The holiday season can be a drain on those who shy away from Christmas cheer, with mind-numbing carols and endless decorations permeating every corner of society. If you’re the type that prefers blood and gore over tinsel and holly, then no doubt the month of December is a tiring affair for you.
Never fear though, for we have compiled a list of films that can suit both your needs and that of the happy Christmas crew. Next time one of your insufferably cheery family members suggests putting on a Christmas movie, choose one from our list below and watch gleefully as they cower away in fear. After all, some entertainment should provide extra thrills like gambling online at sister casino guide or watching the local news during election time.
CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980)
Christmas Evil traces the life of Harry Stadling, who is obsessed with everything about Christmas. However, one Christmas Eve he witnesses his parents acting out a sexual fantasy which deeply affects his belief in Santa. Years later, employed at the Jolly Dream Toy Factory, he is appalled at the quality of the toys and the money-grabbing attitude of the management.
His attempts to improve the quality of the toys is ridiculed and dismissed by colleagues, leading him to suffer a mental breakdown. Eventually, Stadling decides to “become” Santa and embarks on a Christmas nightmare, that grows from spying on children to a murderous rampage. Worth watching if only for the gory final scene.
SHEITAN (2006)
Sheitan could be described as a masterpiece of French horror film-making, with plenty of bizarre moments rather than the typical ‘killing spree’ horror. Three young men and a girl-friend leave a Christmas Eve disco and meet Eve, who invites them to visit her country home. There, they are introduced to Joseph, the creepy housekeeper of this rambling rundown mansion who extends a very warm welcome.
While the anticipated one-by-one killings don’t happen, Vincent Cassell (Joseph) doesn’t disappoint, keeping you glued to the screen throughout. Worth watching for the darkly humorous language and exceptional performances of relatively unknown actors.
RARE EXPORTS: A CHRISTMAS TALE (2010)
A one of a kind Christmas fantasy, Rare Exports is a Finnish production based in Lapland. It revolves around a British Research Team who uncover an ancient burial mound in the fabled Korvatunturi mountain. Soon after, hundreds of slaughtered reindeer are discovered, the research team disappear and then local children start to go missing.
A local boy links the discoveries and suspects that Santa Claus was buried there and his ghost has now been released. A dark, unusual but poignant story about waking the dead, it raises all sorts of questions around reality and fantasy.
A CHRISTMAS HORROR STORY (2015)
On Christmas Eve, local radio host Dan relates four short stories.
After three students break into their school, two boys end up dead. Then, during a family tree-cutting episode, a police officer involved in the school murder is killed by his own cursed son.
When a girl and her family visit an aunt, a ghost story becomes reality and the family get more than they bargained for. Next, Santa Claus’ elves and wife turn into zombies and a bizarre twist links everything back to Dan’s radio station.
A bizarre, disjointed story with a rather ambiguous conclusion.
ALL THE CREATURES WERE STIRRING (2018)
A Christmas anthology of five interwoven tales, set in a theatre where a couple are on a date.
The first tale involves office workers in a strange and deadly game of “Secret Santa“. Then a man doing last-minute shopping finds he is locked out of his car in what he thinks is a deserted parking lot. Next up we get a horror re-make of the classic “A Christmas Carol’, with ghosts in abundance – this could be a promising full-length feature in itself.
The fourth story is a strange tale of revenge and pay-back, this time featuring a reindeer. Finally, the last tale is a weird sci-fi horror cleverly played with loads of creepiness and tension. A low-budget film but entertaining in parts and drawn together in an interesting conclusion.
BLACK CHRISTMAS (2019)
Main character, Riley, a student at Hawthorne College, has been raped and she, along with Kris and her other sorority sisters, is determined to stand up for their rights against sexual advances from male students. Kris has previously been targeted for demanding that the bust of college founder Calvin Hawthorne, a known misogynist, be removed.
The sorority is clearly under attack and walking home one night, Lindsay is stabbed with an icicle held by a masked assailant. More deaths occur as the girls continue their quest, leading up to a dramatic finale.
