<p id=”par-1_48″>Christmas is supposed to be about joy, so it’s surprising that there are so many Christmas horror <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/horror/”>movies</a>. Perhaps we need some darker movies to capture the <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/10-new-years-eve-horror-movies-to-watch-before-midnight.html/”>downsides of the holidays</a>. Furthermore, who would have guessed there are two good movies about killers dressed up as Santa Claus?</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-5-christmas-evil”>5. ‘Christmas Evil’</h2>
<p id=”par-2_42″>Harry is a down-on-his-luck toy factory worker. His childhood trauma has left him with an unnervingly intense obsession with Old Saint Nick. As his life gets worse, he starts to believe he’s <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/why-eartha-kitts-santa-baby-was-once-banned-in-the-south.html/”>Santa Claus himself</a>. That doesn’t stop him from getting violent.</p>
<p id=”par-3_50″>This little-seen gem was released at the height of the slasher film boom in 1980. While a movie like <em>Friday the 13th</em> goes for the jugular, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/fiona-apples-father-killer-santa-claus.html/?swcfpc=1″><em>Christmas Evil</em> is a slow burn</a>. It’s more about character and atmosphere than bloody violence. Stuff it in your stocking — if you dare!</p>
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<iframe title=”Christmas Evil (1980) Original Trailer [FHD]” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/8T2Hf3fVnVo?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-4-gremlins”>4. ‘Gremlins’</h2>
<p id=”par-4_77″><em>Gremlins </em>starts as a cute family film a la <em>E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial </em>— another Steven Spielberg project. It’s about a teen who comes into possession of an adorable creature called Gizmo. He just has to follow three rules: don’t get Gizmo wet, don’t let him go out in the sunlight, and don’t let him eat after midnight. Of course, this is a move, so things go awry and Gizmo ends up spawning hungry green monsters called gremlins.</p>
<p id=”par-5_50″>Like <em>Jaws </em>before it, <em>Gremlins </em>married the plotline of a 1950s monster flick with hip humor and the best effects Hollywood could produce. While the film’s shift from being a family flick to being a horror film works, the movie is arguably at its best during its early, sentimental scenes.</p>
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<iframe title=”Gremlins (1984) Official Trailer #1 – Horror Comedy” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/XBEVwaJEgaA?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-3-krampus”>3. ‘Krampus’</h2>
<p id=”par-6_51″>In German folklore, Krampus is a demon who aids Saint Nicholas by punishing naughty children. The film <em>Krampus </em>was the first major motion picture about the character. It was quite the debut. Like <em>Gremlins</em>, <em>Krampus </em>is an appetizing mix of the tropes we expect from Christmas movies, mayhem, and dark humor.</p>
<p id=”par-7_46″>In the film, Krampus is terrifying, but he has an even more interesting cadre of demonic helpers. The group includes a razor-toothed teddy and a snake-like jack-in-the-box. If you have any love for monster movies, <em>Krampus </em>will go down as smooth as a glass of eggnog.</p>
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<iframe title=”Krampus – Official Trailer (HD)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/h6cVyoMH4QE?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-2-black-christmas”>2. ‘Black Christmas’</h2>
<p id=”par-8_63″>The success of John Carpenter’s 1978 film <em>Halloween </em>started a wave of slasher movies, many of which were set around holidays. <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/best-horror-movie-death-weird-set-christmas.html/”><em>Black Christmas</em> came out in 1974</a> and had many of the same tropes, including a final girl, a hidden killer, and a focus on promiscuous youths. Arguably, <em>Black Christmas</em> is the better-written film — even if it lacks a killer Carpenter score.</p>
<p id=”par-9_33″>What makes <em>Black Christmas</em> so haunting is the way it handles its villain. I don’t want to spoil it. Once you watch the film, you’ll never look at glass unicorns the same way.</p>
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<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Black Christmas (1974) – Official Trailer (HD)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/k6JuJHmVsh4?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-1-silent-night-deadly-night”>1. ‘Silent Night, Deadly Night’</h2>
<p id=”par-10_44″>After watching a criminal in a Santa suit murder his parents, Billy grows up traumatized in an orphanage. He starts integrating into society by getting a job in a toy store. When Billy’s boss forces him to play Santa, his mind begins to fracture.</p>
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<iframe loading=”lazy” title=”Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) – Official Trailer” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/hNBJfv5pIdY?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-nightmare-before-christmas-danny-elfman-got-reveng-people-said-kids-dont-like-movie.html/”>
‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’: Danny Elfman Got ‘Revenge’ on People Who Said Kids Don’t Like the Movie </a>
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<p id=”par-11_66″>Unlike most horror films of its era, <em>Silent Night, Deadly Night</em> fleshes out its killer to the degree that’s both fascinating and unnerving. The sex and violence take on a much nastier tone than genre fans expect. With its social commentary and twisted gags, <em>Silent Night, Deadly Night</em> might be the most underrated slasher film ever — and it’s the best of the Christmas horror movies.</p>