He sees you when you’re sleeping; he knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake! You don’t have to be a horror fan to get creeped out by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie’s mega Christmas hit “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.” It’s meant to keep children on their best behavior throughout December, but it’s perhaps a little too effective- the song paints Santa in a stalkerish, threatening light. Throughout the years, the genre picked up on the darker side of Jolly Old St. Nicholas and ran with it.
If there’s one recurring staple that takes up more space in holiday horror than any other, it’s the killer Santa Claus. As such a dominating force in the subgenre, we’re dedicating this week’s streaming picks to the king of the North Pole’s malevolent side.
These five killer Santa movies prey on the naughty and nice, from homicidal maniacs in Santa suits to demons forced to spread joy and happiness. Here’s where you can stream them…
Christmas Evil – Shudder, Vudu
Ever since Harry Stradling (Brandon Maggart) saw mommy kissing Santa Claus as a child, he grew up with an unhealthy Christmas obsession. As an adult, he keeps his home decked out in holiday décor and seeks to spread cheer at the toy factory where he works. Harry even spies on the neighborhood kids to keep track of who is naughty or nice. But Harry’s fragile mind and a series of unfortunate events lead him to snap over Christmas Eve, spurning a murder spree in his quest to become an authentic Santa Claus. Christmas Evil isn’t your average killer Santa flick; it’s a quirky character study of a broken mind. There’s often as much humor as there is tragedy in store for poor Harry.
Santa’s Slay – Peacock
Once upon a time, in the year 1005 AD, the demon Santa Claus (Bill Goldberg) lost a bet with an Angel. As punishment, Santa was sentenced to become a giver of holiday gifts and cheer for 1,000 years. The moment his sentence ends, however, the demon’s brutal ways resume with a vengeance. As if Goldberg’s casting as the angry Santa wasn’t an indicator, Santa’s Slay is a gory romp uninterested in anything but spreading holiday cheer with riotous carnage and camp. You’ll know if this one is for you from the spirited opening slaughter, featuring Fran Drescher.
Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 – Prime Video, Shudder, Tubi
While the original film is heralded as a holiday horror classic, this sequel falls firmly into cult territory thanks to using an insane amount of footage to recap the previous film’s story and the over-the-top performance by new killer Santa, Ricky (Eric Freeman). Set four years after the first film, Ricky picks up his brother’s slaying-mantle to punish those he deems naughty on Christmas Eve. Whereas Billy liked to yell “punish,” Ricky’s more known for his hysterical line delivery of “Garbage day!” That should give you a little idea of the hysterical madness in store. In other words, this is a pizza and beer kind of holiday horror film, best viewed separately from its predecessor.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker – Tubi
Written and produced by Brian Yuzna, the killer Santa gets a special effects-heavy twist in the fifth outing of this wacky holiday horror franchise. Mickey Rooney stars as elderly toymaker Joe Petto, who dresses as Santa, makes deadly toys with his son Pino Petto (Brian Bremer), and delivers them to unwitting victims. It’s up to a little boy, whose father died by one of the lethal toys, to stop them. Aside from giving a new spin on the killer Santa, The Toy Maker doubles as a fresh, Yuzna-style riff on Pinocchio.
Tales from the Crypt – The Roku Channel, Tubi
This classic horror anthology features five segments based on EC Comics stories, connected by a wraparound featuring five strangers confronted by a Crypt Keeper that regales them of tales of their demises. The first segment, “…And All Through the House,” comes from the 35th issue of The Vault of Horror and sees Joanne Clayton (Joan Collins) battling it out with an escaped maniac dressed in a Santa suit. She’s unable to call the police for aid as she’s just murdered her husband. The story is so good that it was adapted a second time for the Tales from the Crypt TV series’ inaugural season. While the original adaptation in the movie is the only story set around the holidays, the entire anthology is solid.