Holiday horror

Holiday-themed horror films, or holiday horror, are a horror subgenre of slasher films and typically involve a psychopathic killer stalking a sequence of victims in a violent manner during Christmas. The murders often are conducted with a bladed tool such as a knife, machete, or axe by someone dressed as Santa Claus, a snowman, an elf, or another Christmas character.

With origins dating back to the 1970s, holiday horror films come in short^[1] and long formats, use familiar Christmas themes (tinsel-decorated homes, creepy Christmas music, Santa Claus costume) that serve as a backdrop to terrorize audiences.^[2]

Films

Bob Clark's Black Christmas (1974) is regarded as one of the earliest precursors of holiday horror and slasher films.^[3] The plot centers on a group of sorority sisters massacred by a sadistic killer during Christmas break and masterfully uses tension and suspense.^[4]

Other holiday horror films include:

• "And All Through the House", segment of the anthology film Tales from the Crypt (1972)
• Silent Night, Bloody Night (1974)
• To All a Goodnight (1980)
• Christmas Evil (1980)
• Gremlins (1984)
• Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
• Elves (1989)
• The Nightmare before Christmas (1993)
• Jack Frost (1997)
• Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000)
• The Gingerdead Man (2005)
• Santa's Slay (2005)
• Black Christmas (2006, remake of the 1974 film)
• Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008)
• Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)
• Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver (2011)
• Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong (2013)
• A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
• Krampus (2015)
• All Through the House (2015)
• Jack Frost (2016, remake of the 1997 film)

References

1. "The Ghosts of Christmas Past – 11 Short Horror Films That Spread Some Christmas Fear!", Horror Society, 24 December 2014.
2. Baker, Tom "10 Ridiculous Holiday Horror Films", What Culture, 11 December 2014.
3. BartÅ‚omiej Paszylk (8 March 2009). The Pleasure and Pain of Cult Horror Films: An Historical Survey. McFarland. pp. 135–136. ISBN 9780786436958.
4. "Top 20 Horror Christmas Movies", Horror News, 4 December 2013.