Not Just Halloween: Top Holiday Horrors
A film by Eli Roth, "Thanksgiving," a slasher about an axe-wielding killer terrorizing a small Massachusetts town during the Thanksgiving holiday, has been released in American theaters. In light of this, we recall other horror films with "festive" titles that genre enthusiasts should pay attention to.
"Halloween" (1978-2022)
No film has influenced the slasher genre as much as John Carpenter's "Halloween" (1978). Even the iconic "Friday the 13th" (1980), which won the hearts of millions worldwide, was originally an attempt to replicate the success of Michael Myers – the silent masked killer wielding a kitchen knife. Since 1978, there have been 13 films about Myers with a rather convoluted chronology. After the poorly received 6th installment, criticized for its unclear plot and abundance of clichés, producers decided to course-correct with "Halloween: 20 Years Later" (1998), a direct sequel to the original film (prompting audiences to forget the previous 5 sequels like a bad dream). This was followed by "Halloween: Resurrection" (2002), after which the franchise went silent again. Enter director Rob Zombie, who rebooted the series with "Halloween" (2007) and its sequel (2009). Zombie's attempts to infuse the story with psychology and realism led to the last film's box office failure, and Zombie declined to finish the trilogy with "Halloween 3D," which was later canceled after his departure. The rights to the franchise then passed from Dimension Films to Blumhouse Productions, which... decided to start fresh, disregarding everything after the original 1978 film. Director David Gordon Green, known for "Pineapple Express" (2008), helmed the new trilogy with a unified plot – a direct sequel to Carpenter's film. His movies "Halloween" (2018), "Halloween Kills" (2021), and "Halloween Ends" (2022) are undoubtedly worth attention, but the grand finale didn't quite hit the mark, according to general opinion. In almost 45 years, the seemingly indestructible Myers has killed about 200 people, but he has visibly aged and weakened (similar to the slasher genre itself), making the franchise's future rather uncertain. On the other hand, few film characters have lived through four different lives – counting the branching storylines involving Myers – not to mention novelizations and comics. Genre enthusiasts have plenty to choose from.
"My Bloody Valentine" (1981, 2008)
The success of "Halloween" paved the way for a slew of films about serial killers in masks wielding slashing and stabbing weapons. One such film was the low-budget Canadian "My Bloody Valentine" (1981), directed by George Mihalka. The killer in this film is a miner who miraculously survived a mine collapse but went insane – seeking revenge on those whose negligence left him trapped underground and eager to use a pickaxe to slaughter a group of young people celebrating Valentine's Day on the tragic anniversary... The film did not shine with its plot or characters, repelled many viewers with its bloodiness, disappointed critics with its lack of originality, and performed poorly at the box office. However, over the years, the ice pick-wielding killer has amassed such an impressive fan base that in 2008, it was decided to remake the film in the USA – not just any remake but in 3D. Director Patrick Lussier ("Dracula 2000") was familiar with the slasher genre, having previously worked as an editor on the "Scream" trilogy and "Halloween: 20 Years Later." In the original film, the true identity of the villain remains in doubt until the very end. To keep this trick working for years, Lussier significantly shook up the detective aspect of the plot. Although the new film wasn't smarter than the original, the acting didn't improve, and genre conventions were less clichéd, this time the efforts of the creators resulted in box office success: with a budget of $14 million, the film grossed seven times that amount in theaters.
"Black Friday" (2020)
"Thanksgiving," a feature-length version of a humorous trailer made by Eli Roth in 2007 for the "Grindhouse" project, is not the only horror film about November holidays. Immediately after Thanksgiving in the USA, Black Friday follows – the day when the Christmas shopping season begins with sales. In 2017, Ukrainian director Lyubomir Levitsky ("Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors") tried to sell a horror script on this topic to Hollywood producers but failed to secure funding, and the announced project was soon closed. However, the theme was too tempting to remain shelved for long, and three years later, a film titled "Black Friday" (2020) finally saw the light. Directed by Casey Tebo, who began by shooting concert videos for famous musical groups, and produced by the iconic figure of B-movies, Bruce Campbell. "Black Friday" departed from the genre cliché of "killer versus partying crowd," placing an extraterrestrial parasite that has taken over a toy store employee named Chris at the center of the plot. Chris mutates, spreading a contagion in the store by biting everyone in sight, while outside a large crowd of shoppers, attracted by discounts, storms the premises. Among the cast, it's worth noting Devon Sawa, who has changed significantly since "Final Destination," Spanish actress Ivana Baquero (the grown-up girl from "Pan's Labyrinth"), and Bruce Campbell himself ("Evil Dead").
"Black Christmas" (1974, 2006, 2019)
Naturally, a list of "calendar" horrors would be incomplete without Christmas. The Canadian film "Black Christmas" (1974) directed by Bob Clark became the precursor to the entire slasher genre, notably inspiring John Carpenter to create "Halloween." In the story, a mysterious psychopath named Billy, who has been terrorizing sorority sisters with obscene calls, infiltrates their sorority house during a Christmas party and begins killing the girls one by one. The film was released at an unfortunate time, dominated by the sequel to "The Godfather," and it did not become a box office hit. However, over time, as slashers gained popularity as a subgenre, it gained many admirers. Compared to later iterations about serial killers, the film looked quite clever and innovative. In the early 2000s, during the horror-remake trend, "Black Christmas" was remade by screenwriter Glen Morgan of "The X-Files" and "Final Destination" fame. The remake proved controversial: on one hand, Morgan delved too deeply into explaining who Billy was and why he killed, significantly undermining the mysterious atmosphere. On the other hand, the Weinsteins, who produced the film, constantly interfered – demanding more blood, reshooting entire scenes, and even forcing Morgan to change the ending, disrupting the story's tone. As a result, the film was released in two versions – American and European, the latter being more brutal and having a different ending. In the late 2010s, producer Jason Blum and director Sophia Takal decided to make a new remake. The plot underwent a significant reworking: Blum's influence introduced a supernatural element, and Takal greatly developed the feminist motifs of the original. As a result, some critics praised the film for addressing relevant issues, while others complained that the new "Black Christmas" (2019) lacked suspense and atmosphere. Regardless, all three films have their admirers. Additionally, "Black Christmas" is not the only franchise exploiting the Christmas theme. For those who would like to see a killer in the guise of Santa Claus, there is the cult slasher "Christmas Evil" (1980) and the entire "Silent Night, Deadly Night" (1984) franchise consisting of five films, a TV series, and a loose 2012 remake.
"April Fool's Day" (1986, 2008)
On the weekend, a group of college friends gathers in an empty mansion on an island. On April Fool's Day, Muffy, the owner of the house, entertains everyone with silly pranks – but the fun doesn't last long as students begin to disappear one by one... "April Fool's Day" (1986) directed by Fred Walton is an example of a plot concept that is itself a prank, albeit a rather cruel one (at least for genre enthusiasts). The film lacks genuinely scary scenes and, frankly, is not a slasher, although it attempts to play in that field. It's recommended more for fans of detective stories in the Agatha Christie style and those who wouldn't mind encountering the "scream queens" from famous horrors – Amy Steel ("Friday the 13th – Part 2") and Deborah Foreman ("Waxwork"). In 2008, the directing duo The Butcher Brothers produced a low-budget remake of "April Fool's Day," released directly on DVD – but this film, despite its updated plot, lacked the modest charm possessed by the original.
"Holidays" (2016)
For cinephiles particularly drawn to the theme of calendar horrors, the anthology "Holidays" (2016) by Distant Corners Entertainment and XYZ Films is undoubtedly worth adding to their to-do list. Producers didn't hold back, cramming 105 minutes with eight thematic short films. Besides Halloween, Valentine's Day, and Christmas, the anthology actively explores fresh reserves – New Year, St. Patrick's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Easter. The collection is uneven – occasionally veering into comedy rather than horror – but it's charming and not without pleasant surprises. The cast includes Seth Green ("Idle Hands"), Lorenza Izzo ("Knock Knock"), and Michael Gross ("Tremors"). The Halloween episode was directed by Kevin Smith ("Tusk"). For those who still feel unsatisfied after all the aforementioned, the series "Into the Dark" (2018-2021) by ubiquitous horror-maker Jason Blum is highly recommended. This ambitious project allows you to spend more than one weekend, as each of the 24 "holiday" episodes of "Into the Dark" represents a full-fledged 90-minute horror. Among the dates tied to the plots, you can find something new – the first day of school, Independence Day, International Women's Day, and even National Pet Week. The list of directors includes Nacho Vigalondo ("Open Windows"), Daniel Stamm ("The Last Exorcism"), as well as familiar names Patrick Lussier and Sophia Takal.