GORELORD'S GRIPES AND INSIGHTS - Edition #1
FATAL FESTIVITIES: What Happened to Holiday Slasher Movies?
(06.22.00)
These days it's hard for hardcore horror buffs to find anything in theaters from the genre that isn't riddled with big name celebs and floating in the mainstream. I've always believed that a horror film is more realistic and effective if it features unknown actors rather than those money hungry mainstreamers. What has happened to the once great world of horror? Particularly, what has happened to the once abundant world of no-holds barred slasher movies? It's pretty bad when the tame slasher movies of today only star Hollywood big shots like Courtney Cox and Neve Campbell. Thank God for VHS!
One type of slasher film in particular that was a staple of the sub-genre for several years before vanishing from drive-ins everywhere was the fondly remembered holiday slasher movie. Remember the good old days when no festive holiday was safe from the blood spattering of a warped lunatic? Christmas castrations, Halloween hatchet jobs, and birthday beheadings were what horror fans had come to expect from slasher film directors on these yearly events. After 1984, the slasher craze died down a bit and along with it the holiday themed slaughterfests did also. However, these slashebrations of terror can be lived over and enjoyed again and again thanks to home video. Let's take a look at some of the titles that helped us trash these special occasions:
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (1972) -
This is probably the only made for television movie in the Christmas carve em' up sweepstakes, but that doesn't mean it lacks creepy atmosphere. Directed by John Llewellyn Moxey and starring a young Sally Field, this well made killer thriller has four sisters returning home for Christmas to see their dying dad, only to be picked off one by one by a pitchfork killer in a rain slicker and kitchen gloves. The earliest of the season's greetings slashers and proof that I Know What You Did Last Summer wasn't the first to feature a rain slicker killer. Available on the Starmaker Home Entertainment label.
BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974) -
The Christmas horror classic of all time and possibly the scariest slasher film ever made. This early atmospheric fright fest was said to be a big influence to director John Carpenter in making Halloween (1978). This Canadian film, directed by the talented Bob Clark, is about a truly demented schizophrenic psychopath who sneaks into the attic of an all girl's sorority house and makes a home for himself during the Christmas holidays. When not carrying on conversations with himself, the deranged individual spends his time making truly frightening phone calls to the house from a private line upstairs, and begins brutally killing some of the sorority girls. Take it from me; this movie will scare the shit out of you! It is scarily realistic and even more terrifying is the fact that it could actually happen. Also, it features one of the best casts I've seen in a slasher film, with Olivia Hussey (looking absolutely beautiful), John Saxon, Margot Kidder, Keir Dullea, and the hilarious Andrea Martin all playing excellent roles. Once reportedly taken off a scheduled NBC showing for being too scary. Sometimes forgotten and tough to track down, this hidden gem is available from the great Movies Unlimited on the Warner Home Video label.
CHRISTMAS EVIL (1980) -
In 1980 it wasn't enough anymore just to have Christmas time as the setting for a series of slashings. It had to be taken a step further. That's when director Lewis Jackson decided to take a page from one of the stories in Tales From the Crypt (1972) and turn Santa into a homicidal maniac. Actually it's about a nut who saw his mom boinking his dad dressed as Santa when he was a kid. Ever since then, he keeps a list at Christmas time of those who he feels have been naughty and those who've been nice. Those who've been naughty consist of people who don't believe in Santa Claus and who use the holiday for money making. And those who've been naughty get snuffed...Santa style! Praised by some as a cult classic, this isn't your average slasher film. Look for a cameo from Home Improvement star Patricia Richardson. A title under the Saturn Home Video label, this too can be purchased from Movies Unlimited.
THE DORM THAT DRIPPED BLOOD (1981) -
Another Yuletide slasher to come out of the eighties teen body count craze. This one is the only movie in the holiday slasher sub-genre to be directed by two people. Similar setting as in Black Christmas (1974), this bloodbath has several college students and a couple of staff members preparing a dorm for demolition around Christmas time. Along comes a psycho and as the title suggests, blood drips at the dorm. Filmed as Pranks. Can be found under the Media Home Entertainment label.
TO ALL A GOODNIGHT (1980) -
Another sicko Santa Claus adds more red than green to the Christmas colors as more teenagers are massacred by sick old Saint Nick. Interestingly enough, this was directed by one of the greatest horror villains of all time, David Hess. He is best known for playing the lead psycho in films like the classic Last House on the Left (1972) and House on the Edge of the Park (1981). Also of note is that the executive producer and screenwriter of this one was Alex Rebar, who deteriorated into an oozing pile of muck in The Incredible Melting Man (1977). There's a twist ending in this film and I won't reveal any identities. Let's just say that the intended victims at the Calvin Finishing School may have to deal with more than one Santa. Also distributed by Media Home Entertainment.
SILENT NIGHT, DEADLY NIGHT (1984) -
One of the most controversial holiday slashers, this film was protested against by parents groups for it's depiction of Santa Claus as a crazed killer. Oddly though, they ignored films of the same nature such as the previously discussed Christmas Evil (1980) and To All a Goodnight (1980). A deranged man's parents were brutally slaughtered in front of him as a child by a loony in a Santa outfit. When he's asked by his employer to be the department store Santa over the holidays and puts on the suit, heads fly and the bloody slay ride begins. Terror on Tape author James O'Neil has been quoted as saying that "this may be the worst horror film ever to inspire an entire series of follow-ups". And there are a number of sequels, four as a matter of fact. Most of them are available on the Live Entertainment label and the first one can also be found on the Image Entertainment label.
DON'T OPEN 'TIL CHRISTMAS (1984) -
Probably the grisliest and sickest of the Christmas slashers. This one turns the tables a bit in the fact that it's not a murderous Santa offing victims, but rather a masked schizo slashing the Santa's. The Claus's are castrated, stabbed, and impaled among other things. Directed by and starring English actor Edmund Purdum, who previously appeared in such films as the graciously gory Pieces (1983), as well as Frankenstein's Castle of Freaks (1973). Look for a cameo from delectable scream queen Caroline Munro. Available on both Vestron Video and Live Entertainment.
HALLOWEEN (1978) -
One of the most successful low-budget horror films ever. Hailed as the film that started the teenage body count sub-genre, this classic has scared audiences for over two decades. The festive fun of Halloween would never be the same again in Haddonfield, Illinois after young Michael Myers brutally stabbed his baby-sitting older sister to death on the night of trick or treating, 1963. Fifteen years after the bizarre occurrence, Michael escapes from a mental asylum and heads back to the neighborhood to force terror into the lives of a pretty baby-sitter and her friends on Halloween night. His totally obsessed psychiatrist Dr. Loomis, makes it his life's work to stop the emotionless beast. Truly creepy and a definite sense of menace is felt throughout the entire film. Michael Myers is a haunting killer without any sign of feelings or rationality. This was the movie that launched the career of the stunning beauty, Jamie Lee Curtis (known to horror fans as one of the true scream queens). Also of note in the cast is legendary late actor Donald Pleasance, who plays Dr. Loomis. Director John Carpenter's musical score is one of the most memorable in horror history. This is a film that doesn't need blood and guts to get the job done. Can be found on several video labels, but I recommend Anchor Bay's restored widescreen edition.
HALLOWEEN 2 (1981) -
The sequel to the terrifying masterpiece takes off exactly where the original left off, on Halloween night, 1978. Jamie Lee Curtis returns as traumatized baby-sitter Laurie Strode, who is taken to the hospital where she is followed by Michael Myers, who massacres the staff in his quest to kill her. Donald Pleasance returns too as Dr. Loomis, hell bent on finding the unstoppable lunatic and getting him back to the institution. This one is much more like the typical stalk 'n' slash flicks that were prevalent at the time. The original relied on scares, this one counts on kills. Fans of gory body count flicks like myself, and fans of the series in general, should enjoy this. John Carpenter wrote and produced, but did not direct this time around. An important secret is revealed in the movie that helped pave the way for Halloween: H20 (1998). Followed by one indirect sequel that has nothing to do with Michael Myers, and four direct ones. This is also available from Anchor Bay.
TRICK OR TREATS (1982) -
Just one of the many Halloween imitations to come out following the success of the smash hit. This badly lit low-budgeter somewhat copies John Carpenter's story, with a female baby-sitter watching a young prankster on Halloween night. The kid's dad is a murdering lunatic who just happens to break out of an asylum that very night. And guess where he's headed? Not very many positive reviews on the Internet for this one. Somehow though, the makers of this film managed to cast a few respectable actors like Steve Railsback, David Carradine, and Paul Bartel. Apparently, Orson Welles was a consultant for the movie, as the director Gary Graver had close ties to Welles. Largely forgotten and not easy to find, this was distributed by both Vestron Video and Live Entertainment.
HOLLOW GATE (1988) -
A psychopathic freak who was abused as a boy by his father, takes it out on nosy trick or treaters who trespass on his property on Halloween night. Instead of calling the cops, he takes matters into his own hands by dispatching the teens with dogs, a tractor, axes, and other things. Direct-to-video slasher. Distributed by City Light Productions.
MY BLOODY VALENTINE (1981) -
Canadian Valentine's Day slasher set in the small mining town of Valentine Bluffs where years ago a terrible mining accident lead to the survivor of the incident murdering the two men responsible. The killings took place during the annual Valentine's Day dance. Twenty years later, the town decides that it's time to once again hold the yearly event on Valentine's Day, but a psychotic pick ax killer dressed as a coal miner isn't too fond of the idea. Before you know it, people are receiving gift boxes with human hearts in them. Fun and gory holiday slasher with a nice feel of Canadian atmosphere. Available from Paramount Home Video.
HOSPITAL MASSACRE (1981) -
Low-budget grade B slasher flick from the team that graced us with New Year's Evil (1980). Also known under the more appropriate title Be My Valentine...or Else!, this film features busty Playboy playmate Barbi Benton in the starring role. Another Valentine's Day slasher that has an opening taking place twenty years in the past, this starts with a young boy who has a crush on the girl of his dreams, delivering a Valentine's card to her home. She receives it as the boy looks through the window, but the girl shows her true feelings and laughs at the card and ruins it. This triggers a maniacal rage that turns him into a bloodthirsty nutcase. Fast forward twenty years, again on Valentine's Day, where the girl (now all grown up and nicely blossomed) visits the local hospital for a check-up. Well guess who shows up to slaughter staff and patients with different medical tools? That's right, the big breasted babe better watch out because this freak still has a murderous crush on her. Found on the Paragon Video and MGM Home Entertainment labels.
NEW YEAR'S EVIL (1980) -
I've already done a full length review of this title which can be found in the And You Thought It Was Safe Vault. A quick recap: A woman hating psycho kills in each of the four U.S time zones at midnight on New Year's Eve. Notable as the only New Year's slasher film (I don't count Bloody New Year (1987) as a slasher). Check out The Vault for a much more extensive review. Distributed at one time by Paragon Video.
SWEET SIXTEEN (1981) -
I know that birthdays aren't National holidays like Christmas and Easter but they can be considered holidays for people celebrating them, and that's why I've included a couple of birthday slashers in this rant. This one plays like a slasher mystery and sports a respectable cast, including veterans Patrick Macnee and Michael Pataki. A number of teenage guys interested in a pretty girl are massacred by an unknown knife wielder leading up to the girl's sixteenth birthday. Not nearly as bloody as other slash 'n' stab films, this one develops more of a "guess the killer" type atmosphere. Distributed by Vestron Video.
BLOODY BIRTHDAY (1980) -
Made in 1980, but not released on video until 1986 (how dare those bastards wait that long!). Three unrelated children are brought into the world as homicidal maniacs when they are born during a total eclipse of the moon. When they all turn ten they get together for a good old killing spree, wiping out teachers, parents, and sex starved teens with arrows, guns, and other implements of death. One of the only slasher flicks to have children as the psycho killers. Found on the Prism Entertainment and Starmaker Home Entertainment labels.
HOME SWEET HOME (1980) -
This cheese fest has the sole distinction of being the only Thanksgiving slasher movie. Musclehead bodybuilder Jake Steinfeld plays a mindless wacko who breaks out of a mental asylum and ends up at an isolated ranch where a family is celebrating Thanksgiving. Once he arrives, it's more than the turkey that gets carved as the blood starts to splatter. Available on the Vestron Video label and from Media Home Entertainment.
Well there you have it horror fans. A whole slew of holiday slasher films to help bring back the bygone days when slice and dicers dominated. Nowadays, the holiday slasher sub-genre has vanished. It's a shame that the many drive-ins that featured these great and not so great films have vanished with them. Horror and gore buffs will never forget though. Thanks to us, these titles will live on forever. So next time you head to the video store during a holiday and you're in a festive mood, walk past White Christmas (1954) and pick up the black one instead.
-GORELORD
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