For most of us cinephiles, we remember the first time we saw a movie, whether it be in the theater, or at home. If the film shakes you, positively or negatively, there’s a residue left that seeps into your memory and makes it challenging to let go. Well, I don’t want to- so I’m going to highlight some Kristy horror history for this wonderful, special, month of October.
Disclaimer: These are late, but still necessary, because it’s important to highlight horror:
Somehow, we are already at the end of the year which means… yes, holiday season! This, of course, also requires us to take a look at some of the best/most memorable horrors that tackle this comfy, cheerful, time.
With the exception of Black Christmas, which I was confident I’d love going into my watch, Krampus and Better Watch Out were more of the wildcard variety. This meant that both could potentially be disasters, but instead, were unexpectedly fun. While the reasons differ, each had a creative twist on a portion of the genre that, overall, manages to be pretty weak and one that invites a lot of lower quality takes. Luckily, I can say, these three are not “coal.”
Let’s hear it for the horrifying yuletide. The most wonderful time, of the year:
Black Christmas (Bob Clark)
It’s winter break, and a group of sorority sisters start receiving some discomforting phone calls. Who is making them? What do they want? When someone goes missing and another is found dead, the realization sets in that they might just not be safe.
Ya think?
At this point, (I think) there have been 2 additional remakes of this film, yet, nothing has come close to the original and the fear it instilled when considering the question… who is inside the house? Lurking? Watching? That’s a terrifying notion, especially when you start thinking about the “unbeknownst to you factor.”
Is it a little thin on plot? Perhaps. Is the editing a bit sloppy? Mmm, yeah. But, Black Christmas successfully builds suspense to a point that eats at you as a viewer, and now, so many years later, it’s still effective for a reason. Also, this is from the director of “A Christmas Story”….that cheeky bugger.
Unnerving and a product of its time, Black Christmas is an iconic slasher that is a must-see for any horror fan.
Better Watch out (Chris Peckover)
This is one of the newer films I’ve discussed for Spooktober, and I have to admit that this film about “a teenager and his babysitter fighting off intruders” did not go in a direction I was expecting. In a lot of ways, this works because of the good casting, and the skillful balance of creepy and clever.
Luke (Levi Miller) has a thing for his babysitter Ashley (Olivia DeJonge), who’s going to be watching him one last time before she heads out into the world, and out of town. When someone starts terrorizing the two, they are thrown into a situation they’d never expect: fighting for their lives.
Don’t ask me to reveal the twist, because I won’t, I’m a firm believer in less is more and that includes your knowledge of a film prior to seeing it. Better Watch Out manages to surprise and disturb, for multiple reasons, making this a Christmas you won’t soon forget.
Krampus (Michael Dougherty)
Eccentric, dysfunctional family? Check. A sudden lack of Holiday cheer? Check. A giant, forboding horned figure that enlists the help of other weird entities, and makes the family pay for this? DING, DING DING.
Krampus is honestly a lot of fun. I saw it in theaters, and I remember leaving quite giddy. It’s one that I’ve watched in my December Xmas movie-time since its release, and now that I’m reflecting, may just have to do it again in 2021.
Even though the characters in this film have their annoyances (purposely of course) and are often making poor decisions, we still want to see them make it out alive. And, what brings people together faster than potential death?
I have no illusions that Krampus is perfect, but when it comes to a horror Christmas-themed movie, this has a lot of the necessary ingredients, and it undoubtedly has flair. It’s fairly bleak, so that may be difficult for some to overcome, but if you can, and you relinquish yourself to its grasp, you might be entertained. If not, at least, you’ll be questioning your own exclamation of joy during the Holiday season, and wondering who might just show up to punish you.
Happy Holidays 🙂
What are some of your favorites? Do you like these? Let me know!
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 