If Art is the only clown you want to see sliding down your chimney this Christmas, I’ve got the perfect movie for all you sickos out there.
It’s safe to say Terrifier 3 was the movie event of the year. Dexerto even voted it the best film of 2024, and not just in the horror category but across the board.
Damien Leone’s tour de force horror franchise reached new heights of terror in the threequel, but if you can look past the sadism and scalpings, it’s also a twisted comedy, an ode to Christianity, and, thanks to Art’s turn as the Saint Nick, a festive flick.
But given it came out over Halloween, what are you supposed to watch to keep yourself sane through all the festivities and family fights? If you’re a Santa cynic like me, you might want to check out this banned Christmas movie.
Christmas Evil is the perfect holidays horror movie
The film in question is Lewis Jackson’s 1980 festive slasher Christmas Evil, centering on a deranged Santa Claus fanatic whose descent into madness sends him on a killing spree during the most wonderful time of the year. What more could you want?
Now, I will say that in no way does the gore even come close to matching up to any of the Terrifier movies, but you’ll still get your fix (a personal fave being a Home Alone-esque kill involving a Christmas tree star straight to the jugular).
Christmas Evil did manage to get itself banned in the UK at the time, but this was more about the video nasties panic rather than its grisly contents (still, it’s a badge of honor worth shouting out).
What’s really great about this holiday horror, and why it’s gone on to earn a cult following over the years, is that it perfectly represents the grainy, low-budget charm of ‘70s genre films. Awkward camera angles, baffling cuts, eerie synth music – it’s got it all.
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Best of all is watching lead character Harry Stadling’s (Brandon Maggart) descent into madness, which all starts in his childhood when he sees Saint Nick feeling up his mom under the Christmas tree.
After his brother tells him the dude coming down the chimney is actually his dad, a young Harry’s left traumatized. He heads up to the attic with his snowglobe, smashes it to the floor, picks up a shard of glass (not that again), and cuts himself with it.
When we meet him as an adult, he’s clearly unwell. Harry sleeps in a Santa suit, his flat’s filled with festive décor, and he uses binoculars to spy on kids, keeping a detailed list of whether they’re being naughty or nice.
At work, things aren’t much better. His colleagues at the Jolly Dreams toy factory roast him harder than a Christmas turkey, which acts as the catalyst for his rampage.
Though it’s purposely over the top, there’s something deeply relatable about Christmas Evil. Beneath the campy chaos, Harry’s descent feels emblematic of how unresolved trauma and family tensions can build to an explosive breaking point at this time of year.
It’s a movie that, for all its absurdity, taps into the darker undercurrent of Christmas. That pressure to find joy can feel overwhelming, and sometimes the best antidote is watching a crazed Santa Claus losing his sh*t. I’ll cheers to that.
TriCoast Worldwide uploaded Christmas Evil to YouTube, meaning you can watch it for free here. Also be sure to check out our ranking of the best horror movies ever made, best Christmas movies to watch if you hate Christmas, and other new films out this month.
