Anything Horror Scott’s Favorite Xmas Horror Films
The best time of the year is here!! In my house, the holiday season begins on October 1st and goes on to January 1st. Christmas I really love, and I really love it when we get a great Christmas horror film. Whether it’s killer Santa’s or demonic creatures, holiday horror films kick ass. Below is a list of all my favs. Let me know what you think, and tell me which of your favorites I left off this list.
A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY (2015, my review)
This is a new film that made my list. Out last year, A Christmas Horror Story is an anthology film of interconnecting stories, all themed around Xmas. We get stories including zombified elves, Krampus, and creatures that live inside Christmas trees. This one is also currently streaming on Netflix!!
SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (1984, my review)
A twisted classic if there ever was one!! A young boy, Billy, witnesses a drunken guy playing Santa rape his mom and kill his father. The boy grows up with a fear of the Christmas, and especially Santa. Well, after a confrontation with the Jolly Old One, Billy completely snaps and goes on a rampage killing every and anyone who he deems naughty. Not the best acting, but this one is sure to put a smile on your face.
BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974, my review)
A classic slasher from Bob Clark. In it, an escaped killer returns to his childhood home on Christmas Eve, which is now a sorority house, and begins to murder the sorority sisters one by one. Simple set up, but done with great flair and style. Don’t miss this one!! The remake is okay, but it lacks the charm of the original. You can watch this one on Shudder.com.
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010, my review)
Another more recent classic. Sure, it’s not as gory as it could be and we never get to actually see Santa Claus, but this one is a ton of fun nonetheless. In the depths of the Korvatunturi mountains lies the biggest secret of Christmas. The time has finally come to dig it up, but is the world ready to actually believe in Santa Claus? I like this one so much because it’s a family-friendly holiday-themed horror film that has become a staple in my house each December.
SILENT NIGHT (2012, my review)
This is a remake of the seminal Christmas slasher flick, Silent Night, Deadly Night (see above), and this proves that the remake can actually be better than the original. This remake retains all the elements that made the original film so much fun and then takes this film further. This is a great film!!
SINT (2010, my review)
Like Rare Exports (see above), Sint is a modern-day foreign Xmas classic. In Sint, the legend of St.Nick himself is explored in a more historical setting. After we get a pretty damn cool historically reenacted first act, Sint does fall into a more traditional slasher film, but there’s a lot of fun to be had.
KRAMPUS: THE CHRISTMAS DEVIL (2013, my review)
There’s been a lot of Krampus films over the last few years, but this indie film, written and directed by Jason Hull, is so damn fun you’ll make this part of your yearly Xmas watch list. When Jeremy was a boy, he was abducted by some kind of creature that kidnaps kids in the area every Christmas time. Jeremy somehow survived his ordeal and grew up to become a cop. Now it is Christmas time again and children start disappearing. Can Jeremy figure out who, or what, is taking the children?
GREMLINS (1984)
Like Die Hard, Gremlins may only be set around the holidays, but I consider this to be 100% a Christmas holiday horror film. I don’t think this one needs any explanation. A man, desperate to buy his kid an Xmas gift, buys a cute little creature that comes with a few warnings. Of course the warnings are ignored and mayhem ensues.
SILENT NIGHT ZOMBIE NIGHT (2011, Deggsy’s review)
Zombies and Christmas and Santa. What else do you need in a holiday horror film? In this one, a virus breaks out a week before Christmas that turns the citizens of Los Angeles into the walking dead. On the brink of severing ties with both his wife and longtime partner, L.A.P.D. officer Frank Talbot finds himself trapped with them. Lots of fun, Christmas-themed killings for the entire family!!
CHRISTMAS EVIL (YOU’D BETTER WATCH OUT) (1980, my review)
Not the best film on this list, but this one a lot of fun. John Waters himself called this one “the greatest Christmas movie of all time.” In it, a man obsessed with Santa Claus snaps and goes on a killing spree. Harry is a loser and both kids and adults treat him like garbage. Everyone wouldn’t be so mean if they knew Harry was keeping track of them on his “naughty list.” After Harry snaps, he starts “punishing” the bad boys and girls. You can watch this one on Shudder.com.
What are your favorite Christmas-themed horror films? Let me know in the comments section below.
Stay Bloody!!!
list compiled by Scott Shoyer
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