The holidays are once again here and tv and streaming services are full of feel-good Christmas movies to watch to get into the Christmas Spirit. However, not everyone likes tinsel, presents, and mistletoe. Some people are looking for a more gruesome way to spend the holidays, an antidote to the sugar, spice, and everything nice atmosphere of the season. Something that makes the sound of reindeer hooves on the roof a little more ominous
Luckily there’s a wealth of holiday horror out there to keep even the most dedicated genre fans happy -from ancient evils to zombiemusicals to kids terrorized by merry maniacs, this list looks at 5 of the best movies to keep the holiday season creepy.
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Deadly Games/ Dial Code Santa Claus
The first film on this list is 1989’s French film,Deadly GamesAKADial Code Santa Claus. The plot centers around Thomas, a child geniusobsessed with technology and inventing contraptionswho lives in a mansion alongside his mother, grandfather, and dog. On Christmas Eve, Thomas tries to make contact with Santa Claus but unwittingly attracts the attention of an extremely scary, crazed vagrant instead. After trying unsuccessfully to become a department store Santa, the vagrant tracks down Thomas at his home and a night of true terror begins.
Deadly Gamesis a much more adult andterrifying precursor toHome Alone.A young boy is pitted against an intruder, using only his inventiveness and booby traps to escape. However, inDeadly Games,there is a lot more blood, death, and outright unease than the Macauley Caulkin vehicle. While still quite fanciful with how Thomas keeps his stalker at bay, there is no levity to be found here. Instead, what is shown is a taught and well-paced home invasion movie that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats until the finale.
Anna And The Apocalypse
If child endangerment is a little too heavy for holiday viewing,Anna and The Apocalypseis a perfect mix of whimsy and zombies. Set in Scotland, the movie follows a group of students as a zombie outbreak puts a damper on the Christmas season. Not only arethere brutal gore gagsand tense zombie chase scenes, but there are also catchy musical numbers and well-choreographed dance routines.
Musicals and horror aren’t necessarily 2 genres that are thought of as going together but the result ofAnna and The Apocalypseis a charming mix of horror, comedy, and musicals that will leave its songs playing long after it’s finished. Think of it asHigh School MusicalmeetsNight of the Living Deadand that should come close to whatAnna and the Apocalypseoffers.
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Released in 1984,Silent Night, Deadly Nightis a classic in the slasher genre. On Christmas Eve 1971, Billy Chapman is traumatized when his parents are murdered by a carjacker. He manages to escape with his younger brother but the damage has been done. During Christmas at theorphanage they have been placed at, Billy punches the man dressed as Santa and runs away, horror-stricken. On his 18th birthday, Billy leaves the orphanage and enters the world of work, but on Christmas Eve he is forced to play Santa for his co-workers, and a series of stressful events and past trauma cause Billy to snap and go on a murderous rampage.
Rare Exports
Rare Exports: A Christmas Taleis a Finnish film released in 2010 that is part horror, part fairytale, and part deadpan comedy. Based on Finnish folklore surrounding the true nature of Santa Claus, the movie focuses on two boys whobelieve that an archaeological dighappening near their town is going to unearth Santa Claus. However, it’s not the old, familiar Santa Claus, it’s a horned monster that whips children and was buried by townsfolk centuries ago.
Throughout the movie, reindeer are slaughtered and children begin disappearing and it’s up to Pietari and his friend Juuso to convince the townspeople of what is happening. There’s also a rather unconventional take on Santa’s army of elves to watch out for and a fun Santa reveal.
Krampus
The final film on this list is 2015’sKrampus, a festive monster moviewith an all-star cast and a whole lot of scares. Set in the home of the Engel family in the lead-up to Christmas,Krampusputs a new spin on the Austro-Bavarian folklore. All Max wants for Christmas is to keep holiday traditions alive and for his family to stop arguing, however, the constant arguing amongst his parents and their extended family and the bullying he receives from his cousins causes him to lose his Christmas spirit, angrily ripping up his letter to Santa and accidentally summoning Krampus to his town.
What ensues is an at times funny, and others frightening, battle against an ancient evil that cuts off their town with a severe blizzard. There are monstrous toy minions that lay siege to the Engel Family home, creepy snowmen that seem to get closer every time the characters turn around, and Krampus himself is aWeta-designed horned nightmarewearing a human face mask. With a considerably downbeat ending, the movie may not be for everyone this time of year, but monster fans will be thrilled by it.
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