This isn't the first time that we've reviewed and put together a list of our the best Christmas Horror Films. But this year, we spent an extended amount of time watch movies to prepare for our deep dive into the Dark Origins of Christmas Mythology. So we thought it was time to revisit. There will be some familiar names on this list, but also a handful of new films. As always, we'd love to hear what you think we missed. Typically, those are films we would love but haven't heard of.
Black Christmas (1974) I change my mind about Black Christmas almost every year. It’s a classic holiday slasher movie that is certainly worth the watch, but some of its moments are so unsettling for me that I have trouble broadly recommending people watch it. That being said, if you’re a die-hard horror fan, perhaps this is the perfect Christmas horror movie for you. Black Christmas was directed by Bob Clark, who also directed A Christmas Story. The film stars Margot Kidder and Olivia Hussey. There are also two additional versions of this movie, one from 2006 and one from 2019.
Krampus (2015) This film not only has a badass depiction of the most iconic holiday horror villain of all time, it’s also a film that plays with the folklore origins of Krampus in a fun way. Horror films that weave in mythology and legend remain some of my favorites. Krampus was directed by Michael Dougherty, and stars Adam Scott and Toni Collette.
Anna and The Apocalypse (2017) It’s hard to beat a zombie holiday horror musical. Anna and The Apocalypse is one of the most fun Christmas horror films that I can think of. It’s unexpected, hilarious and the music rocks. The film was directed by John McPhail. It stars Ella Hunt, Ben Wiggins and Sarah Swire.
Gremlins (1984) Gremlins remains a classic in this category. Even if you didn’t grow up watching it, there is something to be said for the nostalgia that it provokes. Plus, it’s a film with a super smart bad-ass mom. Gremlins was directed by Joe Dante, also known for The Howling and The Burbs. The film stars Zach Galligan and Phoebe Cates.
It’s A Wonderful Knife (2023) If you’re familiar with the premise of It’s A Wonderful Knife, you’ll appreciate this new horror spin on the concept. I was surprised by the film’s heart, and genuinely intriguing characters. The film was directed by Tyler MacIntyre, and stars Cassandra Naud, Jessica McLeod, and Jane Widdop.
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010) Rare Exports remains a top contender in the holiday horror category. Again, it’s a film that relies on folklore. In this instance, Finnish holiday folklore. It tells an incredibly unique story. Rare Exports was directed by Jalmari Helander. The film stars Jorma Tommila and Onni Tommila, real life father and son.
The Lodge (2019) Though The Lodge certainly won’t leave you with festive cheer, it is probably the most horrifying and brutal film on this list. The Lodge is not for the faint of heart, or for anyone looking for a fun holiday horror watch. This is peak bleak. The Lodge was directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala. The film stars Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell and Mia McHugh.
Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022) Christmas Bloody Christmas is a punk rock fever dream of a holiday horror slasher. It’s scary and tense, mixed with both good music and music commentary. Perhaps slightly too much of the latter. The film was directed by Joe Begos and stars Riley Dandy and Sam Delich.
The Sacrifice Game (2023) The Sacrifice Game, while set around the holiday season, relies more heavily on demonic folklore and mythology than Krampus or any other typical Christmas villain. It’s a gory, fun and certainly horrifying film that is still able to evoke feelings of female friendship and sisterhood. The Sacrifice Game was directed by Jenn Wexler, written by Wexler and Sean Redlitz. The film stars Mena Massoud and Chloë Levine.
Violent Night (2022) As the title suggests, Violent Night is a gory Christmas horror movie. The film stars David Harbour, and was directed by Tommy Wirkola also known for Dead Snow. I like this movie quite a bit, it’s over the top and totally unhinged.
For more on the dark history of Christmas, listen to episode 148 of the Lunatics Radio Hour Podcast.
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