Christmas Slashers

A Selection of Slashers for the Festive Season.

Posted on 14 December 2008 by

Pazuzu Iscariot

Christmas Horror Movies

It's nearly that time of year again when the population's jolliness levels increase dramatically and the Christmas movie selection becomes a ditch of heart-warming and emotionally touching pap. Well not at Horror Extreme. Here we prefer the jolly sound of a Santa armed to the teeth and flaying his victims. So for any like-minded horror aficionados here are a selection of our favorite Christmas Slasher Movies to help the hammer the Christmas spirit into a pile of vermillion mush.

Black Christmas

Black Christmas (1974) - If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl... it's on too tight!

Often credited as the original movie that cut the first cookie for the scores of slasher flicks that followed (and two years before Halloween), Black Christmas (also known as Silent Night, Evil Night and Stranger in the House) takes place during Christmas break at a sorority house where a deranged stranger is slowly picking off the occupants between obscene and disturbing phone calls. The movie relies heavily on making the viewer feel unsafe in the confines of their own home and proves that a locked door or a bolted window offers no protection from protagonists in slasher movies. Black Christmas was loosely based on real murders that happened in Montreal and Quebec in the "season to be jolly" and was the first horror movie to use the "killer is already in the house" phone-revelation as a frightener. If this movie doesn't make your skin crawl... it's on too tight!

Christmas Evil

Christmas Evil - You'd better take care...Santa is coming to town!

Christmas Evil (also known as Terror in Toyland and You Better Watch Out) is an obscure slasher movie from 1980, directed by Lewis Jackson, in which a twisted killer, with a Christmas obsession created by a childhood trauma, flips his lid and goes on a murder spree in the guise of Santa. If it wasn't for the murderousness of this movie it could quite easily fall into the uplifting Christmas movie genre due to the underlying storyline, but the knife-wielding psycho in the Santa suit dishing out retribution to those on his naughty list propels it back into the slasher genre. Christmas Evil has gained a cult following over the years but is often overshadowed by its trashier counterpart Silent Night, Deadly Night although the movies are drastically different on the whole with only the slasher Santa as a common theme. You'd better take care...Santa is coming to town!

Santa's Slay

Santa's Slay - He's making a list... pray you're not on it!

Santa's Slay is a 2005 horror movie typical of how slasher movies have evolved in more modern times, puns, one-liners, lovable anti-heroes and much over-the-topness. Written and directed by David Steiman and based on the premise that Santa is actually the earthly incarnation of Satan's son who lost a bet with an angel and has had to spend the last 1000 years being good Santa to pay of the bet debt. In 2005 the 1000 years is up and Santa wants revenge. Not an intense horror with tension and suspense and no deep characters with complex histories, just a themed slasher with trashy humor and ironic murder. He's making a list... pray you're not on it!

Jack Frost

Jack Frost - He's chillin'...and killin'.

If you enjoy pure slasher trash then look no further than Jack Frost as a few hours entertainment to satisfy your unnatural urges to enjoy B-grade movies (which is a common ailment in the DNA of devoted horror fans). Serial killer Jack Frost has an accident involving experimental scientist-stuff and snow and is reincarnated as a killer snowman hell-bent on getting revenge on the Sheriff who captured him. Once again this is a tongue-in-cheek horror that doesn't take itself the slightest bit seriously. Poorly acted, low budget and loads of gore, this movie has all the aspects that make a great slasher movie. He's chillin'...and killin'.

Santa Claws

Santa Claws - His slay bells are ringing!

Scream Queen Debbie Rochon stars in this sleazy little Christmas horror as the object of an infatuated fans obsession, who wants her to himself so feels the need to eliminate everyone in her life. His fanaticism turns him into the red-suited serial killer Santa Claws. This movie is only on the list because of how cheesy it is (and how Chrismassy it is), the acting is poor, the script is poor and there is barely enough shock and gore to call it a slasher but there is plenty of naked strippers and of course the delectable Debbie Rochon. Directed by John Russo from Night of the Living Dead fame this movie is a must for fans of low budget horror. His slay bells are ringing!

Silent Night, Deadly Night

Silent Night, Deadly Night - He knows when you've been naughty.

Silent Night, Deadly Night was one of the most controversial horror movies of the 1980's (outside of the whole Video Nasties hysteria across the pond), mainly due to the murderous Santa, the near Christmas release date and the popularity of the movie, unlike Christmas Evil which also featured a murderous Santa four years earlier but went almost unnoticed. After witnessing his parents murdered by a scalpel wielding Santa Claus, Billy is sent to an orphanage where he is further unhinged by a wicked mother superior. A few years later his sanity is tested to the limit when he is made to dress up as Santa to entertain the kiddies, his sanity fails the test and he goes on a homicidal rampage in his Santa outfit. He knows when you've been naughty.

Silent Night, Bloody Night

Silent Night, Bloody Night - The mansion... the madness... the maniac... no escape.

Another "Silent Night" based title but Silent Night, Bloody Night precedes the former movie by 10 years. Wilford Butler returns to his old residence one Christmas Eve only to find it is now a mental institution, he soon has an unfortunate accident (or was it) involving flames. The institution is closed and the mansion is left to grandson Jeffery who moves in a few years later, unaware that a serial killer from a nearby institution has also moved in. Silent Night, Bloody Night is a low budget creepfest with just about adequate gore to satisfy the average horror movie fan and, although it is not that Christmassey there are still enough Christmas references to get it on this list. The mansion... the madness... the maniac... no escape.

Don't Open 'Till Christmas

Don't Open 'Till Christmas - ...It'was the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...they were all dead!

Don't Open 'Til Christmas is a squalid slasher from the UK involving a homicidal serial killer with a grudge against people in Santa outfits, all of which are murdered true slasher-style in violent and creative manners, from eye-gouging and face-burning to castration! This movie is definitely a high-quality dose of low-quality horror with minimal storyline but maximum Santa-murder. ...It'was the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring...they were all dead!

Night Train Murders

Night Train Murders - Most movies last less than two hours! This is one of everlasting torment!

Night Train Murders AKA Xmas Massacre is an Italian Video Nasty exploitation movie with uncanny resemblances to The Last House on The Left (and was also released under the title of Second House on the Left). The basic premise of the movie is that two unfortunate girls travelling to Rome for Christmas have the misfortune of running into two criminals on the run from the police. Things get nasty when another female joins the group and encourages the criminals to have a bit of sadistic fun with the two girls ultimately ending in death. Regrettably the bad guys end up taking refuge in the house of one of the murdered girls and... well, you can guess what happens. Most movies last less than two hours! This is one of everlasting torment!

P2

P2 - The only thing more terrifying than being alone is discovering that you're not.

A modern slasher that takes itself quite seriously, and can, is P2. Angela is stuck in her office building on Christmas Eve with the psychotic security guard who has a besotted infatuation with her, all he wants to do is spend Christmas with the object of his obsession and he will go to any lengths to make his dream a reality. P2 (which is one of the levels in the underground car park) is a chilling and nail biting insight into the mind of a psycho and his victim with a few shockingly gory scenes to add to the experience, and of course there is the beautiful Rachel Nichols as Angela. The only thing more terrifying than being alone is discovering that you're not.

This feature was posted on 14 December 2008 by

Pazuzu Iscariot

and filed under Slasher Movies