A Scary Little Christmas: A History of Yuletide Horror Films, 1972-2020

by Matthew C. DuPee

Controversial yet beloved among audiences, Christmas-themed horror movies emerged in the early 1970s and gained a notorious reputation with Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), depicting Santa as an ax-wielding maniac. Some parents and conservative groups condemned the film, while others embraced the portrayal of Yuletide as a backdrop for fear and dread. Drawing on interviews with directors, producers, special effects artists, photographers and actors, this book celebrates the sordid, colorful history of the Christmas horror subgenre. Psycho Santa films such as Christmas Evil (1980) and 3615 code Pere Noel (1989) are examined, along with "Yule-Die" slashers like The Dorm that Dripped Blood (1982), Black Christmas (1974) and Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972). Commercial successes like Gremlins (1984) and Rare A Christmas Tale (2010) are covered, as well as more recent releases such as Better Watch Out (2016), Red Christmas (2016) and Deathcember (2019). Rare photographs, promotional materials and an annotated filmography are provided.

370 pages, Paperback

Published June 17, 2022

Reviews

[Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book goes great descriptions of horror films from the later years of the nine-teen hundreds to the early years of this century. The effort this author put into this book is astonishing! The book also features rare movies that the average horror lover may not have seen. The book also contains photos never seen before by many horror lovers that catch the eye of every reader. Such a great book and I hope this author writes more master pieces just like this.

[William Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

An educational, informative and entertaining deep dive into the Holiday Horror genre, this book goes into depth about past and recent films. So many films discussed here I had never heard of, and all of my favorites received me than a passing mention. Because of this book I have added quite a few movies to my Amazon wish list. If you're a fan of horror and Christmas I highly recommend this book

[Robyne SMiTH · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not only enlightening, but an overall great read and deep dive into the genre. If you’re a fan of Horror Movies and nostalgia mingled with warmth of the holiday season- then pick this up! This is loaded with pictures, posters, interviews, folklore and the FACTS!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this one up from the author at Flashback Weekend this year because A: I can’t pass up the chance to get an autographed book, and B: I attend a holiday horror movie party every year and was wondering what I hadn’t seen yet.

This is a must have for horror film enthusiasts and especially for those who enjoy the holiday horror sub-genre. DuPee breaks the films down into different categories, each with humorous chapter names, including Clausophobia: Psycho Santas, Yule Die: Christmas Slashers, and Intergalactic Christmas Mayhem: Sci-Fi Christmas Horrors. Each chapter is filled with information about the films which stand out (for good or bad), interviews, and other interesting tidbits. Even better, there is a 40 page index listing all of the holiday horror movies.

[David Denoyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matthew C. DuPee outdoes himself in the inner workings of Christmas/Holiday horror films in “A Scary Little Christmas”! Tracing the start of this subgenre to its early 70s roots all the way up to 2020 Christmas horror entires, you’re treated to a cacophony of titles you know & love plus interviews with those behind their creations as well. Breaking up the films into further subgroups, no stone is left unturned from killer Santa’s, to Christmas demons, specters, aliens, toys, and much more. Will give any horror or movie fan new entries to seek out plus a history of the favorites you revisit ever December to ring in the holiday. Highly recommended for any fans of the genre or film history.