Editorials
6 Children in Holiday Horror Movies That Deserve a Lump of Coal [12 Days of Creepmas]
‘Tis the season for children to be on their best behavior, so Santa Claus can properly declare whether they belong to the nice or naughty list. The sixth day of Creepmas spotlights a handful of naughty children in holiday horror movies that deserve a lump of coal in their stockings, at the very least.
These horror movies feature kids so ruthless that they draw audience ire and wishes for Krampus to come take them away. The 12 Days of Creepmas continues on Bloody Disgusting, this time with 6 holiday horror movies that put vicious children at the forefront of the terror.
Keep track of the 12 Days of Creepmas here.
Krampus
When Max’s (Emjay Anthony) dysfunctional family won’t stop fighting and nothing goes as planned, he turns his back on Christmas and accidentally summons Krampus. All hell breaks loose as Krampus and his horde of minions punish Max and his family, in Michael Dougherty’s fan favorite holiday horror movie. Technically, almost the entire family belongs on the naughty list as their constant bickering and bullying is what inspires Max to unwittingly summon Krampus in the first place. But Krampus’ reign of terror inspires Max to see the error of his ways, making the children of Krampus the nicest among the naughty list.
Silent Night
For the most part, writer/director Camille Griffin’s feature debut, Silent Night, plays like many comedies set around holiday gatherings. It features typical awkwardness that comes from a large makeshift family coming together during one of the most stressful times of the year, attempting to cast aside grudges, secrets, or bad manners for the sake of yuletide cheer. But it becomes clear there’s something quite sinister bubbling beneath the surface of forced merriment, and Griffin’s debut slowly evolves into a harrowing horror story rife with tragedy. It’s a rare instance where the misbehaving children, particularly Art (Roman Griffin Davis) and Kitty (Davida McKenzie), earn their rebellious behavior with the reveal of the horror element. It’s an even rarer instance where these naughty children are ultimately undeserving of their holiday punishment.
The Sacrifice Game
Three days before Christmas in 1971, the remaining students of Blackvale, a Catholic boarding school for girls, depart for the holidays. Circumstances leave teens Samantha (Madison Baines) and Clara (Georgia Acken) stuck at school with chaperones, but their attempts to make a cozy holiday get derailed with the arrival of a murderous cult. The Sacrifice Game may be a holiday ruiner for many of its characters, but for audiences, it’s a holiday horror treat. Jenn Wexler’s sophomore feature takes viewers on a journey with the sweet Samantha and peculiar Clara. One of the girls eventually reveals herself to be quite the evil puppetmaster. In Wexler’s hands, that’s a good thing; The Sacrifice Game features a rare instance where you’re rooting for evil (and friendship) to win.
The Children
Children have a penchant for creepiness in horror, and The Children ranks high among the killer kid subgenre. An isolated family and friend gathering over the Christmas/New Year’s holiday winds up pitting children against parents when a gruesome virus breaks out. If you think the holiday setting means tamer kills, you’d be wrong; these children are malicious little killers. To be fair, it’s not their fault. Still, steer clear because these kids get ultra-violent and find inventive ways to get lethal with everyday items.
Better Watch Out
This title is for those that like their holiday horror full of pitch-black humor and one nasty mean streak. A babysitting job in the quiet suburbs turns into a harrowing night for the babysitter when her ward’s house is under siege by intruders. There’s far more than meets the eye in this twist on home-invasion horror, and it’s vicious. A bone-chilling pre-teen villain and one brutal kill that riffs on a family holiday favorite make this a memorable and crowd-pleasing pick. But expect this horror villain to induce rage like few others.
The Lodge
Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s follow-up to Goodnight Mommy carries over the theme of children misbehaving. A family trip to the remote family lodge for Christmas becomes a harrowing voyage into potential madness when soon-to-be stepmom Grace (Riley Keough) is left alone to take care of step-children Aidan (Jaeden Martell) and Mia (Lia McHugh). When the children seem to be making peace with Grace, a blizzard knocks the power out, trapping them all with Grace’s dark past. Moody and atmospheric, The Lodge is bleak horror. Nothing about this holiday horror movie is merry or bright, largely thanks to its young leads.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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