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Holiday-themed horror films or holiday horror are a subgenre of horror films set during holidays. Holiday horror films can be presented in short or long formats, and typically utilize common themes, images, and motifs from the holidays during which they are set, often as methods by which the villain may murder their victims.[1][2]The genre has its own subgenres, such as Christmas horror.[3][4]
Film scholars Chris Vander Kaay and Kathleen Fernandez-Vander Kaay explain the subgenre as such: "The expression 'adding insult to injury' is an excellent encapsulation of the motivation behind the horror movie obsession with holidays (aside from the obvious desire to brand a killer with a theme and costume that can be revisited many times within a lucrative film franchise). The holiday is a place for happiness and family... The horror movie loves nothing more than irony (except perhaps a good death scene), and there is very little more ironic than the fear and isolation of a horror movie taking place right in the middle of the festivities."[5]
List of films
The following is a list of holiday horror films that depict or are set during a holiday or holiday season.
1900s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | Scrooge, or, Marley's Ghost | United Kingdom | Christmas | [6] |
1910s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | The Right to Be Happy | United States | Christmas | [6] |
1920s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | The Phantom Carriage | Sweden | New Year's Eve/New Year | Based on the book Thy Soul Shall Bear Witness! | |
| 1922 | Häxan | Denmark-Sweden | Walpurgis Night / May Day | ||
| 1922 | The Headless Horseman | United States | Halloween | ||
| 1923 | A Midsummer Night's Scream | United States | Midsummer | Short film |
1930s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1933 | Mystery of the Wax Museum | United States | New Year's Eve/New Year | ||
| 1936 | The Devil-Doll | United States | Christmas |
1940s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1944 | Christmas Holiday | United States | Christmas | ||
| 1944 | The Curse of the Cat People | United States | Christmas | ||
| 1945 | Dead of Night | United Kingdom | Christmas | Anthology film |
1950s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958 | The Phantom Carriage | Sweden | New Year's Eve/New Year | Remake of the 1921 film |
1960s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Macario | Mexico | Dia de Muertos | ||
| 1961 | Blast of Silence | United States | Christmas | ||
| 1964 | At Midnight I'll Take Your Soul | Brazil | Dia de Muertos |
1970s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | La Noche de Walpurgis | Spain | Walpurgis Night / May Day | [7] | |
| 1971 | The Fifth Cord | Italy | New Year's Eve/New Year | ||
| 1972 | Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? | United Kingdom | Christmas | ||
| 1972 | Tales from the Crypt | United Kingdom | Christmas, Valentine | Anthology film | [8] |
| 1972 | Frogs | United States | Independence Day | [9] | |
| 1972 | Home for the Holidays | United States | Christmas | Television film | |
| 1972 | Silent Night, Bloody Night | United States | Christmas | ||
| 1973 | The Wicker Man | United Kingdom | Walpurgis Night / May Day | [10] | |
| 1973 | El Retorno de Walpurgis | Spain | Walpurgis Night / May Day | ||
| 1973 | The Legend of Hell House | United Kingdom | Christmas | ||
| 1974 | Black Christmas | Canada | Christmas | ||
| 1974 | The Bloody Exorcism of Coffin Joe | Brazil | Christmas | ||
| 1975 | Jaws | United States | Independence Day | ||
| 1975 | Night Train Murders | Italy | Christmas | ||
| 1975 | Deep Red | Italy | Christmas | ||
| 1976 | God Told Me To | United States | Saint Patrick's Day | [11][12] | |
| 1976 | The Clown Murders | Canada | Halloween | ||
| 1976 | To the Devil a Daughter | United Kingdom | Halloween | ||
| 1978 | Mardi Gras Massacre | United States | Mardi Gras | ||
| 1978 | Halloween | United States | Halloween | [13] |
1980s
| Year | Film | Country | Holiday(s) | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Terror Train | United States | New Year's Eve/New Year | [10] | |
| 1980 | To All a Goodnight | United States | Christmas | [14] | |
| 1980 | Christmas Evil | United States | Christmas | ||
| 1980 | Maniac | United States | Christmas | ||
| 1980 | New Year's Evil | United States | New Year's Eve/New Year | ||
| 1980 | Ms .45 | United States | Halloween | ||
| 1981 | My Bloody Valentine | Canada | Valentine | Also takes place during Friday the 13th | |
| 1981 | Halloween II | United States | Halloween | ||
| 1981 | Home Sweet Home | United States | Thanksgiving | ||