The 23 Best 90s Christmas Horror Movies
So Christmas is over, and some people’s attention will be turning to the coming new year. However, many of us are still in the Christmas spirit. It’s still December after all! So for the festive folk out there, I’ve created a list of festive horror films (and one TV episode) for the 90s horror fan!
In the obvious choices section, there is a list of 7 Christmas horror films, which are set around Christmastime. I have also included some more tenuous choices. Whilst not set during the festive period, they either have snowy settings or feature killer dolls and toys.
The Obvious Choices
Jack Frost (1997)
A state execution transfer vehicle carrying infamous serial killer Jack Frost pulls into the sleepy little town of Snowmonton on a chilly December night. Jack had spent years evading the law. After he leaves a trail of 38 bodies spanning 11 states, local sheriff Sam Tiler finally apprehends him. The execution of this insane lunatic is set for midnight, but things take a chilling turn when the prison transfer truck collides with a genetic research truck. Jack manages to kill the guard and makes his escape! ..but not before the chemicals from the genetics truck alter his DNA! Jack dissolves and unites with the snow.
In this holiday B-movie horror film, Jack Frost is the tale of a psychopath who comes back to life. He transforms into a mutant snowman and exacts revenge on his wrongdoers. When strange deaths occur in the neighbourhood, Sheriff Sam Taylor just can’t seem to forget Jack’s threats of revenge, even after hearing the news of Jack’s supposed death,
If you would like to learn more about this film, you can read our review of Jack Frost.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
The Nightmare Before Christmas depicts the antics of Jack Skellington. He ‘s Halloweentown’s beloved Pumpkin King, who has grown tired of scaring people in the ‘real world’. When Jack discovers Christmastown through a walk in a forest, he is greeted by brilliant colours and warm spirits, finding a new lease of life.
Spellbound by the idea of Christmas, Jack plots to take over Christmas by kidnapping Santa Claus and taking over his job. All with the help of Halloweentown’s townsfolk of course! But things will take a turn for the worse. Will Christmas be saved?
Whilst not necessarily a Christmas horror film as such, there are elements and tropes of the horror genre throughout.
The Day of the Beast
To avert the beast and the end of the world, Father Ángel Berriarta commits numerous sins and travels to Madrid. He deciphered Saint John’s Book of Revelation and discovered that the apocalypse will occur on Christmas Day. He joins forces with a metalhead and a TV occultist to track down and stop the beast’s birthplace. Can they save the world?
Maniac Cop 2
Matthew Cordell (Robert Z’Dar), a renegade police officer, once roamed the streets of New York City unleashing his vicious brand of vigilante justice on its people. Good cop Jack Forrest (Bruce Campbell) is eager to put those horrible events behind him, but the world has other plans for him!
During Christmastime, the undead Maniac Cop rises from the grave to exact revenge on Forrest, with an all-too-familiar murdering spree. Cordell has risen from the grave and is ready to unleash his cruel destruction once more.
Santa Claws
A woman’s marriage is in trouble and to make matters worse, her next-door neighbour is not who he appears to be. He is enamoured with her and will go to any length to please her. His obsession drives him to insanity! He eventually decides that the only way he can get close to her is by disguising himself… as Santa Claus! As I’m sure you can guess from the above picture, he’s not out to deliver presents!
Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation
A reporter investigating the strange death of a lady who jumped from a burning building becomes entangled in a witch coven that is using her in their Christmas sacrificial rite. The Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise is an all-out Christmas horror series. In the first 3 films we see a killer Santa storyline.
Films 4 and 5 have completely separate storylines – both from each other as well as the rest of the series. Initiation follows the path of an interloper as opposed to the path of destruction of a serial killer in the slasher predecessors.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker
This is the fifth and final film in the original Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise. As previously mentioned (above), this film is its own stand-alone story (just like the 4th film).
A child sees his father killed after a toy is delivered anonymously to his home. After that, he is too traumatised to speak. His mother has to deal with both his suffering and her husband’s passing.
A mystery figure is seen hanging around the boy’s house and the toy store. Could this be the anonymous gift giver? Or could it be the toymaker? A toymaker by the name of Joe Peto produces some odd-looking, spooky toys that no child would want for Christmas!
Some more tenuous suggestions
Gremlins 2: The New Batch
After surviving the Christmastime devastation of the Kingston Falls Incident in Gremlins (1984), Billy (Zach Galligan) and Kate (Phoebe Cates) go to New York City. They’re anxious to start over, including starting their new jobs in the gigantic high-rise of money-grabbing tech billionaire Daniel Clamp. However, in a twist of fate, orphaned Mogwai Gizmo draws the interest of villainous scientist Doctor Catheter… who happens to work in the very same building!
Once again, a splash of water unleashes swarms of mischievous Gremlins. As a result, the annoying little creatures begin to do what they do best: wreak havoc! The city is set to get another hearty serving of utter chaos. Do Billy and Kate have what it takes to escape the new batch’s nightmare?
This is not quite the Christmas horror of the first film, but this second installment is still highly recommended!
Demonic Toys
A botched bust on a pair of arms traffickers accidentally results in a pregnant police officer, her arrestee and an innocent delivery boy being trapped in a haunted toy warehouse. This chain of events also leads to the rebirth of a sixty-six-year-old demon with the ability to summon toys to life as his henchmen.
This devil is hunting for a body to enter to strengthen his abilities, and the pregnant policewoman happens to be the perfect target. As the deadly toys approach their victims, the officer must fight not only for her life but also for the soul of her unborn child.
Misery
Paul Sheldon (James Caan), a best-selling author, is driving home from his Colorado hideaway after finishing his newest book when he is hit by a sudden snowfall. Paul is critically injured and can do nothing but hope to be rescued.
Thankfully, former nurse Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) comes to his rescue, and just so happens to be Paul’s ‘number-one fan’. She takes Paul back to her remote house in the mountains. but unbeknown to Paul, this isn’t quite the rescue he’d hoped for!
Annie becomes unhinged after finding out that the author kills off her favourite character in his newest novel. So much so that Paul is tortured and is forced to write for his life!
The Chill Factor
When a group of young couples go on a rural Wisconsin winter snowmobiling vacation, things take a turn for the worst when one them crashes into a tree and is severely injured. One of the group, a medical student, discovers the injured member of the group in shock and in need of shelter from the cold.
They seek safety at an abandoned summer camp, but their snowmobile excursion turns into a waking nightmare. The camp, unbeknownst to them, was originally utilised by a satanic sect and is inhabited by demons. Will they escape from what was supposed to be a fun birthday celebration trip, or will this holiday be their last?
Child’s Play 2
In Child’s Play 2, the Play Pals Corporation, who produce the Good Guy doll line, is trying to recover from the negative publicity. To reassure its stockholders that there was nothing actually wrong with their doll, they acquire Chucky’s remains and reassemble him.
During the process, a power surge fatally electrocutes one of the assembly line workers and reanimates Chucky – somewhat like in Frankenstein!
Meanwhile, Chucky’s former owner, Andy Barclay (now 8) has been in foster care ever since his mother was institutionalized for backing up Andy’s story about the killer doll.
Chucky discovers Andy’s whereabouts and infiltrates his foster home by taking the place of another Good Guy doll. Andy tries to warn his foster parents about Chucky, but they don’t believe him. Chucky is after Andy’s soul, but will he get it?!
Ravenous
Ravenous is a horror Western cannibal film. Despite its glittering cast, it was a box office flop. It failed to recoup much of its $12M budget, making only £2M at the box office. Despite poor reviews upon its initial release, it has now earned a reputation as a cult classic.
As his unit is being butchered during the Mexican-American War, Second Lieutenant John Boyd (Guy Pearce) pretends to be dead. After seizing control of the Mexican command post, he is promoted to captain. Yet when it’s discovered that cowardice led to the triumph, General Slauson banishes Boyd to Fort Spencer.
Fort Spencer is a remote military outpost high in the Sierra Nevada. This outpost is commanded by the genial but weary Colonel Hart (Robert Carlyl), and staffed by a motley crew of misfits! These include the fierce Private Reich, the drunken Major Knox, the pious Private Toffler, the drug-addled Private Cleaves, and the Native American scout George and his sister Martha.
A dishevelled stranger named Colqhoun shows up soon after Boyd joins the garrison. Colqhoun then tells a terrifying tale of how his wagon train got lost in the mountains when they were following Colonel Ives’ directions – a supposed shortcut to the Pacific Ocean. Tragically, they had in fact been led down an impossible path, leaving the group snowed in for 3 months.
Colqhoun claims that Ives and his companions turned to murder and cannibalism due to famine. To find and apprehend Ives and recover any survivors, a rescue team is formed. Before departing, the group is warned by George of the Wendigo myth. The myth tells that consuming the flesh of one’s enemies is said to give you power. This comes at a price, for it also turns you into a demon with an insatiable taste for human flesh.
Trilogy of Terror II
This made-for-TV horror anthology film, a sequel to Trilogy of Terror, was first shown on the USA Network in 1996. Dan Curtis returns to helm three new horror stories, each starring Lysette Anthony in the major role:
- The Graveyard Rats – A woman and her lover plan to murder her husband to steal his money. Based on Henry Kuttner’s short tale.
- Bobby – A lady brings her deceased son back to life, but he isn’t quite what she imagined.
- He Who Kills – The first film’s Zuni Fetish doll reappears for more murder and mayhem, this time at a museum where it has been brought for research.
The X-Files: Chinga Episode
Co-written by Stephen King, Chinga is the tenth episode of the fifth season of the TV series. In this episode, rumours of witchcraft and sorcery are swirling after a strange death at a supermarket in a small New England fishing village. This lead Scully, who is on vacation, to a young girl and a cursed doll that may be hiding a homicidal presence.
Will he be able to solve this mystery?
Bride of Chucky
After being chopped apart by the police, serial killer doll Chucky (Brad Dourif) is resurrected by Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), the serial murderer’s ex-girlfriend whose soul is inside another doll.
Chucky and Tiffany arrange to be taken to New Jersey by Jesse (Nick Stabile) and Jade (Katherine Heigl), who are ignorant that their cargo is alive, to obtain the magical amulet that can restore them both to human form.
Puppet Master series: Puppet Master 2 to Retro Puppet Master
Puppet Master is an American horror film series about a group of anthropomorphic puppets who are animated by an Egyptian enchantment, and each has their own distinctive weapons. They are portrayed as heroes, antiheroes, and antagonists throughout the films. Charles Band and Kenneth J. Hall founded the franchise, releasing them under the Full Moon Features label. Despite the low budget of these, they were incredibly popular and established a cult following.
Below are the films in the franchise that were released between 1990 and 1999:
- Puppet Master 2
- Puppet Master 3: Toulon’s Revenge
- Puppet Master 4
- Puppet Master 5
- Curse of the Puppet Master
- Retro Puppet Master
