIES FOR CHRISTMAS (2000)

Sir Christopher Lee hosts a series of stories based upon the writing of M.R. James. This is after all the English way. I’ve yet to see this but I’m sure it’s good. These stories make for some good reading especially “Martin’s Close”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvkgwGGLp0k

THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (2002)

This umpteenth version of the often told tale has its conclusion take place on Christmas Day. Why, I’m not sure. I don’t think that’s in the novel or the previous adaptations. This version is serviceable but not much else. The 1959 and 1983 version looks more like a Christmas tree. Watch those instead. Or you can always read “The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle”. That story actually takes place on Christmas.

PSYCHO (1998)

The remake, like the original takes place in early December. The remake actually shows the decorations adoring the streets before Marion Crane leaves town. It’s a good touch when you think about it. Late Autumn and Winter is when it finally rains in the desert. Rainfall is an important plot point for the story.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY (1944)

A Dancehall girl is awaiting the return of her psychotic ex-husband (and a Mamma’s Boy) during the Christmas time. It was written by Somerset Maugham and adapted by Herman Mankiewicz. It’s directed by Robert Soidmak and features Deanna Durbin and Gene Kelly against type in the leads. Gale Sondergaard is the cruel mother. Sounds great right? Yet it came off as uninvolving. It’s miscast and never gets around it. It does have a relationship that anticipates the likes of WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS and PSYCHO. Sometimes it’s a meandering melodrama and other times it’s a weak film noir. I give it an A for originality but I just wished liked it more. It does deserve more attention than a one paragraph write up. I’m just not the one to do it.

THE FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS (1967)

Vampire Hunters make a point to end the madness of the December Danze Macabre. It’s more of a Winter Horror movie than a Christmas one. It does take place in December with some minor greenery trimmings. What makes it peculiar is that it’s a Jewish people threaten by crucifix fearing Vampires. The snowy landscapes are a marvel. It also anticipates the “Castle in the Snow” and the ski sequence from ON HER MAJESTIES SECRET SERVICE also taking place at Christmas time.


DAY OF THE BEAST (1997)

So it’s Christmas in Madrid and a Priest, a Headbanger and a Television psychic walk into a bar. To top it off The Devil will be reincarnated on Christmas Day. Not only will this mock the Holy Trinity but it may spell the end of mankind. Thus Three Foolish Men must stop Satan from spreading his seed and rescue a child set up for the sacrifice. It’s a horrific variation of “The Three Wise Men” and/or “Three Godfathers”. It works as both a Horror and Comedy and also poignant at times. It makes the point that we can’t choose our saviors. There is no reason to pass on this gift.

SHREIK OF THE MUTILATED (1973)

A Yeti rampages the New York countryside. It’s sort of like EYES WIDE SHUT with an emphasis on cannibalism instead of sex. More winter based than Christmas. There is pontificating about Saturnalia. So it’s another Christmas without Christ. It’s inept yet fascinating. It’s the kind of scares and scenarios that only a low budget horror movie could muster.

BELL, BOOK, AND CANDLE (1958)

It’s about Romance and Witchcraft during Christmas. I have yet to see it. I’ll catch up with it at some point, at least for the novelty of it.


DEVIL TIMES FIVE (1974)

Five insane children have escaped the insane asylum and have found shelter at a mountain cabin for the Holidays. They kids thus have their way with the boozing and over sexed residents. Like the aforementioned VAMPIRE KILLERS it’s more of a snowbound winter horror movie. It’s not really good but its serviceable and interesting time capsule. It features one of the more drawn out murders sequence I’ve ever seen. It’s even slowed down and saturated red to prolong it. It’s worth seeing alone for the 70s fashions, small town architecture, and décor. The most astonishing sequence isn’t the murdering kids. Nor is it even the Piranha in a bath tub. It’s a throwaway moment but for a moment you see a way too young Leif Garrett in drag flirting with Sorrell Brooks (Boss Hog from “The Dukes of Hazard”). It’s that like of movie. Enjoy.

As for Winter Fantasy there is also the Russian produced JACK FROST, the animated SNOW QUEEN and THE DAY THE EARTH FROZE. The version of the SNOW QUEEN I have is features Art Linkleter hosting a Kids Christmas party. It promptly segues into a David Fleisher/Universal TV edit of the Russian animated version. Despite that it’s still holds well. My kids actually like it.

I revisited this one last night. It is funny, as a kid I found it to be a somewhat entertaining slasher. Looking at it with adult eyes, it is obvious that there was a ton of behind the scenes turmoil on this project (something confirmed in the extras). Lots of gory stuff inserted that appears in complete contradiction to what Purdom was shooting. I wonder how he reacted to the final product?

Just bumping this up for the holidays. I think SILENT NIGHT was discussed in another thread, but if you want to continue it here (or talk about other holiday horrors), go nuts!

I reviewed this one for our Christmas horror coverage on the blog. PUREZENTO (PRESENT) is probably the goriest killer Santa Claus flick out there, but it doesn't offer much more than that.

Full review here:

http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012...zento-2005.html

DEAD OF NIGHT: "THE EXORCISM" (1972) - I reviewed it on the boards last year or so:

http://z8.invisionfree.com/MHVF/index.php?...post&p=12576568



- excellent stuff - available in full on Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSLfNEodElE

This post has been edited by Shawn Garrett on Dec 25 2012, 06:24 PM

Thanks for the recommendation, Shawn. I'll have to check that out because I'm in the need of seeing something Xmas horror themed that is actually good. My latest torture was John "I co-wrote NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD" Russo's SANTA CLAWS (1996). Don't let that cover fool you as this story of a fan obsessed with a scream queen (Debbie Rochon) has nothing that exciting in it. What it does have are plenty of reasons for you to curse the day Russo decided he was going to try to match the level of success he had with NOTLD. Cinemasochists only need apply.

Full review here:

http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012...claws-1996.html

I just saw Christmas Evil for the first time and was surprised by how good it is. It starts out looking like it's going to be terrible, but just keeps slowly ramping up, until you reach the ending, which is amazing. Netflix just rents out one of the full frame budget discs, so now I'm going to seek out the Synapse special edition.

The Synapse version is easily the best looking. An earlier DVD from Troma includes a commentary with Brandon Maggart.

I was not a fan of CHRISTMAS EVIL the first time I saw it, which was on VHS as YOU BETTER WATCH OUT. I thought it was slow and boring, and the ending was so ridiculous that I literally burst out laughing.

I was wrong.

Seeing it more than once on Synapse's DVD has given me an appreciation for the film I didn't have before. Maggart's performance is really incredible, and the film is a delicately crafted portrait of loneliness and madness.

I had a very similar experience with CHRISTMAS EVIL that Marty did. Saw it as a kid and hated it. Saw it as an adult and liked it.

Well, we wrapped up our Xmas horror coverage with an unwitting comparison of old and new as Tom reviewed SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT III (from director Monte Hellman!) and I tackled the recent SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT remake. One of us was luckier than the other.

SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT III:

http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2012...lent-night.html

SILENT NIGHT:

http://originalvidjunkie.blogspot.com/2013...night-2012.html