115 - Christmas Evil (1980) & A Christmas Horror Story (2015) →
CW: Abortion, Self Harm, Rape
Read our afterthoughts for this episode at https://twitter.com/PodSematary/status/1206343899075072001
It’s the first of two weeks of Christmas on Pod Sematary! Chris & Kelsey prepare for a bad winter this year and are surprised to find two holiday-themed horror flicks that don't suck!
The Classic Film: Christmas Evil (1980)
"A toy factory worker, mentally scarred as a child upon learning Santa Claus is not real, suffers a nervous breakdown after being belittled at work, and embarks on a Yuletide killing spree” (IMDb.com). This holiday favorite of camp icon John Waters is a slow boil but it's a surprisingly unique take on the killer Santa trope. It manages to take itself very seriously and still be fun at the same time.
The Modern Film: A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
"Interwoven stories that take place on Christmas Eve, as told by one festive radio host: A family brings home more than a Christmas tree, a student documentary becomes a living nightmare, a Christmas spirit terrorizes, [and] Santa slays evil” (IMDb.com). While the vignettes never should have been interwoven in the first place and some are not as good as the rest (::cough:: the students ::cough::), a delightful tone and killer ending really redeem this holiday anthology.
Audio Sources:
“Christmas Evil” produced by Edward R. Pressman Productions
"A Christmas Horror Story" produced by Copperheart Entertainment
"National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation" produced by Warner Bros. & Hughes Entertainment
"Night of the Sentinels: Part 2" (X-Men: The Animated Series S01E02) produced by Marvel Entertainment, et al.
"Pet Sematary" written by Dee Dee Ramone & Daniel Rey and performed by The Ramones
"Valzer dei Fiori" composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky