HOLIDAY HORROR: Rounding out our month of Horror, we highlight some of out all time favorite movies of Holiday Horror. So what is a Holiday horror film? This definition doesn’t need much elaboration. Very simply, a holiday horror film is a horror film that focuses on a specific holiday from the calendar year. Holiday Horror works off turning a usually joyous occasion into a frightfest!
Here’s the Spotlight:
Happy Birthday To Me (1981)
Happy Birthday To Me offers up some delightfully devious horror. Leading up to the main character Virginia’s birthday, her friends from the snobby Top 10 clique start to drop off one by one. All are murdered in unique and brutal ways until the frightening conclusion and end reveal. Twisted Birthday: A birthday dinner with all of your closest friends gathered around the table…dead!
My Bloody Valentine (1981)
Another slasher making the list, My Bloody Valentine is infamous for its violence. Upon its release the MPAA made the film cut out 9 minutes of footage. It wasn’t until 2009, after Lionsgate secured the right to My Bloody Valentine, that the uncut version of the film was released. Random Side note: I’m a big fan of the killers creepy mask. Twisted Valentine’s Day: He just wants her to be his bloody valentine! Check out this neat trailer for the uncut, re-released edition.
Thankskilling (2009)
As you may have already determined from the title, Thankskilling is an exercise in ridiculous horror comedy. Even though nothing truly scary actually happens, the movie works on the absurd mythology of a killer turkey. If you don’t like campy movies with outlandish comedy then it will be safe to tell you to stay far away from Thankskilling. But if those traits, along with memorably stupid dialouge and bad acting interest you, Thankskilling is a must! The first time I watched this I tweeted several of my favorite lines from the film (see below.) Twisted Thanksgiving: You know, getting all dressed up in traditional Thanksgiving turkey suits and talking to a killer turkey dressed in human flesh.
Black Christmas (1974)
Black Christmas isn’t flawless but its a great example of holiday horror. The idea of turning a normally merry occasion into a scary one is an idea I can stand behind. And what’s a better way to do that than with a crazed maniac living in your attic. Black Christmas is a excellent lesson in slashers and a must see.
Trick R Treat (2007)
People need to see this film! After being shafted with a direct-to-video release, Trick R Treat seemed to fall off a lot of people’s movie radar for a while. But upon its release, anxious fans finally got what they wanted. The movie is comprised of multiple semi-interconnecting stories that will always leave you with a surprise. The film is funny, refreshing, gory and down right spooky. It’s absolutely everything you need to get you in the Halloween spirit. Twisted Halloween: To narrow this down, you gotta go with the demented sack boy Halloween mascot known as “Sam” He kills things..and eats candy.
Halloween (1978)
While this could have easily fit right into the best of the Slashers list, Halloween obviously belongs among the pinnacle of holiday horror. John Carpenter directed a masterpiece that was often imitated and never duplicated. Best part? You try narrowing it down; the music, the mask, the kills? Perfection. Twisted Halloween: Just a 7 year old kid in his clown Halloween costume brutally stabbing his sexy older sister with a butcher knife a bunch of times, no big deal.