Filled with the luminous spirit of these histories, Christmas cinema is traditionally family-oriented.. So it’s natural that so many movies set around Christmas would bet on traditional values and the sense of smile: from classics like ‘Life is good’ (Frank Capra, 1932) or ‘Big family’ (Fernando Palacios, 1962) to contemporary works such as the trilogy. ‘Princess change’ (Michael Rohl, 2018, 2019 and 2021) or ‘Last Christmas’ (Paul Feig, 2019).
This high-pitched displays However, Christmas also has its thing. terribleand genre cinema, always mindful and witty, has managed to sharpen its most shocking profiles: parodies. Santa with killer instinctsthe most sinister mythological creatures or the idyllic white nights that have finally been painted blood red. the scarier side (also funnier) Christmas.
“Black Christmas” (Bob Clark, 1974)
Four years before he found success with the teen comedy classic ‘Porky’s’, Bob Clark devoted himself to terror in this cult work that featured a group of teenage students (including Margot Kidder and Olivia), the precursor to the American ’70s slasher. Hussey) received terrible phone calls from a stalker during the Christmas holidays. Closer to the passionate aesthetic of “giallo” than to the vulgarity of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (Tobe Hopper), also released in 1974, the film featured two uninspired “remakes”, “Black Christmas” (Glen Morgan, 2006) and ” Bloody” Christmas’ (Sophia Takal, 2019). Appropriate filming [el ‘remake’ de 2006, disponible en Filmin, FlixOlé y Movistar+; el de 2019, en Prime Video y Atresplayer].
“Merry Christmas Eve” (David Hess, 1980)
The star of the iconic ‘The Last House on the Left’ (Wes Craven, 1972) and ‘The Rapist’s Trap (Ruggero Deodato, 1980) actor David Hess made his directorial debut with this sleazy, naive ‘slasher’ guilt. At a ladies’ academy during the Christmas holidays. Five of the students are going to throw a night party in search of fun and sex with their boyfriends before they leave school, but a psychopath disguised as Santa Claus will end their lives in a bloody way. They’re all as crazy as they are rude, and of course, amusing. Available in the movie.
“Silent night, death night” (Charles Sellier, 1984)
It was released in the US on the same day as A Nightmare on Elm Street. It grossed more than the Wes Craven classic on its opening weekend, but fell out of favor after it was pulled from theaters for “tainting the sanctity of Christmas”. The film told the story of a boy who witnessed how a man dressed as Santa Claus murdered his parents, and years later traumatized a boy dressed in red and white and started a series of horrific crimes. This was the start of a bizarre and underrated saga of six installments, and only one of them, the second of which can be watched ‘stream’, but that’s okay because it’s an excellent summary of the first, or even more than that. good part of your shots. The movie ‘Silent Night Death Night 2’ is also available.
“Night of the Comet” (Thom Eberhardt, 1984)
Just days before Christmas, a comet’s tail crosses Earth and destroys (almost) all animal life. Two teenage sisters will survive the apocalypse in Los Angeles and have to face the few survivors who, yes, have turned into hungry zombies. 100% eighties jewel, a sparkling mix of sci-fi, comedy and horror, mad scientists, great songs from the days of Cindy Lauper, John Townsend or Thom Pace, and a place where it’s not cold or snowy but there are Christmas firs and men dressed as Santa Claus. Shimmering Christmas pop stink. Available in the movie.
“The Nightmare Before Christmas” (Henry Selick, 1993)
Henry Selick’s film, based on a story by Tim Burton, who also served as producer and promotional stuntman, is a milestone in stop-motion animation, equipped with extraordinary visual imagination and thematic audacity. A gothic tale where dark images of Halloween night try to appropriate the joyous world of Christmas, and since its premiere more than 25 years ago, it has managed to attract both ageless adults and children who have been captivated by its gallery of major characters. Jack Skeleton, Sally, Santa Clavos, the Mayor…), the magic of its history, and of course the songs of Danny Elfman. Who said fear? Available on Disney+. Rental is on Apple TV+.
“The day of the beast” (Álex de la Iglesia, 1995)
De la Iglesia is one of the best films of the last 30 years in Spanish cinema, who knows what it has always been, approaching the apocalyptic horrors of the end of the millennium in the key to an evil comedy. In it, a Basque priest (Álex Angulo) from the Sanctuary of Aránzazu believes he has found the secret message of the Apocalypse, according to St. John the Evangelist: The Antichrist will be born on December 25, 1995 in Madrid. We’ll stay here with indelible footage, with the devastating footage of the Three Kings on Madrid’s Preciados street crowded for the Christmas holidays. Available on HBO Max. Rent is on Apple TV+.
“Rare Export: A Thug Christmas Carol” (Jalmari Helander, 2010)
A warning call: Santa Claus is not the good-natured grandfather with the red suit and white beard that the images of Christmas are trying to spread, but a fearsome creature with goat horns that tosses children into cauldrons of fire and tortures them. At least that’s what Finnish director Jalmari Helander tells us in his debut film, ‘Rare Exports: A Thug Christmas Carol’. A fun mix of Scandinavian dark comedy, monstrous terror, and children’s action adventure, this movie has caused the bell to ring in China. 2010 Sitges Festival, winning the award for best film, among others. A perverse and hilarious revision of the Christmas myth. Available on Prime Video and Movistar+.
“Krampus: Damn Christmas” (Michael Dougherty, 2015)
Little known in these lands, the crampus is a creature of Alpine folklore that punishes bad boys at Christmas, unlike Santa Claus, who rewards good children. Inspired by his legend, Michael Dougherty (“Gozdilla, the King of the Monsters”) directed this horror-comedy in which the terrifying Krampus cheekily shows up at a family celebration after young Max loses faith in Christmas. Decaffeinated laughter and fears, yes, the always encouraging presence of Toni Colette as the mother of the family. Available to rent on Apple TV+, Google Play, Microsoft Store and Rakuten TV.
“Beware of strangers” (Chris Peckover, 2016)
An impossible but effective hybrid between “Home Alone” (Chris Columbus, 1990), “The Scream” (Wes Craven, 1996) and yes, “Funny games” (Michael Haneke, 1997), Chris Peckover’s film is one of the most festive movies ever. was one. and cheer at the 2016 Sitges Festival: An ingenious cocktail of terror and dark humor set in one Christmas night, in which a young nanny and her teenage boy confront some strangers who broke into the house. But nothing will be as it seems, leading to numerous scenario changes and a massive final ‘WTF’.. It can be rented on Apple TV+ and Google Play.
“The Main and the Apocalypse” (John McPhail, 2017)
Music set in a small Scottish town during a sudden zombie epidemic and on Christmas Eve? “A frenzy between ‘Zombieland’ and ‘La La Land’” read one of their ad slogans. And yes, it’s a bit of that, but it’s also much more: first of all, it’s a great little musical (horror) comedy where Ana and her high school friends have to fight, sing and dance in order to survive the middle of Christmas. before the invasion of the undead. He won the Jury award on the Midnight X-Treme episode of Sitges-2017, as it couldn’t be otherwise. Available in the movie.