It’s the time of year to leave out milk and cookies and upgrade that home security system, because Krampus is coming to town on Friday. The Adam Scott horror/comedy brings season’s beatings to a family who unwittingly unleash a yuletide demon upon their suburban household, and inspires this week’s 24 Frames: a picture collection of December-set movie thrills. We’re also presenting choices across all genres in this gallery, because everybody gets what they want on Christmas…EVEN SATAN.
A child enmeshed within a dysfunctional Christmas gathering calls up Krampus, a folklore figure who punishes naughty children and, in this case, misbehaving adults.
P2 Year: 2007
Tomatometer: 35%
A workaholic Manhattanite (Rachel Nichols) gets an unusual dose of holiday stress after a stalker traps her in an underground parking garage on Christmas Eve.
Black Christmas Year: 1974
Tomatometer: 63%
A Christmas Story director Bob Clark’s initial sendup of the season was this early slasher, set in a sorority house.
Black Christmas Year: 2006
Tomatometer: 14%
The film was remade three decades later, with one of the original’s actresses (Andrea Martin) returning (not as a sorority
girl).
Silent Night, Deadly Night Year: 1984
Tomatometer: 25%
Highly controversial on release, with Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel shaming the filmmakers on-air for sullying the image
of Jolly St. Nick.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 2 Year: 1987
“Garbage day!” To think, had the politically correct advocates had their way back in the day, we wouldn’t have gotten
this sequel and, subsequently, a new way to sarcastically announce a weekly household chore.
Silent Night Year: 2012
Tomatometer: 64%
The franchise got a few more sequels leading into the 1990s, before it was remade with Malcom McDowell and Jamie King.
Gremlins Year: 1987
Tomatometer: 85%
Little devils go bonkers when fed after midnight in this anarchic horror/comedy, one of the movies that inspired the MPAA creation of the PG-13 rating.
Die Hard Year: 1988
Tomatometer: 92%
John McClane ends up on the West Coast during the holidays and gets caught in a barrage of bullets, broken glass, and expelling terrorists through windows. Christmas doesn’t get more American than this.
Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang Year: 2005
Tomatometer: 85%
Writer/director Shane Black loves his Christmas shenanigans, setting Lethal Weapon, Iron Man 3, and
his directoral debut Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang around the holidays.
Day of the Beast Year: 1995
Tomatometer: 80%
A profane Spanish film about a dedicated priest who commits a multitude of sins to sell his soul and witness the birth of the Antichrist… and murder it.
Christmas Evil Year: 1980
Tomatometer: 80%
A slightly surreal, slightly brilliant horror film about a man who suffers a nervous breakdown and becomes Santa,
leaving toys behind for murder victims’ families.
Don’t Open Till Christmas Year: 1984
A slow, occasionally anarchic slasher set in England and with a literally explosive surprise ending.
Jack Frost Year: 1996
Tomatometer: 7%
The late ’90s were a bad time for Jack Frost: Before he was in a creepy family drama with Michael Keaton, he groped and killed
his way through this low-budget horror flick.
Rare Exports Year: 2010
Tomatometer: 88%
Evil supernatural Santa Claus is none too happy his grave was disturbed in this Finnish thriller.
Santa’s Slay Year: 2004
Former wrestler Bill Goldberg and one hell of a title pun make up this dark comedy about a rampaging St. Nick.
Silent Night, Bloody Night Year: 1973
Worlds collide in Silent Night, Bloody Night, featuring actors from Andy Warhol’s Factory scene and produced by
Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman.
Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming Year: 2013
The film was remade just a few years back, featuring voice work from original Friday the 13th final girl
Adrienne King.
To All a Good Night Year: 1980
Before Silent Night, Deadly Night and even Christmas Evil, 1980’s To All a Good Night was the
first movie to feature a crazed killer dressed up as Santa Claus.
Elves Year: 1989
Lest ye be fooled, there is only one elf in this movie. And there is only one Dan Haggerty: best known as TV’s Grizzly
Adams, here he plays a shambling drunken former cop.
Home For the Holidays Year: 1972
A young Sally Field starred in this slasher, about four sisters who return home and uncover a possible plot that
stepmom is slowly poisoning dad.
Saint Year: 2011
Tomatometer: 44%
Echoing the Silent Night, Deadly Night controversy, filmmaker Dick Mass was taken to court over this movie for
degrading the image of the Dutch equivalent of Santa Claus as an unholy mass murderer.
The Children Year: 2008
Tomatometer: 73%
No number of Amiibos will calm down these wee lasses who become infected with a mysterious disease and display
murderous rage towards parental figures.
L.A. Confidential Year: 1997
Tomatometer: 99%
The city of angels with dirty faces goes through a year of corruption and upheaval, including this prison riot
involving police beating on civilians.
