Table of Contents
Acknowledgments viii
Preface
Introduction
1. Clausophobia: Psycho Santas
2. Yule Die: Christmas Slashers
3. Homicidal Holidays
4. Stocking Snuffers: Santa’s Demented Little Helpers
5. Killer Christmas Trees
6. Krampus, the Christmas Devil
7. Zombie Holidays and Christmas Cadavers
8. Intergalactic Christmas Mayhem: Sci-Fi Christmas Horrors
9. Evil Christmas Spirits
10. Christmas Horror Anthologies
Conclusion
Appendix: Annotated Christmas Horror Filmography
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index
Matthew C. DuPée is an author and horror film enthusiast who lives in the Washington D.C. metro area. His wide array of works have been published in Rue Morgue, Offscreen, Bright Lights Film Journal, and Morbidly Beautiful.
“Here’s a guide to streaming genre films that feature a
not-always-jolly St. Nick.”—The New York Times; “Be it It’s a
Wonderful Life or Miracle on 34th Street to more recent classics
like Home Alone and Elf, there is a certain ‘type’ of narrative
that comes to mind when we think of Christmas films. Less common in
our casual and scholarly examinations of such movies are those
where themes of love, family and goodwill to all men are completely
sidelined in favour of blood, guts and gore. It is the genre of
Christmas horror—replete with satanic Santas, evil elves and
lashings of holiday fear—that Matt DuPée focuses on in A Scary
Little Christmas. Delving into over 40 years of holiday hellscapes,
DuPée chronicles the subversion of the Christmas story through a
comprehensive exploration of over 200 titles. This book is a
must-read for those wanting to eschew the mawkish and heartily
embrace the scary, the savage and the splatter.”—Associate
Professor Lauren Rosewarn, author of Analyzing Christmas in Film:
Santa to the Supernatural
“A Scary Little Christmas is both an essential reference guide that
exhaustively catalogs five decades of Noel nasties, and an
entertaining slay ride through an ever-expanding sub genre of
seasonal shockers. Horror fans are gonna love unwrapping this
one.”—Dave Alexander, author of Untold Horror and former
Editor-in-Chief of Rue Morgue magazine
“Horror movies make the perfect counterbalance to wholesome holiday
fare—it's a clean, white snowdrift where a spray of blood appears
all the more strikingly—and Matthew DuPée has taken a deep plunge
into the creepiest and scariest films the season has to
offer.”—Alonso Duralde, author of Have Yourself a Movie Little
Christmas and co-author of I'll Be Home for Christmas Movies
“Matthew DuPée's A Scary Little Christmas puts the ghoul in yule.
It’s a fantastic look at the darker side of cinema dealing with the
most wonderful—and evidently deadliest--time of the year. Psycho
Santas, gremlins, Krampus and much more. DuPée delves into
everyone's favorite festive fears in an in-depth but accessible and
fun way. With fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and interviews
with many of those involved. If you can survive until next
Christmas, you want this on your gift list.”—JA Kerswell, author of
The Teenage Slasher Movie Book and curator of The Hysteria
Continues Podcast
“The book fans of holiday horror have been waiting years
for.”—Flick Attack
“Each entry gets the full treatment: review, backstory, critical
and fan reception plus commentary from cast and crew…Fun chills for
a chilly season.”—Videoscope
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