Christmas Movies Gays Love: Oh, the Horror!

Christmas Movies Gays Love: Oh, the Horror!

Well, it's Christmas time, and for many of us, that means revelling in the sights and sounds and delights of favorite Christmas movies. Some old, some new, some classic, some campy trash. Whatever your taste level, there's a handful of titles out there you probably love to revisit each year. Or, you might find a new release that becomes an instant "classic!" Over the course of this month, yer boy Hank here is gonna serve up some of those titles to you, under the umbrella heading: "Christmas Movies Gays Love." Some will be personal favorites, some will be community favorites, and some I'll go trolling for through my socials, asking suggestions. They may not be "gay," but they're definitely "Christmas." Sort of.

First up, we have my personal favorite genre. Horror! Hey, it's not my fault they stuck Christmas so close after the gays' favorite holiday, Halloween! So ya better watch out, cuz Santa Claus is coming!

There's Something in the Barn (2023)

This is a great international entry in which an American family, headed by Martin Starr, inherits an old farm in a small town in Norway. When they cross paths with a local legend, things get a little messy. It's a horror comedy that gets both genres dead-on, with the horror being gruesomely bloody with plenty of splatter, and the comedy is at least chuckle-worthy. You might recognize Starr as the bespeckled, sweet Bill Haverchuck in Freaks and Geeks. He grew up in the world of Judd Apatow and appears in several of his films alongside the likes of Seth Rogen. This flick is a lot of fun, especially if you enjoy psychotic elves hellbent on revenge!

Black Christmas (1974)

Not only is the original Black Christmas (there are two bad remakes) a great genre crossover, but it's also simply one of the creepiest horror films ever made, earning a Canadian Film Award for Margot Kidder in her starring role. A group of sorority sisters is left behind during Christmas break and soon becomes the victims of a demented killer's wrath. What's most interesting is who is in this movie who later rose to much greater fame: Margot Kidder would find fame as Superman's girlfriend, Lois Lane, and many other films; Olivia Hussey was already a teen star when she played the title character in Franco Zeffirelli's Romeo and Juliet, a staple of high school English classes; and Andrea Martin would become one of the biggest comedy actresses, first in SCTV alongside John Candy and Catherine O'Hara. Best of all, it's directed by Bob Clark, who would later give us  Christmas Story!

Krampus (2015)

A young boy unwittingly calls forth the ancient spirit of Krampus, which traps his family in an alternative reality as the great horned one and his elves come to pick them off. Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) and the always-incredible Toni Collette lead the cast in a film that begins as more comedy and effectively slides into horror. The laughs are dark, and the chills have a bite! Also, is it just me, or are images of Krampus kinda hot?

Gremlins (1984)

Okay, so this one is definitely more comedy than horror, what with the deranged muppet-like creepy cuteness of the little monsters. But it's definitely a contemporary classic, starring Phoebe Cates fresh from her topless swimming pool scene in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. She manages to deliver one of the most inadvertently funny monologues ever put to film as she tells costar Zach Galligan just how her father died, stuck in a chimney one Christmas dressed as Santa.

Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale (2010)

This one comes from Finland and touches on themes of corporate greed and father-son relationships. But mostly it's about what got unearthed by a mining expedition in young Pietari's village. The humor is bone-dry as the horror gets steadily ramped up. It does a great job of flipping the spirit of Christmas into a frightful thing, with emphasis on "spirit."

Terrifier 3 (2024)

If you're not familiar with this popular and highly rated horror franchise, brace yourself. Art the Clown is back for more slaughter! The films are as viciously violent and gleefully campy in the way that anything this over the top and fully committed to its purpose can be. There is a humor here that arises not because anything is played for laughs, but in a recognition of the film's sheer audacity; one delights in the artistry of the dance-mime-heavy performance of David Howard Thornton as "Art."

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Good lord, is this movie actually over thirty years old?!?! It's humorous, it's dark, but it's mostly a fantasy musical for those of us who love our whimsy on the dark side. Another classic.

Later in the month, I'll bring you films that are more gay and less bloody. What are your favorite Christmas movies?

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