It’s that time of year again where we can all enjoy a Christmas movie. Although some people choose to watch these classics all year round, the majority of us are just experiencing these films once again for the first time in a while.
While some of the films here are perhaps a collection of the highest-grossing Christmas movies, they all share a distinct quality. When you think about the plot, characters, or locations, they are actually secretly horrifying. Here are 10 movies that fit that description.
MUPPETS CHRISTMAS CAROL
This Muppets classic with the brilliant performance from Michael Caine has gone down as one of the best versions of the Charles Dickens story. In fact, it’s almost unrivaled and every year is enjoyed by people of all ages around the world.
However, it’s also a little horrifying. This is a kids’ film, yet the Ghost of Christmas Past is a small child that would give any adult nightmares with her strange animation. Plus the ghost of Christmas future looks like something from a horror film as well.
HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
When you think about the story of the Grinch; a scary creature that lives far above a village, which comes down occasionally to terrify its residents, then you’d make the assumption that this was some kind of horror tale.
This film is actually a pretty scary concept and it’s a miracle that the people of this small town actually welcome their monster at the end. The design of the Grinch is also slightly horrifying, with the costume better suited for something like a haunted house.
HOME ALONE
It’s been discussed before but we have to mention it again. The injuries in this film really could kill someone and should do more damage than they actually do. Firstly, the film is about a small child, left home alone with two thieves.
That’s already a parent’s nightmare. Add to this that the kid has a sick fascination for violence and commits a number of crimes in ‘defending’ his house and you’re left with not a festive film, but the origin story of a serial killer.
THE SANTA CLAUSE
The Santa Clause brings with it a number of problems that the concept of Santa always does. A stranger breaking into people’s homes and sneaking around at night isn’t exactly the most reassuring idea to tell children.
However, in this world, if you kill Santa then you become Santa. That seems problematic since any murderer could be sneaking down the chimney at night, coming close to your children; while another criminal is on the lookout to gain that magical power.
NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION
It’s rare for a comedy like this to be horrifying but then you need to look at what actually happens to the characters. Every single injury and accident should put these characters in the hospital. In fact, the whole film feels like its part of the torture genre.
These are the type of violent stunts you’d expect to pop up in a film filled with much more gore than this. In reality, this Christmas would never have gotten going, although that is the nature of these festive comedy films, filled with slapstick violence.
THE POLAR EXPRESS
It’s safe to assume that we’re not the only ones that believe taking lots of random children on a long train ride, in the middle of the night, with a bunch of strangers, it a pretty terrible and dangerous idea.
The train ride itself isn’t exactly a safe one and the kids could be injured at any moment. Not only this, this seems like a creepy and elaborate way to kidnap as many children as possible, with the Christmas excuse as an alibi.
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Nightmare is in the title so you’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s obvious that this film is horrifying. Aside from the fact that it’s filled with a plotline that sees the creatures of Halloween attempting to create their own Christmas, Santa is in big trouble here.
In no other film has Santa been treated this way, nearly getting killed by a monstrous creature full of bugs. It’s a scary idea and the film itself is creepy from top to bottom. We’re surprised any kids can watch this without getting scared.
JINGLE ALL THE WAY
Aside from saying a lot about the capitalism at play at Christmas, the film is actually all part of a larger idea that a criminal can be the hero of a movie. The protagonist of this movie is exactly that, a bona fide criminal.
He fights other parents for a toy, is creepy towards a kid, does a black market deal, is caught breaking and entering, and is even involved in a bomb plot targeted at the police. He’s hardly a hero and yet is celebrated at the end after trespassing and fraud.
KLAUS
This is a relatively new addition to the list but one that immediately strikes us as quite horrifying. This is less than a kids’ film due to the terrifying village that it’s all set in. This is a town that prides itself on the tradition of war.
The villagers themselves are really creepy and violent towards one another. And then, there’s a postman and a toymaker from the woods, that will break into houses and start influencing the kids with their way of thinking.
NATIVITY
The final film on this list feels like a festive and harmless piece of fun, but there’s a series of elements that should not be forgotten. Martin Freeman plays a teacher, yet he never really acts like it. In fact, he commits a number of criminal acts.
He takes kids on numerous school trips, right out the front gates, without any permission from the school or the parents. What’s worse, he then kidnaps two kids to America without having any paperwork signed. He should never have kept his job.
