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When it's the holiday season, and everyone's feeling merry and bright, sometimes it's nice to sit back, unwind, and get spooked by some of the most chilling Christmas movies of all time. While everyone has their own way of celebrating this joyful time of the year, and it is always nice to watch some of the more traditional and fun Christmas movies, there's something absolutely exciting about seeing a couple of those alternative Christmas films that leave a chill down one's spine.
The following ten entries are several notable Christmas horror movies that will give viewers a good scare. The scarier these films were, the more memorable they've become over the years. They continue to terrify and entertain their fans. They're packed with tons of thrills and excitement, and easy to watch for anyone looking for a darker holiday movie to enjoy during the season.
10 'Silent Night, Deadly Night' (1984)
Directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Image via Tri-Star Pictures Let's start with an unusual choice for this list, but one that still gets quite unsettling sometimes. It's Silent Night, Deadly Night, the 1984 B-movie slasher flick directed by Charles E. Sellier Jr. It follows the story of a traumatized young man, Billy Chapman (Robert Brian Wilson), who, after witnessing the brutal murder of his parents at a young age by a killer in a Santa costume, goes on a killing spree while dressed as St. Nick, slaying anyone he deems "naughty."
Admittedly, the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise gets a bit of a bad rap, featuring some notable duds. While it often gets overshadowed by its memorable so-bad-it's-good sequel, Silent Night, Deadly Night Part II, it's easy to forget how genuinely scary this first entry can get in certain parts. Yes, it's cheesy and a tad over-the-top and not the best acted, but the idea of an unhinged vigilante serial killer going on a brutal murder spree in a Santa costume is still quite creepy to see. Plus, the killers get pretty gory and unpleasant. While it's not a perfect movie, there is something about Silent Night, Deadly Night that'll surely scare viewers.
Silent Night, Deadly Night
Release Date November 9, 1984
Director Charles E. Sellier Jr.
Cast Gilmer McCormick , Lilyan Chauvin , Toni Nero , Robert Brian Wilson , Charles Dierkop , Linnea Quigley , Randy Stumpf , Britt Leach , Tara Buckman , Will Hare , Leo Geter , Geoff Hansen , Eric Hart , A. Madeline Smith , H.E.D. Redford , Danny Wagner , Jonathan Best , Amy Styvesant , Max Robinson , Nancy Borgenicht , Vinc Massa , John Michael Alvarez , John Bishop , Richard C. Terry , Oscar Rowland
Runtime 79 minutes
9 'The Advent Calendar' (2021)
Directed by Patrick Ridremont
Image via Shudder Released in 2021 and directed by Patrick Ridremont, The Advent Calendar is a French horror thriller starring Eugénie Derouand as a paraplegic woman who receives a strange advent calendar for her birthday. As she opens its daily gifts, she slowly realizes the calendar possesses magical powers that could hopefully help her walk again. However, it comes with a terrible catch: people start dying around her.
Who knew a story of a cursed Advent Calendar could make for such a gripping and suspenseful horror thriller? While there are some slow moments, and the mysterious Advent Calendar doesn't get all that explained too much, the plot, for the most part, is well-written and compelling in its attempt to tell a chilling and one-of-a-kind story. A bit obscure but a must-watch for any holiday horror buffs, The Advent Calendar is a unique and unsettling Christmas horror flick that surely keeps anyone watching on the edge of their seats.
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The Advent Calendar
Release Date December 9, 2021
Director Patrick Ridremont
Cast Eugénie Derouand , Honorine Magnier , Clément Olivieri , Janis Abrikh , Cyril Garnier , Vladimir Perrin
Runtime 104
Main Genre Horror
8 'Dead End' (2003)
Directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa
Image via Lionsgate Dead End is a 2003 supernatural mystery horror film directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa and starring Ray Wise of Twin Peak fame. On Christmas Eve, a dysfunctional family, The Harringtons, takes a shortcut to visit some relatives for the holidays. This proves to be a huge mistake, however, as they experience bizarre supernatural occurrences along the way and see a mysterious woman in white.
Dead End is another obscure but interesting film for the horror holiday season. It's mind-bending and suspenseful, full of unexpected twists and turns that keep viewers worried until the very end. It's psychologically intense and features some decent gore and blood to satisfy any horror lover. Give it a watch; as it doesn't disappoint with its fun story.
7 'Better Watch Out' (2016)
Directed by Chris Peckover
Image via Well Go USA Better Watch Out is a 2016 dark horror comedy directed by Chris Peckover and starring Olivia DeJonge and Levi Miller. In a home invasion movie with an unexpected twist, the story follows seventeen-year-old babysitter Ashley as her job watching twelve-year-old Luke one holiday night is interrupted by a sinister masked intruder. However, things aren't what they appear to be, as Ashley slowly realizes that the whole ordeal is all part of a twisted act created by Luke, who reveals he has an unhealthy love obsession with her.
It's a dark and twisted psychological film with a few shocking turns and brutal acts of violence. Though a lot of dark comedy is involved, there's an emphasis on horror here, and it's definitely intense. It's all elevated by the lead performances, especially young Levi Miller, who shines in an unexpectedly eerie role as an unhinged, lovesick kid willing to go to extreme lengths for the girl he likes. There's a lot to enjoy about Better Watch Out. It's tense, darkly funny, but also incredibly unsettling. It's definitely worth a watch on any holiday night.
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Better Watch Out
On a quiet suburban street, a babysitter must defend a twelve-year-old boy from intruders, only to discover it's far from a normal home invasion.
Release Date October 6, 2017
Director Chris Peckover
Runtime 89 Minutes
6 'Silent Night' (2012)
Directed by Steven C. Miller
Image via Anchor Bay Entertainment The Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise surprisingly returns to this list, this time with arguably its most underappreciated entry, titled Silent Night, released in 2012. The story follows a vengeful, mysterious killer who dawns a terrifying Santa mask and goes on a brutal massacre in search of naughty victims in the small town of Cryer, Wisconsin.
This gory, intense, and darkly comedic reboot is a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Sure, it suffers from a generic title, mediocre acting, and a plot that doesn't make much sense, but it makes up for its shortcomings with its brutal violence and uniquely gory kills. It also has one of the most intimidating killers in the series, as it features a mostly mysterious murderer (played by Rick Skene) who wears an incredibly terrifying-looking mask that looks as if it's staring right into the viewer's soul. Silent Night isn't a perfect Christmas horror movie, but it is creepy and entertaining.
Release Date November 30, 2012
Director Steven C. Miller
Runtime 94 minutes
5 'The Lodge' (2019)
Directed by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz
Image via NEON A bleak and intense psychological horror thriller, 2019's The Lodge is a unique and bone-chilling film that can shock audiences right to their very core. It stars Riley Keough as a woman trying to move on with her life after being the only survivor of a religious cult. Now, as she becomes a soon-to-be stepmom, she accompanies her fiancés' children to spend Christmas in a remote winter cabin. However, bizarre supernatural occurrences and visions of her past trauma soon start chipping away at her sanity.
The Lodge is a nail-biting and intense psychological film that doesn't rely on jumpscares or excessive blood and gore to tell a thrilling horror story. Its plot has perfect suspense and buildup, leading to a shocking finale that'll surely leave the viewers gasping long after the credits. The entire main cast, including Keough, Jaeden Martell, Lia McHugh, and Richard Armitage, all give decent performances, and their acting enhances the story, making it more interesting and compelling. The Lodge is one of NEON's, best films, sure to leave a lasting impression.
A soon-to-be stepmom is snowed in with her fiancé's two children at a remote holiday village. Just as relations begin to thaw between the trio, some strange and frightening events take place.
Release Date February 7, 2020
Director Veronika Franz , Severin Fiala
Runtime 108 minutes
4 'Krampus' (2015)
Directed by Michael Dougherty
Image via Universal Pictures Krampus is one of the most unique and celebrated Christmas horror movies in recent years. A darkly comedic but undeniably chilling modern horror classic that's also a perfect Anti-Christmas movie, it's a fun story of the highly dysfunctional Engel family as they try to get along with each other on Christmas Eve night. However, when the younger son, Max (Emjay Anthony), becomes disillusioned with the holiday and tears up his letter to Santa, he accidentally summons the horrifying festive demon, Krampus, to teach the family a harsh lesson about respecting the holiday.
Krampus is an absolute blast of a film. With the right mix of campy humor and genuine terror, it's a fun horror comedy that shocks and excites the audience. Though it's very comedic, there's a great sense of buildup and atmosphere to make the movie a truly memorable and terrifying experience. The Krampus demon is also a fascinating and unique horror villain who fills each of his on-screen appearances with dread. He's a welcoming addition to the horror genre, one that audiences haven't seen before. It's an overall joyride of a movie with thrilling scares and laugh-out-loud moments. It's not fully scary, but its chilling moments are ones to remember.
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Krampus
A boy who has a bad Christmas accidentally summons a festive demon to his family home.
Release Date December 4, 2015
Director Michael Dougherty
Runtime 98minutes
3 'Gremlins' (1984)
Directed by Joe Dante
Image via Warner Bros. One of the most iconic non-traditional Christmas movies is Gremlins, the beloved 1984 dark comedy directed by the great Joe Dante. An exciting, wacky, and at times somewhat scary creature-feature cult classic, it tells the story of a young man, Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan), as he receives an adorable but mysterious creature, known as a Mogwai, as his Christmas gift. However, when he breaks every rule when owning a Mogwai, his new friend spawns an army of mischievous little demons called Gremlins.
Gremlins can often be best described as a kids' movie with a dark, twisted edge. It's a slap-stick, goofy comedy, and a straight-up monster horror flick, constantly balancing the two genres. There's a noticeably dark and intense moment after the Gremlins emerge from their cocoons in the second half of the movie where Billy's mother (Frances Lee McCain) fends off several murderous Gremlins in a kitchen fight scene that's both shocking and incredibly violent. The because of the violence in Gremlins that helped lead to the PG-13 because of how terrifying and eerie the film can get at certain points. Whether you see it as a comedy or a horror movie, Gremlins is still a remarkable holiday horror classic that's always a joy to watch throughout the season.
A young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.
Release Date June 7, 1984
Runtime 106 minutes
2 'Terrifier 3' (2024)
Directed by Damien Leone
Image via Cineverse Damien Leone's Terrifier 3 has earned its place as one of the best, most chilling horror movies of 2024. The thrilling and brutal sequel to one of the goriest franchises in horror history, this stomach-churning third entry in the Terrifier series follows the one and only Art the Clown (David Howard Thorton) as he's set loose during the holidays on a path of murder and destruction to track down and corrupt his moral nemesis, Sienna (Lauren LaVera).
Perhaps the best of the franchise so far, Terrifier 3 is a bloody, intense thrill ride that shocks and amazes viewers with its violence. Arguably, there's a lot more emphasis on horror this time, as it follows Art and his terrifying demonically possessed companion, Victoria (Samantha Scaffidi), as they try to capture Sienna, killing everyone in their way in spectacularly brutal fashions. There's more suspense and tension that builds in every scene until it leads to a shocking finale. Terrifier 3 is intense and monumentally unsettling. It's definitely worth a watch for any hardcore horror fans looking for something bloody to watch this Christmas.
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Terrifier 3
Terrifier 3 follows survivors Sienna and her brother as they attempt to recover from their traumatic encounter with the sinister Art the Clown. As the holiday season arrives, their efforts to find peace are shattered when Art returns, intent on turning their Christmas into a new nightmare.
Release Date October 11, 2024
Director Damien Leone
Runtime 125 Minutes
1 'Black Christmas' (1974)
Directed by Bob Clark
Image via Warner Bros. Pictures There was no doubt that Bob Clark's game-changing classic Black Christmas would swoop in to take the top spot as the scariest Christmas horror movie ever. Indeed, this essential slasher flick is one of the darkest and most recognizable holiday horror movies. Starring Olivia Hussey, it follows her character Jess, who, along with a few of her fellow college sorority sisters, is stalked and terrorized by a mysterious killer lurking somewhere in their house during Christmas break.
It's an unsettling Christmas classic that hasn't been replicated since, even when Hollywood unsuccessfully tried to remake it twice. With thrilling suspense and memorable scares, Black Christmas is an essential watch for anyone looking for something spooky during the holidays.
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Black Christmas
During their Christmas break, a group of sorority girls are stalked by a stranger.
Release Date December 20, 1974
Director Bob Clark
Cast Olivia Hussey , Keir Dullea , Margot Kidder , John Saxon , Andrea Martin , Marian Waldman
Runtime 98 Minutes
English (US) ·