Holidays go hand in hand with the horror genre as they juxtapose each other. Holidays are supposed to be filled with fun and festive cheers and not bloodcurdling screams. Some great examples include Jaws which is more of a monster movie than a horror movie but it certainly painted the Fourth of July in a different light.
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A more recent film, Late Night With The Devil, put a fun twist on talk shows and the Halloween experience. Both of those examples aren’t slashers though but there are plenty of holiday-based slashers to choose from including the major holidays like Christmas and Halloween. Without spoilers, let’s see what’s in store. They will be ranked based on quality and how they handle the holidays.
8
April Fool’s Day
Clever Gags And Dead Puppets Are Inbound
- Director: Fred Walton
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Released: March 27, 1986
- Run Time: 89 Minutes
The holiday in question for April Fool’s Day should be quite obvious. A group of college kids go to an exclusive island to have a good time at a family home. Along the way, these friends are met with pranks which will have viewers question their validity. As the real murders start to happen, the mystery of who the killer is will start to build and most probably won’t see the end coming. Similar to the movie, The Game, the exact mechanics of April Fool’s Day don’t exactly work upon further inspection but removed from the reality of the situation, modern viewers can have a good time with the premise and cheese factor.
7
Humongous
Motherhood Is Trying Process
- Director: Paul Lynch
- Producer: Anthony Kramreither
- Released: June 11, 1982
- Run Time: 94 Minutes
Humongous takes place around Labor Day of all holidays. First in 1943 wherein viewers get a grim assault on a woman followed by a murder. Things flash forward 36 years to another Labor Day celebration wherein three siblings and their friends are preparing to leave their island like the opposite start to April Fool’s Day. Along their cruise back home, they pick up a straggler and then crash land on another island after. Said island is supposed to be haunted by a woman and her dogs. Is that what the movie is about: a haunted lady and some dogs? Giving any more away would spoil things but viewers should enjoy the chances Humongous takes on some of its red herrings.
6
Terror Train
The Origins Of Shovel Knight
Terror Train
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David Copperfield
Alana Maxwell
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Most know Jamie Lee Curtis from the Halloween franchise as far as horror movies go. However, she was in more including the often-forgotten Terror Train. This haunted production takes place on New Year’s Eve wherein a party has exclusively booked up an entire train. There’s live music, food, drinks, a magician, and everyone is wearing elaborate costumes.
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Unfortunately, there’s also a killer on the loose who takes out their victims one by one. Is it the strange train conductor that seems too nosey or is it the aforementioned magician? The mystery shall remain under lock and key but let’s say the killer gets what’s coming to them via a shovel in one of the funniest moments of comeuppance ever put to film.
5
I Know What You Did Last Summer
Making Bad Decisions On The 4th Of July
I Know What You Did Last Summer is a slasher wherein a bunch of teens make some big mistakes around Independence Day. They hit a pedestrian while drunk, go back to help him out but then end up shoving his body into the water anyway, and vow to never discuss this incident again. Time passes and it looks like past sins are coming to light as the urban legend of The Hook starts to claim victims from this pack. Is one of the teens involved in the killings akin to Scream or is there more to it? The original is still the best one but the upcoming 2025 reboot could prove to be fun as well.
4
Black Christmas
It’s Me, Billy
Black Christmas is one of the earliest horror movies on the list and it can be thanked for creating one big trope: the phone caller killer. While used in media before, Black Christmas was the first film to prioritize it and there are more details but saying anything more would ruin the surprise. The movie centers on a group of sorority girls around Christmas wherein one of their own has gone mission. Alongside that fearsome realization, the girls are getting creepy phone calls and the police are stumped. It’s another good mystery but there aren’t many kills to speak of so gore-hounds may be displeased while historians will eat this Christmas caper up.
3
Halloween
Hide Your Candy
Halloween is a must-see classic for anyone interested in the franchise or slasher movies overall. For those who somehow missed it or any of the films, it begins on Halloween night when protagonist Laurie Strode has to watch some kids on the best candy holiday of the year.
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A killer is on the loose though, Michael Myers, and he’s stabbing everyone in town who gets in his way. What makes Michael a horrifying villain is his large stature and unwillingness to talk. Why is he killing people? No one knows. While the kills are tame by today’s standards, Halloween is still an intense thriller.
2
Thanksgiving
The Blackest Of Black Fridays
Thanksgiving is a more recent slasher from Eli Roth which might be his best horror movie in ages. It’s certainly more enjoyable than the Borderlands adaptation which does not need to be discussed here. Things begin poorly on Black Friday when a bunch of people get trampled for deals. A year later, someone dressed as the pilgrim John Carver comes to town and starts killing supposedly to avenge victims of this Black Friday massacre. The kills are creative, with an oven scene in particular being hard to think about, but the mystery is just as thrilling to puzzle out.
1
Heart Eyes
A Perfect Blend
Heart Eyes is the latest Valentine’s Day horror movie to hit screens and among the many out there, of truly there are many, Heart Eyes might be number one. It manages to blend a romantic comedy with a slasher film well. Ally gets her romantic campaign for her company scrapped and her boss hires a freelancer, Jay, to fix things. It’s a meet-cute where things start with strong animosity between the two who start to fall in love over a killer trying to slice them up. This killer, nicknamed HEK for Heart Eyes Killer, goes after couples on Valentine’s Day for unknown reasons. The comedic bits, kills, and mystery all make this a must-see Scream spiritual successor.
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