New Year’s horror: a brief history of Christmas horror
So how do we achieve this mood? Yes, at the expense of Christmas films! But let’s leave the “irony of fate” and “strong nuts” overgrown with moss olders and plunge into something more bloody and reckless.
When it comes to Christmas horror films, it is important to remember one thing here. The best of them are not just terrible scenery during the holidays. A truly suitable festive horror should destroy the true meaning of Christmas, deconstruct it, mock him.
In this material, I will try to give a brief excursion into the history of Christmas horror films and give recommendations for those of them that I saw. Well, or anti-recommendations, how will it go.
Video version for those who are too lazy to read
Late at night (1945)
Everyone loves a good Christmas party. Fun and games, snacks and warm festive atmosphere. But what if the hostess mentions that the magnificent monastery, decorated for the whole season, is a place of terrible murder?
This twist is the basis of the Christmas collection of stories “late at night”. This thriller of the 1940s was one of the first horror films for Christmas themes and received very high marks of both spectators and critics.
Sclep tanks (1972)
This classic collection of anthologies introduces the idea of a serial murderer-sanitary in its first series. She talks about the girl that on Christmas Eve is trying to get rid of the corpse of her husband.
At the same time, the news is reported on the radio-a crazy one, dressed as Santa Claus, is announced in the city. This news presents her with the perfect way out of her difficult situation. You can blame him for everything! The only problem is that the psychopath bursts into her house, and she cannot call the police, since the dead body is covered with her fingerprints. What to do?
Black Christmas (1974)
Here it is. Place number one in many lists of the best Christmas horror films. You think Halloween was the first slasher? No, Black Christmas was the first!
At its core, this is a tough and concise study of voyeurism. In addition, shot at a good level, with the involvement of worthy actors – what is Margo Kidder, who will later play the role of Lois Lain in Superman,.
But although this is a cult, important film, there is one big problem with it. Then, in 1974, I am sure, it was an innovative film in many aspects. What are the scenes with the first -person shoot. Or is the fact that the virgin was allowed into the expense of the first – this can even be pretty surprised by people who in their lifetime obeyed many horror films.
But now it is a crazy stamp, whose tricks followed the best. The dynamics in the film is zero, and the Christmas spirit here is simply an optional attribute – with the same success, the action could unfold at any other time of the year. And the ending is simply unsatisfied. So if you look now, then out of respect for the genre and its history.
But the 2006 remake with Mary Elizabeth Winsted, do not watch at all under any pretext.
You better look at both (1980)
On the eve of the Christmas of the distant 1947, the little boy Harry received the strongest psychological injury when he found his mother for delights with old Santa. Since then, Maleta has moved Kukukha, matured, went to work for a toy factory, and a list of good and bad children as a hobby.
Lewis Jackson’s film stands out from nonukcasinosites.co.uk/how-does-gamstop-work/ other films about Sante-killer. The anger of the main villain is not aimed blindly at someone: he takes the obligation to evaluate every year who behaved well for Christmas, and who is bad and acts only on this list. Only in the picture there are only four corpses, of which three appears within seven minutes. But as for good kids, they all get toys!
Gremlins (1984)
The film about these Milakhs from Joe Dante is a beautiful black comedy, where mischievous little creatures are rampant in the city of Kingston Falls after young Billy accidentally poured water on the pets Mogovaev Gizmo.
Gremlina themselves – a source of both fun and horror, thanks to a very well -written scenario Chris Columbus, where a very curious concept is realized – a good man could be a generation of evil in the person of Gremlin. Moreover, no one is to blame for this, this is laid down in the very nature of the character, and the person acted as a kind of intermediary, who awakened huge boots in sloppiness.
Among other things, the picture with a bit is stuffed with references and a frank stem over the classic: from “this wonderful life” to “invasion of the abductors of bodies”. Well, from a technical point of view, everything is also fine-from the design of the characters to their puppet-mechanical embodiment on the screen.
The efforts were not in vain – with a budget of $ 11 million, a film at the US rental alone collected 153.
Quiet night, deadly night (1984)
Andy becomes a witness to the brutal murder of parents and spends his childhood in the shelter. He grows up and splashes rage in Santa’s costume, deciding to kill anyone whom he considers naughty.
In the picture, there are incredibly many corpses by the standards of the genre: as much as fourteen. Interestingly, the director Charles Steel previously painted scripts for religious paintings: “In the search for Noah’s Ark” and “In Search of Historical Jesus”.
With a budget of 750 thousand dollars, the picture at the box office of the United States raised 2.5 million, having paid off in the first week by half. Due to indignant parents, the picture was removed from the rental by the second week and released in a video immediately, where it became a cult.
Snowman (1997)
The touching tart “Snowman” clings already at the level of the tie. Jack serial maniac was caught by the police and took the station, but along the way their car collided with a truck transporting toxin. Jack from this toxin becomes bad and he turns into a snowman to kill.
The frank budget of the production, including fake snow from cotton wool, adjacent to green trees against the background, primitive killings and an endless stream of Christmas puns – this is what this tape can boast.
Santa Killer (2005)
In this film, Santa is not a cheerful and clumsy peasant whom we know and love. This is the son of Satan, who restrained the murders for a thousand years, losing to Paris Angel while playing Kerling. But the term of the transaction has expired and it was time to let off steam!
Santa Killer is a rather inventive mixture of comedy and slasher, as well as one of the first serious roles of Emily de Ranin, the stars of the series “To stay alive”. But for director David Steiman, this turned out to be the first and last film – he did not return to film production anymore.
And here’s another thing – this film has just chic ophening. Here’s right without jokes.
Revenge of Christmas trees (2008)
Yes, “revenge of Christmas trees” is a short film of about 15 minutes long. But if I would not mention her, they gobbled up with giblets here, so I will immediately note. If you do not want to spend time on any of the films mentioned earlier and not one of those that I will mention after – spend time at least.
Director of the Bum with a shotgun Jason Aisener shot history … from the point of view of Christmas trees. People here are depicted as psychopaths, cutting out living Christmas trees and decorating their corpses for Christmas. Once the Christmas trees got tired of it and they decided to rebel!
This is a pretty cheerful sketch that will certainly cheer you up and make you think – is it better to put artificial Christmas trees in the house and not harm nature.
Bloody Santa (2010)
This Dutch film goes back to the history of St. Nicholas and represents it in an even more frightening light. Armed with the staff, Sint-“Bishop of killer”, which visits children on the full moon on December 5. His goal is to make Christmas as unbearable as possible, kidnapping and killing those with whom he meets.
And you won’t believe it – this is not just a horror film, it is also a social commentary, without five minutes satire! Unfortunately manifested only closer to the end and significantly affects anything. But in general, the film of his 4.6 on KP does not deserve – this is a rather peppy slasher at a time with several funny moments and pleasant characters.
Santa for sale (2010)
Santa is a supernatural giant creature, in search of which American businessmen went to Lapland. Of course, for nothing a thirst for profit for our heroes does not pass.
I remember that at the time of its release around this picture there was a lot of hype, especially from the fans of the horror. I then watched the film, I was 15-16 years old. And, to be honest, then it seemed to me pretty mournful, although with a cool idea in the core of the plot and a thick atmosphere. But this is still not enough to advise him with complete confidence. Better to check out the short film underlying – it goes only 10 minutes.
Quiet Night (2012)
In general, alterations are not as good as the original. And I would be glad to say that everything is different with a “quiet night”, but here is what an interesting Sitoevina. This is far from a repetition of the classics of the eighties. The film takes the idea “Serial killer in the clothes of Santa Claus” and gives out a completely new story. But is it good? Ha. No.
According to the plot, every Christmas one and the same killer go outside and goes to kill. His disguise allows him to mix with other fake santa-klauses that they still like to keep the kids on their knees and listen to their wishes, and then go to the bar and jam the whiskar. And in such conditions, our brave detectives need to find a maniac. And it is tiring boring.
And although there is a rather hilarious scene of the murder in its cruelty with a wood -making machine, look at it better on YouTube – save yourself an hour and a half.
Krampus (2015)
The director of the solid Halloine anthology “Wallet or Life” in 2015 made another horror movie passing the rink on the holiday. A family, which contains actually quite cool actors (Adam Scott, Ellison Tolman, David Kokner) faces a krampus that he started a hunt for naughty children along with the army of improvised live gingerbread.
The film is quite light and is quite suitable for family viewing, at the level with “Gremlins”. But, unfortunately, in terms of quality, this is not close to them. This is a noisy, unremarkable film, which is erased as quickly as possible from memory, leaving in memory only a beautiful, bright picture and nye-killer-killer.
Better look around (2016)
Best. Movie. Horrors. About Christmas. And point. Doubt, I ask you to check my last year’s review, here I will remind the main theses:
This film has nothing to do with “you better look at both,” mentioned earlier;
This is the sadistic version of the “one home”;
This is the only film in the lineup that it can equally successfully laugh, surprise and scare.
Go around the spoilers and be sure to look at this picture – it is worth it.
Of course, these are not all films that I examined. There were also near -production, like “kids” and “visit”. There was a frank trash like “Christmas horror stories” and “crumble beauties”. There are releases that have not yet been released on the media, like “Anna and the Apocalypse”. But I hope you liked this list and you found for yourself what to see.